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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2281230-S02E17-If-This-Be-My-Destiny
by Seuzz Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR · Script/Play · Fanfiction · #2281230
Peter and Otto fight over a device that can undo their body swap, or save Aunt May's life.
Previously: "S02E16 "The Hero or the Menace"Open in new Window.

"IF THIS BE MY DESTINY"


FADE IN:

                             NARRATOR (v.o.)
                   Previously, on Marvel's Spider-Man.

INTERCUT SCENES from or echoing PREVIOUS EPISODES

Warehouse. Aunt May, screaming as she falls from a great height.
Spider-Man racing to rescue her. Aunt May crumpled on the floor.

Hospital room. Peter Parker and Aunt May.

                             AUNT MAY
                        (firmly)
                   I'll be fine, Peter. They're not even
                   keeping me in the hospital.

                             PETER
                   Because there's no point, he said.
                   There's nothing they can do for you.

Oscorp, Otto's lab. Overdrive and the Crime Circus search it
while displaying a hologram of the Energy Focal Device.

                             SPIDER-MILES (O.S.)
                   What is it I'm supposed to steal for
                   you, again?

                             PETER Parker (O.S.)
                   An Energy Focal Device.

The Raft. The Living Brain blasts Spider-Man in the face with
the Energy Focal Device. Visualization of Peter and Otto
switching places.

                             PETER Parker (O.S.)
                   It's the thing that Otto used to
                   switch places with me. There should
                   still be a prototype at Oscorp, and I
                   need it if I'm going to get my body
                   back.

Horizon High. Peter Parker talks to Harry Osborn over the phone.

                             HARRY (V.O.)
                   But that's got to be the solution. A
                   high-energy bath of particles--

Peter, with a thunderstruck expression on his face.

                             PETER (V.o.)
                   That's it! The Energy Focus Device at
                   Oscorp! With it they can cure at Aunt
                   May!

Oscorp. Spider-Man, clutching the Energy Focal Device, running
through the halls.

                             PETER (V.O.)
                   All of Doctor Octavius's prototypes
                   at Oscorp. Where would they be stored
                   now?

Oscorp Tower. It explodes in the background as Spider-Man, the
Energy Focal Device, an octobot, and The Big Wheel plunge toward
the sea. They hit a police launch.

The octobot surfaces and scrambles through the water.

                             PETER (V.O.)
                   Where's the thing, where's the thing?
                   Gotta get it back or I'll never back
                   into my real body!

The police launch, sinking. Spider-Man is trapped on the bridge
with the Device as water pours in through cracks and seams in
the bridge.

END OF TEASER

MAIN TITLES: MARVEL'S SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN

FADE IN:

INT. POLICE LAUNCH -- BRIDGE -- NIGHT

Spider-Man, cradling the Energy Focal Device to his chest, webs
the cracked windows of the bridge. But water continues to spray
in through other cracks.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   That should buy me a few minutes at
                   least. But this place is going to
                   fill up fast.

CLOSE ON THE FOCAL DEVICE

                             SPIDER-MAN (O.S.)
                   And there's two lives depending on me
                   getting out.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- NIGHT

The octobot paddles around in the bay.

SPLIT-SCREEN

Peter Parker, bathed in an electronic blue light, paddles
crabwise in his virtual world in synchronization with the
octobot.

                             PETER PARKER
                   No way I wanna spend the rest of my
                   life in this motorized tin can, but
                   at least I don't have to hold my
                   breath to go swimming.

But he does suck in a breath, and he and the octobot dive, O.S.
in Peter's case, underwater in the octobot's.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- NIGHT

The octobot swims down to the wreck. The police launch sits on
the bottom with The Big Wheel crushing the front. The octobot
swims up peer in through the window, where Spider-Man, with the
Device, is looking around, studying his situation. He goes to a
door and tries pushing it.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   You're not doing either of us any
                   good in there, Doc.

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

The octobot scans the area, highlighting the doors, front
windows, and The Big Wheel.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   If we busted the windows out, the Doc
                   could swim out. Unless everything
                   caved in and crushed him.

The octobot swims up to the door and tries pulling it open
without success.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   And the water pressure out here is
                   pushing the doors closed. It's too
                   heavy for either of us alone, but if
                   we tried moving it together--

INT. POLICE LAUNCH -- BRIDGE -- NIGHT

The octobot TAPS at the window with an arm, and the doorknob
RATTLES. Spider-Man turns at the noise.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                        (otto)
                   Hmm. One of my Oscorp security units.
                   Odd how persistent it is about trying
                   to get to me.

CLOSE UP ON ENERGY FOCAL DEVICE

                             SPIDER-MAN (O.S.)
                   Unless it's trying to get this back.

Spider-Man covers the device with webbing.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- THE LAUNCH -- NIGHT

The octobot watches as Spider-Man makes a few more web balloons
and tucks them under his armpits.

SPLIT-SCREEN

Peter Parker, bathed in an electronic blue light, his movements
again mimicking those of the octobot.

                             PETER PARKER
                   Water wings! Way to go, Doc! I think
                   you figured out what I'm trying to
                   do!

He and the octobot shift over to grab hold of nothing (in
Parker's case) and the door handle (in the octobot's case)

THREE-WAY SPLIT-SCREEN

Peter Parker pulls; the octobot pulls; Spider-Man pushes: all at
the door.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   Come on, Doc!

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Come on, door!

ANGLE ON WINDOW

The cracks spread and more water gushes in. Metal GROANS.

The door opens, and a stream of water shoots in. The front of
the cabin caves in, with water blowing in hard.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- NIGHT

Spider-Man shoots out of the collapsed boat, swimming past the
octobot, which spins about and chases after.

Spider-Man explodes to the surface. Two water wings of webbing
bob behind his shoulders. Another bobs in front of him. Spider-
Man COUGHS and HACKS.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Okay, it's going to be awhile before
                   I want to go swimming again. Hey!

A geyser erupts near him, and the octobot surfaces. It grabs the
free-floating web balloon and paddles off. The eye shifts around
to watch Spider-Man

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

Spider-Man, bobbing in the water, rapidly diminishes in size.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   That's it, Doc. You just go get
                   yourself dried off while I get your
                   body-swapping ray back to my lab.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- NIGHT

The octobot with its prize swims away.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   Then we'll see how you like having
                   your mind blasted clean out of your
                   body.

ANGLE ON SPIDER-MAN

He watches the retreating octobot. A searchlight stabs him from
above, and the ROAR of helicopter rotors is heard. He looks up,
raises a hand to shoot a web up, and (water wings trailing)
hauls himself up (as with a tightening bungee cord) out of the
water.

ANGLE ON HELICOPTER

Spider-Man clambers onto a landing skid and sits. He pulls one
of the water wings into his lap and tears it open.

CLOSE ON THE ENERGY FOCAL DEVICE

                             SPIDER-MAN (O.S.)
                   Just hang tight, Mrs. Parker. I'm on
                   my way.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- QUAYSIDE -- NIGHT

One hand, then another grip the edge of the dock, and OVERDRIVE
hauls himself halfway out of the water. He COUGHS and drips. Two
looming figures step into the foreground, and he looks up at
them.

                             MAVERICK (O.S.)
                   Well?

                             OVERDRIVE
                   One of them got away with the dingus.

SIRENS sound O.S.

                             OVERDRIVE
                        (continuing)
                   We better get out of here.

ANOTHER ANGLE

MAVERICK and TEENA help Overdrive from the water; Teena carries
a huge duffel bag, hanging from his shoulder by a strap. Overdrive points to it.

                             OVERDRIVE
                   What's that? Loot?

                             MAVERICK
                   Better than loot.

The duffel bag kicks and twists, but the CRIES from inside are
muffled.

The trio run O.S.

EXT. HORIZON HIGH -- NIGHT -- ESTABLISHING

                             GWEN STACY (O.S.)
                   This isn't exactly my area of
                   expertise, Harry.

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- LAB -- NIGHT

GWEN STACY, with a screwdriver, is working on a large and
complicated sort of machine while balancing a cell phone against
her ear.

                             HARRY (V.O.)
                   I can walk you through it, Gwen.

                             GWEN
                   I don't need you to "walk me through
                   it"! I need-- You know, most of these
                   components aren't even designed to
                   fit together.

                             HARRY (V.O.)
                   Do you have your uncle's schematics?

She turns to an enormous blueprint hanging on the wall. It is
covered in dense and complicated diagrams.

                             GWEN
                   Yes. Would you like me to describe
                   them to you?

Her phone BEEPS.

                             GWEN
                   Hang on, that's the other line.
                        (tapping phone)
                   Peter, is that you? Where--? What's
                   that racket?

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- AIRBORNE HELICOPTER -- NIGHT

Spider-Man perches on the landing skid of a helicopter. The ROAR
of the rotors almost drowns him out.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I said, I'm hitching a ride back to
                   Horizon! Except--

REVERSE ZOOM

The helicopter hovers in place over Oscorp Tower.

