7 Hidden Gems in Spider-Man Episodes 6-8: Did You Spot These?

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the momentum of my pal Spider-Man‘s corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! The latest installments of the Marvel Studios animated series, episodes 6 (“Duel with the Devil”), 7 (“Scorpion Rising”), and 8 (“Tangled Web”), were released on Wednesday. Just like in the wider MCU, these episodes are packed with cameos, references to the universe at large, and a host of Easter eggs that you might overlook amidst appearances by the Daredevil (voiced brilliantly by Charlie Cox) and a fleeting glance from Iron Man (Mick Wingert in the armor).

In essence, over a series of three episodes, Spider-Man, portrayed by Hudson Thames as Peter Parker, is juggling multiple issues in his personal and superhero life. His long-time companion Nico Minoru (Grace Song) and his new confidant Harry Osborn (Zeno Robinson) have recently discovered his secret identity. Meanwhile, Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd), his lab partner, is having trouble with his girlfriend, Pearl Pangan (Cathy Ang), and is deeply involved with the 110th Street Gang as their conflict with Mac Gargan (Jonathan Medina) and the Scorpions intensifies.

Additionally, Peter’s guide and patron, Norman Osborn, who serves as CEO at Oscorp, is growing increasingly fixated on an old foe whose grudge poses a threat that extends beyond just the local area. This adversary, Dr. Otto Octavius, is destined to become Doctor Octopus in the future.

Cameos Gala

In episode 6, there are numerous appearances by familiar faces. At a charity event for Lagos victims, where the Avengers’ confrontation with former HYDRA agent Brock Rumlow/Crossbones ignited the storyline of Captain America: Civil War, Norman Osborn is seen alongside Eleanor Bishop, CEO of Bishop Security and Kate Bishop’s mother from the upcoming Hawkeye TV series, as contributors to the disaster relief effort. It’s at this gathering that Osborn discusses the Sokovia Accords with Secretary Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Travis Willingham), which have recently been enforced, necessitating Osborn to register the superhuman resource that Oscorp has covertly utilized in New York (details forthcoming).

In episode 7, Nico and Harry take a thrilling drive in Nico’s sports car. During this ride, they encounter a situation where Hot Rod (Zehra Fazal) proposes a street race to them. Meanwhile, an onlooker named Klev (portrayed by Zach Cherry) can be seen from earlier roles like urging Spider-Man to perform a stunt flip in the 2017 film “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and livestreaming a fast-paced brawl on a bus in San Francisco, as depicted in the 2021 movie “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”.

Peter’s Classmates

In Peter’s Rockford T. Bales High School classroom, there are students with impressive resumes in animation and visual effects. Among them is Benjamin Anders, a character designer for the Cartoon Network series “Craig of the Creek,” which was written as head of story and story editor by Jeff Trammell, creator of “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Additionally, there’s Anthony Castro, the composition lead for the series who also worked on visual effects for “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Lastly, Scott Forbes, a Marvel Comics cover artist, contributed to the show’s final look development and end credits.

Movie Night

In episode 6, when Peter, Nico, and Harry gather at Peter’s place, they discover an old VHS tape titled “Tomb Buster“. This film is similar to Indiana Jones, but a cheaper version featuring the fictional character Dr. Steven Grant, who you might recognize from Marvel’s Moon Knight series. Among other tapes, they also find a copy of the 1987 classic “Predator” and “The Zaniac!“, an “elevated thriller” mentioned in Loki, named after a lesser-known villain of Thor.

Spider-Man’s Identity Crisis

With Secretary Ross enforcing the Sokovia Accords now, Norman Osborn generously proposes that the U.S. government can utilize Oscorp’s assistance and resources – be it through government contracts or capturing Avengers who violate the Accords. Osborn further reveals that Oscorp is backing Spider-Man financially. To comply with the necessary registration, he confesses that John Gallo, one of Oscorp’s security guards, is actually Spider-Man in disguise.

The disguise concealing Osborn’s young student is reminiscent of “Identity Crisis,” a comic book series from the ’90s in which Spider-Man was falsely accused and had to assume multiple superhero identities while evading hunters and the authorities, with Norman Osborn (Spider-Man’s adversary, the Green Goblin) being the true culprit. One of these temporary personas was Ricochet, a role later taken up by Johnny Gallo, a mutant from Brooklyn who possesses heightened agility as his mutant power.

Speak of the Devil…

The title “Duel with the Devil” refers to Spider-Man’s confrontation with the devil-like figure guarding Hell’s Kitchen, but it isn’t just Daredevil who embodies evil in this episode. One of Nico’s Tarot cards is “The Devil,” which closely resembles the demon Mephisto, a character well-known from Marvel comics. Not only has Mephisto been mentioned in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (in Agatha All Along), but Spider-Man entered into a pact with this satanic figure in the One More Day storyline, which ended his long-term marriage to Mary Jane Watson in the comic books. Additionally, recent comics have shown that Norman Osborn also made a deal with Mephisto, an agreement that eventually led to his transformation into the Green Goblin.

Whoa… He Stole That Guy’s Reference!

Episode 7 reveals that Osborn tells Peter that the Oscorp mass spectrometer and a satellite are working together to pinpoint Otto Octavius’ location. They track this by following the energy residue from the weapons Octavius has given to villains like the Scorpion, Tarantula (Anairis Quinones), Speed Demon (Roger Craig Smith), and Unicorn (Sarah Natochenny). To find the source of this energy signature, Peter and Osborn must first determine what type of elements Octavius is employing.

As a cinephile, I can’t help but draw parallels between Peter Parker’s current predicament and the scientific exploits of Dr. Otto Octavius in the iconic 2004 film, “Spider-Man 2.” Just like Doc Ock, Peter is treading on the same rare element path – tritium. Osborn, however, seems skeptical, implying that even the brilliant Octavius would struggle to obtain this elusive substance. But Peter, ever the optimist, proposes a solution: solar energy. Osborn scoffs, doubting Peter’s ability to harness the power of our very own sun. Yet, in “Spider-Man 2,” we see that Octavius indeed manages to do just that, holding the power of the sun in the palm of his hand. It’s a nod to the Raimi movies, and it reminds us that sometimes, the impossible is possible for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Spider-Man No More?

In Episode 7, we see Spider-Man getting stung by Scorpion, which nearly kills him as he’s impaled by a cybernetic stinger that pierces his Oscorp suit. To save the injured Spider-Man, Norman Osborn sends a prototype glider. The next episode, Episode 8, starts with a tribute to John Romita Sr.’s classic page from 1967’s Amazing Spider-Man #50. This iconic issue showcased a disheartened Peter Parker discarding his Spider-Man costume in a story called “Spider-Man No More.” However, by the final page of that same issue, Peter resumed his crime-fighting career.

In episode 8, Peter grapples with doubts about his capacity to fulfill his duties as Spider-Man, challenging the conventional wisdom that “with great power comes great responsibility.” However, Osborn offers a new perspective: “With great power comes great respect.

Peter, who was told by someone with great power that he should use it to command respect, then advises him: ‘My dad has power and respect, but he’s not Spider-Man. You are. So what Spider-Man should do is up to you.’ Despite his Oscorp suit being destroyed in the fight against the Scorpion, Harry had new Spider-Man suits made for Peter based on his drawings. As Peter looked at the red and blue Spider-Man suit, Harry encouraged him: ‘Go get ’em, tiger.’

As a diehard fan, I can’t wait for my friendly neighborhood hero, Spider-Man, to wrap up his thrilling two-episode season finale airing February 19th on Disney+. Join me in sharing our excitement by dropping your thoughts in the comments section below!

2025-02-13 04:40