Enter the Punisher

**Enter the Punisher** is the seventh episode of season two. This episode introduces the vigilante, the Punisher. As Spider-Man continues to mutate he also searches for Morbius. However, things are complicated by the arrival of the Punisher who blames Spider-Man for the disappearance of Morbius and hunts Spider-Man down.

## Plot

From downstairs May hears a noise coming from Peter's room. Wondering what the noise was May goes upstairs to check on Peter. As May enters Peter's room he is not there. May then looks around and she finds one of Peter's shirts with three holes torn on each side. As May approaches the window she sees a shadow move past her and she gets frightened. However, May believes that she is getting scared over nothing and goes back down stairs. At that moment Peter is on the roof hiding from May because he doesn't want her to see him with his four extra arms.

Meanwhile, at an abandoned warehouse three thugs are holding a woman hostage and plan to extort one million dollars from her rich father. Just then a small explosion goes off creating a hole in the wall. A man wearing a skull on his chest rushes in and is able to take out two of the thugs easily. As the final thug starts to fire his gun the man is able to sneak behind him and he runs off but trips and falls to the ground. As the man with a skull shirt approaches the thug he picks up a chain that is on the ground. However, the mysterious man pulls a gun from out of his jacket. As the thug attempts to give up the vigilante pulls a gun out of his jacket. The thug says that he gives up but the vigilante says that if he does go to jail he will eventually end up back on the street. Fearing for his life the thug jumps out a window and is soon arrested by the police. The vigilante then cuts the woman free from her restraints and runs to his van and drives off. As he drives off his ally, Microchip, who tells him that he has another target for him. . . Spider-Man.

Back at the Parker house, Peter looks in the mirror and sees his four extra arms. Peter then says that Mariah Crawford was right about not taking her serum to early. As Peter picks up his Spider-Man costume he cuts holes in the sides for his four other arms to fit through. As Peter does this his spider sense goes off even though there is no danger around. The mutation also gives Peter a major headache. The phone then rings and Peter picks it up and starts talking to Mary Jane. Mary Jane asks Peter to go see a movie but Peter refuses because of his mutation. Mary Jane then gets angry and says that she feels like he has been avoiding her. Mary Jane then tells Peter that she is coming over to talk to him. However, Peter hangs up, puts on his mask and web swings into New York City.

Moments later in an alley behind an Italian restaurant one of the employees takes the trash to the dumpster. As he turns around he is attacked by Morbius who drains his blood.

A short while later Spider-Man arrives at the Hardy Foundation and goes to Dr. Crawford who is shocked to see Spider-Man's four extra arms. As Spider-Man begins to feel pain in his side Mariah takes a blood sample from him Mariah then tells Spider-Man that she heard about Michael Morbius she believed that he had already mutated. However, Spider-Man is unaware of what happened to Michael Morbius. Mariah then turns on the television and Spider-Man watches a news report on the disappearance of Morbius from his hospital room. Felicia Hardy is then interviewed by a news anchor and she says that she hates Spider-Man for putting Morbius in the hospital and she believes he is the one that abducted him. J. Jonah Jameson then comes on television and demands that Spider-Man be captured. At that very moment, Punisher and Microchip are watching the J3 Communications broadcast. After the broadcast is finished Microchip tells Punisher to bring Spider-Man in alive because this will be a big step for him redeeming himself in the eyes of the law. Punisher then agrees to Microchip's terms to also use non-lethal weapons. As Spider-Man continues to watch the news report the news anchor says that Spider-Man has arrived at the scene of the crime. However, Spider-Man is able to tell that it is really Morbius and goes after him despite Dr. Crawford's warnings.

