Comic Book fans have to be excited about the way the heroes were treated inMarvel’s Midnight Suns. Despite multiple variations even in the comics themselves of the same heroes, they feel true to who they have been. However, more than just a bit of creative license was used when “borrowing” Lilith, the primary antagonist, from her source material.
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That’s not to say that she’s a total betrayal of her original self.Marvel’s Midnight Sunscorrectly colors her power green, has her battle with Johnny Blaze, and has her be opposed by the Midnight Suns (called the Midnight Sons in the comics), so she’s in the ballpark of her former self. However, those familiar with the comics will notice several striking differences when playing the game.
It should be noted that these aren’t necessarilymistakes that need to be fixed. The comics often contradict themselves as the writers decide to put their own personal spin on things. The development team deciding to put their own spin on Lilith is not bad, just different, and fans can decide if they like the changes or don’t on their own.
This article discusses revelations that mark huge moments within both the comics and the video game. Those who would like to avoid spoilers for either one should read the comics and play the game first.
Appearance
Both the comics and the game depict a “true” form for Lilith and an alter ego. Which is which has been flipped, though, as in the comics, Lilith’s true form is a beast with forehead skin that looks like horns and hair that grows in a V shape starting between her eyes. In the game, Lilith is simply a human being when she is untransformed.
To seduce mortals, Lilith has to change forms and often takes on the appearance of a desirable female, depicted in many different ways.The game is a long one, but only shows one fallen form for Lilith, giving her actual horns and a carapace for skin.
Origin
Perhaps the single most notable difference is the origin story. In the game,beginners will eventually learnthat Lilith was a lovestruck mortal, gifted with witchcraft, who fell when she lost her family. In the comics, her origin is mysterious and intentionally blurry, but it’s clear she’s been around for much longer than that.
What isn’t deniable is that she has lived for eons, rumored to have been with Samael/Lucifer/Satan when the rebellion from heaven occurred. Some strips even show her as taking the place of Eve alongside Adam. She’s also been thought to have been the daughter of other prehistoric deities.
Ambition & Goals
In the game, Lilith is given a thoughtful story about loving the child and husband that she lost. She is so grief-stricken that she permits tremendous evils to happen to most of humanity in order to try and undo what hardships she had to endure.
The comics depict somebody much more rotten at the core, a being that, having been spurned by both heaven and hell, attempts to infiltrate the world to feel some semblance of mortality. That may sound sympathetic, but it’s virtually always a means to gain power.
Children
The Hunter is the lone child of Lilith, lost once at birth and then again as an adult, preserved with life by a contract Lilith made with Chthon. Without The Hunter, Lilith has no other children to speak of and this was a driving factor of her loneliness and heartbreak.
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However, Lilith is the founder of the Succubi in the comics, changing forms, having relations with men she seduces, and then influencing her own children to carry out her bidding. She loves her children only as a means to gain influence.
Powers
The comics don’t define Lilith’s powers in any single moment; it’s rather common for the bad guys to have an ace up their sleeve and Lilith has many such hidden cards. At times, she teleports, blasts opponents with green energy, conjures visions, and puts up shields.
Her powers aren’t necessarily better or worse in the game, but they are substantially different. She’s lost her ability to teleport, it seems, as she is prone to get kicked around. But she’s gained a mind control technique. Luckily, the men who resisted her seduction in the comics weren’t subject that that kind of power.
Alliances
Despite being in control of Hydra and others, it appears Lilith is largely on her own in the game. Chthon and her have an obviously contentious relationship as they work together; neither sees one or the other as an ally. And it’s hard to say Lilith’s mind-controlled minions are “friends.” Eventhe villain after the creditshas a disdain for her in his one-word line.
Lilith is also something of a loose cannon in the comics, but she makes different alliances such as with vampires (Dracula, specifically) and Mephisto. Mephisto is in the game, but he does not appear as the ally that Lilith worked with to lead a war on hell.
Scope Of Influence
Lilith is undoubtedly a terrible person in the comics. She fools Biblical and historical characters into allowing her to rule various empires and civilizations. It seems like a lot of power to rule a nation, but the game kicks this power up to an entirely different level.
Lilith’s return is apocalyptic, draining the world of life and giving it over (unintentionally) to a dark god. While Lilith was strong in the comics, she wasn’t the world-ender that the game made her out to be.
Entanglement With Heroes
From the beginning, the game gets it right, showing that Johnny Blaze has tangled with the minions of Lilith, the Lilin, before. And the Midnight Suns/Sons that fought against her were comprised of many similar cast members.
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But somegreat playable characters, specifically Captain America, have actually tangled with Lilith before. Morbius will be added through DLC, but characters like Wong, Doctor Voodoo, and Frank Drake were also part of this squad and are absent in the game.
Mortality
Despite her ability to wipe out a planet, Lilith has a striking weakness in the game compared to herself in the comics. She is, it appears, mortal, and therefore can die. That likely has something to do with her being depicted as a fallen human instead of a fallen deity/angel.
Originally, the best her opponents could do was imprison her for as long as possible. She and her spawns have been “killed” many times, but she only returns to her original dimension and plots how to next infiltrate humanity and earth again after each “death.” She would have nothing to fear fromthe game’s best damage dealers.
Minions
The Lilin are present in both the game and the comics with a similar makeup. The Lilin are an amalgamation of soulless life created by Lilith, and souls from the dead implanted into a host. They gain power as their numbers grow.
But the minions in the comics had plenty of human traits; the succubi and incubi could pass for human beings quite easily. In the game, the Lilin are entirely monsters. She does control Hydra members, but this is a product of mind control, not her creative abilities.
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsis available now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
