—Madame WebIsn't the real question, who are you?
Appearances
Featured Characters:
- Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (Main story and flashback) (Origin revealed)
Supporting Characters:
- Madame Web (Cassandra Webb) (First speaking appearance)
- Taina Elizando (First appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Anastasia Hardy
- Daily Bugle
- Mary Jane Watson
- Dr. Michael Pingree (First appearance)
- Felicia Hardy (Mentioned)
- The Twilight Zone (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- Superman (Referenced) (Topical Reference)
- Liz Allan (Only in flashback)
- Flash Thompson (Only in flashback)
- Dr. Farley Stillwell (Only in flashback)
- Radioactive Spider (Only in flashback)
- Peter Parker (First appearance) (Dream)
- May Parker (First appearance) (Dream)
- US Army (First appearance) (Dream)
- Maxwell Shiffman (Only in flashback)
- Joseph "Crusher" Hogan (Only in flashback)
- Burglar (Only in flashback)
- Baxter Bigelow (Only in flashback)
- May Parker (Only in flashback)
- New York City Police Department (Only in flashback)
- Bernard O'Brien (Only in flashback)
- New York City Fire Department (Only in flashback)
- Ben Parker (Mentioned) (Deceased)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-92131
- North America
- United States of America
- New York (Main story and flashback)
- New York City (Main story and flashback)
- Manhattan (Main story and flashback)
- Hardy Foundation Research Center (Destroyed)
- Crime Central
- Daily Bugle Building
- Empire State University (Only in flashback)
- Washington Square Park (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
- Empire State Building (Cameo)
- Queens (Only in flashback)
- Forest Hills (Only in flashback)
- Aunt May's House (Only in flashback)
- Forest Hills (Only in flashback)
- Manhattan (Main story and flashback)
- New York City (Main story and flashback)
- New York (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America
- North America
- Unidentified reality (First appearance) (Dream)
Items:
- Doctor Octopus' Tentacles
- Argon Matrix Laser (First appearance)
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters (Main story and flashback)
- Neogenic Recombinator (Only in flashback)
- Octobots (First appearance)
- Spider Seekers
Vehicles:
Synopsis
Anastasia Hardy hosts a demonstration of Doctor Michael Pingree presenting his "Argon Matrix Laser". However, Doctor Octopus interrupts by sounding the alarm, and confronts Pingree, angry that apparently him and Mrs. Hardy were trying to take credit for his invention. When Spider-Man tries to stop him, Doc Ock tries to destroy him using the Argon Matrix Laser, but fails because the laser will not cut organic matter. After damaging two of Doc Ock's tentacles, Spider-Man fights him in the medical lab, eventually causing an explosion. The two land in the water, Spider-Man ends up on shore, while Doc Ock hijacks a boat to make his escape.
The following day at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson berates Spider-Man in front of Peter for destroying the medical facility. In secret, Robbie gives Peter a letter to give to Spider-Man. The letter asks that Spider-Man visit a young girl named Maria Taina Elizando, a big Spider-Man fan. However, Peter isn't interested and vows to quit his life as Spider-Man. As he walks down an alley, Madame Web communicates with him. She tells him that he is about to embark on a period of training for an ultimate battle. Her first advice to him is that he must have the "faith of a child", and gives him the fan letter that he had previously binned, before allowing him to leave.
Spider-Man decides to visit the young girl after all at her home. Taina shows him her Spider-Man franchise and photos, before he goes on to explain his origin to her; how he gained his spider powers and how he became a crimefighter. Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus shows his new creation, the Octobot, to the Kingpin, and tells him that it will destroy Spider-Man. Spider-Man also tells Taina about how he was partially responsible for his Uncle Ben's death, and how he has decided to quit life as Spider-Man because of that and the medical building explosion. However, he agrees to take her along on a brief web-slinging trip, but at the same time the Kingpin releases Spider Seekers, and Doc Ock sets off with his Octobot in tow. Spider-Man is ambushed by the robot, and quickly defeated by Doc Ock, while Taina escapes.Notes
- The episode is based on Amazing Spider-Man #248.[1]