History Recap / CreepshowS3E6OkayIllBite

* ForWantOfANail: If the parole board actually took the time to go over the affidavit Bunk sent them and not jump to conclusions about the phrasing, the episode wouldn't have happened.

* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Sekhmet appears to Elmer as a spider the size of a housecat because spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, and because spiders are Elmer's favorite creatures.
* AlienBlood: The spider Polish Frank crushes, Min, has yellow blood squirt out of the corpse.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Though he sacrifices his humanity to do so, Elmer transforms himself into his favorite creature, kill his (primary) tormentor, and escape through the hole in his cell wall to freedom.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Elmer tells Willis that spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, as they were thought to grant eternal life. He soon receives a scroll from Cairo that allows him to transform himself into a spider, seek revenge on his main tormentor, and make his escape.

* NiceGuy: Willis is an easy-going, sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend. He's totally willing sit down and chat with Elmer, listen to the guy's lectures about spiders, and even tries to stand up for Elmer when Poppler reveals his cell block is being fumigated, even though he's easily shot down. Willis also doesn't abuse his position, quite unlike his fellow guard, Bunk. In fact, he even appears to suspect that Bunk is up to no good, and shows some regret that he can't actually prove it.

* RitualMagic: The scroll Elmer receives contains heirogplyhic instructions for a ritual to perform. The ritual ends up turning him into a giant spider, after which he gouges out Bunk's eyes and sucks him dry.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Bullet and Polish Frank are able to get inside Elmer's cell by themselves, thanks to their affilitation with Bunk.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: The parole board, who deny Elmer his freedom, which allows him to recieve the letter that ultimately gives him his freedom for real.

!!Okay, I'll Bite

* FrameUp: Bunk submits a forged affidavit to the parole board that claims Elmer tried to kill Polish Frank via contaminating his medication, ending Elmer's chance at parole so he'll will be forced to stay inside to keep making opium for his drug ring.

** Much like [[Recap/CreepshowS1E10NightOfThePaw Night Of The Paw]], the plot of the story begins with a mercy killing that is revealed sometime after the opening.

* CollectorOfTheStrange: Elmer collects spiders, having done so ever since he was a boy.

* GoodCopBadCop: The benevolent Willis plays the good cop to the abusive Bunk's bad cop.

* WardensAreEvil: Poppler is a downplayed example. He's not actively malicious toward Elmer like Bunk is, though he turns him away and is indifferent to his abuse, as well as his position in Bunk's drug ring, if not in on the racket himself.

In Fiorina Federal Prison, former pharmacist Elmer Strick (Nick Massouh) removes a loose brick in his cell wall to check on a spider hidden behind it, shortly before he is escorted to his parole hearing. At his hearing, Elmer answers every question he is given honestly, knowing that what he did was wrong in the eyes of the law, but he admits that he "just couldn't watch her suffer anymore". The board then reveals to Elmer, that despite being a model prisoner during his incarceration, they have received a signed affidavit apparently confirming that he was in an altercation with another inmate named "Polish Frank" Kowalski (Tony Demil), and he had apparently attempted to "get even" with him by doctoring his medication. Despite mentioning that he hasn't had any altercations with Polish Frank, the board reminds Elmer that he voluntarily works in the prison clinic, providing him with the opportunity to follow through on his motives. In light of this new evidence, the board ultimately denies Elmer his parole.

The affidavit is revealed to have been forged by Bernard "Butcher/Bunk" Dill (Jackson Beals), a corrupt guard who also happens to be the boss of a small drug ring within the prison, having prevented Elmer from leaving so he will be forced to continue cooking opium for him from the supplies in the clinic. Upon being escorted back to his cell, Elmer discovers it ransacked. The culprits are revealed to be Polish Frank and another inmate named Bullet, who act as Bunk's henchmen, having failed to find evidence of a previous opium shipment. Elmer fishes a collection of spiders contained in jars out from the wreckage as Bunk begins manhandling him, prompting the former to say that he'll start cooking tomorrow, when the clinic gets more supplies and the resident physician, Dr. Carnaby, leaves early. As Bunk and the inmates leave, Willis (Glenn Magee), a benevolent and sympathetic guard, visits Elmer, letting him know that he's sorry about how the parole hearing went. Having calmed himself, Elmer begins to show Willis his collection of spiders, the majority of which he's named after various mythological figures, and recites various facts about their biology and behavior. Elmer also mentions that he's been collecting spiders ever since he was a boy, since they were the only friends he ever had, and he's also written several articles about them for ''The Arachnophile Annual''. He was attempting to synthesize a super-concentrated version of spider venom that could be used as a paralyzing agent to relieve someone of their pain, which is ultimately what landed him in prison. Before Willis leaves, he gives Elmer a letter from the mailroom. Opening the letter, Elmer discovers that it was sent by an anonymous writer who has admired his work with spiders for a long time, and also includes a parchment scroll recovered from an old library in Cairo.

That night, Elmer pours through his books, working to translate the hieroglyphic message on the scroll. He then goes to feed his spiders, who seem to respond with chittering noises as he translates the message. The smaller spiders are given mealworms, and the one hidden behind the wall, which is several times larger, is given a cockroach. Upon witnessing the giant spider gruesomely crush and devour the fleeing cockroach, Elmer goes to his books and realizes that the giant spider is the physical manifestation of Sekhmet, the Ancient Egyptian goddess of healing and the "mistress of dread" who none can escape, and discovers that the scroll's message is an incantation that invokes her name. As Elmer drifts off to sleep, he dreams about the previous year and the last time he ever saw his mother alive, so cancer-ridden that she couldn't move or speak. After delivering her some flowers, Elmer proceeded to tell his mother that he loves her and was going to take away her pain, using his makeshift paralysis agent to stop his dying mother's heart.