                             SPIDER-MAN (O.S.)
                        (continuing)
                   --we're not moving, so it might be
                   awhile! How's it going?

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- LAB -- NIGHT

                             GWEN
                   Slow. Harry's on the other line,
                   trying to help me-- Who?
                        (beat)
                   No, I haven't seen Miles.
                        (beat)
                   Well, do that. Four hands would be
                   better than two.
                        (tapping phone)
                   Okay, Harry, I'm back. Peter's going
                   to try to find Miles, bring him over.
                   And he's bringing something we need
                   to make this thing work. Something
                   called an--

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

The camera pans over a rooftop, showing streamers of
disentangled webbing, and ending in empty webbing balloon being
torn apart by the octobot.

                             GWEN (O.S.)
                        (continuing)
                   --Energy Focus Device? That Doctor
                   Octavius built?

The octobot tosses the webbing away.

SPLIT-SCREEN

Peter Parker, bathed in electronic blue light, crouched
crablike. His movements, as ever, mimic those of the octobot in
the other screen.

                             PETER PARKER
                   For a guy armed only with only my old
                   hands, Otto sure is good at making
                   things disappear.

He looks around.

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

The camera PANS and TILTS UP to a cell phone tower.

                             PETER PARKER (O.S.)
                   Hmm. I wonder if Doc has called
                   Miles, told him where he is and where
                   he's going.

EXT. HELICOPTER -- NIGHT

Rotors ROAR as Spider-Man clings to the helicopter landing skid
and surveys the ground below; he holds the Device in the crook
of his arm. Police cruisers and fire trucks surround the Oscorp
Tower.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                        (otto)
                   It appears we will not be going
                   anyplace anytime soon. So if I'm
                   going to get this to Miss Stacy, I'm
                   going to have to get it there myself.

He leaps from the helicopter, and webs onto the face of Oscorp
Tower, hitting too hard and fast and losing the Device. He
chases it, flailing, and falls off the building. He webs the
Device from the air, somersaults, and hits the roof of a police
cruiser hard, almost buckling it. On tottering legs he gets up.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Urg. What does Parker like to say?
                   Any landing you can walk away
                   from ...

He shakes himself alert, and crouches to spring away.

CHIEF WATANABE steps in from O.S. The smoking Oscorp Tower
dominates the B.G.

                             CHIEF WATANABE
                   Spider-Man! How did I figure you'd be
                   around here?

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   My apologies, Chief Watanabe, but I
                   am not responsible for the fiasco
                   here. Time and circumstances
                   permitting, I might be able to
                   apprehend those who are, but at the
                   moment I and this package are
                   urgently required elsewhere. Now if
                   you'll excuse me.

He webs away. Chief Watanabe glowers after him.

                             CHIEF WATANABE
                   Well, somebody's been taking
                   vocabulary lessons.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

O.S., a cell phone RINGS. The camera pans over to pick up, in
EXTREME CLOSE UP, SPIDER-MILES. He has a cell phone to his ear.
His manner and tone are neutral, calm, stilted.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Hey, Pete, where you been?
                        (beat)
                   Well, isn't that interesting. Hey,
                   can I call you back--?

He flinches.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                        (continuing)
                   I mean, what can I do for you?

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- CELL PHONE TOWER -- NIGHT

The octobot clings to the underside of a cell phone tower dish.
Sparks sizzle where it has connected itself to the circuitry.
The electronic eye BUZZES as it roams and refocuses on the
environment.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   I need to know where Doc could be
                   headed. He's got the Energy Focus
                   Device.
                        (beat)
                   School? Why's he taking it there?
                        (beat; then yells)
                   He's doing what? I don't believe it!

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   I told you, Pete, if that's who you
                   really are, he's doing a bang-up job
                   of pretending to be you. Later.

The camera REVERSE ZOOMS to take in the environment. Spider-
Miles is being held by both arms by Teena while Maverick holds
the cell phone to S-M's ear.

                             MAVERICK
                        (to Teena)
                   At a school, huh? Only one school in
                   this city that might be.

END OF ACT ONE.

FADE IN:

EXT. HORIZON HIGH -- NIGHT -- ESTABLISHING

INT. HORIZON LAB -- NIGHT

Gwen, with tools, is still putting together the machinery. She
puts down a tool and picks up her cell phone, to point it to the
machine.

                             GWEN
                   There, how does that look, Harry?

