Peni Parker is a Japanese-American middle school student from Earth-14512 who operates the SP//dr mecha suit through a unique psychic bond with a radioactive sentient spider. Peni inherited this responsibility at age nine following the mysterious death of her father, the suit's original pilot, and underwent a painful bonding process facilitated by her universe's versions of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Five years later, when she became fourteen, Peni came into conflict with a super villain called Mysterio, who was piloting an enormous orb and infecting the people of New York with hallucinogenic gas. Despite getting dosed, Peni was able to subdue Mysterio. Pulled out of class by Daredevil, Peni was informed that Mysterio was cooperating and had exposed an illegal biological enhancement ring. After helping Daredevil subdue a gang, Peni decided to take the subway home, where she was confronted by Peter Porker and Ezekiel Sims, who informed her that the Spider-Totems were being hunted and killed. Deciding to trust them, Peni retrieved her armor before setting off alongside them.