Elmer is awakened from his slumber by Bullet and Polish Frank, the former restraining him. Polish Frank reveals that the prison clinic just got more supplies, and by not immediately informing Bunk, the guard thought that Elmer was trying to make money by selling the opium on the side, and thus sent the inmates to give Elmer some incentive. They give him a cooking deadline of 24 hours, then break his finger and crush Min, one of his spiders. As Polish Frank prepares to squish another one of the spiders, it leaps out of its jar and bites him in the eye. In the process, the blinded Polish Frank knocks over the other jars, allowing the rest of the spiders to crawl to the safety of the hole in the wall. Bunk is alerted to the pandemonium, where Polish Frank explains how he was bitten by one of the spiders, which apparently got loose. Willis is also alerted, prompting Bunk to lie about how the spider got out and bit a sleeping Polish Frank. Elmer's pleas that the spider was just defending itself are ignored as he and Polish Frank are taken to the infirmary. Before he leaves, Elmer collects Min's dead body and tells him that he didn't die in vain. In response to the incident, prison warden Poppler (Nic Starr) informs the inmates and guards of Elmer's cell block that the inmates are to be moved to different blocks while the place is fumigated. After the meeting, Elmer tells the spiders that they have to act fast to escape certain doom. That night, he draws a series of symbols on the floor of his cell and lies in the center of them, reciting the incantation from the scroll. As he does, his spiders emerge from the hole and crawl onto his body one by one. Sekhmet herself then emerges from the hole, crawls up to Elmer's face, and apparently consumes him.

Bunk then enters the cell block, preparing to assault Elmer for all the trouble the former pharmacist has caused him. Entering Elmer's cell, Bunk finds his empty clothes in the middle of the floor, just before he has his hands snatched by silk and he is suspended from the ceiling. Looking up, Bunk notices a giant spider, with Elmer's head replacing its abdomen, descending from a giant web on the ceiling that proceeds to devour him. The next day, as the inmates holler with fright, Willis and Poppler approach Elmer's cell to find Bunk's corpse, its eyes gouged out and drained of its innards, suspended in a massive web. Willis also finds no sign of Elmer other than his discarded clothes and the hole in the wall, slowly realizing that Elmer has finally obtained his freedom.

* AbusiveParents: Bunk's mother, according to the man himself, was a drunken whore who always beat him.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: The goddess Sekhmet appears to Elmer as a spider the size of a housecat because spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, and because spiders are Elmer's favorite creatures.
* AllWebbedUp: Bunk's corpse ends up this way after the transformed Elmer devours him.
* ArtisticLicenseReligion: Sekhmet is known in Ancient Egypt primarily as the goddess of healing, not a mistress of vengeance. Of course, she could have come to Elmer's aid because he was a pharmacist, and as such, a fellow healer.
* AssholeVictim: Bunk, the crooked prison guard.
* BadBoss: Bunk, Bullet, and Polish Frank, who constantly mock Elmer for his love of spiders, and abuse him when he is unable to supply them their opium, or if they think he's selling on the side.

* BoysLikeCreepyCritters: Elmer has been in love with spiders since childhood, where they were the only friends he had.

** Much like [[Recap/CreepshowS1E10NightOfThePaw Night Of The Paw]], the plot of the story begins with a mercy killing.
** The warden from [[Recap/CreepshowS2E8WithinTheWallsOfMadness Within the Walls of Madness]] returns, and is given both a name (Director Poppler) and a slightly more expanded role.
* ChromosomeCasting: The cast of this episode consists almost entirely of men. The only females present are Elmer's mother in his dream and those at Elmer's parole hearing. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as the episode is set in a men's federal prison.
* CobwebJungle: Elmer's cell is covered in silk when he transforms into a spider.

* CollectorOfTheStrange: Elmer collects spiders, and has been ever since he was a boy.
* DeepSouth: Fiorina Federal Prison is implied to be located in the Southern U.S., since nearly all the staff on hand have southern accents... and a good chunk of them are implied to be dabbling in illicit and illegal activities.
* DirtyCop: Bunk, a prison guard who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for. He also framed Elmer for trying to kill Polish Frank, denying him parole so he's forced to keep cooking for him.
* TheDogBitesBack: After being abused by Bunk for far too long, Elmer transforms himself into a spider to devour the man from the inside out.
* DoNotCallMePaul: As seen on the affidavit he submits to the board, Bunk's real name is "Bernard". It's very likely that he gave himself the nickname "Butcher/Bunk" to make himself sound more menacing.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Elmer sacrifices everything to transform himself into his favorite creature, kill his primary tormentor, and escape through the hole in his cell to freedom.
* EmptyPilesOfClothing: After Elmer transforms himself, kills Bunk, and escapes to freedom, the only thing left of him is his empty uniform, still in the position he was in during the ritual.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: In spite of how abusive his mother was to him, Bunk tells Elmer that he never once considered killing her, like the latter did to his own mother.

