The best episodes of Spider-Man
Ranked by viewer rating, highs first. Lit marks on the season rail place this list across the run. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
John Jameson and fellow astronaut Paul Stevens discover a rock known as "Promethium X", which is said to be more powerful than plutonium. Unknown to the astronaut though, "Promethium X" also contains a mysterious element which manages to break free and tries to consume the two astronauts. The space shuttle crashes on the George Washington Bridge where Rhino is sent by The Kingpin to steal the "Promethium X". Spider-Man arrives on the scene and manages to save Jameson and his fellow astronaut, yet unknown to Spider-Man, Eddie Brock is on the bridge too, and takes photos of him (and Rhino as well). However, when Jonah arrives on the scene, Eddie uses propaganda and frames Spider-Man for stealing something from the shuttle, which leads to a $1 Million dollar bounty on Spider-Man's head. However, Eddie fails to mention to have seen Rhino at the scene also.
- 02
Spider-Man focuses his attention on Eddie Brock and Jonah Jameson and warns him to call off his reward, also mentioning Rhino and how Brock neglected to mention him. After Jonah visits his hospitalized son, Jameson finds out from him that Brock was lying and fires him. He also calls off the manhunt for Spider-Man. Noticing another disturbing change in his behavior, Spider-Man seeks the assistance of Doctor Curt Connors, who studies the suit and realizes that it is a Symbiote. Spider-Man then uses the Symbiote's powers to find a clue in Eddie's apartment, only to run into the Shocker, sent by The Kingpin to destroy the evidence Brock has of the crash site. Following Shocker leads Spider-Man to Alistair Smythe and the "Promethium X", which Spider-Man steals. Kingpin and Shocker form a plan to kidnap John Jameson in an attempt to gain the "Promethium X" back.
- 03
Norman Osborn hires the Hobgoblin to assassinate Wilson Fisk, also known as The Kingpin, because of the crime lord's continuous threats against him. Peter Parker saves Fisk just as the Hobgoblin attempts an attack on him. After eluding Spider-Man, the Hobgoblin is fired by Norman as of his unsuccessful assassination on The Kingpin.
- 04
An ancient artifact known as the Tablet of Time has been uncovered. Kingpin wants to sell it, while elderly Silvermane wants to use it to restore his youth. Each crime lord kidnaps a useful hostage and a useless hostage.
- 05
Chapter XIV - The Final Nightmare
Spider-Man seeks Curt Connors' aid to help reverse the aging effects of the Vulture's talons. After absorbing Spider-Man's youth, and DNA, the Vulture mutates into the Man-Spider. The Scorpion grabs Dr. Farley Stillwell to seek a cure for his own mutation.
- 06
In a battle with Dr. Octopus a medical research building is destroyed. Blaming himself, Peter is considering giving up being Spider-Man, when he meets a mystic figure named Madame Web and his biggest fan, a little girl called Taina. Spider-Man shares his origin with her. Dr. Octopus attacks with his new invention the Octobot.
- 07
Tombstone is hired by Alisha Silver to destroy the story planned for the Daily Bugle revealing that she had taken over her father's criminal organization, in exchange for large amounts of cash. Tombstone attempts to use Robbie Robertson, whom he was childhood friends with, to kill the story, using Robbie's teenage son Randy to do it.
- 08
The Kingpin blackmails John Hardesky into revealing a secret super-soldier formula by making threats against Felicia. After Hardesky reveals his secrets, Landon is able to recreate and improve the formula for the crime lord. Kingpin uses the serum to transform Felicia into a "black cat", and forces her to carry out his crimes until he can create more serum.
- 09
Chapter IV - The Return of Kraven
Spider-Man teams with the Black Cat in an attempt to confront Kraven the Hunter. After Kraven eludes the two heroes, there are various reports of attacks. Debra Whitman decides to investigate and she, Black Cat, Flash Thompson, and Dr. Curt Connors hunt for clues, and succeed in identifying the DNA as female. It turns out that Dr. Crawford had been given the same serum that drove Kraven crazy, in order to heal her from a fatal disease; unfortunately, it mutated her into a feral form. Luckily, Dr. Conners creates a serum that restores Dr. Crawford's mind, allowing her to live as Kraven's equal.
- 10
The mutated Morbius is found by scientists, and taken back to New York to have his condition studied. The Insidious Six kidnap Morbius for Dr. Landon, who manages to revert Morbius back to his previous vampire form; however, in the confusion, Morbius escapes while Spider-Man fights his foes.
- 11
The Return of Hydro-Man Part One
Mary Jane and Peter arrive in Niagara Falls for their postponed honeymoon, but it is soon interrupted when Hydro-Man returns and kidnaps Mary Jane. With the Black Cat's help, Spider-Man sets off in pursuit.