                             HARRY (V.O.)
                   Couldn't have done it better myself.

She puts the phone down and picks up the tool again.

                             GWEN
                   Of course, after we get it put
                   together, we're just going to have to
                   take it apart again so we can
                   transport it to the hospital.

                             PETER (O.S.)
                   We're not taking it apart.

Peter enters. He is in street clothes, with his backpack.

                             PETER
                   That would be a waste of time. We're
                   going to move it in one piece.

                             GWEN
                   This thing? How?

                             PETER
                   The school's moving van.

                             GWEN
                   None of us is old enough to drive!

                             PETER
                   Anya is. Call her.

He takes the tool from Gwen and starts grimly to work on the
machine. She grabs up her phone.

                             GWEN
                   Whatever you say, Mr. I'm-In-Charge.

She exits. Immediately after, a phone BEEPS. Peter takes his
phone out and talks while still working on the machine.

SPLIT SCREEN

Peter and Harry. Harry's side of the screen sometimes shows what
he is looking at on his laptop -- the smoking Oscorp Tower.

                             HARRY
                   So, Gwen hung up on me, but I want to
                   talk to you. Pete, did you go by my
                   office tonight? Because I'm getting
                   reports--

                             PETER
                   That wasn't my fault, that was
                   someone else.

                             HARRY
                   Who?

                             PETER
                   The typical gang of miscreants. I
                   snuck in behind them and got what I
                   needed from my-- from Doctor
                   Octavius's old lab.

                             HARRY
                   Well, don't take this the wrong way,
                   Pete, but it looks like old times,
                   and not in a good way.

EXT. HORIZON HIGH -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

The octobot scuttles in and over to a skylight to look down into
the lab where Peter is working. The octobot BUZZES as its eye
refocuses.

INSERT POV

Zoomed in on the lab, and on Peter.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   Okay, so Miles says Doc wants his
                   Energy Device for this thing he's
                   working on to cure Aunt May. And
                   yeah, looking at the specs, maybe it
                   could do that. But I still don't
                   think I trust the Doc.

BACK TO SCENE

The Crime Circus drops softly onto the roof, and the octobot
leaps back into the shadows.

                             PETER PARTER (V.O.)
                   But I know I don't trust these guys!

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- LAB -- NIGHT

Peter, still working on the machine. Gwen enters.

                             GWEN
                   Okay, Anya'll be here in a few
                   minutes--

                             PETER
                   Great.

From his backpack on a table he pulls out the Energy Focus
Device. The Spider-Man costume is visible inside the pack as he
does so.

                             PETER
                        (continuing)
                   We're just about ready to go.

                             GWEN
                        (faint contempt)
                   You mean I did it right?

Peter turns to her. There is a tremble in his voice.

                             PETER
                   You did it perfect, Miss-- Gwen. I
                   will never be able to pay you back
                   for this, you know.

                             GWEN
                        (faintly abashed)
                   Oh. Well, I did it for your aunt.

                             PETER
                   That's why I'll never to pay you
                   back.
                        (beat)
                   Gwen?

                             GWEN
                   Yes?

                             PETER
                   You know you're special to a lot of
                   people. Me. Miles and Anya and Harry.
                   I know you were special to your
                   uncle.
                        (beat)
                   And you were special to Doctor
                   Octavius, too, though he never--
                   Well, I just want to say that you're
                   special. So, you know, if someone
                   ever tries to treat you special ...
                   please don't hold it against them.

                             GWEN
                        (mystified)
                   Why would I--?

The Crime Circus bursts through the skylights with a CRASH of
raining and TINKLING glass. Maverick points at Peter.

                             MAVERICK
                   Hand the dingus over, kid. We don't
                   wanna hurt you.

Peter crouches, then tosses the Device to Gwen, who catches it.

                             PETER
                   Gwen? Run.

                             GWEN
                   What? Peter, I can't--

CLOSE UP ON PETER

as he turns to her. His face and eyes are aflame.

                             PETER
                        (high reverb)
                   I said, Run!

BACK TO SCENE

Gwen flinches, then runs from the room with the Device cradled
to her chest. Peter with a GROWL dives at Maverick, bowling him
over and backward against TEENA. FIFI and GOLIATH dodge the
scrum and run out the room after Gwen.

In the room, a fight. Peter perches on the wall, spider-like,
and lifts Maverick off his feet and punches him unconscious with
one blow, then throws him aside.

Teena grabs Peter from off the wall and puts him in a bear hug.
Peter struggles, but the grip tightens.