** Similarly, Bunk's eyes are gouged out when Spider!Elmer goes in for the kill.
* FantasticallyIndifferent: Poppler appears rather indifferent to Elmer's plight in the first half of the episode, turning a blind eye to Bunk's abuse of him and showing no surprise over the questionable affidavit used to deny his parole.
* ForeShadowing: Elmer explains to Willis that spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, as they were thought to grant eternal life. He soon receives a scroll from Cairo that allows him to transform himself into a spider, seek revenge on his main tormentor, and make his escape.
** According to Bunk's affidavit, Fiorina Federal Prison is hinted to be in Monroeville County, the setting of future episode [[Recap/CreepshowS3E12ADeadGirlNamedSue A Dead Girl Named Sue]], whose main characters are also a cop and a lawbreaker.
* ForTheEvulz: The last time Bunk goes into assault Elmer, there seems to be no reason for it. Unless you count the fact that his spiders nearly blew the roof on Bunk's drug ring.
* FrameUp: Bunk submits a forged affidavit that claims Elmer tried to kill Polish Frank in the infirmary via contaminating his medication, ending Elmer's chance at parole, so Elmer will be forced to stay inside to keep making opium for his drug ring.
* FreudianExcuse: Bunk blatantly explains that he's the way he is today because his mother was "a drunk whore who beat [him] all the time." [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse Of course, that still doesn't excuse him from being an absolute dick to Elmer.]]
* FriendlessBackground: Elmer's only friends growing up were the spiders he used to collect.
* FriendlyNeighborhoodSpider: Sekhmet, while looking as typically grotesque as a giant spider can be, seeks to aid Elmer in obtaining his freedom, as well as make sure that Bunk never hurts anyone again.
* GiantSpider: Sekhmet, the spider hiding inside Elmer's cell wall, is revealed to be the size of a cat or small dog. Elmer's spider form is roughly the same size.
* GoodCopBadCop: The benevolent Willis plays the good cop to Bunk's bad cop.

** Bernard "Butcher/Bunk" Dill, a corrupt prison guard and the boss of a drug ring that abuses Elmer whenever he has the chance, including forging an affidavit to keep him from being granted his parole and forcing him to cook opium from the supplies housed in the clinic. The last time he goes in to abuse him, it seems to be blatantly for the sadistic thrill of it.

* HealerGod: Sekhmet is known in real life as the Egyptian goddess of healing, which may be why her spider form decides to help Elmer, who used to be a pharmacist, seek vengeance against his tormentors.

* KarmaHoudini: Despite Bunk getting his just desserts, Polish Frank and Bullet don't really receive any comeuppance for all the times they rough up Elmer, aside from the former getting a spider bite to the eye.

* MassOhCrap: The morning after Bunk's death, all of the other prisoners in the cell block are seen freaking out and demanding to be released, possibly out of fear that Elmer will kill them next.
* MedicationTampering: Bunk tells the parole board that Elmer did this to Polish Frank as an act of revenge. It's utter bullshit, but it does convince the board not to parole him.
* MercyKill: Elmer was thrown in prison for euthanizing his mother, riddled with cancer to the point where she couldn't move or speak, with a makeshift paralysis agent made from spider venom.
* MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold: In spite of his creepy demeanor, obsession with spiders, and [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]] levels of devotion towards his mother, Elmer is a pure, kind-hearted soul who only wants to do the right thing.

* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: The prison physician, Dr. Carnaby, is implied to be in on Bunk's opium ring. Polish Frank and Bullet proceed to rough Elmer up after Carnaby told them that the dispensary was suddenly given more supplies, having [[NoHonorAmongThieves practically thrown Elmer, who works as his assistant, under the bus.]]

** The concept of Elmer discovering a parchment scroll from Egypt and using the incantation written on it as a means of exacting vengeance on those who have wronged him is a clear reference to the story "Lot 249" from ''Film/TalesFromTheDarksideTheMovie'', which adapted a story from Creator/StephenKing and is the film that Creator/TomSavini has referred to as the unofficial "Creepshow 3".
* NiceGuy: Willis, an easy-going and sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend. He's willing to listen to Elmer's lectures about spiders, and even tries to stand up for Elmer when Poppler reveals that Elmer's cell block is being fumigated, even though he's easily shot down. Willis also doesn't abuse his position, quite unlike his fellow guard, Bunk. He even appears to suspect that Bunk is up to no good, and shows some regret that he can't actually prove it.
* OddNameOut: Many of Elmer's spiders are named after mythological deities, but the only exception is one he calls "Grace", claiming that it's "because of her delicate web."
* PrisonEpisode: The episode is set in a men's federal prison, which is home to a drug ring operated by a crooked guard.
* PrisonersWork: Elmer is forced into cooking opium for Bunk to distribute to the other prisoners. This also regularly has Elmer being manhandled and ridiculed by Bunk and his flunkies in the process.
** Elmer also lends his pharmaceutical skills to the prison doctor, Dr. Carnaby, by working as his assistant in the prison clinic.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In making the announcement that Elmer's cell block is being fumigated, Poppler does take the time to sincerely apologize to Elmer himself for having to do this. Though he also points out that prisoner morale is dangerously low after the previous night's incident, and he certainly doesn't want poisonous arachnids roaming the cell block itself.
* ReflexiveResponse: Being a slave in Bunk's drug ring for years and constantly being manhandled by the man himself has caused Elmer to refer to any guard who speaks to him as "Boss", including Willis, who is no threat to him whatsoever.
* RitualMagic: The scroll Elmer receives contains instructions for a ritual for him to perform. The ritual ends up turning him into a giant spider, which then gouges out Bunk's eyes and sucks him dry.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Elmer's motivation for euthanizing his dying mother. He brings it up at the parole hearing, knowing full well what he did was wrong (in the eyes of the law, anyway), but his heart was in the right place.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Bullet and Polish Frank are able to get inside Elmer's cell by themselves, thanks to their connection with Bunk.

