The Spider Slayer

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"The Spider Slayer" is an episode of the first season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. It first appeared on February 4, 1995. Written by Stan Berkowitz.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The episode begins with Spencer Smythe, his son Alistair Smythe, businessman Norman Osborn, and reporter Eddie Brock all meeting inside a high-tech warehouse. Apparently, Osborn has funded the Smythe's creation of a robotic device designed to hunt and capture Spider-Man. This device is the Spider-Slayer, a gigantic robot spider that Smythe names "The Black Widow". Brock is at the warehouse by permission of Osborn in order to film the capture and unmasking of Spider-Man.

The elder Smythe shows the other three men the near-indestructible material used to build the outer covering of the spider-slayer. Through Smythe's lecture, he reveals that the only thing able to burn through the outer shell of the slayer is a special acidic chemical that he keeps in a giant vat.

Osborn is pleased with the results, and Brock is ecstatic that he will finally have a report that will cater to his boss, J. Jonah Jameson. Spencer Smythe pulls Osborn aside and ponders the reason as to why he has funded the slayer. Osborn dismisses the thought and leaves hastily. Brock leaves as well.

Spencer Smythe and his son Alistor are now alone, and Alistor questions his father as to why he accepts money from "scum like Osborn." Spencer replies that although he does not trust Osborn, he needs the money to purchase a specialized robotic vehicle for Alistor, who is a paraplegic. When Alistor objects, Spencer contests that it was his own fault that "the accident in the old lab" occurred, which leaves the viewer to believe that "the accident" left Alistor a paraplegic. The scene ends with Spcncer concurring with his son that Osborn is untrustworthy, but that working for him "isn't all that bad."

After the explosion, Jameson blames Brock for letting the networks make him a laughing stock. He then fires Brock from his job, even though he tried to tell him it was Spider-Man's fault.

Meanwhile, in a luxurious headquarters at the top of the Chrysler Building, Norman Osborn is talking to a shadowed figure. Osborn states that the plan to eliminate Spider-Man is almost complete. The mysterious figure reminds Osborn of a previous deal they both had made earlier: either Spider-Man is terminated, or Osborn relinquishes his company. The shadowy figure chuckles and declares that it is "an interesting way to pay off a loan." The scene ends when the shadowy figure reveals himself to the viewer to be Wilson Fisk, better known as The Kingpin.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Trivia

  • This episode introduces many characters like Norman Osborne (who would later become the Green Goblin), Alistair Smythe (who would become a villain in the next episode and his following episode appearances), Spencer Smythe, Wilson Fisk (better known as The Kingpin, who would later become the main villain who appears in most of the episodes in this series), Felicia Hardy (who would later become The Black Cat), Flash Thompson and Harry Osborne (who would later become the second Green Goblin).
  • In the end of this episode, Spencer Smythe is seen in OsCorp as the building explodes. This would imply that he died in the explosion but it is later revealed in The Ultimate Slayer that Smythe survived and The Kingpin found him. Kingpin then placed Smythe in cryogenic suspension and lied to Spencer's son, Alistair, that Spider-Man killed his father. This plot would be a deus ex machina for Alistair to stop working for The Kingpin once he has become a cyborg.
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