The octobot lands on Teena's head, and Teena flails, releasing
Peter. Peter wheels and charges in at Teena with a bunched-up
fist.

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- CORRIDORS -- NIGHT

Gwen runs, then comes to a stop in front of Fifi, who blocks her
path. Fifi's snake is coiled about her shoulder, and she plucks
it off with one hand to hold in front of her, at Gwen.

                             GWEN
                        (snorts)
                   I'm not afraid of snakes.

                             FIFI
                   You don't have to be.

Fifi tosses the snake at Gwen, who gasps at it coils about her
tightly, trapping her. The snake rears back, HISSING in Gwen's
face.

A web shoots in, hitting the snake's head.

ANGLE ON SPIDER-MILES

as he clings to the ceiling, holding the other end of the web
line.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Lady, you should look into buying a
                   dog.

He jerks the line tight and yanks. Gwen and the snake spin like
a top as the snake uncoils from around her. The Device flies
from Gwen's arms.

ANGLE ON GOLIATH

who runs in to catch it, scuffs to a stop, and runs the other
way.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                        (to Gwen)
                   You go after the hobbit! I'll--

He dives at Fifi as Gwen runs after Goliath.

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- CORRIDOR -- NIGHT

Goliath runs, but is tackled from behind and sent sprawling by
the octobot. As he and the octobot fight for the Device, a web
shoots in, grabbing the octobot and yanking it off Goliath. The
Device flies up into the air.

ANGLE ON SPIDER-MAN

as he catches the octobot with one hand and swings it against a
wall, denting it. The octobot SPARKS and FIZZES, and falls to
the floor.

BACK TO SCENE

The Device hangs in mid-air. Gwen leaps up, catches it, and
lands beside Goliath, who scrambles to his feet and runs away.

Gwen watches, then GASPS as a spider-line catches her and jerks
her O.S.

ANGLE ON SPIDER-MAN AND GWEN

He catches her in a clinch, and they stare into each other's
faces. Spider-Man pulls the bottom of his mask up, to expose his
mouth and nose.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                        (otto)
                   Please don't hold this against me,
                   Miss Stacy.

He kisses her, and holds it a beat before breaking off.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   It's only that you're magnificent.

He kisses her again.

The camera PANS and ZOOMS to the octobot on the floor, still
SPARKING. The electronic eye BUZZES as it refocuses.

INSERT POV

Spider-Man kissing Gwen. The eye BUZZES as the scene goes
unfocused.

INT. HORIZON HIGH -- LAB -- NIGHT

Maverick, Teena, and Fifi, wrapped up tightly in webs, dangle
from the ceiling. Spider-Man is attaching the Energy Focal
Device to the machine while Gwen and Spider-Miles watch. Gwen
glances back uneasily at the three captives.

                             GWEN
                   Did you have to hang them from the
                   ceiling?

                             SPIDER-MAN
                        (otto)
                   It's what spiders do with their prey,
                   Miss Stacy.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Well, that's not a creepy way of
                   putting it.

ANYA CORAZON enters, reacts to the captives and the general
scene.

                             ANYA
                   Hey kids, I'm here. Wow. Looks like
                   someone is having fun with their
                   after-school project.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Just in time, too. It's now ready to
                   transport.

                             ANYA
                        (disbelief)
                   That? And how are we supposed to pick
                   that up and get it onto a truck?

Spider-Man lifts one end, easily, with one hand.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I suggest bringing in a couple of
                   dollies. It will be easy to wheel
                   down to the loading bay after that.

EXT. HORIZON HIGH -- GARAGE BAY -- NIGHT

A truck is parked out front, with Anya behind the wheel and
Spider-Miles and Spider-Man seated in the cab with her. Gwen
stands beside the truck.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I think you should come, Miss Stacy.

                             GWEN
                   Someone needs to meet Max and the
                   police. Someone who isn't in a mask.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Then I'll stay too.

                             GWEN
                   I'll be okay. You left them all tied
                   up.

Anya starts the truck.

                             ANYA
                   Hey! We should get going! The
                   hospital's on the other side of the
                   city, and I'm not taking this bus
                   over twenty-five!

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Call if you need help, Gwen.

                             GWEN
                   You be careful too!

She watches as the truck pulls away. Behind her back, a small
shadow darts into the open garage.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- STREETS -- NIGHT

The truck drives through streets that are mostly empty. High
above, the octobot races along the side of buildings, following.
Occasionally, it SPARKS and FIZZES with short-circuits.