* {{Slimeball}}: Polish Frank is a certified sleaze, to the point where one can almost ''feel'' the sliminess in his voice.
* SpiderPeople: The ritual Elmer performs either merges him with Sekhmet, or turns him into a giant spider himself.
* SpitefulSpit: Bullet spits on the floor of Elmer's cell, just before he leaves the place early in the episode.
* TraumaButton: As he's suspended in Elmer's web, Bunk spends his last moments flashing back to the abuse he received from his mother.
* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed who exactly sent Elmer the letter containing the ancient scroll. Judging by the female voiceover, it may have very likely been Sekhmet herself.
* VillainBall: Before his death, Bunk goes to assault Elmer for no particular reason. It's right then that he discovers the transformed Elmer and is drained of his bodily fluids.
* TheVoiceless: Bullet, one of Bunk's henchmen, never says a word throughout the story.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Elmer uses the ritual detailed on the scroll he receives to transform himself into a giant spider and exact revenge on his primary tormentor.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Sekhmet and the rest of Elmer's spiders disappear after Elmer is transformed. Though it's likely that they might have joined him in escaping through the hole in the wall.
* WickedCultured: Elmer is knowledgeable in many different fields, including pharmaceutical sciences, the biology and behavior of spiders, and the deities and aspects of many ancient religions. The wicked part is non-existent, since he's a genuinely nice guy.

The affidavit is revealed to have been forged by "Butcher" Bunk Dill (Jackson Beals), a corrupt guard who also happens to be the boss of a small drug ring within the prison, having prevented Elmer from leaving so he will be forced to continue cooking opium for him from the supplies in the clinic. Upon being escorted back to his cell, Elmer discovers it ransacked. The culprits are revealed to be Polish Frank and another inmate named Bullet, who act as Bunk's henchmen, having failed to find evidence of a previous opium shipment. Elmer fishes a collection of spiders contained in jars out from the wreckage as Bunk begins manhandling him, prompting the former to say that he'll start cooking at the end of the week, when the clinic gets more supplies. As Bunk and the inmates leave, Willis (Glenn Magee), a benevolent and sympathetic guard, visits Elmer, letting him know that he's sorry about how the parole hearing went. Having calmed himself, Elmer begins to show Willis his collection of spiders, the majority of which he's named after various mythological figures, and recites various facts about their biology and behavior. Elmer also mentions that he's been collecting spiders ever since he was a boy, since they were the only friends he ever had, and he's also written several articles about them for ''The Arachnophile Annual''. He was attempting to synthesize a super-concentrated version of spider venom that could be used as a paralyzing agent to relieve someone of their pain, which is ultimately what landed him in prison. Before Willis leaves, he gives Elmer a letter from the mailroom. Opening the letter, Elmer discovers that it was sent by an anonymous writer who has admired his work with spiders for a long time, and also includes a parchment scroll recovered from an old library in Cairo.

That night, Elmer pours through his books, working to translate the hieroglyphic message on the scroll. He then goes to feed his spiders, who seem to respond with chittering noises as he translates the message. The smaller spiders are given mealworms, and the one hidden behind the wall, which is several times larger, is given a cockroach. Upon witnessing the giant spider gruesomely crush and devour the fleeing cockroach, Elmer goes to his books and realizes that the giant spider is the physical manifestation of Sekhmet, the Ancient Egyptian goddess of healing and the "mistress of dread" who none can escape, and discovers that the scroll's message is an incantation that invokes her name. As Elmer drifts off to sleep, he dreams about the previous year and the last time he ever saw his mother alive, so cancer-ridden that she couldn't move or speak. After delivering her some flowers, Elmer proceeded to tell his mother that he loves her and was going to take away her pain, using his makeshift paralysis agent to stop his dying mother's heart. Elmer is awakened from his slumber by Bullet and Polish Frank, the former restraining him. Polish Frank reveals that the prison clinic just got more supplies, and by not immediately informing Bunk, the guard thought that Elmer was trying to make money by selling the opium on the side, and thus sent the inmates to give Elmer some incentive. They shorten his cooking deadline to 24 hours, then break his finger and crush Min, one of his spiders. As Polish Frank prepares to squish another one of the spiders, it leaps out of its jar and bites him in the eye. In the process, the blinded Polish Frank knocks over the other jars, allowing the rest of the spiders to crawl to the safety of the hole in the wall. Bunk is alerted to the pandemonium, where Polish Frank explains how he was bitten by one of the spiders, which apparently got loose. Willis is also alerted, prompting Bunk to lie about how the spider got out and bit a sleeping Polish Frank. Elmer's pleas that the spider was just defending itself are ignored as he and Polish Frank are taken to the infirmary. Before he leaves, Elmer collects Min's dead body and tells him that he didn't die in vain. In response to the incident, prison warden Poppler (Nic Starr) informs the inmates and guards of Elmer's cell block that the inmates are to be moved to different blocks while the place is fumigated. After the meeting, Elmer tells the spiders that they have to act fast to escape certain doom. That night, he draws a series of symbols on the floor of his cell and lies in the center of them, reciting the incantation from the scroll. As he does, his spiders emerge from the hole and crawl onto his body one by one. Sekhmet herself then emerges from the hole, crawls up to Elmer's face, and apparently consumes him.

