When Robbie Learned About The Spider’s True Identity Addressed By Spider-Noir Star

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Be aware, this contains minor spoilers for the first season of Spider-Noir! Unlike the mysterious Spider in that series, Nicolas Cage’s Ben Reilly hasn’t kept his identity hidden for long. Larmone Morris reveals exactly when his character discovered who Ben Reilly really is.

The new Spider-Man series takes place in 1933 New York City and features Morris as Robbie Robertson, a tenacious freelance journalist. Robbie consistently pursues important stories, often finding himself in risky situations, especially when he starts investigating the dangerous mob boss Silvermane. The series quickly reveals that Robbie knew Ben was The Spider before the show began, and they’ve become friends. This gives Robbie an inside track on reporting Ben’s activities, similar to how Peter Parker reports on his own adventures as Spider-Man.

Before the show launched, Grant Hermanns from ScreenRant spoke with Lamorne Morris about his character, Spider-Noir. Morris explained that the show’s creator, Oren Uziel, provided him with a letter detailing his character’s history. This letter clarified exactly when his character learned about Ben’s secret identity as The Spider, and it significantly aided Morris in shaping his performance.

Morris wasn’t willing to share the specifics, saying he’d “keep that internal,” but he did confirm they intentionally chose a precise moment for Robbie to discover Spider’s identity before the Spider-Noir storyline began. This led to a discussion—a “negotiation,” as Morris put it—where Robbie and Ben agreed that if Ben helped Robbie, Robbie would protect Ben’s secret.

Lamorne Morris explained that the friendship between his character and The Spider began with a deal. Robbie, a talented journalist, quickly discovered The Spider’s identity and proposed a trade: he’d take photos and write a positive story in exchange for a job. As a Black man in the 1930s, Robbie needed work, and this arrangement benefited them both, which was something they discussed at length.

It was surprising to learn Robbie knew Ben was The Spider before the events of Spider-Noir began, as it’s the first time a Spider-Man other than Peter has directly interacted with the media. Usually, Spider-Man is portrayed as a public enemy in The Daily Bugle, largely due to J. Jonah Jameson’s negative coverage.

Robbie wasn’t the only one who found out Ben was Spider-Man during the events of Spider-Noir. A funny flashback showed Ben accidentally told Karen Rodriguez’s Janet several times while he was drinking at work. Li Jun Li’s Cat Hardy also figured it out and even tested him by intentionally falling from his window, forcing Ben to use his webs to catch her.

Revealing Robbie knows Ben’s secret identity creates exciting new possibilities for the Spider-Noir storyline. Not only does it allow Robbie’s reporting to improve public perception of The Spider, but it also gives the writers a chance to develop supporting characters through Robbie’s interactions with them as he investigates Ben’s work.

It’s notable that Morris has been hesitant to reveal exactly how Robbie discovered The Spider’s true identity. This could be because the event itself was minor and doesn’t need to be shown, making it a secret Morris keeps to himself. Alternatively, the show’s creators might plan to reveal it through a flashback later on.

It will be fascinating to see how Robbie’s knowledge of Ben’s secret identity affects their dynamic as they face a new danger in a potential second season of Spider-Noir. According to an interview with ScreenRant, the show could move to a World War II setting, forcing Robbie to take his newspaper business more seriously and encouraging Ben to confront his past traumas.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Spider-Noir content with:

  • Oren Uziel on why the Prime Video series pulled some deep-cut Marvel villains for its roster
  • Li Jun Li & Jack Huson on how Spider-Noir offers a tragic reinvention of 3 classic Marvel villains
  • Lamorne Morris on giving Robbie Robertson his biggest live-action role to date
  • Uziel on his ideas for Spider-Noir season 2

Spider-Noir is available to stream in its entirety on Prime Video.

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2026-05-29 22:18