| This article is written from the Real World perspective |  |
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| Series | Spider-Man | ||||||||
| Release Date | September 21, 1996 | ||||||||
| Episode Number | 33 | ||||||||
| Writer | John Semper, Jr. Brooks Wachtel Cynthia Harrison Mark Hoffmeier | ||||||||
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Peter Parker is arrested for treason. The only one who can help him is a mysterious blind lawyer. Things become worse when Peter is kidnapped by Spider-Man!
Story[]
In a courtroom Peter is accused of treason against the United States. With his friends, family, and even Jameson watching the trial Peter's lawyer pleads for his freedom but the judge orders him held without bond. Peter considers escaping using his powers but would then have to reveal his dual identity. Peter is being escorted away when a bomb goes off and missiles begin dropping. Spider-Man suddenly opens the door uses knock out gas on Peter. Peter is taken into their helicopter.
Captured, Peter thinks back to how this all started. In flashback, Peter is contacted by a mysterious Richard Fisk regarding a job. Going over his achievements, Richard claims that Peter's biggest accomplishment was saving his father Wilson Fisk from Hobgoblin. Not knowing either of the Fisks real occupation Peter agrees to take the job at Fisktronics. The job as operation's system operator was simple enough. Fisktronics mostly had military contracts but Peter never saw anything special. Peter would get a disc with routine stuff like possible memory errors, I.O. conflicts, and node failures. Peter makes enough money to finally quit his job at The Daily Bugle, much to the chagrin of Jameson.
One day Peter takes the diagnostic disc with himself and orders a hot dog with lots of mustard. The woman then pulls a gun and so he knocks it out of her hand and runs away. Peter then finds himself on the run from a large group of people with guns, all looking for the diagnostic disc. Peter changes into his Spider-Man costume and swings away. Thinking that wallcrawler may be Peter's accomplice the people begin chasing him too. Peter returns home only to be ambushed by the police. Detective Terri Lee then introduces federal agent Susan Choi, the woman at the hot dog stand. Choi then finds that the disc contains classified defense plans. Apparently someone at Fisktronics has been selling top secret material and they believe that it was Peter. In jail Peter meets his famous criminal defense lawyer, a blind man named Matt Murdock. Peter can't afford him, but someone sent a big cash retainer so until it runs out Matt will be defending Peter.
Back in the present, the helicopter lands and Spider-Man, revealed to be the Chameleon in disguise, escorts Peter to Richard Fisk. Fisk confesses that he has been selling the secrets and in order to protect himself he set up Peter to take the fall. Having "Spider-Man" kidnap Peter and escape merely cements the idea that Peter is guilty. Having no further use for him Fisk traps Peter in a small room that not even Spider-Man can get out of. Indeed, Peter cannot get out and the room will run out of oxygen in just a few minutes. Fisk leaves commenting on how ironic it is that Peter should die being branded a traitor after what Chameleon has told him about Peter's parents. Peter tries to get out of the room but to no avail.
On the rooftops a mysterious figure dressed in red and wielding a billy club sneaks into the compound and knocks out all the guards. The figure releases barely conscious Peter from the room and introduces himself as Daredevil. While escaping Daredevil shows off his skills by "hearing" two guards' heartbeats across the roof and quickly dispatches them. Peter notes that he could probably give his Spider-Sense a run for his money. Daredevil drops Peter off at the home of their mutual friend Matt Murdock. Matt believes that Peter was framed. Matt then tells the tale of how he became blind.
Years ago, Matt's father was a boxer who know everything about the game, except when to get out. Out of work but needing money to support a family the elder Murdock goes to work for an up-and-coming gangster who would later call himself the Kingpin. The last thing Matt saw was his father robbing a local grocery store because as he ran away a truck carrying radioactive waste crashes and Matt is caught in the middle. Although it was illegal to transport it through the city someone did not care about breaking laws or families. Matt's father finds the Kingpin and is about to go to the police when he is caught by Kingpin and his men. He is never seen again.
In the present Matt leaves Peter to get some rest. However Peter leaves to become Spider-Man and clear his name. Back at the apartment Matt changes into Daredevil and finishes the story to himself. Matt's blindness enhanced his other senses until he formed a natural radar which lets him "see" better than ever before. Matt does not quite know how to handle his new ability until he meets a man named Stick who teaches him to "see" and fight. Matt became fearless and began using the name Daredevil since people underestimated the lonely blind kid. Matt vows to take down Kingpin for all that he's done to the helpless, and his father.
At the Parker home Mary Jane and Anna Watson are taking care of Aunt May. Anna once again talks down about Peter and once again Mary Jane scolds her for have little to no faith in him. Anna then finds that May has fallen ill and Mary Jane calls an ambulance. Returning home to get his costume Peter finds the house guarded by police but fails to see the paramedics leave.
Spider-Man sneaks into Fisktronics in an attempt to find the evidence to clear him. Spidey finds something interesting and downloads the information. Before it can finish Daredevil attacks him, not realizing that it was the Chameleon who kidnapped Peter. Spidey claims that he's been framed too but Daredevil believes that he is planting evidence against Peter. Spidey tries to get away but Daredevil proves to be a match for the wallcrawler. Before Spidey can reason with him Fisk's men suddenly attack both heroes. Two men activate a bomb that would destroy the entire facility, along with the heroes and the evidence. Spider-Man fails to stop the device and the whole place goes up in flames. Trying to get out the roof begins to fall on them both.
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
Goofs[]
- In the helicopter, Peter wonders who the fake Spider-Man is but he should have easily recognized him as Chameleon since his image inducer is perfectly visible.
- Chameleon could have discovered Spider-Man's identity by taking off the mask while in disguise.
- Richard Fisk's pants are lighter in color than the rest of his suit. However, when he locks the pod he trapped Peter in, they're the same color as the rest of his suit.
- After escaping from police custody Peter goes home to retrieve his Spider-Man costume that was simply hanging in his dark room. Since he was arrested for selling government secrets, then police should have searched his home and found his costume and equipment in the process. Since the police car was clearly visible in front of his house, it seems very strange that police didn't search his home.
Continuity[]
- First appearance of Richard Fisk and Daredevil.
Cast[]
Background[]
This episode and Fantastic Four's "And a Blind Man Shall Lead Them" were intended as a backdoor pilot for a Daredevil series. It was intended that it be released along with a Daredevil film. However, the initial film was not made and Marvel faced financial problems resulting in the project being cancelled.
Reaction[]
Comic Book Resources ranked this episode and its follow-up as the twelfth best episode of the series. They noted how the episode was about greed, corruption, and vengeance that gave both Spider-Man and Daredevil a stake in the fight. They liked that it showed how Kingpin could be a forced to be reckoned with even without powers. They also noted how this was the turning point in the series between Spider-Man and Kingpin.[1]
External Links[]
- Marvel
- Marvel Animation Age
- Daredevil Series Information from Marvel Animation Age
- TV.com
- Internet Movie Database
- Marvel Database