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Peter Parker can't perform Wakanda Forever salute in Marvel's Spider-Man 2

But Miles can.

Miles and Peter in Spider-Man 2
Image credit: Insomniac

In the recently released Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker is unable to perform the 'Wakanda Forever' salute.

The Wakandan Embassy is included as an Easter Egg in the game and if Miles Morales stands outside, a prompt appears to perform the iconic salute.

When Peter does the same, there's no such prompt.

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This was spotted and shared on TikTok by SpectreXGaming (thanks Kotaku), with a side-by-side of both characters.

I dipped into the game to check myself and can confirm that while Miles can perform the salute, Peter cannot.

Miles performs the Wakanda Forever salute in Spider-Man 2
Peter unable to perform Wakanda Forever salute in Spider-Man 2
Miles is given a prompt, but Peter is not. | Image credit: Eurogamer

So why can Miles perform the salute and Peter can't? It's likely a matter of sensitivity around the gesture's intended use as a mark of respect.

The salute is performed by the citizens of Wakanda, Marvel's fictional African country, and in real life has become a symbol of Black pride.

We can look back to an episode of SNL from 2018 presented by Chadwick Boseman, who played the role of T'Challa (Black Panther) in Marvel's film that year. He explained the salute comes from Egyptian kings who were buried right hand over left to clutch the royal sceptre.

There are other nods to Black Panther in Insomniac's game, including a suit for Miles called 'Forever Spidey' that resembles that of Black Panther.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, shifting 2.5m copies in just one day.

It was also compared to the MCU's Captain America: Civil War by creative director Bryan Intihar.

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