Spider-Man: The Animated Series Episode Reviews

Spider-Wars, Part 2: Farewell, Spider-Man
Review by Stu, Media by James Harvey

---

Episode #65 - Spider-Wars, Part 2: Farewell, Spider-Man
Original Airdate - January 31st, 1998

In the last episode of the series, Spider-Carnage uses the time-dilation accelerator to construct a disintegration dimensional portal which he plans on using to destroy all of reality. To stop him, the Beyonder sends Spider-Man to the Armored Spider-Man reality where he finds his Uncle Ben alive and well. Realizing the impact Uncle Ben had on his own life, he asks Uncle Ben to reason with the Peter Parker in Spider-Carnage. Plus, don't miss a special cameo from legendary creator Stan Lee!

Credits
Written By: John Semper
Music Composed By: Shuki Levy and Kussa Mahchi
Animation Services By: Toyko Movie Shinsha (TMS)
Guest Starring: Christopher Daniel Barnes as Spider-Man/Peter Parker/Spider-Clones/Spider Carnage, Joan Lee as Madame Web, Roscoe Lee Browne as The Kingpin, Ed Asner as J Jonah Jameson, Earl Boen as The Beyonder, Jim Cummings as Man Spider, Mary Kay Bergan as Gwen Stacy and Brian Keith as Uncle Ben.

---

Review:
Well, here it is - The final episode of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. This series is easily my favorite of all the Marvel cartoons and what a great episode it chooses to go out on. On one hand, it failed to offer the ending that the show deserved. On the other? We got an utterly fantastic episode. While it's true that not finding out what happened to MJ is a bitterly disappointing development, one shouldn't let it diminish what this episode does pull off.

While the episode doesn't really kick into high gear until about halfway through - there's a few plot points it needs to get through - the first half is entertaining enough since it's so cool to see Spider-Man in this different world. It really reaffirms his development over the years and how important he is to not just his world but all reality. Plus, after several decades' worth of waiting, we finally get to see Gwen Stacy animated in all her glory. It took the series until the last possible minute to do it, but the fanboy in me absolutely loved seeing Peter's long lost love on TV.

As much as I enjoy this episode, it does slip up a bit. Again, it's MJ. Going back to that damn Hydro-Man story, we don't actually get to see Spider-Man reunited with his wife. But that's not the most frustrating part of the episode. The worst part is the fact we arguably could've seen it, Unfortunately, the episode includes some more flashbacks that just eat up time. There's no need for them in the final episode and if we could've had that extra time with Peter reunited with his wife, and it would've been all the more sweeter. It's the same with the Stan Lee scene. There really wasn't need for it to be as long as it was, but then again ... that's a really great and reaffirming scene for Spider-Man.

When the episode really kicks in, Peter finally realises that this enemy isn't just another nut in a costume, but himself - and that's awesome. If circumstances had gone slightly different, this twisted Spider-Carnage he has to fight could've been him. I thought the idea of using Spider-Carnage was a masterstroke. And the fact that the one person he was saving was Gwen, the one he famously failed to save in the comics? Damn it Semper, you know how it should be done. Even after reviewing every single episode of this show, often praising Semper's work, I still don't think he gets enough credit.

Even with all the weirdness of Madame Web, The Beyonder and all the clones, Semper still manages to make this Peter Parker's story. In the end, it's all about Peter. He even manages to get a great quote in there"

"You can't do something this horrible. It just isn't in you. Because it isn't in me. And you are me."

The glorious animation and superb voice work from Barnes shouldn't go unnoticed. For once, it seemed that everyone was giving it their all. The episode has very little reused footage, no crappy cutting of the voices and awesome design work. There's this one bit of dialouge, which gives me goose bumps every time I hear it, it's just delivered so perfectly:.

"I've gotta stop him! No, that's what I'm doing wrong! I have to remember, that my enemy here is me. Maybe I shouldn't be trying to defeat him. Maybe what I need to do is understand him."

And what comes next? Spider-Carnage creates a portal that will kill anything - the end of the universe! Yet, it still manages to shift back to Peter. Some people hated Spider-Man entering all the alternate realities but, honestly, I'm glad they did here, because the scene on the rooftop was second to none. No crappy fights, no corny throwdown dialogue. Just a hero and his opponent talking it out, with a little help from a surprise cameo.

And that cameo? Uncle Ben! Since the series started a few months/years after Peter became Spider-Man, we never really got to see Uncle Ben. He was dead by the time we started watching, which gave us very little reason to care. But here? A brilliant surprise and a smart way to bring Ben back and making it count. Absolutely fantastic. And him trying to help Spider-Man talk down his foe? Brilliant. From Spider-Man questioning Spider-Carnage's motivation to Spider-Carnage's suicide, it stands out as one of the series definitive highlights.

The Stan Lee segment was maybe not necessary but it did work in the grand scheme of the series It especially worked in giving Spider-Man a bit more growth and understanding as a character:

SPIDER-MAN: "Y'know, for so long, I thought that I never got any breaks. But now, after all I've been through, for once I like my life. I like myself and for the first time ever, I wouldn't wanna change anything about me."

STAN: "Gee, you're defiantly not the guy I've been writing about all these years."

SPIDER-MAN: "Well Stan, we all have to grow up sometime. Even us characters of fiction."

And those final moments with Madam Web? After all these years I still can't help but get giddy. You know, Spider-Man may have had to deal with idiotic censors, money grabbing executives and crew members who clearly had no idea what they were doing but, still, Semper never forgot about us Spidey fans!

Well, that's it. 65 episodes of Spider-Man, done and dusted. Some good, some outstanding, some bad and some absolutely terrible, but they all have a charma about them. Whilst the animation was never quite as strong as it was in the first few episodes, and the colour/dialogue/repeated animation got very tiresome after a while, to the point where it was singularly dragging down episode after episode, the series never really lost a step. It took some weird turns and made really bizarre choices, but week after week is was still a fun series to watch and did the comics justice. In all honesty, sometimes I feel it's a shame they only got 65 episodes. It could've gone on much longer for sure, but Semper knew when to bow out, and his does it here in style. Farewell, Spider-Man!

Screenshots: