Kraven's Hunters are the main villainous faction of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. They are a violent group of international mercenaries led by Kraven the Hunter and utilize technology designed to assist them in dangerous hunts. Kraven unleashed the Hunters on his Great Hunt in New York City. However, their actions indirectly caused the creation of Venom and the subsequent symbiote invasion.[1]
History[]
The Hunters formed as an army of mercenaries for Kraven in his search for a worthy opponent to fight. At some point, they acquired an array of high-profile equipment, such as jet skis, turrets and carrier aircrafts. One hunter personally tried to challenge him, but Kraven easily outsmarted and killed him. Disappointed, Kraven insisted the hunters find him a true challenger. One stepped forward, revealing a plan to go to New York to fight the super villains and heroes contained there.
The hunters then traveled with Kraven to New York to hunt the various challengers. They setup bases throughout New York, moving Kraven's pet tiger Dima into a hotel, with their main base in an abandoned mansion, which they setup as an arena for Kraven to face his foes. They sought to capture the Scorpion and Mister Negative from the Raft during their transfer from the unit. Although the Spider-Men (Peter Parker and Miles Morales) tried to stop them, the hunters were able to successfully capture their targets for Kraven. They also helped Kraven locate other fighters, such as the Shocker, Electro and the Vulture, all of whom he killed in a successful duel. While Kraven continued hunting, the hunters faced attacks from the Spider-Men, with Peter defeating several groups, learning their plans as he did so. One section of the hunters tried to capture Black Cat for Kraven, but Miles helped her escape to France with the aid of the Wand of Watoomb.
Still not satisfied, Kraven ordered the Hunters to capture Tombstone. While initially successful, Peter (now assisted by his Spider-Pal Harry Osborn) freed Tombstone. The hunters then captured Curt Connors, bringing him to Kraven, who administered a dose of the lizard serum to transform him. Peter and Harry tried to save him, but Kraven and the Hunters fought back. While Peter was able to defeat the hunters, Kraven managed to stab him, but Harry was able to overpower him. Seeing Kraven struggle, more hunters tried to help, but Peter (now wearing Harry's symbiote suit) overpowered them, beating many of them severely. Impressed, Kraven ordered his hunters to focus on finding Connors, who had escaped, so he could focus on chasing Peter.
The next night, Peter (posing as a waiter with the help of the Black Suit) snuck into the hotel and restaurant the hunters took control of. The group were celebrating, awaiting orders from Kraven for their actions the following day. After confronting Dima in Kraven's study room, Peter donned the black suit and fought the hunters in the drawing room, eventually destroying a section of the building in the skirmish.
The following day, the Hunters searched Connor's house the following day, only to find Peter there, who attacked and defeated them. Another group of Hunters located Connors (now the fully grown Lizard) in the fish market. They tried to capture him, but Miles and Peter once more stopped them, with Peter eventually restoring Connors to normal.
With their efforts thwarted, the Hunters instead tried to capture Peter, but the symbiote took him over and led him on a rampage against the group across the city. Realizing they couldn't defeat him, they instead manipulated Miles, one hunter tricking him into saving his life so he could inject him with a serum that subdued him. Kraven then arrived and ordered the Hunters to take Miles to the mansion, wanting to use him to lure Peter to fight him.
The following day, the Hunters watched as Kraven made Miles and the captured Mister Negative fight, only for Miles to help Mister Negative escape. The Hunters moved to attack Miles, but he easily fought them back, requiring Kraven to subdue him instead. That night, the Hunters guarded the outside area when Peter came and attacked them. He then cornered the last hunter and held a truck over his head, demanding he reveal where Miles was. The hunter did so, pointing to the mansion. Peter smashed his way in, leaving the hunter in shock.
Later that night, after Peter defeated Kraven, the group were left stricken with the news that Venom killed Kraven. Now without their leader, the group fell into disarray, unable to cope as symbiotes began sprouting around the city, converting them into symbiote servants for Venom.
After the Spider-Men resolved the symbiote invasion, they then took to fighting against the left over pockets of hunters still resisting capture from New York's police.
Characteristics[]
Gameplay[]
Equipment[]
The Hunters are shown to have a vast array of hi-tech hunting weaponry. They also have hunter drones that take the shape of birds and hounds, both which have black and yellow plate armor.
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Hunter VTOL The vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) functions as the Hunter's aerial combat and transport system. |
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Hunter APC The armored personnel carrier (APC) functions as the Hunter's ground combat and transport system. |
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Hunter Patrol Boat The patrol boat functions as the Hunter's naval combat and transport system. |
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Hunter Jetski The jet-ski functions as the Hunter's naval combat and transport system. |
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Hunter Turret The turret functions as the Hunter's weapon system and can be attached to vehicles such as the Hunter VTOL, Hunter APC and Hunter Patrol Boat. |