The Spectacular Spider-Man - Television Tropes & Idioms

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alt title(s): The Spectacular Spider Man

The most recent animated take on Marvel Comics' web-slinging superhero, headed by Greg Weisman of Gargoyles fame. The series follows 16-year-old Peter Parker through his Junior year of high school, after getting his powers at the end of the previous year and spending all summer as Spider-Man.

The series' biggest influences come from the early comic stories by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko, although numerous elements from the film series and more recent comics have made their way in as well. Combined with fluid animation thanks to the simple art style of artist Sean "Cheeks" Galloway

, sharp dialogue, interwoven character origins and a pleasing lack of its predecessor's crippling censorship, it seems set to become the greatest Animated Adaptation of the character to date. A third season has yet to be picked up and, according to Greg Weisman himself, will depend on how well Disney XD's ratings with Season 2 are late in June.

This show provides examples of, well, just about everything:

Academy Of Adventure - Midtown High, moreso in Season 2 than in Season 1. Also, Empire State University, though the fact that it's a school in addition to a research lab is barely brought up.
Abnormal Ammo - Bazookas and machine guns that fire metal slugs which sprout tiny spikes, and giant staple guns complete with giant staples make the best of the show's prohibition on actual bullets.
Absurdly Spacious Sewer - The New York sewer system is marvelously cavernous, used by Spidey and his Rogues Gallery for fights and flights.
Abusive Parents - Norman Osborn barely conceals contempt for his son Harry, from snide criticisms to blatant displays of favoritism towards Harry's best friend Peter. Harry's mother barely acknowledges him.
- Osborn takes this to a whole new level after revealing that he was the Green Goblin, and showing that he not only blamed his son, but faked a limp and then injured his own son's leg to make sure Spider-man would believe it.
  - The creepiest part is that, after all this, Norman claims it was all out of love for Harry, claiming that "he never would have learnt to become a man" without it. Wow...what a psycho.
  - It gets creepier due to Harry's angst at the end that... it's working.
Accidental Aesop - Every time the show hands us a lesson about responsibility and the right thing in conjunction with Peter's keeping his identity secret, it ends up telling us that secret identities are a stupid idea and nothing good can ever come of them. Which is more or less true, if largely inapplicable to our daily lives.
- Then again, it never said it was talking about identities specifically when it comes to keeping secrets.
Achilles Heel - The superstrong Rhino's costume is tough, but fused to his skin, so he only perspires from his exposed face. Spider-Man traps him in a sewer steam-tunnel, which causes Rhino to overheat and collapse.
Acquired Situational Narcissism - Harry Osborn snubs his old friends once he's In With The In Crowd.
Adaptation Distillation - The series is already well-thought-of by comic fans.
Adaptation Dye Job - Sally Avril goes from a brunette in the comic books to a blonde here. Also, Liz Allan, who was originally blonde, becomes a brunette (though this change is not restricted to hair color, in her case).
Air Vent Escape - Black Cat uses it as an entrance.
All Guys Want Cheerleaders - Peter asks The Libby Sally Avril out, and later dates Liz Allan.
All Of The Other Reindeer
All Just A Dream - The fight with Venom at the start of "Blueprints".
Almost Kiss - Peter and Gwen in "Identity Crisis"
- and... *sigh* again, as of Final Curtain. They stop just in time to not betray their current significant others till they break-up with other.
Amusement Park - Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus duke it out in the middle of Coney Island, causing chaos amongst the fairgoers.
And This Is For - Spider-Man delivers a particularly violent kick to Green Goblin for "making [him] protect Tombstone."
And Zoidberg - "Yes gentlemen...and Rhino..."
Animated Adaptation
Animorphism - Curt Connors transforms into the Lizard
- Sha Shan has an Imagine Spot of Flash as the role of Nick Bottom, and how perfect he is for the role
- Also, Kraven the Hunter's mutation into a more feline-looking form
The Apple Falls Far - "Shear Strength" When Spidey has The Tinkerer perched on top a tall building we get to see Tinkerer's glasses fall
Applied Phlebotinum
Appropriated Appellation - Many.
Artificial Limbs - Curt Connors' elaborate prosthetic arm, Doctor Octopus' robotic arms
Aside Glance - After Spider-Man repeats Tombstone's dialogue verbatim, Green Goblin turns to the camera and quips, "Anyone else getting deja vu? Oh well, let's run with it!" and then repeats his response.