Moments later Spider-Man arrives and tackles Morbius and they land on a rooftop. As Morbius looks at Spider-Man he sees his four extra arms and surprised by this asks Spider-Man what happened to him. Seconds later Morbius tackles Spider-Man and throws him at a building. However, Spider-Man is able to stick to the building before he can hit it. Spider-Man then attempts to shoot a web at Morbius but raises up one of his new arms that doesn't have a Web-Shooter on it. Morbius then grabs Spider-Man and throws him over the side of the building. However, Spider-Man is able to stick to the side of the building. As Morbius flies off the police shine a searchlight on Spider-Man. Terri Lee is shocked by what she sees and Spider-Man swings away. As Spider-Man swings away he is spotted by Punisher who is on a nearby rooftop and he puts on a jetpack and flies after him. As Punisher lands on a rooftop, he fires an energy weapon at Spider-Man. The energy surrounds Spider-Man and places him in a force field. However, Spider-Man shoots a web line at Punisher's gun and pulls it away from him. As the shield vanishes Spider-Man swings away but Punisher is able to put a tracking device on Spider-Man. This allows the Battle Van to lock onto Spider-Man and on Punisher's verbal command the Battle Van fires a flare into the air around Spider-Man's location. As Spider-Man clings to the side of a building Punisher fires slippery liquid on there which causes Spider-Man to slide to the ground. To get away from Punisher, Spider-Man shoots a web at a J3 Communications helicopter and it flies off. However, Spider-Man once again starts to feel pain in his side. In his moment of weakness Punisher grabs his missile launcher and aims at Spider-Man. However, the missile hits Spider-Man's web causing it to break and Punisher captures Spider-Man in a net.

Meanwhile, at the Daily Bugle, Joseph Robertson calls J. Jonah Jameson and tells him that the man wearing a skull is a vigilante called the Punisher and that the F.B.I. and C.I.A. want him for questioning about the disappearance of various crime figures. Jameson believes that since Punisher is a crime fighter the Daily Bugle can make a hero out of him. However, Robbie tells Jameson that they can't do that because Punisher is known for using lethal force.

As Punisher pulls the net up Spider-Man is able to break free and swing away. However, Punisher shoots Spider-Man with an adhesive and it causes Spider-Man to stick to the wall. As Punisher flies over he tells Spider-Man that he is doing this because he abducted Michael Morbius. However, Spider-Man replies that he was not responsible for that. Spider-Man is then able to break free and pin Punisher to the side of a building with his web. As Spider-Man swings off the police surround Punisher. However, Punisher (by using a remote control) has a laser on the Battle Van cut through the web and he is able to escape.

A short while later Spider-Man arrives at a hospital and watches as a man is brought into the hospital and overhears the doctors say that he has a lot of his blood has been drained from his body. Spider-Man then realizes that Morbius is still in the city. He says to himself that he has to find him but Spider-Man once again starts to feel extreme pain in his sides. Spider-Man says to himself that he needs Dr. Crawford's help. However, Spider-Man remembers that the last time he put himself first Uncle Ben was killed. Spider-Man then goes after Morbius knowing that he can't let him harm anyone else. Spider-Man also realizes that the only lead he has to find Morbius is the tape recorder that he found on the roof.

As Spider-Man returns home he peers through the window and sees that Aunt May and Mary Jane are worried about him because he has not come home. Spider-Man hates that he has to avoid them but knows that he can't let May and Mary Jane see him with six arms. Spider-Man then enters his room through the window and listens to the tape recording and pinpoints on a map on his computer where the sounds came from. Spider-Man is able to track down the sounds on the tape unaware that he is being followed by Punisher. Spider-Man eventually finds Morbius in a clock tower. Spider-Man tells Morbius that he is going to take him to get help. However, Morbius fights back. During their fight Spider-Man pushes Morbius into a Neogenic Recombinator that Morbius built himself. Morbius then gets angry and reveals that the Neogenic Recombinator he was biulding was going to be used to cure him. Morbius also tells Spider-Man that he hates the the hunger he fells unless he feeds on blood. As Morbius reaches out to drink Spider-Man's blood Spider-Man shoots web in his face and kicks Morbius to the ground. As Morbius flies out the window Spider-Man attempts to follow him. However, Punisher arrives and fires a RPG at Spider-Man and it explodes. However, Spider-Man is able to jump back before it explodes. As Punisher fires another RPG Spider-Man swings away and as the bomb explodes it brings the clock tower crumbling to the ground. As Punisher chases after Spider-Man he fires a rocket at him and Spidey falls and crashes through the roof of a warehouse.

As Punisher enters the warehouse, Spider-Man's mutation accelerates turning him into a humanoid spider and he attacks the Punisher.

