Marvel's Spider-Man Episode Eighteen: The Rise of Doc Ock, Part Four

The Rise of Doc Ock, Part Four

First Aired: January 28th, 2018

Synopsis: Spider-Man and Miles break into prison to investigate Raymond Warren, since Norman Osborn claimed he destroyed the Jackal. They find him in his cell, but he reveals that they're made in pairs and he therefore has to die, moments before exploding. After escaping from the prison guards, Spider-Man figures that since there were two fakes - at the prison and at Osborn Academy - it means that the Jackal's still out there and the Osborns might still be in danger. When he tries to explain this to Harry as Peter the next day, Harry refuses to listen to Peter's explanations since it's come from Spider-Man. Peter then goes to Gwen, hoping that she'll have information about her uncle that he can use, but just as they're about to leave Harry shows up, saying that he'll help them. They investigate Raymond's house and find notes referring to a storage facility, but when they go there a scanner thinks that Harry is Norman which activates a security system.

Peter's able to stop the security system, and investigating a computer at the storage facility leads them to Midtown High. Peter's able to find a hidden passageway which leads to a secret lab, where they find some experiments with spiders. Harry then calls his father, revealing that he's been working with him all along. A series of Jackal clones emerge, ready to fight, but Norman and his team show up to save the heroes. Peter uses the opportunity to sneak away and change to Spider-Man. Norman plans on destroying the lab, but Octavius says that he wants to keep it since it could be useful for science. The real Jackal then shows up, and Octavius sides with him since his science appeals to him, and he's annoyed at Norman for taking ownership of his technology. Octavius rechristens himself Doctor Octopus and reveals that he's mind-controlling his team, who he's named the Sinister Five. Spider-Man fights them to stop Jackal from giving more data to Ock, but Norman Osborn, forgotten by them, destroys some equipment. Everyone escapes as an explosion rocks the lab, destroying it, and Norman is seemingly caught in it and dies. Harry is angry at Spider-Man for failing to save his father, and in the aftermath, Spider-Man muses on how he tried to save Norman, and new villains always seem to be appearing.

Subplots:

• Harry is revealed to have modified his flaming sword from Spider-Man on Ice so that it's hotter, and he now has to wear a mask while using it. He's keen to join in with the rest of Norman's group and fight alongside them.
• Doctor Octopus wonders where Harry's gotten to during the final fight, and notes that he wants him to join them, also commenting that Sinister Six sounds much better as a team name.
• Unseen by Spider-Man, a hand emerges from the rubble of the destroyed lab at the very end of the episode.

Miscellaneous Notes:

• I mentioned that a computer at the storage facility leads Peter, Gwen, and Harry to Midtown High, but not how. What actually happens is that Gwen can't work out a way to break into her uncle's files, but she does have a program that lets her see where they were created, somehow. Harry then exclaims, "I know that IP address!", which is at Midtown High. Who the hell memorises IP addresses?

Review: The first half of this episode, more or less, is really good fun. Peter, Harry, and Gwen working together to investigate Raymond Warren is a fun dynamic, and it's nice to see the three of them doing so. They feel like good friends, and the stakes feel low - when Peter has to stop Warren's security system, he doesn't even do so in his costume (there's also a great gag where he tries to pronounce Mjolnir but isn't entirely sure how to do so). It's all very refreshing and I really like the setup.

This also means that when Harry reveals that he's been working for his father all along, it's a genuine twist and feels like a real gut-punch. It's in-character and works well, but unfortunately, this is where I start to stop caring about the episode. Have I mentioned before that Norman really wants to destroy Spider-Man since he thinks that he's part of the Jackal's spider army? Have I mentioned before that it's really dumb, and I really hate it? So much of the episode from here feels like it revolves around this conflict, and I really just don't care about it. Doctor Octopus turning on Norman is a good moment in the episode, but aside from that I struggle to think of any real standouts that occur in the episode from here. Even Norman's "death" isn't that great because it's too early in the series for it to be permanent, and lo and behold, he's revealed to still be alive in the final moments of the episode.

What does work for me is the little character moments and setup - Harry's improving his sword and wants to join in the fight. Doctor Octopus cares about the potential of the experiments being done at the Jackal's secret lab, and is secretly chafing under Norman's thumb. Moments like these are great, but when they're all revolving around two men fighting due to the secret spider army that may or may not exist, they're weakened. Great scenes, ridiculous plot.