Auction Of Evil "Accomplices"
Author Appeal - Anyone who's seen Gargoyles knows that Weisman loves his Shakespeare; and it's worked its way into Spidey's season 2 as well. Especially "Growing Pains" and "Opening Night", which use the play's auditions and performance, respectively, to throw in appropriate quotes whenever possible:
Sha Shan: (shown right after Venom appeared) Why strewest thou sugar on that bottled spider, whose deadly web ensnareth thee about? Fool, fool! The day will come to curse this venomous bunchback toad!
Bad Ass - Venom and Kraven
- And Tombstone, who may or may not be a Badass Normal.
Badass Bookworm - Doctor Octopus
Badass Bystander - When the Lizard is about to bite Spidey's head off in a subway train, some old lady hits him (the Lizard) on the head with her purse.
Badass Grandpa - The Vulture, sort of-he's dangerous because of his outfit, not any inherent ability.
Badass Longcoat - Doctor Octopus
Badass Normal - Black Cat presumably, and George Stacy. Season 2 gives us Sergei Kravinov (Kraven before his tranformation) and Silver Sable
Bad Guy Bar - Montana's Big Sky Billard Room
Bait And Switch - Kingsley in "Accomplices". He even uses the phrase.
- The Green Goblin's Identity is also handled in such a manner.
Barrier Warrior - This is a secondary function of Shocker's costume, that enables him to survive a building's collapse.
Bat Signal - Inverted. As in the Silver Age, Spider-Man uses the Spider-Signal to announce his arrival.
Batman Cold Open - Frequently
Battle Butler - Hammerhead's Driver
Berserk Button - Calling Electro his real name, "Max"
Beware The Nice Ones - Otto Octavius
BFG - Silver Sable uses one.
Big Applesauce
Big Bad - Tombstone, Green Goblin, Venom/the Symbiote, or Dr. Octopus, depending on the Story Arc.
Big Eater - Kenny Kong
Big No - The Sandman, on seeing his new form. Spider-Man, several times: getting trussed up and threatened by Venom; when it looks like he's accidentally dropped Gwen to her death... and again in the Season 2 premiere when Venom tosses Spider-Man off a ledge in his dream (Seems like Venom loves this trope).
Bilingual Bonus - Speaking Latin allows you to know that some of Mysterio's ominous intonations are actually MC Hammer lyrics.
Bitter Sweet Ending - Of course, if there's a Season 3 then this doesn't apply as much. But Season 2's ending took the universe's directive to screw Peter over at every turn and ran with it so fast it mocked the Flash. Congrats, Spidey, you finally defeated the biggest baddie of them all. Only a) you had to traumatize your best friend to do it and pretty much black spot Spider-Man forever for him as a result (Which will likely drive him into becoming the new Green Goblin), b) You don't have a girlfriend to show for it (and on top of that, Gwen is going to be utterly miserable as a result of feeling sorry for the manipulative Harry..), and c) You didn't really defeat the Goblin because Norman Osborn still lives.
Black Best Friend - Rand Robertson to Flash Thompson
Blackmail - Green Goblin unsuccessfully attempts this twice with L. Thompson Lincoln, threatening to out him as Tombstone if he won't step down as The Big Man, or won't come to the Goblin's Death Course.
Blasting It Out Of Their Hands - The Green Goblin's mooks shoot a laser rifle out of Heroic Bystander - John Jameson's hands.
Blessed With Suck - Electro is Power Incontinent, when angry, which is often. He has to wear an insulation suit at all times.
The Blob - The Sandman
Bloody Biometric - Black Cat hacks a fingerprint scanning lock
Book Ends - In the first episode "Tell me there's something better. Go ahead, try."
- Season 2's usage of "Don't apologize. I never do."
Briar Patching — Used and referenced during one of Spidey's fights with Shocker.
Brief Accent Imitation - Spider-Man mocks Shocker in this way.
Broken Bad - Electro and especially John Jameson
The Brute - Hammerhead, the Sandman, the Rhino
Burning Building Rescue - Colonel Jupiter's first attempt at heroics.
By Wall That Is Holey - A hole in the bleachers is quite handy when Venom throws them around
Cake Eater - Peter very publicly proclaims his interest in twenty-year-old Betty Brant, and plays the Dogged Nice Guy to pressure her to be his date for the High School Dance, only to be thwarted by Aunt May.
Candid Camera Prank - When Ned asks Aunt May if Peter is Spider-Man, she looks for a hidden camera and asks if she's being "Punked"
- Stan the Dockworker has a similar line when Mysterio first appears.
