Recap / Spider Man The Animated Series S 02 E 01 The Insidious Six

Spider-Man's powers begin to fade, as the Kingpin assembles a team of Spider-Man's greatest enemies to defeat the hero once and for all.

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This episode provides examples of:

• Actually a Doombot: When the Insidious Six first gather after escaping from prison, they are seemingly attacked by Spider-Man. They managed to defeat him, only to learn that it wasn't the real Spider-Man but a robot build by Kingpin to test their abilities.
• Boring, but Practical: While Shocker and Scorpion try to free the Rhino from his cell with their weapons, which fail, the Chameleon simply uses the key from the guard he took from the guard he's impersonating, which does the job.
  Chameleon (while impersonating a guard): Impressive, but why not try this instead. It's called a key."
• The Cameo: One of the featured crimelords is the Owl from Daredevil comics.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Doctor Connors is willing to help Spider-Man with his problem of losing his powers for all the times he has helped him in the past.
  • Both the Scorpion and Doctor Octopus remember Peter Parker and believe he can lead them to Spider-Man. The former remembers Peter as the photographer who takes photos of Spider-Man for Daily Bugle that J. Jonah Jameson hired him to investigate, while Doctor Octopus remembers Peter as a former student of his.
  • Rhino and Shocker are the first ones to agree to the Kingpin's plan, due to being the only ones who previously worked for him.
• Early-Bird Cameo: Hammerhead is present for the meeting of the crimelords. He has a bit part in the next part, but he'll go on to a major role in the Tablet of Time two-parter later in the season.
• Every Man Has His Price: Dr. Octopus is the only one of the six villains who initially refuses to go along with Kingpin's plan because he's a scientist and not some mercenary. Kingpin quickly wins him over by promising him access to the world's best laboratory.
• Eviler than Thou: Silvermane makes his play by restraining Kingpin in his chair and calling out his failures against Spider-Man. Kingpin responds by effortlessly breaking free, giving Silvermane an Angry Collar Grab, and asking if anyone else has a problem with him.
• Hidden in Plain Sight: The clinic that Aunt May is taken to is a real facility, one that Kingpin had built to provide full treatment for any wounded underlings.
• Hope Spot: With his powers failing, Spider-Man says his web-shooters are his only chance against the villains. However, without his Super-Strength to go along with it, one nasty pull from Doctor Octopus nearly costs him an arm.
• Hypocritical Humor: When Doctor Octopus insults how ridiculous the Scorpion is dressed, the latter is quick to call him out that he is also ridiculously dressed.
• I Take Offense to That Last One: Doctor Octopus calls the Scorpion a "pea-brained, uncoordinated, absurdly dressed excuse for a man". The Scorpion is only offended when at being called absurdly dressed.
• Ineffectual Loner: Kingpin's pitch includes noting how each of the villains ended up in prison by working alone and how things will surely be different with a group effort.
• I Work Alone: Dr. Octopus and Mysterio both have this attitude, but Kingpin reminds them and the other villains that trying to go up against Spider-Man alone landed them all in jail last time.
• Mythology Gag: Scorpion suggests Aunt May is sweet on Doctor Octopus. In the comics, the two actually dated and almost got married.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain:
  • Mysterio was in position to finish off Spider-Man for good, but Doctor Octopus interrupted so that he would have the honor of killing him. The villains ended up fighting with each other soon afterwards, allowing Spidey to get free of Ock's tentacles.
  • Scorpion tries to hit Spider-Man with his tail, but he misses and cracks open the sidewalk. Spider-Man falls through and lands on a passing subway train.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: Spider-Man knows exactly why Curt found traces of Neogenics in his scans, but he pretends to be clueless out of fear of his secret getting out.
• The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Doctor Octopus refuses to allow any his teammates kill Spider-Man, as he wants to do it himself, even claiming that the others merely softened him up for the Doctor.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Shocker finds it odd how Spider-Man is approaching the hospital on foot.
• Railroad Tracks of Doom: Mysterio tries this trick against Spider-Man by creating an illusion of train about to hit him, but Spider-Man sees through it.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Overwhelmed by six villains, Spider-Man was already angling for this before his powers suddenly gave out.
• Shout-Out:
  • Spider-Man mentions The Twilight Zone after he learns about how the Insidious Six have framed him by having the Chameleon impersonate him while he had slept for an entire day.
    Spider-Man: I go to sleep for one lousy day, and I wake up in the Twilight Zone.
  • Posing as Aunt May for the trap, the Chameleon channels the Wicked Witch of the West to gloat: "Ready for the end... MY PRETTY?!"
• Smarter Than You Look: It was Scorpion's idea to try to find Spider-Man through Peter Parker. Doctor Octopus concedes that's a good plan, despite Scorpy's otherwise questionable intelligence.
• Taught by Experience: After previously losing because Spider-Man saw through one of his illusions, Mysterio rigged his Railroad Tracks of Doom trick with Knockout Gas to take him by surprise.
• Tempting Fate: Spider-Man boasts that Mysterio is getting predictable with his Railroad Tracks of Doom trick. Mysterio then releases the Knockout Gas.
• This Cannot Be!: Curt over Spider-Man's powers being the result of Neogenics.
• This Is Gonna Suck: Spider-Man over his powers giving out while facing six villains at once.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The prison guard who accidentally frees the Chameleon when he falls for the Chameleon's impersonation of the prison warden, allowing him to free the other five villains.
• Villain Cred: Silvermane calls out Kingpin for his continual failures against Spider-Man and how that affects the rest of the cartel.
• Villain Team-Up: Kingpin organizes six major enemies into a fighting force to take down Spider-Man.
• We Have the Keys: Scorpion and Shocker try to blast open a cell door, but as it's what's keeping Rhino locked up, there's not even a scratch. The Chameleon points out he has the key.

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