S01E25 "The Day of the Jackal, Part 3"

Characters: Peter Parker/Spider-Man; Miles Morales/Spider-Miles; Norman Osborn; Harry Osborn; Gwen Stacy; Anya Corazon; Otto Octavius; Spencer Smythe; Alistair Smythe/Shocker; Adrian Toomes/The Vulture; The Jackal.

Teaser
SPIDER-MAN and SPIDER-MILES, working in tandem, take down spider-monsters that are rampaging through the streets. The metamorphoses are not universal: there are plenty of regular people running in terror, but the heroes remark that suddenly there are a lot more of the monsters. HARRY OSBORN and NORMAN OSBORN and their armored security men help from their goblin sleds as well, shooting nets. Norman relays to Harry info he is getting through his earpiece that there are other outbreaks around the city. Harry wonders why the outbreaks seem so random; Norman answers that they are being stimulated by gamma rays—it's the same kind of outbreak as has been afflicting the city before, only instead of random animal hybrids, these are all spiders; Harry replies that they have to find they've got to find the sources of the gamma rays; Norman says that he's already got teams scouring the sites of the outbreaks to find them. Spider-Man drops in to suggest that Norman and Harry join the search for the gamma ray generators while he and the other Spider-Man get the victims off the streets. Norman growls that he still doesn't trust Spider-Man: "You're still one of Warren's spider soldiers." Spider-Miles drops in to argue that if they're working for Warren, why are they helping Norman? Before Norman can answer, Miles transforms into a spider, bursting out of his suit. Norman raises his weapon. "That's another reason I can't trust you."

Act I
Spider-Man webs up the transformed Miles and hauls him out of the line of fire. After securing Miles to a rooftop, he swings down to try reasoning with Norman, but Norman only shouts back that he can handle the Jackal alone; he fires at Spider-Man, even after Spider-Man swings in to save Harry mid-air as a missed shot knocks him off his glider. Spider-Man sets Harry on a roof, and tells him that his dad still needs help, even if he won't accept his (Spider-Man's); as he pats Harry on the shoulder, he plants a spider-tracker on his back. (Sotto voce: "This is just so I won't lose you.") Spider-Man swings away, remarking to himself that everyone, Norman included are going to need all the help they can get.

Inside the wreckage of the Jackal's lair, GWEN STACY Skypes with ANYA CORAZON, asking her to come out and bring Peter and Miles and anyone else she can find from Horizon: "I'm in my uncle's old lab, trying to find a way to stop this plague, and I need all the help I can get!" Anya agrees to come out. Gwen is startled by the sudden appearance of Harry, who wryly assures her he's not one of the dead clones, and says that his dad told him he could be more help down here with her. Gwen asks him to help her look for any kind of data sheets or lab samples; as they search she says that Anya, Peter, and Miles are on their way. Harry doesn't like that—"I wish they could just sit this out," he says.

In another part of the city, Spider-Man looks down on The Raft, the super-prison where super-criminals are held. After ruefully remarking that the day is full of stuff he never thought he'd have to do, he breaks into the prison. He finds OTTO OCTAVIUS in his cell, and is surprised to have to argue his former teacher into breaking out, saying that it's an emergency and the city needs the help of the League of Super Scientists. Together the break out three more of the Sinister Six: SPENCER SMYTHE, ALISTAIR SMYTHE, and ADRIAN TOOMES; then, armed with their old weapons packs, they bust out of the prison. As they stride and fly across the skyline, Peter brings them up to date, ending by saying that Norman is looking for the gamma ray generators that must be causing the outbreak. Otto pauses thoughtfully at that, then in a fury rounds on Spencer, threatening to kill him while yelling about how it was no accident that Spencer brought him the wrong kind of lens: "Warren was paying you, wasn't he?!" Spencer runs off. Otto explains to Spider-Man: The gamma generators aren't hidden about the city; the gamma rays are coming from the satellite that he reconfigured and launched. "Great," Spider-Man groans. "How do we take it down?" "Take me to Osborn, and I'll explain," Octavius replies. Spider-Man: "I'll show you the way, but you'll have to be the one to talk to him. He won't listen to me."

