SPIDER-MAN - Episode 27 - Take Two
Now this is how you start an episode! Spider-Man is in mid-battle with mercenary Paladin, running and fighting amongst the new construction at Oscorp. Paladin tosses a hand grenade at Spidey and he webs up a round disc to deflect the blast. Did he learn that from Captain America during Civil War? Great cartoon action there. Spidey banters a bit with the villain, telling him that Paladins were knights, good guys. He knows because he's been to many a Renaissance Fair. He eventually gets the better of Paladin and webs him up for the police to deal with. But lo and behold, we find out that the whole robbery was really just a ruse as Silver Sable is on a different rooftop, watching and gathering intel on Spider-Man. Hmmmmm.
Peter Parker takes a call from Harry Osborn as he walks on school campus. He turns down Harry's offer to pay for school, telling him he's going to take care of it himself. Peter is surprised by the sudden appearance of Doc Ock! Turns out he's not there to attack, even though Miles' security bots attack him, he's there to get his job back since he's been rehabilitated and earned himself a few more doctorates. Headmaster Max says "Ummmm no" you're a bad guy, but sure you can pack up your office.
Miles, Gwen, and Peter discuss Doc Ock with Gwen suggesting that he should get a second chance. The boys disagree. Max appears and tells the students about this years project, the Neuro Cortex. It's a super computer database designed off of the format of the human mind. Meanwhile Anya works on a cure for Alexi who is still in his Rhino form.
Later on Peter and Max discuss Peter's lack of funds and his need to pay tuition. Max doesn't want him to leave as he feels he's going to need him on the Neuro Cortex experiment. Doc Ock walks by and casually mentions a possible fix to get the Cortex up and running and although Max doesn't stop him from leaving he thanks him for the suggestion. As he leaves, yet again Silver Sable watches from afar.
Peter laments his ability to capture sellable footage for the Daily Bugle. He attempts a fix by attaching his video camera to a small floating drone. Bam! Problem solved. Conveniently Silver Sable infiltrates the school at the same time. Miles' security bots try to stop her but she dispatches them easily. Spidey appears and attempts to stop her from grabbing the Cortex for her "client" but then suddenly the Wild Pack appears! Battlestar, Puma, and an escaped Paladin work together to pummel Spider-Man. The bad guys escape but luckily the drone cam captured the whole thing. :)
Spidey gives chase but stops when he finds Doc Ock wrapped up in a tree. He says he tried to stop the Wild Pack but they over powered him. Doc offers to help Spidey but the webhead flat turns him down. He still doesn't trust him. Ironically Doc uses the same science logic about Edison and other scientists to try and sway Spidey over.
Peter takes his footage to the Daily Bugle just in time to get a paycheck from J. Jonah Jameson. The editor even brings Eddie Brock in to see the footage and rub Parker's ability in his face. Uh oh. Where could that possibly lead to? This is great story and world building from the writers, taking scenarios and scenes we've seen before but adding new takes on it in a fresh way.
Eventually Peter uses his big brain and figures a way to track the Neuro Cortex using the special fluid inside it. Spidey tracks the device to the Wild Pack who wait for him in the woods. They tussle and Spidey is shocked to see them work together so well. Even using codewords for attack formations. They work together well and incapacitate him by tying him to a tree with a techno device. Just as Puma is about to finish him off Doc Ock swoops in with a "Return of The Octopus!" yell and saves the day! He frees Spidey and the two have a nice little battle against the Wild Pack. They talk science and Sable keeps using her battle tactics effectively against them. Doc defends Spidey and gets taken down. Yet again I have to ask...where is Spider-Man's Spider Sense? I think the writers of this show have forgotten that power even exists. Or maybe they're taking a cue from "Homecoming" which didn't have the power in it. We'll see.
Spidey gets the best of Battlestar and Paladin and goes after the Cortex again. Doc wants to stimulate the fluid and blow up the Cortex so no bad guys can get it. Spidey says no, there must be another way. I loved seeing Spidey set up his web sling shot next as I think it's so ridiculous but I love it so. He launches himself aboard Sables ship and pulls off her canopy. They battle in a sweet little fight before Spidey gets the upper hand and Silver Sable falls off the ship. Spidey of course catches her with his webs, managing to not snap her neck in the process. Doc admits he was wrong and that Spidey was right.
Spider-Man and Doc Ock return the Cortex and Max is ecstatic. Ock works with the Neuro Cortex and manages to change Alexi back into his human form. This leads to Max announcing Doc Ock is once again going to be teaching at the school. And will be heading up the Neuro Cortex experiment as well.
Meanwhile in a prison somewhere Paladin laments to Silver Sable that getting thrown in jail was not part of the plan. She lets him know that their "clients plans are long term". Hmmmm. Who is the Wild Pack working for? Finally a little nugget for us to chew on for the rest of the season. Is it Doc Ock? Harry maybe? A new villain? Please please be Kingpin.
Peter sees JJJ railing against Spider-Man and is instantly crushed that this is what his footage is going to be used for. And thus starts a new arc that has been a part of Spider-Mans story from the beginning. Peter Parker struggling with what he has to do to make ends meet by dealing with J. Jonah Jameson and his views. Should be fun.
