The church scene in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 offers powerful insight into the archetypal relationship between death and rebirth. As darkness shifts to light, Raimi depicts the death of the black Spiderman and the coinciding birth of Peter Parker. Contrarily, Raimi displays the simultaneous death of Edward Brock Jr. and the birth of Venom, as Edward stands with outstretched arms asking God to “kill Peter Parker” (Raimi). It is through these haunting images Raimi challenges our preconceived notion of an admirable and exceptional God. Edward’s transformation to Venom shows how divine power and influence can empower us to be evil. Therefore, the characters of Peter and Edward represent the death and rebirth of good versus evil.
The historical use …show more content…
Raimi ensures that the audience views the statue of Jesus hanging on the cross, in hopes that later we will connect the scene with Edward’s corruption. After Edward asks God to “kill Peter Parker” (Raimi), he is drawn to the bell tower by Parker’s screams. Raimi places Edward directly in the centre of a mosaic cross on the floor and shows Edward looking to the heavens as his prayers are being answered. The symbiote then falls from great heights, symbolically from Heaven itself, and encompasses Edward. Raimi presents Edward as Jesus, for as the symbiote encircles him he takes the position of Jesus, arms outstretched in a similar position while literally on a cross. Immediately following this, Edward collapses onto his knees, a traditional position of prayer, supposedly humbled by the power of God. Through Edward, Raimi displays that divine power has the ability to empower and enact our evil desires. Another allusion to the crusification is when Peter becomes shackled to a bar behind him by Venom’s hand. Venom says, “Never wound what you can’t kill” (Raimi) suggesting that Venom possesses immortality: the defining factor between man and God. Raimi’s presentation of Edward forces us to witness the potential evils resultant of divine …show more content…
As Peter continues his marathon of destruction, losing M.J., using Gwen, fighting Harry, we see that Peter has completely embraced the symbiote’s evil. Edward, who Raimi uses to represent the Freudian Id, obtains Peter’s job at The Daily Bugle. The Id-like tendencies the symbiote magnifies allows Peter to stand up for himself and take the position at The Daily Bugle for himself, displaying benefit in having a balance between the Superego and the Id. Peter tells Edward that if he “want[s] forgiveness” (Raimi) he has to “find a church” (Raimi) since Peter has become an unforgiving narcissist. Raimi suggests that Peter, under the symbiote’s influence, considers himself a God. Furthering Raimi’s overall concept that God’s power can harness some sort of evil influence within us.
In conclusion, Raimi utilizes the church scene in Spider-Man 3 to display how Godly influence, something that we classify as good, can also empower us to be evil. Evidently, the symbiote only attacks during Peter’s vulnerability, a time when we usually seek God’s assistance. Therefore, during times of vulnerability, divine power possesses a sort of duality, characterized by the forces of good and the forces of evil. Ultimately, Raimi leaves us to consider, when given the opportunity do we harness divine influence for the purposes of good or
The historical use …show more content…
Raimi ensures that the audience views the statue of Jesus hanging on the cross, in hopes that later we will connect the scene with Edward’s corruption. After Edward asks God to “kill Peter Parker” (Raimi), he is drawn to the bell tower by Parker’s screams. Raimi places Edward directly in the centre of a mosaic cross on the floor and shows Edward looking to the heavens as his prayers are being answered. The symbiote then falls from great heights, symbolically from Heaven itself, and encompasses Edward. Raimi presents Edward as Jesus, for as the symbiote encircles him he takes the position of Jesus, arms outstretched in a similar position while literally on a cross. Immediately following this, Edward collapses onto his knees, a traditional position of prayer, supposedly humbled by the power of God. Through Edward, Raimi displays that divine power has the ability to empower and enact our evil desires. Another allusion to the crusification is when Peter becomes shackled to a bar behind him by Venom’s hand. Venom says, “Never wound what you can’t kill” (Raimi) suggesting that Venom possesses immortality: the defining factor between man and God. Raimi’s presentation of Edward forces us to witness the potential evils resultant of divine …show more content…
As Peter continues his marathon of destruction, losing M.J., using Gwen, fighting Harry, we see that Peter has completely embraced the symbiote’s evil. Edward, who Raimi uses to represent the Freudian Id, obtains Peter’s job at The Daily Bugle. The Id-like tendencies the symbiote magnifies allows Peter to stand up for himself and take the position at The Daily Bugle for himself, displaying benefit in having a balance between the Superego and the Id. Peter tells Edward that if he “want[s] forgiveness” (Raimi) he has to “find a church” (Raimi) since Peter has become an unforgiving narcissist. Raimi suggests that Peter, under the symbiote’s influence, considers himself a God. Furthering Raimi’s overall concept that God’s power can harness some sort of evil influence within us.
In conclusion, Raimi utilizes the church scene in Spider-Man 3 to display how Godly influence, something that we classify as good, can also empower us to be evil. Evidently, the symbiote only attacks during Peter’s vulnerability, a time when we usually seek God’s assistance. Therefore, during times of vulnerability, divine power possesses a sort of duality, characterized by the forces of good and the forces of evil. Ultimately, Raimi leaves us to consider, when given the opportunity do we harness divine influence for the purposes of good or