Back in Warren's lab, Gwen thinks that she's found something and calls to Harry, but she's interrupted when a spider-monster drops in and menaces her. She and Harry try fighting off, but it's surprised from behind when Peter jumps in to tackle it. He does a better job of pummeling it, but he gets caught in its grip; then he is snatched out of it by a web wielded by Anya, who is clinging to the walls. She jumps on the spider-monster, knocking it back; Harry finishes it with a hard blow to the head. "Anya, you've got spider powers?" Harry stammers. She shows him that she's wearing gloves and boots and has cartridges attached to her wrists. "Something I found in Parker's lab when I went looking for him," she says. She gives Peter a meaningful glare, and he nervously tells the frowning Harry that it was just something he's been goofing off with in his spare time. Harry, still frowning, says that they should go help Gwen. Anya starts to follow, but Peter catches her: "You didn't find that stuff in my lab." "No," she says, "I found it in Miles's. He's got a lot of explaining to do. But I don't want Harry getting suspicious about him. You know how he feels about Spider-Man." Peter wryly agrees. There's a shout from far off, and the shriek of a spider-monster. Anya and Peter run to investigate, and find Harry fighting off another spider-soldier. "Did it get Gwen?" Anya shouts. Harry: "That is Gwen!"

Act II
Peter, Harry, and Anya have to fight the transformed Gwen without hurting her; Peter has to fight in a way that he can discreetly use his spider powers without tipping off that he has them; Anya uses the gear she got from Miles's lab, but she's clumsy and unskilled with it. But between the three of them, the heroes manage to restrain Gwen and pull her out of the lab, which has caught on fire during the fight. Up at street level, Harry calls his father to report on the lab's destruction and their inability to craft a cure with Warren's research. Norman acknowledges Harry's call and says that he's got another plan. He turns to Otto (and Toomes and Alistair Smythe) and asks why he's so sure that he (Otto) can disable the satellite if given access to Oscorp technology; Otto retorts that Osborn has never been able to do a tenth of what is possible with the tech he has lying around. "Then let's get to it," a grim Osborn replies.

Anya, Harry and Peter argue briefly about what to do. Harry is for finding and helping his father, while Peter wants to stay out of the fight. When Anya suggests returning to Horizon to search for Gwen's notes, Harry counters by saying they should look for the gamma ray generators—if those are taken out, the mutations will stop. Peter blurts out that the gamma rays are coming Otto's satellite, and when challenged has to stammer out that this is only his own hypothesis. Anya reminds Peter that he has been working on anti-satellite tech—they should return to Horizon to find it. The boys agree somewhat reluctantly to this.

At Horizon, the halls are dark and empty—the school has been shut down for the emergency. The trio split up, with Harry going to search the main lab while Anya pulls Peter another way to Peter's lab. Anya wants to talk to Peter about Miles—why does he have this Spider-Man-like tech? Peter says that she knows Miles, who is always goofing around with gadgets. She retorts that his stuff is really good, as good as the Spider-guys are using. Peter says he could never believe that Miles is Spider-Man: he's not cool enough. Anya retorts that's how come she told Harry she found the gear in Peter's lab: because that Peter is definitely not cool enough to be Spider-Man. Peter (somewhat wonderingly) asks her if she thinks Spider-Man is cool, but before she can answer they are interrupted by the sound of prowling spider-monsters.

In another part of Horizon, Harry sorts through a lab, remarking to himself that there is a lot of really interesting stuff that could benefit Oscorp. He hesitates as he struggles with his conscience, then calls his dad. As soon as the line picks up, Harry starts talking, telling about being at Horizon to pick up some tech, and asking if he should bring along some of the other stuff that he's found. There's a pause before a reply comes: It's the Jackal, who gloatingly tells Harry that his father isn't available, but that he should definitely come out to Oscorp and bring all the toys that he can, for he (the Jackal) would surely appreciate them. Harry demands to know where his father is, and is only told, "I'll send someone to pick you up." The line goes dead and he too hears the skittering and screeching of spider-monsters.

Act III
The three heroes meet in a dark hallway, running from different corridors: sounds of spider-monsters coming from all directions. As they prep for being attacked, Peter says that he's got his anti-satellite equipment; Harry says that his dad has been captured by the Jackal. They are cornered, and one of the spider-monsters lunges to grab Harry and hurries away with him while the others attack Peter and Anya. This forces them on the defensive, and they deal with the monsters by separating: Anya webs them up while, out of sight, Peter knocks them about with his spider strength. He is about to change into his Spider-Man suit when he is interrupted by Anya, who has dispatched the last of her attackers. They agree they have to go after Harry. But where has he been taken and how can they follow?