Cain And Abel - Peter and Eddie, though not blood relatives, fit this nonetheless.
The Cameo - Stan Lee as "Stan" the Dockworker in Season 2. Character Designer Sean Galloway also appears at a DJ at the dance in Season 1.
Cannot Spit It Out - Gwen's crush on Peter is a secret to him, and almost everybody else, except Mary Jane and the audience, if they've read the comics.
Canon Foreigner - In Season 2, Aaron Warren; Mayor Waters is a female version of the male mayor with the same name in the comic "Spider-Man: Reign"
Career Killers - The mercenary Enforcers, Shocker
Car Fu - Hammerhead's driver likes to practice it against Silver Sable.
Casual Danger Dialog
Card Carrying Villain - Doc Ock drinks out of an Evil Genius coffee mug
Ceiling Cling - Spider-Man, Black Cat
Channel Hop - Moved to Disney XD from CW4Kids in March.
Character Development - Much. Flash Thompson seems to be getting a fair bit.
- In this show, it seems even the villains have character development moments.
Chair Reveal - Tombstone; Green Goblin pulls this on Tombstone in Tombstone's office
Check Please - Said by Doc Ock, to a waiter who, fortunately for him, knows better than to respond with anything other than "It's on the house".
Chekhovs Gun - Connors' formula, seen in the first episode, and later, the gene cleanser antidote Peter hides in his room. The latter was a subversion, as he eventually decides to just pour it down the drain.
- Last one is played straight again later, as Venom attempts to use the Gene Cleanser to strip Spiderman of his powers, only for Spidey to turn it back around, using the formula to weaken the symbiote and force it off of Brock.
Chekhovs Gunman - Most of the series early bird cameos function this way, as ostensibly tertiary characters soon become very important.
Chest Insignia - Spider-Man's spider
Chewbacca Defense - Venom's attempt to out Spidey as Peter Parker in "Identity Crisis"
Chick Magnet - Peter. With Gwen, Liz, Betty, and of course MJ around, it's a shipping ~~goldmine~~minefield. (Cf "BITCHES LOVE SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES").
- This seems to bother Flash and Sally (concerning her friend Liz).
Christmas Episode
Civvie Spandex - Doctor Octopus tops his harness and jumpsuit with an ordinary trenchcoat.
City Of Adventure
Classy Cat Burglar - The Black Cat
Clear My Name - Spider-Man must do this when Master Of Disguise the Chameleon impersonates him for a series of robberies; then again when Venom returns and tries to ruin his reputation.
Cliff Hanger - Big one in "Growing Pains" when Venom bursts through the window of the Bugle and tells Jameson (and in front of Pete):
Venom: "You want the wall-crawler? Than here's a scoop - Peter Parker is Spider-Man!"
Clip Show - "Intervention" contains a lot of archival footage
Closer To Earth - Of the series' Three Amigos, it is Gwen who is most observant and concerned for Harry.
Clothing Damage - Spidey's suit receives more rips and tears per episode than in any other adaptation. Despite the strong continuity of the series, it's always good as new by the next battle. Although Pete has noted that garbage stink and smoke smell are hard to remove.
The Collector Of The Strange - Norman Osborn collects masks and other such antiquities. Spidey even briefly considers that his strange collection might be evidence of Norman being the Green Goblin.
Color Character - Green Goblin, Black Cat, Silver Sable.
Combat Tentacles - Doctor Octopus' four super strong arms are used for battering and throwing, and the claws can rotate like miniature sawblades.
Come Alone - Green Goblin's warning when baiting Tombstone into a Death Course
Comes Great Insanity - Electro, Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin. Also a heroic example: John Jameson/"Colonel Jupiter"
Comes Great Responsibility - Spider-Man. The phrase itself is uttered multiple times throughout the series, which is expected since it's near synonymous with the franchise.
- Sometimes, it's even subverted:
Sandman: [Talking with Spider-Man in the middle of a fight] Gee, you really think I can do some good?
Spider-Man: Well, yeah, I mean with great power comes gr—
Sandman: Gullibility!! [sucker punches Spidey]
Compassionate Critic - Norman Osborn towards his son
Compilation Movie - The first DVD release "Attack of the Lizard", contains the first three episodes but is advertised as a movie. The other arcs were originally supposed to follow suit, but this idea was eventually scrapped.
