Theory: MCOC Chameleon Conspiracy
Does the “Kings of the Jungle” Motion Comic Signal a Second December Champ?
In the motion comic released by Marvel Contest of Champions in conjunction with its December 2021 release of Kraven the Hunter, visual references are made to several other characters not yet in the game. Fans love easter eggs like this, perhaps none more than the content creators of the MCOC Futurism Society, who unite around their common curiosity about the future of the game.
The Trophy Wall in the Motion Comic
The setting of these references, seemingly, is Kraven’s famous trophy hunter wall. (We will explain “seemingly” in a moment.) Trophy hunters have often mounted the heads of their big game kills on the walls of their dens, halls, and trophy rooms. So in comic art, Kraven has been depicted having hung the heads of those he has defeated on the wall of his trophy room. One iconic example is the cover of The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 #17 (2018), depicted above.
The wall in the video boasts some plain old animals Kraven apparently hunted down before tiring of such easy sport.
We are then shown articles associated with Marvel characters both more and less familiar, including Ben Reilly’s 2017 Jackal II mask from the Clone Conspiracy arc and a Spider-Man cowl very similar to that worn by Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3 (2007).
Next the “camera” pans past a different part of the wall, with an apparent Hobgoblin cowl, a Chameleon mask in central focus, and the head of one of the Spider-Slayer robots.
All of these items are mounted on a wall with pinkish-violet wallpaper in a diamond-grid, scrolled floral pattern such as one would expect in a Baroque damask.
Kraven’s Trophy Wall in the Comics
Kraven’s trophy wall is not typically depicted with wallpaper. This makes sense as he is more of a Gaston—an exaggeratedly macho, testosterone-driven alpha who might be expected to keep an atmosphere more akin to a spare hunting lodge than a civil, decorated city dwelling.
Chameleon’s 2021 Comics Mimicry of Kraven’s Wall
As the cover for the June 2021 Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: Chameleon Conspiracy Vol. 1 #1, Chameleon is depicted, presumably in his parlor with his various masks.
A master of disguise, Chameleon has only sometimes relied on a collection of masks to support his deceptions.
But for our purposes, it’s notable that his masks are arranged on the walls in a configuration clearly intended to tribute Kraven’s trophy wall. The difference? Chameleon’s collection is on fancy wallpaper. This makes more sense for Chameleon, a devoted method actor and espionage type commonly seen in three-piece suits with the metropolitan air of a wealthy Bond villain.
Here’s the rub, and the reason we said it was “seemingly” Kraven’s wall in the motion comic: Chameleon’s masks in that June 2021 comic book cover were arranged on the exact same pinkish-violet damask-like wallpaper we now see nearly six months later in this motion comic.
Is That Kraven’s Room? Is That Even Kraven?
In other words, the wall before which Kraven is standing in the motion comic appears to be a direct reference to the Chameleon Conspiracy book.
It appears Kraven is standing, looking at Chameleon’s mask hanging, not in Kraven’s own trophy room, but in Chameleon’s mask room from the Chameleon Conspiracy cover: an arc during which Chameleon gaslights the protagonist to question even their own identity.
“None of us are who we seem to be, after all,” he says.
So is this Kraven even who he seems to be?
He Does Seem Like Actual Kraven, Though
You might say, “No, that character is physically huge, and sounds Russian like Alexei Kravinoff would.” True.
But appearances are unreliable, especially after any Chameleon reference has been made. And here Chameleon as definitely been referenced. If the wallpaper was a coincidence, the Chameleon mask on the wall was no accident.
There are numerous reasons a very convincing Kraven could actually be Chameleon. Chameleon is also Russian. As you can see from the above screen capture of Chameleon’s abilities, he is a master voice mimic and polyglot (speaks multiple languages) who has a history with Kraven and even takes the same life-prolonging serums as Kraven and might be roughly the same age. Chameleon can even mold his appearance to look like others’ faces and bodies.
In short: nobody would be better equipped to mimic Kraven than Chameleon.
Another King of the Jungle?
Finally: if there aren’t multiple characters in this monthly event, perhaps multiple people claiming the Kraven name, why is the title of the motion comic, “Kings of the Jungle,” plural? If the actual Kraven is a king of the jungle, who is the other king of the jungle? Perhaps someone mimicking Kraven?
Conclusions
The best way for Kabam to release a playable (or non-playable) Chameleon would be to disguise him in every way, only giving Summoners tiny clues to his presence in the Battlerealm.
Given Chameleon’s past association with Kraven, Kraven would be the best champ with which to pair a Chameleon ruse.
Given Kabam’s history of releasing only one champ in December, there is no better month to trick Summoners into not expecting a secret second champ of the month.
Does this video imply Chameleon is in the Battlerealm? Judge for yourself!
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“Last year's #TournamentOfBattlerealmFuture #MarchAddness, hosted by @elgaberino_MCOC and @UmcocDeacon during spring 2020, featured... FOUR mutants with BONE EXTRUSION powers, i.e., the ability to grow, externaliz, and weaponize hardened bone. Can you name all four? -og”
- quiz
“QUESTION: Which champs have bone extrusion powers and were in last spring's tournament? ANSWER: Absalom, Spyke, Riptide, and Marrow”
- answered
“ANSWERS:
ABSALOM, Mutant (Externals): bone spikes
SPYKE, Mutant (X-Men: Evolution): bony armor, superheated bony weapons
RIPTIDE, Mutant (Marauders): personal tornado propels his bone-spur shuriken
MARROW, Mutant (Morlocks): bony weapons, armor”
- explained
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