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

The truck as it drives along.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   Where are you taking that thing, Doc?
                   To the hospital? If you are taking
                   that thing to save Aunt May--

ANGLE ON THE OCTOBOT

It leaps from the glass face of a building.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   Then I want to be there to see it!

ANGLE ON THE TRUCK

A thump from outside the truck.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   What was that?

A phone BUZZES.

                             ANYA
                   My phone. It's set to crazy-vibrate.

As she takes her phone out, the camera PANS UP: the octobot
crouches atop the cab.

                             ANYA
                   Hello.

INT. HORIZON LAB -- NIGHT

Gwen holds the phone to her ear while Teena holds her by the
shoulders. Behind her, Goliath is cutting Fifi down from the
ceiling while Maverick brushes spider webs off himself.

                             GWEN
                   Hi Anya, it's Gwen. I'm back at the
                   lab, and I'm in trouble.

END OF ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- SKYSCRAPER -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

CLOSE ON MAVERICK

He holds a cell phone to his ear.

                             MAVERICK
                   I wanna thank you for leaving some of
                   your threads behind, Spider-Guy.

The camera PANS over to pick up Gwen, who is tied by her hands
and dangling from edge of a building. The camera PANS to show a
drop of many, many stories.

                             MAVERICK (O.S.)
                        (continuing)
                   They're real good for tying up loose
                   ends.

INT. NEW YORK CITY -- STREETS -- TRUCK CAB -- NIGHT

Spider-Man listens on a cell phone. His eye patches register
shock and anger. He tosses the phone to Spider-Miles and turns
to leap out the cab.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   You keep heading for the hospital.
                   I'm going back for Gwen.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   I'll go with you!

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I can handle these miscreants myself.
                   You may need to help with Aunt May.

Spider-Miles starts to follow him, but Spider-Man whirls on him.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                        (angrily)
                   Do as I tell you, Miles! I've got two
                   sweet women to take care of, and I
                   need your help to do it!

Spider-Miles shrinks back.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Okay, okay! No need to bite my head
                   off!

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- STREETS -- TRUCK -- NIGHT

Spider-Man shoots web from inside the truck and pulls himself
free and onto the face of a building. The octobot, still perched
atop the truck, scuttles to the side to hide itself from him.
Spider-Man swings off and away.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- SKYSCRAPER -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

Maverick and the Crime Circus (minus Bruto) stand atop the
parapet with Gwen, dangling by her wrists, over the abyss.
Lightning and THUNDER, and a light rain streaks the air.

                             MAVERICK
                        (to Gwen)
                   Better hope those threads don't
                   dissolve in the rain.

                             GWEN
                   Whatever you want, you're not going
                   to get it!

Maverick leans over to put a knife to the spider-strings.

                             MAVERICK
                   Then maybe I should just cut these
                   right now.

                             GWEN
                   Wait! What do you want?

                             MAVERICK
                   Something your Spider-Friend stole
                   from us. Well, after we stole it from
                   Oscorp.

As he speaks, a web shoots from O.S. to snag Goliath from
behind. It jerks tight, hauling him O.S. None of the others
notice, even after a quick PUNCH SFX.

                             GWEN
                   That electronic eye? My friends need
                   it, to cure someone who's in the
                   hospital.

                             MAVERICK
                   Aw, boo hoo. Tell you what, you give
                   it to us, and we'll rent it back to
                   you for the night.

Again, a web shoots from O.S., to snag Fifi, yanking her O.S.
Again, no one notices, despite the PUNCH SFX.

                             GWEN
                   Don't you have any sympathy for
                   anyone but yourself?

                             MAVERICK
                   No one ever paid me to.

A web shoots from O.S., to snag Teena. Teena GARGLES before
being dragged O.S., and this time Maverick hears and turns. The
camera PANS to pick up Spider-Man dragging Teena by the end of
the spider-line. As Teena falls toward him, Spider-Man knocks
him out with an upper-cut flying kick, and he falls to the
rooftop beside the web-bound Fifi and Goliath.

Maverick bends to put the knife blade to the web holding Gwen
up.

                             MAVERICK
                   Hold it.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I'll be glad to "hold it," you
                   miserable felon. It will give me time
                   to explain a few things to you.

INTERCUT CLOSE-UPS OF SPIDER-MAN AND MAVERICK

As lightning flashes off his visage, Spider-Man's face is
sometimes transformed into Doc Ock's.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   You're not the first person I've had
                   to fight since putting on this mask,
                   and I suspect you won't be the last.
                   But will be the last time I have to
                   fight you. See, I'm not just going to
                   tie you up for the cops. And I'm not
                   just going to hurt you, either.