Complete Monster - Norman Osborn, otherwise known as the Green Goblin. He completely framed his own son, even twisting Harry's ankle, to throw Spider-Man off his track. God... damn
Composite Character - Montana of the Enforcers and the Shocker (originally Herman Schultz in the comics) are now a single character.
- Tombstone is taking the role of the Kingpin from the comics. Quite possibly because the Kingpin's legally attached to unoptioned Daredevil projects that will likely never see the light of day much like its main character.
  - For that matter, People call him the Big Man on the show while Big Man was a completely different character in the comics.
- Hammerhead combines aspects of the original comics' Hammerhead and Hammer Harrison of the Enforcers, the latter of which mostly comes through from the punching-based fighting style and distinctive knuckledusters.
- Mark Allen is Mark Raxton and Bennett Brant, according to Weisman.
- Gwen Stacy, having midlength blonde hair and glasses, looks as much like a teenage Deb Whitman as, well... Gwen Stacy, at least in season one. In season two she grows her hair out and starts wearing contact lenses; in that same season an actual Deb Whitman shows up, though unlike in the comics this Deb isn't a nervous wreck and has received a Race Lift.
Conspicuous CG - The 3-D black helicopters tend to stick out against the bright, flat backgrounds and characters.
- The camera that goes down the stairs in "Group Therapy", kinda looks like something out of Doom
- And then there's the falling Christmas tree...
- And the helicopter Harry Osborn is impressively adept at piloting...
Conspicuous Trenchcoat - Green Goblin in "Subtext"
Continuity Nod - "Tell me I didn't fall for a gag I used on Shocker..."
- In "Gangland", we see the nerdy guy Spidey webbed up with a hot girl during a car chase in season 1 proposing to said girl.
- When Mysterio is revealed to be another duplicate in Opening Night, Spidey grimaces "I KNEW he was a bot" after making sure the one he put in jail wasn't, well, a bot. That's irony.
- "I can't believe someone is posing as me, framing me, AGAIN! Please be Chameleon, please be Chameleon"
  - And in that same episode, Captain Stacy reminds Jonah what happened last time he jumped the gun when someone impersonated Spidey.
Contest Winner Cameo - There was an advertised contest for a given school to appear in a future episode. Appeared in "Gangland".
Corrupt Corporate Executive - Norman Osborn, respected Oscorp CEO, very much exemplifies this trope, working both sides of the fence with impunity. And in his own way, L. Thompson Lincoln/Tombstone.
Costume Copycat - Chameleon disguises himself as Spider-Man to perform a series of robberies.
Could Have Been Messy
Crowning Moment Of Awesome- in "Final Curtain", Spidey takes on the Green Goblin, his mini-army of "Pumpkinheads" (armed to the brim with high-tech weapons, in fact), while going through a booby-trapped city street, all by himself. Whoah...
Crowning Moment Of Funny - Start at 6:50. The CMOF comes out of nowhere, and during EVERY repeated watching this troper has burst into uncontrollable giggles. GAHHAHAHAHA!
- I don't get it.
Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming - Much of the later part of Intervention.
- And the Christmas Episode!
Crying Little Kid - Inverted. The child's mother pushes her out of harm's way, but remains in danger herself until Spider-Man swings to the rescue.
Cue Cullen - The series gained a lot of fan support when Greg Weisman, the creator of Gargoyles, was revealed to be handling the show.
Curb Stomp Battle - Tombstone's first encounter with Spidey
Curse Cut Short
Cut Lex Luthor A Check - Inverted. Norman Osborn and the Big Man turn a profit by antagonizing Spider-Man. One gets research funding, while the other keeps Spidey too distracted by Supervillains to bother with him.
- Mysterio and Tinker play it straight, though. Those Ridiculously Human Robots must cost a ton of money, and they would likely make them tons of profit legitimately. Green Goblin's squad of hover-tanks would also revolutionize warfare if he sold them to the government instead of giving them to gang-bangers.
The Cyrano - Flash Thompson tries to get Peter to help him impress a girl immune to his Jerk Jock charms.
Da Editor - "Jolly" J. Jonah Jameson
The Danza - Stan Lee as Stan the Dockworker.
Dark Action Girl - Black Cat, Silver Sable
Dating Catwoman - Spider-Man and the Black Cat
Deadly Dodging - Spider-Man does this to cause Shocker to destroy a building, and again to get the Rhino to rupture sewer pipes. And constantly during the Sinister Six fight.
