Episode:Make a Wish

"Make a Wish" is an episode from season 3 of Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Summary
The episode begins with Anastasia Hardy introducting Dr. Michael Pingree, who is demonstrating with an "argon matrix laser". He explains that the laser can only cut inorganic matter, and after the operation would leave the material untouched. He then claims that it could save millions of lives by targeting tumors, or tissues, whilst Peter Parker is taking the photographs. When Peter's spider-sense tingles, Doctor Octopus is shown activating the fire alarm, startling the audience. Doc Ock then appears smashing from underneath the building, and then grabs Pingree and threatens that he can't let him take all the credit for his own invention, and that Pingree is merely his assistant, whilst Anastasia still owes him a debt. Just then Spider-Man swings and kicks him, saving Pingree. Doc Ock then attempts to destroy Spider-Man with the laser. Spider-Man then remembers that the laser can only cut inorganic matter, when the laser only cuts a line in his suit. He nudges the laser, cutting through some of Doc Ock tentacles, with them being inorganic. Spider-Man then takes chase on Ock up a building, saving Mary Jane along the way. When Doctor Octopus attempts to attack him with a tentacle, Spider-Man grabs it with his strength and forces him through the ceiling and into the medical lab, infuriating Anastasia Hardy and J. Jonah Jameson. Anastasia comments that if damages, the research in the lab would take years to replace, whilst Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus continue to fight. An experiment is then damages and explodes, forcing Spider-Man to save he and Doc Ock. They are then sent flying into water, Spider-Man floats to shore, escaping a police officer by swinging away, whilst Doc Ock enters a ship, throwing the sea captain' into the water. Spider-Man then realises how much damage he had caused on the exploded building.

Jonah comments how Spider-Man destroys everything, whilst Robbie objects stating that he was simply in an attempt to stop Doctor Octopus. Peter then claims to himself that he is going the superhero spree, Robbie then approaches him and asks whether he could give Spider-Man a fan letter if he sees him. Peter then reads it and rejects the fan mail. He then exits the building and walks along an allyway, planning life would be perfect without his superhero identity. He is then interrupted by a mysterious woman. The woman reveals her knowledge of his personal life, after he lies stating that he is not Spider-Man. He is then magically reunited with his suit, leaving him confused. The woman then tells him to sit down. He objects. She persistantly keeps him from escaping her grasp, explaining that he is to embark on a period of training for a large battle. She then hands him a card, despite his protests, she says it tells him that he must have the faith of a child, leaving him furthermore confused. She then allows him to leave. He figures that the card is the letter that Robbie had given him.

Spider-Man relents and plans to visit the girl that had sent him the letter. The girl, Taina, is then introduced, sticking an image of Spider-Man into an album. Spider-Man then appears in her bedroom, shocking Taina. She then tells him to call her Taina, after he proceeds in calling her by her official name, Maria. She then shows him a image by Peter Parker, asking him if he knows him, unbeknowest that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. He answers her by claiming "sometimes, too well". He tells her that the images were from when he thought he could use his powers to make money. She asks him as to where he obtained his powers, stating that Timmy told her that Spider-Man was from a dying planet, and that his parents transported him to Earth in a spaceship, Timmy was obviously wrong. Spider-Man then tells her that he was an accident, he refuses to reveal his name, but agreeing to explain what his life was like. He flashes back revealing how he was bullied by Flash Thompson, and how his friends wouldn't go to events such as a science demonstration.

Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus is introducing Kingpin to his new invention, the "octobot".

Spider-Man continues to explain to Taina his life-story. He reveals the demonstration caused a spider to bite him on the hand that most likely gave him his powers. Following the demonstration, Peter realised that he could stick to walls and had the agility and strength of a spider.

Doctor Octopus also continues to demonstrate his octobot, Kingpin interrupts by claiming that he will proceed in further judgements, until he finds results. Doc Ock reassures him that the octobot will simply crush Spider-Man.

Spider-Man explains to Taina that the spider that had bitten him didn't give him the power to make webs - he did that himself. He programmed the containers that strapped onto his rist so that he wouldn't accidentally activate it if he made fists or when he grabbed an item. He makes Taina a web-swing and starts to push her on it, explaining that before crimefigting, he tried showbiz. He then went into wrestling. When he let a thug being chased through the locker room of the arena, the man escaped and shot Peter's Uncle Ben, prompting Peter to go out and find the thug, he then realised that it was the crook from the arena, figuring the one he should have stopped.

Spider-Man then notifies Taina that he is quitting his role as a superhero, as of the medical building he had recently caused to explode. She objects to this, as well as protesting when he insists that she can't come web-swinging with him. He eventually relents and agrees to let her come with him on a quick trip.

Whilst Spider-Man webs above New York with Taina, Doctor Octopus sets out on his mission to eliminate Spider-Man using the octobot. When Spider-Man notices the octobot approaching them, he tells Taina to hide. Doc Ock then appears and introuced Spider-Man to his newest design, the octobot! The octobot captures Spider-Man, but he is able to release it by making Ock lose his concentration, webbing him up. Ock breaks free and knocks Spider-Man out with gas. Taina is soon to notice that Spider-Man is in trouble.

Production

 * The episode was loosely based on "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man," from Amazing Spider-Man #248 (1984). In this storyline Spider-Man went to visit a dying child who was a big fan of Spider-Man. Spider-Man told him his origin, like to Taina, and even revealed his secret identity to him, like he would do to Taina in the next episode.  The child had a disease and at the end of the next episode, it shows Taina lives at the Hardy Foundation for Terminally Ill Children, implying she was dying as well, like the kid in the comics. The only notable difference between the comics and the series is that in the comics, it was a boy Spider-Man visited, while, in this episode, Spider-Man visited Taina who was a girl.
 * The episode was selected and released on DVD/VCR for The Ultimate Villain Showdown.
 * As well as being based on Amazing Spider-Man #248, it was based on Amazing Fantasy #15.

References to other media
When Taina asked Spider-Man if he came from a dying alien planet, she is obviously referencing to the most popular DC comics superhero Superman. Superman had come from the dying world of Krypton and he escaped the planet's explosion when he was a baby, thanks to his biological father Jor-El, who sent Superman to Earth where he became a hero. The Superman reference may not have been coincidence as the episode was written by long time Superman writer Elliot S! Maggin.

Cast

 * Christopher Daniel Barnes &mdash; Spider-Man/Peter Parker
 * Sara Ballantine &mdash; Mary Jane Watson
 * Ed Asner &mdash; J. Jonah Jameson
 * Linda Gary &mdash; Aunt May
 * Rodney Saulsberry &mdash; Robbie Robertson
 * Joan Lee &mdash; Madame Web
 * Dimitra Arliss &mdash; Anastasia Hardy
 * Scott Cleverdon &mdash; Michael Pingree
 * Stephanie Eustase &mdash; Maria Taina Elizando
 * Jonathan Michael &mdash; Jack
 * Michael Rye &mdash; Dr. Farley Stillwell
 * Efrem Zimbalist Jr. &mdash; Dr. Octopus