## Cast

### Cameos

* Maria Castle (Photograph)
* Lisa Castle (Photograph)
* Frank Castle Jr. (Photograph)
* Crusher Hogan
* Maxwell Shiffman
* Burglar
* Baxter Bigelow
* Ben Parker

## Locations

* Earth-92131

* New York City

* Queens

* Parker house

* Manhattan

* Abandoned warehouse
* Mama Eenoinog Restarante
* Daily Bugle

* J3 Communications

* Hospital
* Musik
* Clock tower
* Warehouse

* Brooklyn

* Coney Island (Mentioned only)

## Items

* Battle Van
* Web-Shooters
* Jetpack
* Punisher's arsenal
* Neogenic Recombinator

## Continuity

* This episode picks up directly where Morbius left off and references things that happened in that episode.
* When Mary Jane talks to Peter on the phone she mentions that they went to Coney Island last week. This happened at the end of Hydro-Man. This means Enter the Punisher takes about one week after Hydro-Man.

## Trivia

* This episode and Morbius are based on Amazing Spider-Man #101 (October, 1971) and Amazing Spider-Man #102 (November, 1971) which is part of a story arc known as The Six Arms Saga.
* Carl Potts was brought in to write this episode because of his work in the Punisher comics. Potts was responsible for developing the Punisher comics and having Punisher go from being a guest star character to a franchise character.
* Punisher was slightly redesigned for this episode. Instead of dressing in all black in this Punisher wore blue. Punisher was also given a trench coat and a headband.
* In the comics Punisher's partner was called Microchip. However, in this episode and all his other appearances he was only called Chip.
* This episode marks one of the few times the word blood is used instead of plasma. When Mariah Crawford talks to Spider-Man she says she needs a sample of his blood.
* Because this was a kids cartoon Punisher was not allowed to kill anyone. However, during the episode it is implied that Punisher had killed people in the past.
* In the original Six Arm Saga story Peter Parker only grew four extra arms but did not turn into an actual human sized spider.
	+ In later issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man did turn into a human spider. This happened in The Amazing Spider-Man #437 (1998). Peter Parker's transformation also resembles another character from the comics called Spider-X.

## Episode review

**A review by Amazing Spidey from Marvel Animation Age**

The Punisher proved a difficult character to translate. His very nature is a character that kills criminals, which the writers were not allowed to do. His portrayal made a lot of fan boys whine, but overall, they worked around it as best as they possibly could, in my opinion. His origin sequence was cool. It's not as effective as say, Dick Grayson's parents death in Batman, but it's shown in a similar way. Despite a silly design (a turquoise green costume, sometimes with a bandana that Rambo himself would be proud of), he was pretty cool, mainly because of a picture perfect voice. John Beck absolutely nailed The Punisher.

His main purpose here was to capture Spider-Man, who had been falsely accused of kidnapping Morbius. There were a lot of different angles in this episode, a 6 armed Spider-Man trying to help Morbius, Morbius trying to find a cure for his condition, Mariah Crawford trying to help Spider-Man and The Punisher trying to kill Spider-Man. Morbius didn't appear for too long, but served his purpose. The fight with The Punisher was pretty cool. There was also some great one-liners in there too, especially the "Let me guess. The skull, the shirt. Well, your name must be bone head!" Brilliant!

Despite trying to cram all this into 22 minutes, the episode was a fine one, especially as the episode we were treated to some of the best animation this show ever had. Spider-Man's worst nightmare had come true because he was too impatient to allow Dr. Crawford to finish her serum. The highlight was undoubtedly the ending, with a wounded Spider-Man crawling along the floor, trying to keep out of The Punisher's sight. Again, as an 8-year-old boy who was avoided any spoilers, the sight of 2 massive claws ripping through Spider-Man's gloves is something I doubt I'll ever forget. I was just like "what the hell?!"

A great second act, topped by an excellent conclusion.

## Quotes

*"Sorry Aunt May. Peter Parker doesn't exist any more."*

**-Peter Parker**
(Punisher pulls out his gun.)

*"No! I give up. No really, I give up."*

*"And then what? Get some weasly lawyer. Spend a year or two in prison and then your back on the streets again. Sorry, in this war there's no surrender."*

**-Thug & Punisher**
*"Chip."*

*"Frank, got another job for ya. This isn't your usual type of target. This is a special one."*

(A picture of Spider-Man pops up on Punisher's computer.)

