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Hey everybody. This is SofiaBlythe2014. Today we will talk about the most recent episode of Marvel’s SpiderMan, the 4 part event “The Rise Of Doc Ock”. Given that it aired on two days with two parts each, I will review them like that. Let’s Begin.

1. The Rise Of Doc Ock (Parts 1 & 2)

Writers: Kevin Burke & Chris Doc Wyatt (part 1), Mike Fasolo (part 2)

Directors: Sol Choi (part 1) & Dan Duncan (part 2)

Date: January 21, 2018

Synopsis: “Otto Octavius becomes Doctor Octopus through an accident.”

Parts 1 and 2 have a heavy focus on the true meaning of “the aftermath of tragedy”. Okay, I just coined that phrase, but let’s dive into this. Part 1 has Spider Man dealing with a villain named Crimson Dynamo, who turns out to be a Russian woman named Galina. She’s after something in the school basement, which turns out to be Otto Octavius’ special power generator that runs on regenerative ion energy that he built in secret. When Otto tries to shut down the machine when Galina interferes with it, he ends up severely injured and sent to the hospital, with the mechanical arms he invented being infused into him. He then teams up with Spider Man to stop Galina. In Part 2, he decides to take up heroism through Spider Man’s encouragement. They, along with Miles, deal with the Lizard, who turns out to be Curt Connors having been forced into turning into The Lizard by his employer, Norman Osborn. They try to get Curt back to normal but Otto’s ego makes things difficult for them.

Just from these two parts alone, we have quite the rich character dynamics enhanced. Let’s start with Peter himself. The bulk of the first two parts focuses on him trying to help Otto become a hero, but feeling torn up due to Otto’s increasing ego even before the accident, and especially after recovery. This is essentially an exploration of his all loving hero side and him seeing the good in others. What helps his case is the fact that he acknowledges that Otto has problems, yet also realizes that he can do good, as shown when he saved some people from debris, and is actively trying to help him out even when he’s close to falling off the slippery slope.

Now we talk about Otto Octavius himself. These two episodes really help to flesh out his character. Due to his age, 19, he’s developed ego problems due to his vast intelligence at such a young age. This in turn makes him isolated from others due to how he often belittles others for being of inferior intelligence or not realizing the potential. What makes his character work is that, even with his egoist and extreme methods, he’s ultimately a decent person. For example, his generator could’ve potentially helped others, and the fact that he made the attempts to help others when becoming a hero.

Let’s talk about the other villains. Galina took up the Crimson Dynamo identity due to how she lost everything in her home of Russia, and took up the armor to gain power no one could take away. Curt Connors, while he’s working for Norman Osborn, is just a regular scientist who’s just trying to regrow his arm, and is an otherwise nice guy. They both have sympathetic motives, unlike Norman, who’s a slimy snake and manipulative chess master. I mean, he carefully pinned the blame on Otto in order to get him to quit Horizon High to go to Osborn Academy. Wow!

What I get just from these two episodes is how you should not let ambition or emotion blind you. Considering that two of the villains just wanted to be respected, while the third just wanted to be a normal man, that’s saying something. Both episodes have the right amount of action, heart, and tragedy. Talk about intense.

2. The Rise Of Doc Ock (Parts 3 & 4)

Writers: Kevin Shinick (part 3) & Sterling Gates (part 4)

Directors: Sol Choi (part 3) & Dan Duncan (part 4)

Date: January 28, 2018

Synopsis: “Peter spends time at Osborn Academy.”

Oh my! That was intense! I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s review parts 3 and 4, where things really kick into high gear. Part 3 starts with Peter finding out that Norman Osborn set up Harry to be framed for the incident back in the two part pilot, prompting Peter to spend a day at Osborn Academy to try to convince him that Norman was behind it. Things get from bad to worse when the Jackal has a brainwashed Aleksei Systevich use his special devices to turn some of the other students into rhinos themselves. Part 4 concerns Peter. Gwen, and Harry working to find out more about what Jackal is up to when it turns out that he’s actually a clone, and the real Jackal reveals his plans for a Spider army. To make it worse, Otto Octavius uses said devices and have his Sinister Five turn against Norman, who won’t give him credit for his technology under Osborn Academy.

These two episodes really pile on the tragedy, and definitely in a way that doesn’t hold any punches. They also tie in with the first two parts regarding not letting ambition or emotion blind you, but there’s a bit more emphasis on emotion.

Otto actually doesn’t appear too often in these two parts, but when he does, he makes the effort to stand out. Part 3 has him shocked on Norman using his technology for his group called the Os Commandos, and where he’s dismissed by Norman due to how he’s still working for him, and thus can’t fully make a name for himself, Otto turns this around by making the Commandos into his Sinister Five (which would’ve been 6 if he could get to Harry). Despite jumping off the slope of morality, you can’t help but pity him since he just wants to be taken seriously, and not taken advantage of.