He holds up a claw-like hand.

                             SPIDER-MAN
(continuing)
                   I'm going to convince you, as I
                   convinced two other of your
                   associates, to never so much as
                   jaywalk in this town again. I'm going
                   to leave you so frightened that--

                             MAVERICK
                   Aw, you talk too much.

CLOSE ON THE KNIFE

It slices the line.

CLOSE ON GWEN

as she falls with a SQUEAL into the abyss.

ANGLE ON SPIDER-MAN

He leaps feet-first for the parapet beside Maverick. Maverick
swings the knife at Spider-Man's gut, but Spider-Man catches his
wrist with one hand, wrenches it, and hurls him backward O.S.
All this time he has been staring down into the abyss.

INSERT POV -- SPIDER-MAN

Tinted vision, overlaid with animated readouts and displays, as
Gwen plunges toward the street.

BACK TO SCENE

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   One chance, Otto. Applied mathematics
                   to the rescue.

He squirts out, from both wrists, a burst of spider shots.

EXT. NEW YORK STREET -- NIGHT

The webs hit the streets, the sides of the building, and a light
post as blobs, then ricochet and stretch as ropes to make
horizontal lines above the ground. One last blob hits the point
where they intersect and blossoms into a kind of net. A split
second later, Gwen hits this net, bounces (stuck to it) and
vibrates to a rest.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- SKYSCRAPER -- ROOFTOP -- NIGHT

Spider-Man puts his fingertips to his temple, and wavers on his
feet.

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   Don't faint, Otto. Heroes don't faint
                   after pulling off the impossible
                   shots.

He steadies himself, then dives off the roof.

EXT. NEW YORK STREET -- NIGHT

Spider-Man rebounds off the side of the building to land in the
net with Gwen. He bends to pluck her from it. Gwen smiles at
him.

                             GWEN
                   Not to sound ungrateful, but did you
                   have to be such a show-off about it?

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I did, actually.

                             GWEN
                   Why didn't you just catch me with one
                   of your lines, like a bungee cord?

                             SPIDER-MAN
                   I thought about it, and calculated
                   the effect of the change in velocity.
                   There was a nearly two percent chance
                   the deceleration would have snapped
                   your neck. Far, far too risky, Miss
                   Stacy.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- STREETS -- TRUCK CAB -- NIGHT

The truck barrels along with Anya at the wheel. Spider-Miles has
a phone to his ear, but he lowers it.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Hospital says they'll meet us at a
                   loading bay out back, and they'll
                   move Mrs. Parker down to a room
                   nearby.

Beat.

                             ANYA
                   That seems ... extremely helpful of
                   them.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   I know, right? I can't believe they
                   didn't even argue with me!

                             ANYA
(doubtfully)
                   It's almost like I can't believe it
                   either.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY -- HOSPITAL -- NIGHT

The truck pulls around the deserted rear of the hospital to park
in front of tall garage doors. Spider-Miles is again on the
phone.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                        (into phone)
                   Come around to the front? Be right
                   there!

He drops the phone and hops out. Anya follows.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   They want us to leave the truck in
                   back so they can unload the thing,
                   but we need to go around to the front
                   desk.

                             ANYA
                   And leave them alone with it? Doesn't
                   that seem a little funny to you?

She folds her arms while he dances from foot to foot.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   What are you waiting for?

                             ANYA
                   Let's just wait here a few minutes,
                   see who it is who--

A door opens and Overdrive steps out. He has a phone in his
hand, which he tosses away. Inside, behind him, glimpsed through
the doorway, unconscious bodies of security guards and doctors
lie on the floor and against the wall.

                             OVERDRIVE
                   I thought I told you twerps to leave
                   this thing unguarded.

As Spider-Miles and Gwen crouch for a fight, the camera PANS up
to pick up the octobot, still atop the truck cab. It too
crouches, and it leaps at Overdrive, knocking him up against a
wall.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                        (to Anya)
                   You go around front, get some more
                   security or someone!

He leaps into the fight as Anya runs O.S.

In the fight that follows, it's Overdrive versus Spider-Miles
and the octobot. It ends with Spider-Miles punching him into the
back doors of the truck, and with the octobot dropping down on
him to "sting" him with a taser. He droops to the ground as Anya
and a bunch of doctors come running up.

Spider-Miles turns to the octobot, which is perched on the doors
of the truck, guarding them.