* AbusiveParents: Bunk's mother, according to the man himself, was a drunk whore who always beat him.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: The goddess Sekhmet appears to Elmer as a spider the size of a housecat because spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, and spiders are Elmer's favorite creatures.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: Sekhmet is known in Ancient Egypt as the goddess of healing, not a mistress of vengeance. Of course, she could have come to Elmer's aid because he was a pharmacist, and as such, a fellow healer.
%%* AssholeVictim: Bunk.

%%* BaldOfEvil: Bunk.

* ChromosomeCasting: The cast of this episode consists almost entirely of men. The only females present are Elmer's mother in his dream, and those at Elmer's parole hearing. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as it's set in a men's federal prison.

* DirtyCop: Bunk, a prison guard who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for. He also framed Elmer for trying to kill another inmate, denying him parole so he's forced to keep doing this.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: In spite of how abusive his mother was to him, Bunk tells Elmer that he never considered killing her, like the latter did to his own mother.

* FrameUp: Bunk submits a false affidavit claiming Elmer tried to kill Polish Frank in the hospital with a drug injection, ending his chance for parole so Elmer's forced to stay inside to keep making heroin for his drug ring.

* GoodCopBadCop: The kindly Willis plays the good cop to Bunk's bad cop.

** "Butcher" Bunk Dill, a corrupt prison guard and the boss of a drug ring that abuses Elmer whenever he has the chance, including forging an affidavit to keep him from being granted his parole and forcing him to cook opium from the supplies housed in the clinic. The last time he goes in to abuse him, it seems to be blatantly for the sadistic thrill of it.

* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: The prison physician, Dr. Carnaby, is implied to be in on Bunk's opium ring. Polish Frank and Bullet proceed to rough Elmer up after Carnaby told them that the dispensary was given more supplies, and [[NoHonorAmongThieves practically threw Elmer, who works as his assistant, under the bus.]]

** ​The concept of Elmer discovering a parchment scroll from Egypt and using the incantation written on it as a means of exacting vengeance on those who have wronged him is a clear reference to the story "Lot 249" from ''Film/TalesFromTheDarksideTheMovie'', which adapted a story from Creator/StephenKing and is the film that Creator/TomSavini has referred to as the unofficial "Creepshow 3".
* NiceGuy: Willis, an easy-going and sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend. He's willing to listen to Elmer's lectures about spiders, and even tries to stand up for Elmer when Poppler reveals that Elmer's cell block is being fumigated. He's easily shot down, but the fact that he even tried in the first place shows that the guy's got a good heart.

* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed who exactly sent Elmer the letter containing the scroll. Judging by the female voiceover, it may have very likely been Sekhmet herself.

* HonestCop: Willis is a prison guard who's compassionate toward prisoners and doesn't abuse his position, quite unlike his colleague Bunk. He appears to suspect Bunk is up to no good, but can't prove it.

* ChromosomeCasting: The cast of this episode consists almost entirely of men. The only females present are Elmer's mother in his dream, and those at Elmer's parole hearing.

* DirtyCop: Bunk, who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for.

* HateSink: "Butcher" Bunk Dill, a corrupt prison guard and the boss of a drug ring that abuses Elmer whenever he has the chance, including forging an affidavit to keep him from being granted his parole and forcing him to cook opium from the supplies housed in the clinic. The last time he goes in to abuse him, it seems to be blatantly for the sadistic thrill of it.

* WickedCultured: Elmer is knowledgeable in many different fields, including pharmaceutical sciences, the biology and behavior of spiders, and the deities and aspects of many ancient religions. The wicked part is non-existent, since he's a genuinely nice guy.
* TheWoobie: Elmer, the cell block's whipping boy, who was thrown in jail and abused on a daily basis just for doing what he thought was the right thing. You'll definitely root for the guy when he gets his freedom.

* AssholeVictim: Bunk.

* BaldOfEvil: Bunk.
* BalefulPolymorph: Elmer uses the ritual detailed on the scroll he receives to transform himself into a giant spider and exact revenge on his primary tormentor.

* DirtyCop: Bunk, who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for. It's implied that the Warden is as well, given his indifference towards Bunk and lack of surprise over the "evidence" used to deny Elmer's parole.

* DirtyCop: Bunk, who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for. It's implied that the Warden is as well.

* DirtyCop: Bunk, who runs a drug ring that he forces the abused Elmer to cook for.

Former pharmacist and prison inmate Elmer Strick (Nick Massouh) removes a loose brick in his cell wall to check on a spider he has stashed away, shortly before he is escorted to his parole hearing. At the hearing, Elmer answers all questions he is given honestly, knowing that what he did was wrong, but he admits that he just couldn't "watch her suffer anymore". The board then mentions that despite Elmer being a model prisoner during his incarceration, they have received a signed affidavit mentioning that Elmer was in an altercation with another inmate named "Polish Frank" Kowalski (Tony Demil), and had apparently attempted to "get even" with him by contaminating his medication. Despite mentioning that he hasn't had any altercations with Polish Frank, the board reminds him that he works in the prison clinic, providing him the opportunity to doctor said medication. In light of the new evidence, the board ultimately denies him parole.