*"What do ya know. I was wonderin' when he and I would tangle. I'll make dog meat out of 'em."*

**-Punisher & Microchip**
*"Any other time I'd jump at the chance to be with her. But she can't see me like this."*

**-Peter Parker**
*"Just as I feared. The serum accelerated your mutation instead of retarding it."*

*"Think it'll ruin my career as a swimsuit model? Please, help me!"*

*"Sit. I'll need a blood sample."*

*"Pick an arm. Any arm."*

*"When I heard what you did to Michael Morbius I thought you already mutated into. . ."*

*"Morbius? So you know? How did you find out?"*

*"It's been on all the news. They say you're responsible."*

*"They'd blame me for the common if they could."*

**-Mariah Crawford & Spider-Man**
*"If ever there was a cue Frank this is it. If you bring Spider-Man in alive it'd be a big step toward redeeming yourself in the eyes of the law."*

*"That doesn't matter to me. All I care about is stopping the slime bags who prey on innocent lives."*

**-Microchip & Punisher**
*"Where are you going?"*

*"To Morbius. I've got to help him."*

*"But your ill!"*

*"So's he, thanks to me. I have to help him."*

**-Mariah Crawford & Spider-Man**
(Morbius sees Spider-Man with his six arms.)

*"You! What has happened to you?"*

*"Lets just say that you don't own the franchise on weirdness."*

**-Michael Morbius & Spider-Man**
(Spider-Man raises his arm to fire a web at Morbius but moves one of his new arms instead.)

*"Wrong arm. It use to a simple choice of right or left."*

**-Spider-Man**
(The police shine a searchlight on Spider-Man.)

*"Can't sing, can't dance. Time to get out of the spotlight."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"War journal entry 1195.3. Spider-Man spotted at 20:30 hours. Doesn't matter how many arms he's got I'm gonna take 'em."*

**-Punisher**
*"Spider-Man, your days of terrorizing the innocent are over."*

*"Don't tell me. The skull, the corny line, your name must be Bonehead right?"*

(Punisher fires a laser at Spider-Man.)

*"Must have been a bad guess! Cool toy but I'm outta here!"*

**-Punisher & Spider-Man**
*"See, I go a web of my own."*

**-Punisher after capturing Spider-Man in a net**
*"Jonah, your mystery man, his names Frank Castle. He's a self styled vigilante. Calls himself the Punisher. He's wanted by the F.B.I. and even the C.I.A. want him for questioning in the disappearances of various crime figures."*

*"A crime fighter hu? And now he's after Spider-Man? Maybe we can play up that angle and turn him into a hero."*

*"Not with this guys M.O. He's known for using lethal force. He shoots first and never asks questions."*

*"What about Parker? Is he getting any pictures of this?"*

*"I couldn't find him."*

*"Typical."*

**-Joseph Robertson & J. Jonah Jameson**
*"Who are you?"*

*"I punish those who prey on the innocent."*

*"Well what does that have to do with me?"*

*"You kidnapped that student."*

*"Next time get the facts before you decide to punish someone."*

*"This isn't the end wall crawler. I'm comin' after you and next time I'm usin' lethal force."*

*"Ooo, I'm so scared I may start biting my fingernails. And man have I got fingernails.*

**-Spider-Man & Punisher**
*"Okay. I've pinpointed some of the sounds, estimated Morbius' gliding speed, and extrapolated the distance he flew. Well math wiz, here goes nothin'."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"It's over Michael."*

*"Spider-Man! How did you find me?"*

*"Well lets say figuring that out drove me batty. now I'm going to take you where you can get help."*

*"No! I'm not ready!"*

*"Well ready or not."*

(Spider-Man pushes Morbius into a Neogenic Recombinator which destroys it.)

*"You fool! I was working on a cure. Do you think I want to be this way? Now I am doomed to this gnawing hunger unless I feed!"*

**-Spider-Man & Michael Morbius**
*"Not the bonehead again! Not now!"*

**-Spider-Man**