—May "Mayday" ParkerI realized I couldn't beat you until I found a way to ignore your tentacles. I needed to believe in myself and trust my own abilities. Instead of fighting in a pattern your arms can predict, I'm reacting instinctively. Even I don't know what I'll do next.
Appearing in "The People Played By Games!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Special Agent Arthur Weadon's Team
- Black Tarantula (Fabian LaMuerto)
- New Warriors
- Normie Osborn
- Team Spider
- Chesbro
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The People Played By Games!"
Lady Octopus launches a four-tendril attack on Spider-Girl, with Black Tarantula watching. Black Tarantula tries to stop the fight; he feels he can come to some kind of agreement with Spider-Girl. Ock does not relent. Nevertheless, Spider-Girl gets through the screen of arms and drives both heels into Ock's armored gut. Turning her attention to Black Tarantula, Spider-Girl has her attempted punch blocked by his palm, and his closes his fingers on her fist while he elaborates on his plot involving her. He knew she was playing him, just as he was playing her, when they formed their alliance. More than that, though, he has perhaps a romantic infatuation with Spider-Girl that made him ignore the fact that she was likely to betray him.
Weadon's team, led by Kaine, announces their presence during this awkward exchange. Black Tarantula seems not the least bit worried that Kaine and his crew can capture him. Lady Octopus takes this chance to bail while the focus is on Black Tarantula. Raptor is ordered by Kaine to pursue Lady Ock.
Black Tarantula dismisses Spider-Girl to 'join the other women' so that the men can discuss 'business.' Black Tarantula promises no one will die in her absence. Spider-Girl is unimpressed by the 'macho jerks' and wall-crawls away, annoyed at the men and aware that Kaine has orders to capture or kill Tarantula. She fears that Raptor will need her help versus Lady Octopus. Indeed, Raptor is snagged by Lady Octopus and facing a death blow when Spider-Girl intercepts them.
Elsewhere, Team Spider recons the warehouse where Canis is under police arrest, but they do not see Spider-Girl anywhere. Chesbro, monitoring from the Black Tarantula's hideout, gets intel that Spider-Girl is at the Javits Convention Center battling Lady Octopus, where he knows Black Tarantula's banquet with the crime lords was taking place. He tells April to recall Team Spider, adding that he thinks they are about to lose their funding.
Back at the convention center, Black Tarantula has dispensed with all of Weadon's team except for Kaine - but Kaine seems to be in rough shape. Kaine gets back into the fight, and clobbers Black Tarantula repeatedly, but to seemignly no effect. Kaine is tossed around. Black Tarantula baits Kaine about wanting to learn all of the secrets he has about Spider-Girl. Kaine is repulsed that Tarantula is stalking her, but the villain retorts that his intentions are honorable.
Checking in with Normie Osborn, his betrothed, Elan DeJunae, reveals that she is a loyal disciple in Normie's grandfather's Green Goblin cult, the Order of the Goblin. She metamorphs into her goblin form, and tells him it is time they be wed, to his horror.
Lady Octopus hurls a large pleasure boat from the convention hall floor at Spider-Girl and Raptor, missing Spider-Girl, but managing to knock out Raptor.
Kaine takes more punishment from Black Tarantula. Tarantula, seeming in top form, tells Kaine he will surrender. Kaine spits in his face. Tarantula replies with a savage beating upon Kaine. As he does, Black Tarantula declares to Kaine that he will be with Spider-Girl, eventually. "It is inevitable."
Spider-Girl berates Lady Octopus for nearly killing Raptor. With Lady Octopus refusing to back down, Spider-Girl puts on a blindfold and prepares to meet an incoming attack, trusting to Elektra's training. She admits aloud that Ock's tentacles, their battle programming, and their accessories intimidated her - but she has found a way to ignore the tentacles, by trusting in her own abilities. Spider-Girl moves by instinct (guided by spider-sense), something the arms cannot predict. She astounds Lady Octopus by getting through her defensive screen, and then rips the tech harness off of her, disabling the octopus arms. Defiant in defeat, Lady Ock takes a slap from Spider-Girl and gets knocked out.
Spider-Girl is met with the applause of Black Tarantula, who has apparently dispensed with Kaine. Spider-Girl notes how Lady Ock was just another disposable tool to him, like Canis. She wonders if that would have been her fate, too, but Black Tarantula assures her he has greater plans for Spider-Girl. Black Tarantula pleads with her not to try to fight him, but she asserts that she will find a way to beat him. He notices that Spider-Girl has not inquired about Kaine, but she reminds Black Tarantula that he gave her his word about not killing anyone while she was away. To avoid a fight with Spider-Girl, Black Tarantula takes the only option that he feels will let him achieve his ultimate goal: he surrenders to her.
In narration, Spider-Girl says that Black Tarantula and Lady Octopus have been arrested. She goes to check on his hideout to see if Chesbro and Team Spider are still there; they are not, but there is a bouquet of flowers, a congratulatory note, and a closet full of costumes left behind for her. She is left unsure if he surrendered to avoid a fight, or if it was another manipulation. She wonders if she, having tasted the darkness, can ever go back to how things were?
The tone pivots abruptly, and Spider-Girl is back in her old costume, out for a high-flying fun time in the city. She tries to call Normie, but gets Elan, instead. Spider-Girl is unaware, but Elan is in goblin form as they speak. Elan says that she and Normie have renewed their wedding vows. Spider-Girl awkwardly asks to speak to Normie to congratulate him, but Elan says he is tied up (and he is depicted tied to a chair, and out cold).