The affidavit is revealed to have been forged by Butcher "Bunk" Dill (Jackson Beals), a corrupt guard who also happens to be the boss of a drug ring within the prison, preventing Elmer from leaving so he will be continually forced to cook opium for him. Upon being escorted back to his cell, Elmer discovers the place ransacked. The culprits are revealed to be Polish Frank and another inmate named Bullet, who act as Bunk's henchmen. As Elmer fishes a collection of spiders contained in jars out from the wreckage, Bunk begins manhandling him, promoting the former to say that he'll start cooking at the end of the week, when the clinic gets more supplies. As Bunk and his flunkies leave, Willis (Glenn Magee), a benevolent and sympathetic guard, visits Elmer, letting him know that he's sorry about how the parole hearing went. Elmer begins to show Willis his collection of spiders, of which he is quite knowledgeable in behavior and biology, and the majority of which he's named after various mythological figures. Elmer also mentions that he's been collecting spiders ever since he was a kid, as they were the only friends he had, and he's also written several articles about them for the "Arachnophile Annual". He was also attempting to synthesize a super-concentrated version of spider venom that could be used as a paralyzing agent to relieve someone's pain, which is ultimately what landed him in prison. Before Willis leaves, he gives Elmer a letter from the mailroom. Elmer discovers that the letter has been sent by an anonymous writer who has admired his work with spiders for a long time, and includes a parchment scroll recovered from an old library in Cairo.

That night, Elmer pours through his many books, working to translate the hieroglyphic message on the scroll. Eventually, he goes to feed his spiders, who seem to respond with chittering noises as he translates the message. The smaller spiders are given mealworms, and the one hidden behind the wall, which is several times larger, is given a cockroach. Upon witnessing the giant spider gruesomely crush and devour the fleeing cockroach, Elmer goes to his books and realizes that the giant spider is the physical manifestation of Sakhmet, the Ancient Egyptian "mistress of dread", and discovers that the scroll's message is an incantation evolving her. As he drifts off to sleep, Elmer dreams about the last time he saw his mother, who was so riddled with cancer that she couldn't move or speak. After delivering her some flowers, Elmer proceeded to use his makeshift paralysis agent to euthanize his dying mother, taking away her pain.

Elmer is awakened from his slumber by Bullet and Polish Frank, the former of whom restrains him. Polish Frank mentions that the prison clinic just got more supplies, and by not informing Bunk, the guard thought that Elmer was trying to make money by selling the opium on the side, having sent the inmates to give Elmer some incentive. They shorten his cooking deadline to 24 hours, then break his finger and squish one of his spiders. As Polish Frank prepares to squish another one of Elmer's spiders, the spider leaps out of its jar and bites him in the eye. In the process, Polish Frank knocks over the other jars, allowing the rest of the spiders to crawl to the safety of the hole in the wall. Bunk and Willis are alerted to the pandemonium, with Polish Frank explaining how he was bitten by one of the spiders, which apparently got loose, before the injured inmates are taken to the infirmary. In response to the incident, Director Poppler (Nic Starr), the warden, informs the inmates and guards of Elmer's cell block that the place is to be fumigated. After the meeting, Elmer tells his spiders that they have to act fast to escape certain doom. He eventually draws a series of symbols on the floor of his cell and lies in the center of them, reciting the incantation he translated. As he does, his spiders emerge from the hole and crawl onto his body. Sakhmet herself then emerges from the hole, crawls up to Elmer's face, and apparently consumes him.

Bunk then enters the cell block, preparing to assault Elmer for all the trouble he has caused him. Entering the cell, Bunk finds Elmer's empty clothes in the middle of the floor, before having his hands restrained by silk. Looking up, Bunk notices a giant spider, with Elmer's head replacing its abdomen, descending from a giant web on the ceiling and proceeding to devour him. The next day, as the inmates holler with fright, Willis and Poppler discover Bunk's corpse in Elmer's cell, sucked dry and suspended in a massive web. Willis also finds no sign of Elmer other than his discarded clothes and the hole in the wall, realizing that Elmer has finally gotten his freedom.

* AbusiveParents: Bunk's mother, according to the man himself, was a drunken whore who always beat him.
* AllWebbedUp: Bunk's corpse after the transformed Elmer devours him.

* BadBoss: Bunk, Bullet, and Polish Frank, who constantly abuse Elmer when he is unable to supply them their opium, or if they think he's selling on the side.
* BalefulPolymorph: Elmer uses the spell on the scroll he received to transform himself into a giant spider and exact revenge on his primary tormentor.

** The warden from [[Recap/CreepshowS2E8WithinTheWallsOfMadness Within the Walls of Madness]], returns, and is given both a name (Director Poppler) and a slightly more expanded role.

* CobwebJungle: Elmer's cell is covered in webs when he transforms into a spider.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Bullet and Polish Frank torture Elmer by breaking his finger and making him watch as the latter squishes his spiders.

* TheDogBitesBack: After being abused by Bunk for too long, Elmer transforms himself into a spider to devour the man from the inside out.

* ForeShadowing: Elmer explains to Willis that spiders were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, as they were thought to grant eternal life. He soon receives a scroll from Cairo that allows him to transform himself into a spider, seek revenge on his tormentors, and make his escape.
* ForTheEvulz: The last time Bunk goes into assault Elmer, there seems to be no rhyme or reason for it. Unless you count the fact that his spiders nearly blew the roof on their drug ring.
* FreudianExcuse: Bunk blatantly spells out that he's the way he is because his mother was "a drunk whore who beat [him] all the time." [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse Of course, that still doesn't excuse him from being an absolute dick to Elmer.]]

