Peter Parker is down but not out as he faces the fallout from his brutal encounter with the Scorpion. With friendships on the rocks, doubts clouding his mind, and Norman Osborn whispering not-so-subtle manipulations in his ear, Episode 8, “Tangled Web,” puts our web-slinger through the emotional wringer. But as Peter licks his wounds—both physical and metaphorical—he’s forced to answer a fundamental question: What kind of Spider-Man does he want to be?
We open with Peter waking up battered and bruised, his face looking like he lost a fight with a cheese grater. But hey, that’s what happens when you go toe-to-toe with a guy in a mechanical scorpion suit. While Norman Osborn insists he needs time to heal (and subtly pushes his own agenda), Peter can’t shake the feeling that he’s failed everyone. As always, Spider-Man’s biggest enemy isn’t the villain of the week—it’s his guilt complex.
But Peter isn’t the only one facing tough choices. Lonnie Lincoln, slipping further into gang life, gets an ultimatum from Pearl: leave the 110th Street Gang or lose her forever. Lonnie’s response? A heartbreaking goodbye, proving that once you’re in too deep, even love might not be enough to pull you back out.
Meanwhile, Norman is busy playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. He feeds Peter a twisted version of Uncle Ben’s famous lesson, warping “With great power comes great responsibility” into “With great power comes great respect.” Subtle, right? The cracks in Norman’s “concerned mentor” act are growing wider, and it’s only a matter of time before Peter realizes he’s being groomed into something he might not want to be.
Credits: Disney+
One of the standout aspects of “Tangled Web” is how it slows things down—in a “let’s make Peter suffer emotionally before we let him punch something” way. His conversations with Aunt May are a highlight, offering a rare moment of warmth amidst the chaos. May sees right through his terrible “skateboarding accident” excuse (come on, Peter, at least try), but instead of pressing him, she reminds him that he doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world alone. It’s a scene that feels small but hits hard, grounding the show in Peter’s human struggles.
On the action side, we get a fantastic sequence with Otto Octavius fending off a SWAT team using custom-built tech and his signature mechanical arms. Though Otto ultimately gets captured, it’s clear that this isn’t the last we’ll see of him. (Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how casual he is about taking on an entire squad of armed officers? The man treats it like a minor inconvenience.)
Another major development? Harry Osborn surprises Peter with a new suit, one that looks suspiciously like the classic red-and-blue design fans know and love. While we don’t get to see it in action just yet, the moment Peter gazes at it in the reflection, we know a new chapter is about to begin.
‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ Season 1 Episode 8: The Tangled Web Tightens
While “Tangled Web” lacks the big, bombastic fights that some fans might crave, it makes up for it with top-tier character work. Peter’s arc is moving into its next phase, Lonnie’s descent is tragic yet inevitable, and Norman’s shadow looms larger than ever. By the time the credits roll, we’re left with a sense of anticipation—because if Peter’s about to step up as the hero he’s meant to be, that means bigger battles are just around the corner.