Both of these episodes also show more detail into Peter and Harry’s friendship. Harry already has his in-universe irrational hatred of Spiderman since he thinks he’s a menace, but he blows up at Peter when he thinks he’s making tech for Spiderman, and ends his friendship. Making matters worse is how he was just using Pete in part 4 in order to help out his dad, who he still doesn’t know blamed him. What I like about their dynamic here is that, despite a manipulative side, he still has that genuine air of wanting to make an impact for both the academy and others. Peter also has some of his best moments here, with him growing more protective and secretive in order to make sure that no one gets hurt. The ending where they’re still not friends is quite heartbreaking.

As for Norman and the Jackal, they’re also quite crafty. The former is still a slimy, smug snake, but both episodes also do show more of his genuine love for Harry. He wants him out of the action in part 4 when he’s almost about to blow up when the Jackal clones melt into nothingness. You just feel the hurt in his voice. As for Jackal, he seems to be following in Norman’s steps with his more cold and calculating demeanor, and he’s quite effective in recruiting Otto to help him out with his ambitions.

All of these character dynamics help give the 4 parter a very solid mix of emotion, tragedy, action, and even a bit of heart. I would call this the moment the show went from great to greater.

Here is the cast for the episodes.

Robbie Daymond as Peter Parker/Spiderman, Police Officer 1, Receptionist, Osborn Security Agent

Scott Menville as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus, Police Officer 2, Hospital PA, Man With Newspaper, Male Student, Guard 2

Laura Bailey as Gwen Stacy, Crimson Dynamo/Galina, Computer Voice

Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales

Fred Tatasciore as Max Modell, Bystander Student, Trucker

Josh Keaton as Norman Osborn, News Reporter, Biker, Ollie Osnick, Drone Voice, Guard 2

Yuri Lowenthal as Curt Connors/Lizard, Radio Announcer

Max Mittleman as Harry Osborn

Matthew Mercer as Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino, Oscorp Technician

Ben Diskin as Spencer Smythe, Slayer, Security Guard, Rhino Security Guard

John DiMaggio as The Jackal/Raymond Warren, Jackal Clone

Description
Hey everybody. This is SofiaBlythe2014. Today we will talk about the most recent episode of Marvel’s SpiderMan, the 4 part event “The Rise Of Doc Ock”. Given that it aired on two days with two parts each, I will review them like that. Let’s Begin.

1. The Rise Of Doc Ock (Parts 1 & 2)

Writers: Kevin Burke & Chris Doc Wyatt (part 1), Mike Fasolo (part 2)

Directors: Sol Choi (part 1) & Dan Duncan (part 2)

Date: January 21, 2018

Synopsis: “Otto Octavius becomes Doctor Octopus through an accident.”

Parts 1 and 2 have a heavy focus on the true meaning of “the aftermath of tragedy”. Okay, I just coined that phrase, but let’s dive into this. Part 1 has Spider Man dealing with a villain named Crimson Dynamo, who turns out to be a Russian woman named Galina. She’s after something in the school basement, which turns out to be Otto Octavius’ special power generator that runs on regenerative ion energy that he built in secret. When Otto tries to shut down the machine when Galina interferes with it, he ends up severely injured and sent to the hospital, with the mechanical arms he invented being infused into him. He then teams up with Spider Man to stop Galina. In Part 2, he decides to take up heroism through Spider Man’s encouragement. They, along with Miles, deal with the Lizard, who turns out to be Curt Connors having been forced into turning into The Lizard by his employer, Norman Osborn. They try to get Curt back to normal but Otto’s ego makes things difficult for them.

Just from these two parts alone, we have quite the rich character dynamics enhanced. Let’s start with Peter himself. The bulk of the first two parts focuses on him trying to help Otto become a hero, but feeling torn up due to Otto’s increasing ego even before the accident, and especially after recovery. This is essentially an exploration of his all loving hero side and him seeing the good in others. What helps his case is the fact that he acknowledges that Otto has problems, yet also realizes that he can do good, as shown when he saved some people from debris, and is actively trying to help him out even when he’s close to falling off the slippery slope.

Now we talk about Otto Octavius himself. These two episodes really help to flesh out his character. Due to his age, 19, he’s developed ego problems due to his vast intelligence at such a young age. This in turn makes him isolated from others due to how he often belittles others for being of inferior intelligence or not realizing the potential. What makes his character work is that, even with his egoist and extreme methods, he’s ultimately a decent person. For example, his generator could’ve potentially helped others, and the fact that he made the attempts to help others when becoming a hero.