- 12
Secret Wars, Chapter I - Arrival
Madame Web brings Spider-Man to another dimension where he is brought before a being known as the Beyonder, who has chosen Spider-Man to be part of an experiment to see if good is more powerful than evil. He finds a paradise planet and introduces a band of villains to take it over (Doctor Octopus, Doctor Doom, Alistair Smythe, The Lizard, and the Red Skull), and it's up to Spider-Man to lead a team of superheroes to save the planet. Spider-Man summons The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Captain America, and Storm from the X-Men. Before he can explain, The Thing and The Human Torch attack him, but the others defend him. The Lizard then appears and attacks Spider-Man, but they knock him unconscious.
- 13
Norman Osborn hires Spencer Smythe to capture Spider-Man. Smythe creates his deadliest weapon, the Spider Slayer, to accomplish this. Smythe seemingly dies at the end of this episode in an explosion.
- 14
Doctor Octopus: Armed and Dangerous
When Peter arrives for a date with Felicia Hardy, she is kidnapped by corrupt scientist Doctor Octopus, in order to force her mother to provide him with ransom money in which she promised to fund his experiments. Complicating things, Peter recognizes the madman as his favorite science mentor from his childhood days.
- 15
Chapter IV - The Mutant Agenda
Spider-Man begins to worry about his growing mutation. In order to seek a cure, he heads to the Xavier mansion, where he encounters the X-Men. A brief fight occurs, after which Spider-Man explains his plight to Xavier. Professor X tells Spider-Man that he cannot cure him, and he angrily leaves the mansion. Beast tells Spider-Man to go to Herbert Landon, who is working on a cure for mutants. Afterward, Landon's men capture Beast. While Spider-Man is watching Landon's demonstration, the facility is attacked by Hobgoblin. However, a mysterious force holds the ceiling in place long enough for Spider-Man to escape. Wolverine begins to worry about Beast's disappearance. He discovers that Beast spoke with Spider-Man before he disappeared, and sets out to find him (Spider-Man).
- 16
Wolverine catches up with Spider-Man, who is hot on the trail of the missing Hank McCoy. Meanwhile, Hobgoblin steals the mutant technology information that Dr. Landon had prepared for the Kingpin. However, is Dr. Landon actually working on the cure he claims to the public is possible; is he working on creating mutant soldiers for the Kingpin; or does he have his own sinister agenda planned?
- 17
Dr. Mariah Crawford has developed a cure for Spidey's disease, but she's reluctant to give an untested serum to Spider-Man that may result in permanent loss of his powers or worse. But after an angry outburst from Spider-Man, she hands it over. Peter, at the ESU lab, is secretly observed by Michael Morbius, who then swipes the infected blood sample after Peter leaves for the night.
- 18
Chapter VII - Enter the Punisher
Spider-Man drinks a serum that makes him grow four extra arms. Marvel anti-hero Punisher thinks Spider-Man is a crook and chases him around. Spider-Man finds out that Michael Morbius has turned into a vampire and is draining people's blood to survive. Spider-Man wants to help Michael, but the Punisher is trying to get rid of Spider-Man at the same time.
- 19
Chapter VIII - Duel of the Hunters
Spider-Man's horrifying genetic mutation reaches its culmination as he transforms into the Man-Spider. Dr. Mariah Crawford summons Sergi Kravenoff, better known as Kraven The Hunter, to help her track down Spider-Man and cure him of his mutation with a newly developed antidote.
- 20
Norman Osborn, still with the Goblin in control tries to use the Transporting device to find out Spider-Man's secret identity. This leads to a fateful confrontation between Spider-Man and The Green Goblin that will change the wall-crawller's life forever.
- 21
Alistair Smythe, currently working as Silvermane's top scientist, kidnaps the Black Cat. He then bribes Spider-Man into capturing either the Scorpion or the Vulture, who both have unique DNA samples which are essential for Silvermane if he is to restore adulthood, in exchange for her release.
- 22
With the Tablet of Time, Silvermane's youth is restored, but he continues to grow younger until he finally becomes an infant. Surprisingly, the Tablet is even able to revert The Lizard back to Dr. Conners. As the ordeal has caused his wife to leave him, Kingpin orders the Tablet gotten rid of.
- 23
Spider-Man, returned to his old costume, soon comes across The Rhino and The Shocker. While Spider-Man is able to easily defeat The Rhino, The Shocker manages to get the upper hand. However, an unknown 'ally' arrives and defeats the two villains himself. The new 'ally' proves to be Eddie Brock, who reveals himself as 'Venom'.
- 24
Spider-Man discovers that his science teacher, Dr. Curt Connors, has been turned into a deranged lizard due to an experiment gone wrong, and is abducting people throughout Manhattan.
- 25
The Kingpin offers to provide Alistair Smythe with the funds he requires to build more of Spencer's Spider-Slayer robots, claiming that Spider-Man is responsible for the death of his father. Smythe fails in his bid to kill Spider-Man and the others he bids responsible for his father's death, and as a consequence, the Kingpin makes him work for him until he does kill Spider-Man.
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