                             SPIDER-MILES
                   Alright, you octo-thing. Am I gonna
                   have to fight you to get our
                   thingamajig out?

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

It concentrates on Spider-Miles's face.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   No, Miles, we don't have to fight.

BACK TO SCENE

The octobot scuttles atop the truck and disappears. But as
Spider-Miles and the doctors open the truck, it runs over to up
and up the side of the hospital.

INT. HOSPITAL -- OPERATING ROOM -- NIGHT

Aunt May, in bed. A fierce, bluish light comes on, bathing her.

ANOTHER ANGLE

The Energy Focal Device, still attached to the machine but
directed at her, bathes her in light as doctors stand around.
The camera PANS to pick up Peter, Miles, Anya, and Gwen. All
except Peter, who is relaxed, look nervous.

                             MILES
                   It's going to be alright. Isn't it,
                   Pete?

                             PETER
                   Of course it is. I trust my design
                   work.

They all look over at him. He seems to feel their gaze, for he
adds:

                             PETER
                   And I trust the work you guys did.
                   I-- We could never have done it
                   without us all.

The light fades, and a readout begins to beep steadily. A DOCTOR
detaches himself from the group to join the kids.

                             DOCTOR
                   It looks like she's going to be fine.
                   All her vitals are returning to                    normal.

He leaves. Miles exhales a deep breath as the machine is wheeled
from the room.

                             MILES
                        (to Peter)
                   Okay, don't tell me that isn't a
                   relief.

                             PETER
                   Yeah, alright. A little bit.

But his brow clouds, and he goes over to stand next to his
aunt's bedside. Her eyes flutter open.

                             AUNT MAY
                   Peter? What are you doing here?
                   Shouldn't you be in school!

                             PETER
                   I hope not. It's six o'clock in the
                   morning. Aunt May--
                        (beat)
                   I just want to say I'm happy to be
                   here with you. And that I'll never
                   let you down.

                             AUNT MAY
                        (smiling)
                   That's sweet of you, Peter. You
                   always were my favorite nephew.

The camera PANS to the window, through which early sunlight is
streaming. The octobot peers into the room.

EXT. HOSPITAL -- WALL -- DAY

The octobot, clinging to the wall, peering thru the window.

INSERT POV -- OCTOBOT

Peter by Aunt May's bedside, as seen through the bluish
electronic filter of the electronic eye, which BUZZES as it
focuses and refocuses.

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                   I don't believe it. He did it. The
                   Doc actually used his gizmo to help
                   Aunt May. Well, kudos to you, Doc, I
                   didn't think you had it in you.

BACK TO SCENE

                             PETER PARKER (V.O.)
                        (continuing)
                   But there's still the little matter
                   of getting my body back from you!

It scuttles O.S.

EXT. HOSPITAL -- LOADING BAY

Hospital techs wheel the machine outside to park it by the
truck. After they leave, the octobot leaps onto it, clinging to
its face and unscrewing the Energy Focal Device. Clutching it in
two claws it turns, then flinches.

Peter Parker, his expression one of dead-eyed hostility, stands
before it. He and the octobot regard each other.

                             PETER
                        (otto)
                   So you're still around. You were
                   useful once, but you're not needed
                   anymore.

The octobot leaps away, but Peter is faster, and catches it atop
the truck, plucking it up by one arm and causing it to drop the
Device.

                             PETER
                   I don't know why you are so
                   persistent. But it doesn't really
                   matter. I don't need it anymore
                   either.

CLOSE ON THE DEVICE

as Peter smashes it with his foot.

BACK TO SCENE

The octobot writhes. Peter rips the arms off, throwing them away. As he tears it apart:

                             PETER
                   And I don't need you or your kind
                   anymore, not since acquiring this
                   body, and its powers. Parker was an
                   adequate Spider-Man. But I am the
                   superior Spider-Man.

He hurls the octobot O.S. in a mighty arc, then turns and walks
away.

EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR -- DAY

The octobot SPLASHES into the water and surfaces to float on the
choppy waves, its electronic eye darkened. Then, with a jitter,
the eye flashes to life. It shifts about, looking. Some of its
amputated limbs quiver uselessly.

It jerks to sudden life, BUZZING as it shifts focus. The
amputated limbs quiver manically.

A green, scaly arm, ending in a gloved hand, reaches in from
O.S. and hauls the octobot from the water. It holds the machine
suspended for a moment as the robot jerks spasmodically, as
though trying to escape, then pulls it O.S.

FADE OUT


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