Almost two years after the post-credits sequence of Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man posed the question of just who was visiting Dr Curt Connors in his prison cell. That sequence tantalisingly set up the possibility of a shady criminal organisation working together to keep Peter Parker's family history secret, and though the landscape has changed somewhat now with the revelation of that history, and the set-up of the Sinister Six, it remained a pertinent question. So who is the Man In The Shadows? Rhys Ifans confirmed that it wasn't Norman Osborn - which fits with the decrepit image of the iconic villain in the sequel - and the reveal in the sequel fits in with the actor's initial confirmation that he was a character somewhat familiar to us who is in some capacity involved with Oscorp. And though he stated that "maybe he will be the next bad guy," his prediction wasn't too far off note, as the figure is revealed in the final act of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to be Mister Fear, a sometimes adversary for Daredevil and Spidey who shares genetic make-up with Batman's Scarecrow, given his preference for fear gas. Rather than being a leader of whatever group he hints at in The Amazing Spider-Man, Fear is established in the sequel as working with Harry Osborn to take the necessary tech from Oscorp to build the Sinister Six, starting with Rhino, whose armour was locked away with Vulture's wings and Doctor Octopus' arms. If Mister Fear - otherwise known as Alan Fagan in the Spider-Man comics - is set to be a member of the Sinister Six, and not just a personal assistant, that would leave one slot free, possibly to be taken up with Lizard, who remains alive but incarcerated, or Electro, whose fate is a little unclear for now. Are you excited to see The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Make sure to read our review of the film here, and take in our comprehensive run-down of the fan-baiting Easter Eggs that Marc Webb has stuffed into his sequel.
