- “Okay, we're gonna do this, because I totally brought enough webbing for the whole class.”
- ―Spider-Man
"Hero or Menace" is the ninth episode of Marvel's Disney+ series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. It premiered on February 19, 2025.
Synopsis[]
Spider-Man swings into action as Lonnie looks to settle a score and Norman visits an old friend.
Plot[]
Otto is visited by Osborn in prison who gloats over his success in capturing him. He further reveals that he will be acquiring all the schematics and inventions he has made over the years, much to Otto's fury. The One Tenths locate the compound where the inventions are being taken and, despite Lonnie' objections, the gang chase the Oscorp truck off the road. Nico, who was with Pearl earlier, is nearly hit by the truck, but is rescued by Peter in his new outfit.
After swinging Nico to safety, Peter returns to stop the One Tenths from their theft, only for Gargan and the Scorpions to return. A brawl breaks out with Peter overcoming his trauma to battle Gargan once again. During the fight, Donovan cowers and flees the fight. Lonnie takes over and has Bulldozer fend off Carmilla while he goes into the truck to find something to aid him. Instead, Lonnie knocks over a canister and is gassed, briefly knocking him out. Peter pulls him out of the truck, but when Gargan attacks, he discovers that he is now invulnerable and has enhanced strength.
Peter and Lonnie team up to battle Gargan where they managed to knock him down several times. Gargan uses his tail to make construction equipment fall on Lonnie. Angered, Peter flies into a rage and manages to finally take down Gargan. Just as he is about to impale him with his tail, Lonnie stops him, telling Peter that he is a symbol of hope for the people and that he should not stoop to his level. Peter calms down, webs up Gargan, and thanks a bewildered Lonnie before leaving. Peter later meets up with Nico and the two mend their friendship. As Peter agrees to no more secrets, Nico looks longingly at her medallion.
Back at home, Peter and May are watching TV when Peter gets a call from Osborn. He tells him how he nearly lost control from his fight and that he was worried about turning into what something worse. Osborn tells him that while the merciful path is a difficult one, it is not uncommon for him to stray every now and then and appreciates that he managed to control himself at the last minute. After hanging up, Osborn speaks with his scientists, including Wittman, where it is revealed that he has been accruing Spider-Man's DNA in an effort to recreate the the accident that created him and plans to create spider soldiers.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Hudson Thames as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
- Kari Wahlgren as Aunt May
- Grace Song as Nico Minoru
- Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone
- Hugh Dancy as Otto Octavius
- Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn
Guest cast[]
- Cathy Ang as Pearl Pangan
- Leilani Barrett as Big Ben Donovan
- Ettore Ewen as Henry Camp/Bulldozer
- Anairis Quiñones as Carmilla Black
- Jonathan Medina as Mac Gargan/Scorpion
- Paul F. Tompkins as Bentley Wittman
Trivia[]
- The title is a reference to the postulation that J. Jonah Jameson was known for applying to Spider-Man.
- J. Jonah Jameson also referred to Spider-Man as either a hero or a menace in Spider-Man (2002)
- Peter almost impales Scorpion with his tail, but is stopped by Lonnie, similar to how Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man prevents MCU-Peter from impaling Green Goblin with his own glider in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
- Peter and May watch The Bachelor in this episode.
- When Spider-Man and Nico are about to talk about his secret identity, she is in an alley and he is hanging upside down as if they are about to kiss, a reference to the infamous kiss scene between Mary Jane Watson and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in Spider-Man (2002) but instead of a kiss, Nico hits Spider-Man for making her jump.
- The Sokovia Accords that Otto is reading has the same cover that the Avengers read in Captain America: Civil War. Captain America's Shield is also visible on the inside.
Gallery[]
External links[]
v - e - d  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|