#benj

It’s not just convenient to have a different name than Peter Parker meta wise for distinguishing the different universe’s Parkers, I have actual reasoning. But first we have to talk about universe 90214 Ben Urich, the original. (This is going to b very generalized)

This version of Urich is an investigative reporter, who was really good at his job. So good in fact he’s associated with the likes of J Jonah Jameson(in this universe the bugle is a real newspaper who reports the facts despite criminal/political threats). There’s a lot implied that he used to work a lot more closely with Jonah and Felicia Hardy to run an information network, or web, to inform the public and keep organized crime in check. This is what earned him the name the ‘Spider’. To reiterate, the spider was an anonymous identity that few knew Urich was. However, over time he became addicted to drugs and began to take cuts from the organized crime he was supposedly working against. More specifically: the Goblin, who’s basically a mob boss in this universe. He had gone dirty, which is why I suspect his previous colleagues put some distance between them.

Fast forwards: Urich takes on Peter Parker as an apprentice after getting him out of a fight with some of Goblin’s goons outside of a protest. Peter becomes largely frustrated working for Urich due to just watching and reporting instead of doing something, this is evident during the apartment fire scene. Peter wants revenge on the Goblin for the death of Ben Parker and keeps pushing for Urich to go after him, but because of Urich’s deal with Goblin he essentially gives Peter busy work. This ultimately leads to Peter getting his powers. Later on Peter finds out that Urich has been hoarding information on the Goblin but is getting drugs from the Goblin so he’s not releasing it. He’s angry, there’s a shouting match. This ultimately inspires Urich to publish the Goblin’s information but also causing him to be killed by the chameleon in retaliation. While this was happening Peter swings in in his spider gear and mask to attack the goblin. They all assume this is Urich underneath the mask, and call him the spider. And later on people assume this masked spider is the same one who ran the information web.

Now as to the why I think Peter took the name Benjamin Urich: As seen above Peter is very much taking Urich’s place. He’s already taking the Spider’s name and it’s very convenient to have another alias to use with it. Especially one that people(from the underground at least) already associate the spider with. It’s quite literally perfect, too perfect, but that’s another post and has to do with the spider god. We already know he has a lot of heavy feelings with the name Benjamin for his uncle as well as his own middle name, which could be used against this theory. With that said I also think in this universe Peter doesn’t feel a whole lot like Peter after the spider bite. And maybe it’s gradual, but it most certainly starts with the spider bite/god. He is not the same person by the end of his run to say THE LEAST. Taking on a new identity, especially the one of Ben Urich, a man who wanted to do good, to be good but fell short, who wanted a second chance and didn’t really get it, would be a fantastic way narratively for Peter to express that.