Cut to Anya, web-swing across the skyline with Peter hanging on to her back. He is terrified and tries telling her how to web-sling; she yells back that if he stops backseat driving, she won't ask how and why Peter planted a tracker on Harry's sweater. They soon arrive on a rooftop near their destination: the Oscorp Tower, which is being covered in webs like a cocoon. Harry's in there, Peter says; and Anya notes that spiders from all over the city are descending on it. But they have to get in: Harry's in there; Norman and the Jackal are probably there too; and so is the Oscorp tech that they might need to finish the anti-satellite weapon. But how are they to sneak in?

As they watch, two figures are flung from the tower, arcing high through the air and landing on a nearby roof. Peter and Anya run over to hail them: It's Toomes and Alistair Smythe, in their Vulture and Shocker costumes. The two erstwhile villains say that they are trying to defend Octavius, who is in one of the Oscorp labs trying to finish an anti-satellite cannon. When Peter says they've got equipment that could help, Vulture (but not Shocker, who charges back at the tower without waiting) agrees to help them get inside. Carrying them, he flies back into the tower ... directly into a spider-infested room. Peter tells Anya (who has the equipment) to go with Toomes to find Octavius. He runs off before she can argue.

While dodging monsters, Peter changes into his Spider-Man costume. He disables several monsters before running into Shocker, who starts to attack him before catching himself: "Sorry, force of habit." They fight together, spreading cracks through the infrastructure, but when Spidey says he's looking for Harry and Norman Osborn, Shocker abruptly abandons him: "You're on your own, then."

In another part of the Tower, Norman and Harry are bound up in spider-silk webs. The Jackal paces before them, as the building shakes. "Your empire is crumbling, Norman," the Jackal gloats. "As long as I take you with me," Norman growls. The Jackal laughs and says that he will be taking the Osborns with him. They wouldn't support him and his research before, but they can succor him now: "I will have your life's blood, Norman," the Jackal says. "Or, rather, they will." He gestures at two spider-monsters advancing on the Osborns.

The monsters are knocked away by Spider-Man, though. He and the Jackal battle; outside the windows, laser beams flash into the sky. The Jackal, lithe and quick, manages to get a grip on Spidey, but is in turn knocked aside by a robotic arm: Otto Octavius, arriving with the Vulture, Shocker, and Anya. Otto cuts Norman and Harry free while protecting them from attack. Octavius tells the Jackal that he's just destroyed the satellite, so there will be no more monsters after they've cleaned out this nest. The Jackal, so distracted, is thrown by Spidey, but when he rises he doesn't return to the fight. Instead he takes out a detonator, remarking that if he can't stay to wish Norman and his friends a long goodbye, he can wish them a short one. He detonates bombs all about the room and dives out a window. The ceiling crashes in, with only Octavius and Spidey, using their superior strength, holding up parts of it to shelter Anya, Shocker, and Vulture. But Norman and Harry are pinned to the floor. Otto, who is supporting the bulk of the weight, yells at Spidey to save the other two as he can't hold the ceiling up for long—and there are other explosions going off—so Spidey dives in to save Norman, but Norman begs him to save Harry first. So Spidey pulls out a protesting Harry: close-up on Norman, still pinned, as another explosion rips through the building. Cut to Spider-Man, holding Harry; Octavius, holding Anya and Shocker; and the Vulture, as they swoop through the air to safety as the top floors of the Oscorp Tower explode. As they land on a nearby roof, Harry cries out for someone to save Norman, and Toomes flies up to hover over the wreckage of the penthouse; those below watch until Toomes, still hovering, shakes his head.

Harry screams at Spidey for not saving his father; Spidey says that Norman wanted to save Harry. Octavius, interrupting, remarks that someone else must have wanted to save Harry—he picks the spider-tracker off Harry's sweater and shows it. "I've seen this before," he muses. "It's mine!" Spidey yells, and tries to grab it, but Octavius pulls it away. "Funny you should say that. It looks exactly like a design that my star pupil Parker made back at Horizon." That provokes another explosion from Harry: "You're carrying my friend Peter's tech! His electronics, his web shooters, his stick-to-the-wall gloves! Is he working with you? Who are you?" Spidey: "Someone who wants to be your friend." Harry: "Never!" He wheels and stalks off. There's an awkward silence, and Spider-Man also turns, to web away.

Fade to Spider-Man, atop a skyscraper, looking out over the city. He muses that most things will eventually get back to normal: Stark Industries has already developed a vaccine for the metamorphosis and it is being administered to the victims. But some things won't go back to the way they were, he adds as the camera swings around to encompass the Oscorp Tower with its ruined upper floors. But that doesn't mean he can give up trying to save what he can.

"Spider-Man Commentary: Day of the Jackal, Part 3" 

Next: "S02E01 "How I Spent My Summer Vacation""