When Spider-Man discovers a vial of jackal serum at Horizon High, he and Ghost-Spider track down Jackal’s secret lab in an attempt to destroy the villain’s evil plans.
This episode contains examples of:
- Big Damn Heroes: Just as the Dark Goblin has Spider-Man pinned down, Harry shows up as the Hobgoblin to take him down.
- Bittersweet Ending: Norman and his group are soundly defeated, though Miles has to process the revelation that his father is the villain Swarm. On the plus side, the Spider team promises to find him, plus they gathered the evidence needed to exonerate Max Modell and reinstate him as principal of Horizon High.
- Bluff the Impostor: Anya gets Chameleon to reveal that he is not her stepsister by tricking him; Maria had gifted her a laptop, not the microscope that Anya said earlier in the fight.
- The Bus Came Back:
- Gwen's uncle, the Jackal, returns in this episode after a long absence since Season 1.
- The Chameleon also returns in this episode, impersonating Anya's stepsister Maria.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Harry dons his Hobgoblin gear again after learning that his dad is still alive. Seeing how far he has gone, however, Harry decides that he's done.Harry: There was a time I would have done anything to earn your approval, dad... but that time has passed. You might be my blood, but you're not my father!.
- The Chessmaster: Norman brags how he barely survived the explosion from Season 1 and been biding his time while orchestrating everything behind the scenes. Dr. Connors has been working for him, bringing in the Technovore and having the means to have Max Modell fired. The HH students' projects created the chamber for Norman to heal, and the synthetic symbiote mixed with Jackal's serum allowed him to become Dark Goblin.
- I Lied: Norman reveals to Connors that he never had a cure for his Lizard, nor did he intend to create one.
- Loophole Abuse: Until he and his friends learn about Connors' real goal, Peter can't wear his Spider-Man outfit while he is principal of Horizon High. However, there are three more Spiders the school can count on if anyone asks about the random web shots.
- Oh, Crap!: Spidey and Ghost Spider confront Jackal in hisnkatest lair, but he escapes. Before the two leave, Gwen accesses the lair's computer for any hints of Jackal's plot, but instead find out who he is working for...
- The Psycho Rangers: Deliberately invoked by Norman, who counters Spidey's friends with an Evil Counterpart team of their own relatives (although in Anya's case it's just the Chameleon pretending to be her sister). He doesn't count on Spider-Man continuing the theme by bringing in Norman's own Good Counterpart in his son Harry.
- The Reveal:
- Norman Osborn is alive, having survived the explosion in the Season 1 finale.
- Swarm is Miles's father, Jefferson Morales.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: Grady disappears from the first half of the episode after he almost destroys the classroom.
- Start X to Stop X: Dark Goblin believes Spider-Man's greatest strength isn't just his powers, but his "support system", which involves his team of fellow Spiders. He hoped to use familiar foes Spidey faced in the past to take them all down, but it wasn't enough after Harry arrives to help. Peter is able to admit in the end that Goblin was right about this, and couldn't be happier.
- Trailers Always Spoil: The previews revealed Norman's presence in the episode before it aired.
- Villain Team-Up: Norman and Jackal had been at each other's throats throughout Season 1, but their hatred for Spider-Man allows them to work together, especially since Jackal has interest in Gwen, his niece. Normal also hired Swarm and Chameleon to add to his ranks.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Swarm says that he hates working for Norman, but he'll do what he has to do to stop Spy-D, whom he sees as bringing superhero battles to his neighborhood, and thereby threatening Miles's safety. When Miles unmasks, he has a Heel Realization and disappears.
