Hello there, true believers! Thanks for swinging by for another installment of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Maximum Venom on Disney XD. After saving the earth from the threat of the symbiote known as Venom, Spidey’s work is far from over! Being a teenage superhero can be hard, especially when someone reveals your secret identity as you try and protect your friend! Pull up a web and enjoy as we give you five thoughts on season 3, episode 4, “Spider-Man Unmasked.”
1. Mysteries arise as the Spider Team tries to gain evidence to support their beloved principal.
While the earth is temporarily safe from the “Vengeance of Venom,” Horizon High is dealing with the fallout as Max comes under review from the school board for the illegal experimentation of the Venom symbiote by Curt Conners. While Peter and his friends bring good evidence to the table, Conners is able to show how their case isn’t necessarily as powerful as they seem to think it is. But the board is interested in one thing, Max’s involvement in saving Aleksei Sytsevich, The Rhino. The team assumes that Aleksei’s testimony will be a slam dunk, but there’s one big problem. He’s gone missing.
As Peter looks for Aleksei, he’s attacked by The Rhino and discovers a more significant threat, a man made out of bees! The look of Swarm in the show is impressive. The animation of Swarm dispersing and reconstituting is well-executed, creating a nice seamless flow that makes it believable that he could be anywhere at any given time. The design is also really strong, with a suit that looks like Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Peter takes down Swarm by capturing him in his own cage and saves Rhino, assuming this will save Max from being fired. Only there’s a bigger problem. Rhino isn’t Aleksei.
2. The trial for Max Modell.
The majority of the first half of “Spider-Man Unmasked” involves the school board’s trial of Max Modell. While Peter, Miles, Anya, and Gwen do their best to show Max’s importance to the school, Conners counters every step of the way. It also doesn’t help that Peter is his perpetually late self as he brings important evidence, a video from Otto Octavius discussing Max’s importance to the school. After countless failures to convince the board, including some genuinely cringy (but entertaining to watch) filibusters from Miles and Anya, Peter decides to throw a “hail Mary” and testify as Spider-Man.
The speech as Spidey is one of the highlights of the episode, as Peter explains that while Max might not have any powers, he’s as important to the safety of the school as any member of the Avengers. Robbie Daymond brings a lot of emotion to the speech, and the board seems impressed, but it plays into Conners’ plan. Conners uses the opportunity to drop a major bombshell, Spider-Man’s testimony is invalid because he is Peter Parker. The move forces Peter’s hand, and he has to reveal his secret to the board, but it doesn’t work. Max still has to leave the school.
3. An unmasked Peter creates tension for the team
Not only does Conners’ revelation cost Max his job, but it also reveals Peter’s secret to Gwen and Anya. They don’t take the news well. The reveal that Peter is Spider-Man creates a sense of betrayal in the team, as they wonder why he never trusted them with his secret. While Peter attempts to patch things over with them, Gwen and Anya decide it’s for the best that they split up, Peter will analyze the bee he got from Swarm, and the rest will hunt for Rhino.
The reactions of the team in “Spider-Man Unmasked” feel genuine for how teenagers would react to this news. It’s not unreasonable, mind you, but everyone is letting their egos get in the way of making the best decisions. It is even responsible for Gwen, Anya, and Miles getting captured by three Rhinos because of their distraction to the situation. Peter also lets his ego get in the way of trying to work things out with his friends, but some friendly advice from MJ helps him to see the importance of getting over himself and making up with his friends. Everyone feels honest and vulnerable, which makes it all the sweeter when they reconcile later.
Continued below4. Let’s get ready to RUUUUUUMMMMBLEEEEEE!
With the help of Grady, Spider-Man tracks down Swarm to the local shipyards, only to be captured by Rhino. It turns out that Swarm has been making various genetic monstrosities for the “Underground Monster League,” a pay-per-view that villains can watch and place bets. Thanks to Spider-Man, he’s having his highest ratings ever as the various baddies of New York are paying top dollar to watch the spiders get squished. Everything about the “Underground Monster League” is fun, featuring high octane action and fun character moments. Peter and his team are at a disadvantage both in terms of numbers, but also thanks to heroism as they attempt to save the combatants. They are, after all, innocent victims.
The team also makes an important discovery that Swarm is using the bee venom to mind control the monsters. After reconciling with the team, they begin to formulate a plan to break Swam’s mind manipulation using sonic waves. Everything about the game show aspect of “Underground Monster League” makes the section memorable, especially as it cuts to Hammerhead and his son watching and hearing Swarms color commentary of the proceedings. This section of “Spider-man Unmasked” is a highlight of the season so far.
5. What comes next for Peter Parker?
After defeating Swarm and reconciling with his friends, things seem to be looking alright for Peter, but things are far from perfect. Max Modell no longer is the principal of Horizon High, replaced by Curt Conners, who seems to be up to no good. What’s worse is that while the school board is not going to reveal Peter’s secret to the world, there are going to be some new rules. For the safety of the school and students, Spider-Man is no longer allowed to protect Horizon High. While the decision seems to be coming from a place of genuine concern and safety, you can’t help but imagine it’s playing right into a larger plan of Conners and the mysterious figure he’s working with. But one thing is clear, with “Spider-Man Unmasked,” we’re entering a whole new world for Peter Parker.
So there you have it! Swarm is defeated, the Spider-Team knows Spider-Man’s identity, and Horizon High has changed. What did you think of the episode? Sound off below, and see you next time, true believers!