* GiantSpider: Sakhmet, the spider hiding inside Elmer's cell wall, is revealed to be the size of a small dog. Elmer's spider form is roughly the same size.
* GoodCopBadCop: Willis plays the good cop to Bunk's bad cop.
* HateSink: Butcher "Bunk" Dill, a corrupt prison guard and boss of a drug ring that abuses Elmer whenever he has the chance, including forging an affidavit to keep him from being granted parole and forcing him to cook opium from the supplies housed in the clinic. The last time he goes in to abuse him, it seems to be blatantly for the sadistic thrill of it.
** Bunk's flunkies, Bullet and Polish Frank, are also quite loathsome, as the latter horrifically squishes one of Elmer's beloved spiders. All three of them also seem to mock Elmer for his obsession with spiders.
* KarmaHoudini: Despite Bunk getting his just desserts, Polish Frank and Bullet don't really receive any comeuppance for all the times they rough up poor Elmer, aside from the former getting a spider bite to the eye.
* KickTheDog: Polish Frank smashing one of Elmer's spiders in front of him.
* MassOhCrap: The morning after Bunk's, all of the other prisoners in the cell block are seen freaking out and demanding to be released, possibly out of fear that Elmer will kill them next.

* MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold: In spite of his creepy demeanor, obsession with spiders, and [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]] levels of devotion towards his mother, Elmer is a pure soul who only wants to do the right thing.
* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: The prison doctor, Dr. Carnaby, is implied to be in on Bunk's opium ring. Polish Frank and Bullet proceed to rough Elmer up after Carnaby told them that the dispensary was given more supplies, [[NoHonorAmongThieves having practically thrown Elmer, who works as his assistant, under the bus.]]

* NiceGuy: Willis, an easy-going, sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend. He's willing to listen to Elmer's lectures about spiders, and even tries to stand up for Elmer when Poppler mentions that Elmer's cell block is being fumigated. He's easily shot down, but the fact that he tried in the first place shows that he's got a good heart.
* OddNameOut: Many of Elmer's spiders are named after mythological figures, but the only exception is one he calls "Grace", claiming that it's "because of her delicate web."
* ReflexiveResponse: Being a slave in Bunk's drug ring for years and constantly being manhandled by the man himself has caused Elmer to start referring to any guard who speaks to him as "Boss", including Willis, who is no threat to him whatsoever.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Elmer's motivation for euthanizing his dying mother. He brings it up at the parole hearing, knowing full well what he did was wrong (in the eyes of the law), but his heart was in the right place.

* SpiderPeople: The ritual Elmer performs either merges him with Sakhmet, or turns him into a giant spider himself.

* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed who exactly sent Elmer the letter containing the scroll. But judging by the female voiceover, it may have very likely been Sakhmet herself.
* VillainBall: Before his death, Bunk goes to assault Elmer for no particular reason. It's then that he discovers the transformed Elmer and is drained of his bodily fluids.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Sakhmet and the rest of Elmer's spiders disappear when Elmer is transformed. Though it's likely that they might have joined him in escaping through the hole in the wall.
* WickedCultured: Elmer is knowledgeable in many different fields, including pharmaceutical sciences, the biology and behavior of spiders, and the deities and aspects of many differing ancient religions.
* TheWoobie: Poor, poor Elmer. It certainly is hard for him, being the cell block's whipping boy. You'll definitely root for him when he gets his freedom.

* AllWebbedUp: Bunk's Corpse after the transformed spider Elmer kills him.

** Director Poppler, the prison warden, may very well be the same warden from [[Recap/CreepshowS2E8WithinTheWallsOfMadness Within the Walls of Madness]].
* ChromosomeCasting: The cast of this episode consists almost entirely of men. The only females present are those at Elmer's parole hearing.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: In spite of how abusive his mother was to him, Bunk tells Elmer that he never considered killing her, like he did to his own mother.

* KarmaHoudini: Despite Bunk getting his just desserts, Polish Frank and Bullet don't really receive any comeuppance for all the times they rough up poor Elmer, aside from a spider bite to the eye.
* KickTheDog: Bullet smashing one of Elmer's spiders in front of him.

* MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold: In spite of his creepy demeanor, obsession with spiders, friendless childhood, and [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]] levels of devotion towards his mother, Elmer is a pure soul who only wants to do the right thing.

* NiceGuy: Willis, an easy-going, sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend.

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Elmer's motivation for euthanizing his dying mother. He brings it up at the parole hearing, knowing full well what he did was wrong, but his heart was in the right place.

* TheUnreveal: It's never explicitly revealed who exactly sent Elmer the letter containing the scroll. But judging by the female voiceover, it may have very likely been Sakhmet herself.

* ReflexiveResponse: Being a slave in Bunk's drug ring for years and constantly being manhandled by the man himself has caused Elmer to start referring to any guard who speaks to him as "Boss", including Willis.

** One of Elmer's books is titled: "BUGS: The Miserable Philosophy of Billionaire [[Film/{{Creepshow}} Upson Pratt]]".

Former pharmacist and prison inmate Elmer Strick (Nick Massouh) removes a lose brick in his cell wall to check on a spider he has stashed away, before he is escorted to his parole hearing. At the hearing, Elmer answers all questions he is given honestly, knowing that what he did was wrong, but he admits that he couldn't "watch her suffer anymore". The board then mentions that despite Elmer being a model prisoner during his incarceration, they have received a signed affidavit mentioning that Elmer was in an altercation with another inmate named "Polish Frank" Kowalski (Tony Demil), and had apparently attempted to kill him by contaminating his medication. Despite mentioning that he hasn't had any altercations with Polish Frank, the board reminds him that he works in the prison clinic, providing him the opportunity to doctor said medication, and ultimately deny him parole.