- Lampshaded in the first season finale when he tricks Venom into punching a float, causing it to slowly descend:
  Spider-man: (to Venom) "Now shouldn't y'all have seen that coming?"
- Subverted in the second season when RHINO, of all people, manages to make this backfire on him.
Deadpan Snarker - Most of the characters have mild instances of this. Like always, Spidey is the king of deadpan snarking.
Death By Origin Story - Uncle Ben. Come on!
Death Course - Green Goblin sets up one of these for both Tombstone and Spider-Man at a refinery with No OSHA Compliance.
Death Glare - Gwen has "The Look", which has the same general effect.
Defrosting Ice Queen - Cheerleader Liz Allan warms up to Peter.
Deliberately Monochrome - The scenes in the Journey To The Center Of The Mind in Intervention, including the Super Hero Origin Flash Back
Destined Bystander - Nearly all the villains, as well as, probably, Gwen Stacy
Ding Sportswear Pantyhose And Tropes: In "Reinforcements".
Mysterio: "Second Floor - Toys, Housewares, Superhero Defeat."
Disco Dan - Hammerhead is a walking throwback to Al Capone-era gangsterism, from his accent to his vintage car.
Distressed Damsel - Lampshaded when Spider-Man points out that Norman Osborn is his very first rescue of this type. Liz, Gwen, and Mary-Jane all get their moments too.
Do I Really Sound Like That? - "Persona"
Chameleon Spider-Man - "How 'bout a taste of Spider-PUNCH!"
Spider-Man - "Please tell me I don't sound like that, or at least that I offer a higher-quality quip."
Dogged Nice Guy - Subverted when Betty Brant turns down Peter's advances after a talk with Aunt May.
Dont Explain The Joke: "Reinforcements"
Spider-Man: [Being knocked into a vehicle] Ohh! Anyone get the number of that sleigh?
Sandman: [laughs] Ain't he a clever boy! [To Rhino] See, it's Christmas Eve and he said "sleigh". You know, instead of "truck"?
Do They Know Its Christmas Time - Spidey tries appealing to seasonal spirit to stop the new Sinister Six. No such luck.
Double Entendre - The show's favored method of Getting Crap Past The Radar, like when Liz admires Peter's Halloween costume:
Liz Allan:"You can web me up anytime, Petey."
Black Cat: Just don't get any of your goo in my hair.
Black Cat: "If you're fed up enough with the thankless hero thing to match your image to mine, then I have to ask, are we going to bad guys together, partner ... or just plain bad?" ;)
Dramatic Irony - Peter sees Jameson is calling him and doesn't pick up his phone, presuming that he's just going to yell about not getting pictures; instead he's calling to let Peter know Aunt May had a heart attack.
- To those who indeed knew this already, the implied dramatic irony of making us love her so was subverted by avoiding Gwen Stacy's arc.
The Dragon - Hammerhead, right hand man to Tombstone.
- Silver Sable for her father Silvermane
- Electro and the Vulture both play this role to Doc Ock at varying times.
Dressed To Kill - Hammerhead, Tombstone
Drop What You Are Doing - Gwen Stacy drops her books in shock at finding Harry Osborn passed out cold on the ground.
Early Bird Cameo - So very many. The first episode alone introduces nearly a dozen pre-villainy supervillains.
- It seems like every named character is a reference to the comics. Word Of God confirms there will be no "original" characters in this series.
- Just to show The Producer Thinks Of Everything, the actor who runs the school play in season 2 was the one who called in May's heart attack in season 1.
Eating Lunch Alone - Gwen in "Intervention".
Economy Cast - If an episode needs cops bursting into a scene, it's going to be Jean DeWolff and Stan Carter—a bit surprising, considering the show's surprisingly large cast.
Elite Mooks - Tombstone's bodyguards.
Embarrassing Old Photo - Flash earned his nickname when he was four, and it wasn't just because he was fast.
Enemy Mine - Spider-Man and Rhino extremely reluctantly team up in "Accomplices".
- Also, back in season 1, Tombstone and Spidey team up against the Green Goblin, with both saving the other's lives. Things return to normal between them afterwards though.
- Tombstone also does this when caught out in public with Doctor Octopus and Silvermane in a cybernetic exoskeleton, seeing as he's a Villain With Good Publicity he has to fight alongside Spider-Man until the cameras are no longer pointed at him..
Enemy Within - The Symbiote in "Intervention". After it fuses with Eddie Brock at the end of the same episode, they become...