Let’s talk about the other villains. Galina took up the Crimson Dynamo identity due to how she lost everything in her home of Russia, and took up the armor to gain power no one could take away. Curt Connors, while he’s working for Norman Osborn, is just a regular scientist who’s just trying to regrow his arm, and is an otherwise nice guy. They both have sympathetic motives, unlike Norman, who’s a slimy snake and manipulative chess master. I mean, he carefully pinned the blame on Otto in order to get him to quit Horizon High to go to Osborn Academy. Wow!

What I get just from these two episodes is how you should not let ambition or emotion blind you. Considering that two of the villains just wanted to be respected, while the third just wanted to be a normal man, that’s saying something. Both episodes have the right amount of action, heart, and tragedy. Talk about intense.

2. The Rise Of Doc Ock (Parts 3 & 4)

Writers: Kevin Shinick (part 3) & Sterling Gates (part 4)

Directors: Sol Choi (part 3) & Dan Duncan (part 4)

Date: January 28, 2018

Synopsis: “Peter spends time at Osborn Academy.”

Oh my! That was intense! I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s review parts 3 and 4, where things really kick into high gear. Part 3 starts with Peter finding out that Norman Osborn set up Harry to be framed for the incident back in the two part pilot, prompting Peter to spend a day at Osborn Academy to try to convince him that Norman was behind it. Things get from bad to worse when the Jackal has a brainwashed Aleksei Systevich use his special devices to turn some of the other students into rhinos themselves. Part 4 concerns Peter. Gwen, and Harry working to find out more about what Jackal is up to when it turns out that he’s actually a clone, and the real Jackal reveals his plans for a Spider army. To make it worse, Otto Octavius uses said devices and have his Sinister Five turn against Norman, who won’t give him credit for his technology under Osborn Academy.

These two episodes really pile on the tragedy, and definitely in a way that doesn’t hold any punches. They also tie in with the first two parts regarding not letting ambition or emotion blind you, but there’s a bit more emphasis on emotion.

Otto actually doesn’t appear too often in these two parts, but when he does, he makes the effort to stand out. Part 3 has him shocked on Norman using his technology for his group called the Os Commandos, and where he’s dismissed by Norman due to how he’s still working for him, and thus can’t fully make a name for himself, Otto turns this around by making the Commandos into his Sinister Five (which would’ve been 6 if he could get to Harry). Despite jumping off the slope of morality, you can’t help but pity him since he just wants to be taken seriously, and not taken advantage of.

Both of these episodes also show more detail into Peter and Harry’s friendship. Harry already has his in-universe irrational hatred of Spiderman since he thinks he’s a menace, but he blows up at Peter when he thinks he’s making tech for Spiderman, and ends his friendship. Making matters worse is how he was just using Pete in part 4 in order to help out his dad, who he still doesn’t know blamed him. What I like about their dynamic here is that, despite a manipulative side, he still has that genuine air of wanting to make an impact for both the academy and others. Peter also has some of his best moments here, with him growing more protective and secretive in order to make sure that no one gets hurt. The ending where they’re still not friends is quite heartbreaking.

As for Norman and the Jackal, they’re also quite crafty. The former is still a slimy, smug snake, but both episodes also do show more of his genuine love for Harry. He wants him out of the action in part 4 when he’s almost about to blow up when the Jackal clones melt into nothingness. You just feel the hurt in his voice. As for Jackal, he seems to be following in Norman’s steps with his more cold and calculating demeanor, and he’s quite effective in recruiting Otto to help him out with his ambitions.

All of these character dynamics help give the 4 parter a very solid mix of emotion, tragedy, action, and even a bit of heart. I would call this the moment the show went from great to greater.

Here is the cast for the episodes.

Robbie Daymond as Peter Parker/Spiderman, Police Officer 1, Receptionist, Osborn Security Agent

Scott Menville as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus, Police Officer 2, Hospital PA, Man With Newspaper, Male Student, Guard 2

Laura Bailey as Gwen Stacy, Crimson Dynamo/Galina, Computer Voice

Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales

Fred Tatasciore as Max Modell, Bystander Student, Trucker

Josh Keaton as Norman Osborn, News Reporter, Biker, Ollie Osnick, Drone Voice, Guard 2

Yuri Lowenthal as Curt Connors/Lizard, Radio Announcer

Max Mittleman as Harry Osborn

Matthew Mercer as Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino, Oscorp Technician

Ben Diskin as Spencer Smythe, Slayer, Security Guard, Rhino Security Guard

John DiMaggio as The Jackal/Raymond Warren, Jackal Clone