Episode:The Man Without Fear

This episode was the thirty-fourth episode and the seventh in the third season of Spider-Man that originally aired on September 28, 1996. In a direct continuation of the previous episode, Spider-Man and Daredevil team up and Kingpin's dual identity is revealed to the wallcrawler. The Kingpin's family history and rise to power is also revealed.

Story
Spider-Man and Daredevil are both escaping from Fisktronics which is in flames, alternatively saving each other. Daredevil is knocked out, Spider-Man quickly puts him out of harms way so that he can acquire the disc with the downloaded database. Spider-Man is then knocked out and it is Daredevil's chance to do the saving, using his special vision to find a way out through the smoke. Outside Daredevil briefly startles Spidey by saying he has saved Peter Parker, meaning the disc. Spidey hands the disc to Daredevil to give to Matt Murdock. Choi and federal agents show up causing Spidey and Daredevil to go their separate ways.

Leaving the building Choi is confronted by Terri Lee. Lee questions Choi was to why she is rushing to judgement on Parker and not following any other leads. Choi angrily tells her that she is out of her jurisdiction and should stop. At Kingpin's hideout Kingpin is angry that his building is in flames and Smythe is happy that his plan is working and the evidence is gone. However, Richard Fisk says that Parker has escaped and he has a videotape that shows Spider-Man downloading the data. After learning that Parker's aunt May has been taken to the hospital, Kingpin forms a trap should Peter go to help her.

At Murdock's place Peter learns what happened to Aunt May. Matt arrives with the disc and says that it should be enough for an appeal. Peter cannot wait and must go to Aunt May. As an attorney Matt advises against such an action, but understands as a friend and tells him to be careful. At the hospital the doctor does not have any information regarding May's health. Anna Watson again berates Peter for not being there causing Mary Jane to storm out of the room. Elsewhere, Matt gives Choi the datadisc since her people are hunting Parker and may shoot first and ask questions later. Choi calls someone and says that she has "the package" and leaves, but not without Lee following her.

Back at the hospital, Peter pulls Mary Jane into a closet and ask for her help with getting into Aunt May's room. Peter disguises himself as a doctor and Mary Jane pulls him into the room before the guards get a good look at him claiming that May needs his attention immediately. Peter comforts May by telling her that Matt has the evidence to clear him. Peter feels he needs to leave just as his Spider-Sense goes off when Anna Watson enters. Confused, Peter merely assumes she is mad at him. Aunt May tells Anna the good news and suddenly Anna seems eager to help Peter get out. Peter's Spider-Sense goes off again when they enter the elevator, just before a second Anna Watson passes by. Outside, Mary Jane thanks Anna, really the Chameleon, who then knocks them out and shoves them in a van.

Lee follows Choi as she gets into a limousine with Richard Fisk, who says that his father's investment was well made. Lee uses her police connections to find that the limo belongs to Richard Fisk and calls Matt. With the disc in hand, Richard calls his father to say that he has the disc and Parker. Kingpin then tells his past to Smythe. The Wilson Fisk's father was a small time hood who wanted more while Wilson, then named Moriarty Wilson, was ostracized for his excessive weight. One day Moriaryt, called Willie by his father, sees his father rob a bank and is dragged into the getaway car by him. Willie joins him wanting acceptance from his father. After a robbery the elder Fisk gets away but Willie does not because he cannot pull himself up. He leaves his son with the words, "Sometimes sacrifices must be made. Sorry son, that's the way things are." Willie is arrested, and at his trial the judge is willing to show leniency if he named an accomplice. He does not and goes to prison. Upon getting out Moriarty has acquired all the knowledge necessary to build a criminal empire and changes his name to Wilson Fisk, but is more well known as the Kingpin. Using his resources Fisk eliminates all records of his criminal past. He also manages to find his father, who always believed that the Kingpin was his son Willie. Fisk angrily tells him that "Willie" ceased to exist when he left him in prison. He has his father taken away who is never seen again because "Sacrifices must be made."

At Fisk's mansion, Richard puts both Peter and Mary Jane into another isolation room. Richard personally makes sure that Peter is going to die, until Lee and the police storm the mansion. A large shootout erupts with Daredevil springing into action. Lee goes to free Peter and Mary Jane but is stopped by Choi. Lee overpowers her, frees the two, and arrests Choi. Peter tells Mary Jane to hide and goes off to change into Spider-Man. Daredevil confronts Chameleon who changes into Daredevil. Spider-Man can't tell the difference until the real Daredevil captures Chameleon with his billy club. Even Mary Jane manages to take out a bad guy using the self-defense classes she took. Richard is arrested but has given the disc to the freed Chameleon. Spider-Man and Daredevil chase after him while he flees in a helicopter to the Kingpin's hideout.

The two sneak in and split up with Spider-Man taking the guards and Daredevil going after the Kingpin. Kingpin and Daredevil get into a swordfight using their cane and billy club, respectively. Kingpin eventually knocks Daredevil out and Spidey swoops in to stop him. Kingpin runs away to a helicopter with the two heroes close behind. Spidey blinds the helicopter with webbing forcing Kingpin to land. Daredevil ties up Kingpin so he's "helpless as a beached whale." However, Kingpin has the last laugh as it is really the Chameleon in disguise. The two must have switched places at some point and Daredevil was able to see through the disguise. Luckily Chameleon still has the datadisc to clear Parker's name. Spidey asks if Daredevil saw through his disguise and Daredevil responds that he's respected Spidey's right to privacy.

In court, the jury has found Richard Fisk, Susan Choi, and the Chameleon guilty. The judge is willing to show leniency if they name an accomplice. Wilson Fisks tells his son that "Sacrifices must be made." Outside the courtroom Fisk apologizes to Peter, now free, claiming not to have known that his son was stealing secrets. Peter bites his tongue or else risks revealing that he's either Spider-Man or Daredevil, so he accepts. Kingpin yells at Smythe because it was his plan that got his son captured and wonders how long before Richard exacts his revenge on him. At The Daily Bugle Matt wonders why Peter can't find out that J. Jonah Jameson hired him. Jameson does not want his image ruined or Parker thinking Jameson likes him. Jameson then yells at Robbie for hiring Peter back.

That night Spider-Man and Daredevil say their goodbyes. Matt has been called to Washington D.C. on special assignment for the Justice Department and Daredevil is following him. Daredevil tells Spider-Man to stay in New York City to fight Kingpin while he and Matt gather enough evidence to put Kingpin away for good. Daredevil promises that he is a friend and ally in the war against Kingpin. Daredevil leaves and Spider-Man vows to continue fighting until Kingpin is taken down.