[9.0/10] One hell of an episode. This was an epic conclusion to all the setup with the American Warriors arc that justifies some of the convoluted qualities of its setup. Electro definitely works as someone who is both recognizable as a villain, and someone framed as a real threat to everything that comes anywhere near him that justifies the season finale-esque feel of this one.
The big stuff worked really well in this one. The American Warriors fighting giant robots outside the U.N. had the verve and coolness of the old-timers getting one last day in the sun. Shield’s efforts to take down Electro and the helicarrier being brought down instead both upped the ante of Electro as a baddie and gave the episode some blockbuster fireworks. And the final confrontation between Spidey and Electro had enough cleverness to it, playing on Electro’s greed and hubris and Peter’s science background, to be satisfying.
But I also really liked the little stuff in this one. I like Kingpin’s disappointment at his realization that the doomsday device he’s been after for so long ends up being just another goon in a costume. I like that once Red Skull Jr. receives his powers and becomes Electro, he no longer wants to defer to his dad and seizes power in the way that bad guys do. And I like both how Red Skull has a contingency plan and that Cap knows Red Skull enough to know that.
I also really enjoyed Cap giving Spidey a few lessons here and there about what it means to be a hero. Cap is a little more monolithic and less complicated as a good guy here than he is as an MCU, but I still like him teaching Peter to acknowledge the tough choices a hero has to make but learn that making them is what makes him a hero. And while the return to the status quo with Cap and Red Skull is a little contrived, Cap making his sacrifice all over again drives that point home.
The only things I didn’t really like were the involvement of Silver Sable and the Wild Pack, which felt pretty rushed with poor reasons to send them off. And Mary Jane going up to the roof where the uber-powerful villain stood was stupid as hell, and was a “the plot demands this” sort of move to put her in danger.
Overall, an excellent conclusion to this arc and one of Spider-Man’s most epic battles yet.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2018-06-27T21:10:45Z
[9.0/10] One hell of an episode. This was an epic conclusion to all the setup with the American Warriors arc that justifies some of the convoluted qualities of its setup. Electro definitely works as someone who is both recognizable as a villain, and someone framed as a real threat to everything that comes anywhere near him that justifies the season finale-esque feel of this one.
The big stuff worked really well in this one. The American Warriors fighting giant robots outside the U.N. had the verve and coolness of the old-timers getting one last day in the sun. Shield’s efforts to take down Electro and the helicarrier being brought down instead both upped the ante of Electro as a baddie and gave the episode some blockbuster fireworks. And the final confrontation between Spidey and Electro had enough cleverness to it, playing on Electro’s greed and hubris and Peter’s science background, to be satisfying.
But I also really liked the little stuff in this one. I like Kingpin’s disappointment at his realization that the doomsday device he’s been after for so long ends up being just another goon in a costume. I like that once Red Skull Jr. receives his powers and becomes Electro, he no longer wants to defer to his dad and seizes power in the way that bad guys do. And I like both how Red Skull has a contingency plan and that Cap knows Red Skull enough to know that.
I also really enjoyed Cap giving Spidey a few lessons here and there about what it means to be a hero. Cap is a little more monolithic and less complicated as a good guy here than he is as an MCU, but I still like him teaching Peter to acknowledge the tough choices a hero has to make but learn that making them is what makes him a hero. And while the return to the status quo with Cap and Red Skull is a little contrived, Cap making his sacrifice all over again drives that point home.
The only things I didn’t really like were the involvement of Silver Sable and the Wild Pack, which felt pretty rushed with poor reasons to send them off. And Mary Jane going up to the roof where the uber-powerful villain stood was stupid as hell, and was a “the plot demands this” sort of move to put her in danger.
Overall, an excellent conclusion to this arc and one of Spider-Man’s most epic battles yet.