At the club he’s a part of, Captain Stacy holds a
seminar on supervillains. The images of Spider-Man fighting the Green Goblin
affect Norman Osborn particularly badly, making him feel stressed and confused
for reasons he can’t fathom. This equally worries Peter Parker, there as
Norman’s guest along with Harry. Peter worries what will happen if Norman’s
memories fully return and thinks about his first encounter with the Goblin. It
eventually gets to be too much for Norman, and he tries to run out before quickly
collapsing! They rush him to a doctor and Harry decides to stay with him while
Peter heads out, his mind now totally focused on the Goblin. He thinks back to
their last encounter and worries about the danger Aunt May will be in, should
Osborn remember that Peter is Spider-Man, and decides to pay her a visit.
Meanwhile, Norman’s thoughts are just as fraught, his
head swirling with images of the Green Goblin and Spider-Man. Eventually, the
fog lifts, and Norman remembers that he is the Green Goblin! Norman
storms out of the hospital, pushing past a distraught Harry. He instinctively
makes his way to one of his old hideouts where a Goblin costume and gear are
waiting for him, fully becoming the Green Goblin once more! The next day, Peter
has trouble focusing on his studies due to his worries about Osborn, and Gwen clearly notices something is wrong. Peter and Gwen then drop in on Harry, who
tells them of his father’s disappearance, confirming Peter’s worries.
Peter continues to worry, unsure if he should head
home, in case the Goblin has a trap waiting for him. Peter stresses that even
if he does defeat the Goblin again, that he’s still his best friend’s father
and still knows that he’s Spider-Man. The situation feeling hopeless, Peter has
fitful dreams until he can’t take it any longer and decides to comb the city
for the Goblin. His search proves fruitless while unbeknownst to him, the
Goblin secretly stalks Spider-Man, waiting for the last of his plans to fall
into place. Norman then makes his way home to Harry, pretending that he came to
his senses and just needs rest. The next day, Peter receives a call from Harry
inviting him to a dinner party his father is throwing, with Gwen and Mary Jane
also invited. Peter knows that something is up, but feels he has to go through
it, even if the others are in danger, to stop Osborn once and for all.
Peter swings by and picks up Gwen and they soon arrive
at the party. They’re greeted by Harry and Mary Jane and Norman soon makes his
presence known as well. Throughout the dinner party, the air is tense for
Peter, as only he and Norman know the real danger lurking beneath the façade of
a normal dinner party. Norman subtly prods at Peter, while Peter can tell he’s
becoming more unhinged by the moment, and the others are even starting to
notice. Deciding he needs to act now, Peter feigns needing to call Aunt May and
uses the opportunity to rig a smoke bomb by wrapping some of his camera film in
webbing and throwing into the fireplace. This has the desired effect of making
the others think a fire has sprung out and Peter and Norman both slip away to
change to their respective costumes, for a final showdown!
Spidey guesses that the Goblin is headed for Aunt May
and races there, catching the Goblin circling the skies above her house. The
two begin an epic, personal fight and the Goblin reveals some new tricks he’s
prepared just for Spidey. After some back and forth, the Goblin hits Spidey
with a new psychedelic pumpkin bomb containing a hallucinogenic gas that makes
Spidey hallucinate fighting some of his most dangerous enemies! Spidey
eventually overcomes the effects through sheer force of will and realizes how
he can defeat the Goblin! Spidey rids the Goblin of his weapons and they get
down and dirty with just their fists, their already intense fight becoming even
more brutal and personal!
After stunning the Goblin, Spider-Man subjects him to
his own hallucinogenic, making images of himself and the Goblin mask swirl
around the Goblin’s head. This stress, mixed with Osborn’s own mental
instability, shocks him into closing off his mind to anything having to do with
Spider-Man or the Green Goblin! This has the additional effect of ridding
Osborn’s memory of his and Spider-Man’s identities once more and Peter swings
him back to the hospital. Harry and the others show up soon after and Peter claims
that Norman was feeling badly again so Peter rushed him over to the hospital
without telling anyone. Harry checks on his father while Pete heads out with
Gwen and Mary Jane. Though the day is saved and everything should be alright,
Peter can’t help but worry whether or not the Green Goblin is really gone for
good…