[8.0/10] This is a quality setup to the Goblin War arc, with a lot of moving pieces, but ones that all make sense based on what we know about the characters and their shared histories. I’ll admit, given the gaps in when this season aired and some mental overlap from the fact that I initially watched this show in a sequence of about six other Spider-Man shows, I got a little mixed up as to who knew what and when. But eventually, the episode cleared everything up nicely and brought the characters and the audience up to speed.
I liked the overarching mystery of who the Goblin was. I like Peter contemplating the possibility that it was a not-quite-dead Norman Osborn, back to his old tricks. I like the implication that it could be Harry, from his translucent blue skyboard technology that the Goblin also uses, to the flaming sword and his Hobgoblin like color-scheme in the episode’s final scene. I like Peter and Otto suspecting it could be Alistair Smythe given his longstanding grudges and the fact that he had access to Harry’s goblin tech files at Horizon. And I particularly like that Anya and Gwen suspect it’s Peter, given his odd behavior of late and him being caught sneaking around Horizon himself (if only to keep tabs on Smythe).
As Otto himself notes, it’s not a bad supposition if you don’t know that Peter and Spidey are one and the same, and it makes for an interesting dynamic with Peter being on the outs with Gwen and Anya in his civilian life, but allies to them in his superheroic one. I also like the swerve that Smythe does, in fact, turn out to be a Goblin, but just that a Goblin. The twist that Goblin Nation is a whole gang of acolytes to Spider-Man’s most notable pointy-eared villain, but that there’s still a “Goblin King” to be unmasked is a cool one.
There’s also a number of other cool twists and tidbits here. I like the wrinkle that despite the prominence of his spider-bots, the Goblin suit renders its wearer invisible to Otto’s cameras (explaining why he never noticed them while he was running the show). By the same token, I may just be paranoid after last episode’s graffiti reveal, but it seemed like there were a few recurring types of background characters wearing particular hats and carrying cameras that could be related. And I like that despite Otto’s change of heart, Harry didn’t witness it and doesn't understand, so he’ aghast that Peter would be teaming up with the once (and probably future) Doc Ock.
I also enjoyed the small touches like the cadre of meow-ing, Black Cat-admiring “cat burglars” whom Peter foils in the opening act, and the neat solution to the Goblins’ invisibility by having the Spider crew web them.
Overall, this was an exciting, amusing, and well-thought out start to the season’s closing arc.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2019-12-13T23:35:16Z
[8.0/10] This is a quality setup to the Goblin War arc, with a lot of moving pieces, but ones that all make sense based on what we know about the characters and their shared histories. I’ll admit, given the gaps in when this season aired and some mental overlap from the fact that I initially watched this show in a sequence of about six other Spider-Man shows, I got a little mixed up as to who knew what and when. But eventually, the episode cleared everything up nicely and brought the characters and the audience up to speed.
I liked the overarching mystery of who the Goblin was. I like Peter contemplating the possibility that it was a not-quite-dead Norman Osborn, back to his old tricks. I like the implication that it could be Harry, from his translucent blue skyboard technology that the Goblin also uses, to the flaming sword and his Hobgoblin like color-scheme in the episode’s final scene. I like Peter and Otto suspecting it could be Alistair Smythe given his longstanding grudges and the fact that he had access to Harry’s goblin tech files at Horizon. And I particularly like that Anya and Gwen suspect it’s Peter, given his odd behavior of late and him being caught sneaking around Horizon himself (if only to keep tabs on Smythe).
As Otto himself notes, it’s not a bad supposition if you don’t know that Peter and Spidey are one and the same, and it makes for an interesting dynamic with Peter being on the outs with Gwen and Anya in his civilian life, but allies to them in his superheroic one. I also like the swerve that Smythe does, in fact, turn out to be a Goblin, but just that a Goblin. The twist that Goblin Nation is a whole gang of acolytes to Spider-Man’s most notable pointy-eared villain, but that there’s still a “Goblin King” to be unmasked is a cool one.
There’s also a number of other cool twists and tidbits here. I like the wrinkle that despite the prominence of his spider-bots, the Goblin suit renders its wearer invisible to Otto’s cameras (explaining why he never noticed them while he was running the show). By the same token, I may just be paranoid after last episode’s graffiti reveal, but it seemed like there were a few recurring types of background characters wearing particular hats and carrying cameras that could be related. And I like that despite Otto’s change of heart, Harry didn’t witness it and doesn't understand, so he’ aghast that Peter would be teaming up with the once (and probably future) Doc Ock.
I also enjoyed the small touches like the cadre of meow-ing, Black Cat-admiring “cat burglars” whom Peter foils in the opening act, and the neat solution to the Goblins’ invisibility by having the Spider crew web them.
Overall, this was an exciting, amusing, and well-thought out start to the season’s closing arc.