Ultimate Spider-Man Season 2 – New Episodes Recap
Disney XD did a special one hour event premiere for Ultimate Spider-Man Season 2, consisting of two brand new episodes for this series on Monday January 21, 2013. This series is based on the comic of the same name, only we have Peter Parker and not Miles Morales, yet (Hey, anything can happen). In this latest animated version of the Webslinger, Spidey trains with peacekeeping task force, S.H.I.E.L.D. and put ith a team of other young super heroes: Power Man/Luke Cage, White Tiger, Nova and Iron Fist.
The season begins shortly after the battle with Norman Osborn, now the monstrous Green Goblin, and the young heroes living with Spidey and his Aunt May for a while since the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier was destroyed during the big battle with the Goblin. Peter Parker feels the house is a little crowded ever since his team has moved in and he finds a science mentor in Doctor Kurt Connors.
For those who are familiar with the comic book, we all know where this is going ever since his appearance in Season One. With an episode title like “The Lizard,” comic readers are like “Well duh!” But for those who are not too familiar with the Webhead’s mythos, Spider-Man and his team chase after Doc Ock who was trying to steal some tech but fortunately Spider-Man and his team wear able stop him and Kurt Connors offers some nerd time with Spidey in which he geeks out.
Doc Connors and Spidey try to hack into Doc Ock tech but a fail safe activates with Ock drones popping up along with a force field to hold both Spidey and Connors inside with the drones. In order to help Spider-Man fight the drones, Connors injects himself with Lizard DNA he finds in a case full of animal DNA he showed Parker earlier. He spoke about how the DNA could help mankind if used in the right hands and not madmen like Doc Ock and Osborn, stating how Spider-Man is a good example. Spidey warns him against such a risk, reminding Connors of Doc Ock and Osborn.
Once injected with the Lizard DNA, Connor turns into a large lizard and helps Spidey destroy the drones but not before injecting himself with more lizard DNA, turning fully into The Lizard, then trying to track down Doc Ock for more lizard DNA and Spidey trying to stop him since the lizard DNA is making Connors irrational. Before you know it there is a three way fight between Spiderman, Doc Ock and Connors. There is a humorous video game-style chase with cameo by Stan “the Man” Lee himself ranting about the lack of respect for super heroes today, Spidey finds a way to turn Connors back to his human self with the help of his fellow team of heroes.
In Episode Two of Season Two, Spiderman fights one of his arch-nemesis Electro. Spidey brags about how his training with S.H.E.I.L.D has helped him improve to the point where villains like Electro are easier to defeat than usual. Knocking Electro into an electric billboard the villain disappears leaving the Webslinger perplexed. When Peter Parker tries heading home he talks about how his friends Power Man, White Tiger, Nova and Iron Fist are so wrapped up with tech from laptops, television, Ipod to even hand held games that communication could become a problem for them as a team. Electro appears in EVERY electric device in NYC demanding, of course, all the money in the city.
Spidey and the team go out to stop Electro, and of course, everyone is blaming Spider-Man for Electro having a power boost. Every tech is disabled, even Spidey’s web-shooters. Just as Spidey predicted, it was tough to work as a team to defeat Electro but due to quick thinking of splintering Electro which reverted him back to his original self.
The team up of Spider-Man with the other young heroes makes me look at this show as an updated version of the 1980’s animated show Spider-man and his Amazing friends. Both new episodes made me think about the current Amazing Spider-Man movie trilogy with such villains as The Lizard who was the main villain 2012’s The Amazing Spiderman and Electro who will be the villain in The Amazing Spiderman 2 in 2014.
What I always liked about this series is the fact that the creators of Ben 10, Man of Action are the creative consultants for this series and how Spidey breaks the fourth wall with his usual one line banters and over the top antics, explaining his and his teammates situations during the show. Mini-Spidey is hilarious.
Spiderman airs every Sunday at 11am on Disney XD and I highly recommend the series even if your not familiar with the comic book.