The affidavit is revealed to have been forged by Butcher "Bunk" Dill (Jackson Beals), a corrupt prison guard who also happens to be the boss of a drug ring within the prison, for which Elmer is forced to cook opium for. Upon being escorted back to his cell, Elmer discovers the place ransacked. The culprits are revealed to be Polish Frank and another inmate named Bullet, who act as Bunk's henchmen. As Elmer fishes a collection of spiders contained in jars out from the wreckage, Bunk begins manhandling him, promoting the former to say that he'll start cooking at the end of the week. As Bunk and his flunkies leave, Willis (Glenn Magee), a benevolent and sympathetic guard, visits Elmer, letting him know that he's sorry about the parole hearing. Elmer begins to show Willis his collection of spiders, of which he is quite knowledgeable in their behavior and biology, and the majority of which he's named after various mythological figures. Elmer also mentions that he's been collecting spiders ever since he was a kid, as they were the only friends he had, and he's also written several articles about them for the "Arachnophile Annual". He was also attempting to synthesize a super-concentrated version of spider venom that could be used as a paralyzing agent to relieve someone's misery, which is ultimately what landed him in prison. Before Willis leaves, he delivers a letter that came for Elmer from the mailroom. Elmer discovers that the letter has been sent by an anonymous writer who has admired his work with spiders for a long time, and includes a parchment scroll recovered from an old library in Cairo.

That night, Elmer pours through his many books, working to translate the hieroglyphic message on the scroll. Eventually, he goes to feed his spiders, the smaller ones getting mealworms, and the one hidden behind the lose brick in the wall, which is several times larger, getting a cockroach. Upon witnessing the giant spider gruesomely crush and devour the fleeing cockroach, Elmer goes to his books and realizes that the giant spider is the manifestation of Sakhmet, the Ancient Egyptian "mistress of dread", and discovers that the scroll's message is an incantation evolving her. As he drifts off to sleep, Elmer dreams about the last time he saw his mother, who was so riddled with cancer that she couldn't move or speak. After delivering her some flowers, Elmer proceeded to use his makeshift paralysis agent to euthanize his dying mother, taking away her pain.

Elmer is awakened by Bullet and Polish Frank, the former of whom restrains him. Polish Frank mentions that the prison clinic got more supplies, and as Bunk thought that Elmer was trying to make money by selling the opium on the side, has sent the inmates to give Elmer some incentive. They shorten his cooking deadline to 24 hours, then injure his finger and squish one of his spiders. As Polish Frank prepares to squish another one of Elmer's spiders, the spider leaps out of its jar and bites Polish Frank in the eye. In the process, Polish Frank knocks over the other jars, allowing the rest of the spiders to crawl to the safety of the hole in the wall. Bunk and Willis are alerted to the pandemonium, with Polish Frank explaining how he was bitten by one of the spiders, which apparently got loose, before the injured inmates are taken to the infirmary. In response to the incident, Director Poppler (Nic Starr), the warden, informs the inmates and guards of Elmer's cell block that the place is to be fumigated. After the meeting, Elmer tells his spiders that they have to act fast to escape certain doom. He eventually draws a series of symbols on the floor of his cell and lies in the center of them, reciting the incantation he translated. As he does, his spiders emerge from the hole and crawl onto his body. Sakhmet herself then emerges from the hole, crawls up to Elmer's face, and apparently consumes him.

Bunk then enters the cell block, preparing to assault Elmer for all the trouble he has caused him. Entering the cell, Bunk finds Elmer's empty uniform in the middle of the floor, before having his hands restrained by silk. Looking up, Bunk notices a giant spider, with Elmer's head replacing its abdomen, descending from a giant web on the ceiling before devouring him. The next day, as the inmates holler with fright, Willis and Poppler discover Bunk's corpse in Elmer's cell, sucked dry and suspended in a massive web. Willis also finds no sign of Elmer other than his discarded clothes and the hole in the wall, realizing that Elmer has finally gotten his freedom.

** Director Poppler, the prison warden, may very well be the same warden from the prison from [[Recap/CreepshowS2E8WithinTheWallsOfMadness Within the Walls of Madness]].

* ColdBloodedTorture: Bullet and Polish Frank torture Elmer by making him watch as the latter squishes his spiders.

* FreudianExcuse: Bunk blatantly spells out that he's the way he is because his mother was "a drunk whore who beat [him] all the time." [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse But that still doesn't excuse him from being an absolute dick to Elmer.]]

* GiantSpider: Sakhmet, the spider hiding inside Elmer's cell wall, is revealed to be the size of a small dog.

** ​The concept of Elmer discovering a parchment scroll from Egypt and using the incantation written on it as part of a ritual to exact vengeance on those who have wronged him is a clear reference to the story "Lot 249" from ''Film/TalesFromTheDarksideTheMovie'', which Creator/TomSavini has referred to as an unofficial "Creepshow 3".
* NiceGuy: Willis, an easy-going sympathetic guard who might very well be Elmer's only human friend.

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Elmer's motivation for euthanizing his dying mother.

* WickedCultured: Elmer is knowledgeable in many different fields, including pharmaceutical sciences, the biology and behavior of spiders, and the deities of many differing ancient religions.
* TheWoobie: Poor, poor Elmer. The cell block's favorite whipping boy. You'll definitely root for him when he gets his freedom.