- Enemy Without - Venom
Establishing Shot
Even Evil Has Standards - Doc Ock politely asks and waits for Aunt May and Anna Watson to excuse themselves from the upcoming brawl between the Sinister Six and Spidey, even halting Rhino as he tries to charge through them.
- That may be a nod to a brief storyline where Doc Ock tried to marry Aunt May in the comics.
Everything Is Online
Evil Albino - Tombstone
Evil Costume Switch - Doctor Octopus, Spider-Man
Evil Duo - Flint Marko and Alex O'Hirn before they became Supervillains; they team up again in "Reinforcements" as the second tier of Sinister Six members.
Evil Foreigner - If the Chameleon's stuffy Russian accent is any indication.
- Kraven too.
Evil Power Vacuum - Season 2's Gang War story. "And nature abhors a vacuum..."
Evolutionary Levels - "Lizard DNA is more primitive than human."
Exact Eaves Dropping - Season 2 finale - Harry overhears Peter and Gwen finally admitting their true feelings to each other... as well as their realization that they have to break up with their current significant others to be able to actually do anything. Guess who Gwen is dating?
Exactly What I Aimed At
Executive Meddling - The original plan was to create extra material for each episode, then use it to edit each Story Arc into a movie for the DVD releases. But only the first arc was released like this before Sony switched to just plain episodes on DVD, leaving extra footage we might not ever see.
Expository Theme Tune
Expressive Mask - Spider-Man's, Green Goblin's and Chameleon's masks, Doctor Octopus' goggles, Flash's donkey's head especially.
Eyepatch Of Power - Patch
The Faceless - The Chameleon's real face is concealed behind a featureless white full-head mask.
- Mysterio, when he has his crystal ball-shaped helmet on.
Face Framed In Shadow - Walter Hardy, in "Opening Night".
Failed A Spot Check - "Group Therapy" Peter doesn't know the Sinister Six have escaped despite it being the number one item in the news. Aunt May's absence also eludes him.
- Also, S02 E07: Identity crisis, in which two thugs see Flash dressed up as Spider-Man wearing a cast and decide to beat the stuffing out of him... In front of about fifty reporters.
Faking The Dead - Norman Osborn (Green Goblin) in the season 2 finale. He even changes his appearance and leaves on a plane.
Falling Chandelier Of Doom - in "Gangland"
Fan Nickname - Many.
- THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-BRO.
- Doc Ock has two. Pre-breakdown is "D'awwwc Ock", post- is "DOCTOR OCTOPUS, LORD OF THE VAMPIRES". Just watch the episode with the famed opera fight to see what I'm talking about.
- Due to the various girls Pete/Spidey attracts, fans have decided to rename the show "BITCHES LOVE SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES".
Fantastic Aesop - Green Goblin Harry, Venom and Colonel Jupiter teach us the extremely applicable life lesson that With Great Power Comes Great Insanity.
Fantastic Drug - Impressively, Harry's Globulin Green addiction manages to evoke steroid, Ritalin and heroin abuse all at once.
Fastball Special - Spidey and Rhino's Team Up, Ox and Ricochet
Fear Leads To Anger - Gwen to Peter
Feed Me - "TREACHERYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!"
Femme Fatale - The Black Cat
Fiery Redhead - Mary Jane Watson
Five Bad Band - The Sinister Six
- The Big Bad - Doctor Octopus, the leader of the bunch and perhaps the most competent.
- The Dragon - Electro wields more raw power than anyone else on the team, and is also the most loyal to Doc Ock.
- The Evil Genius - Vulture, a Gadgeteer Genius.
- The Brute - Sandman and Rhino share the position.
- The Dark Chick - Shocker. The closest thing to an ordinary guy on the team. While quite formidable, his teammates tend to outstrip him in power and/or smarts.
  - The Sixth Column - Mysterio and Kraven, who join in Season 2.
Flash Back - "Intervention"
Flaw Exploitation - This is Spider-Man's standard MO for defeating villains. Doctor Octopus attempts to do this with a Hostage For Mc Guffin.
Flight - The Vulture's magnetic air transport system and the Green Goblin's Tech-Flight glider allow them to fly.
First Kiss - Peter's first kiss was actually given to him by Black Cat at the end of "Persona"—a classic Spider-Man Upside Down Kiss.
Foreshadowing - While virtually every Chekhovs Gunman could quality, Season 2 earns mention when Harry literally casts the Goblin's shadow
For Halloween I Am Going As Myself - Peter goes to a Halloween festival as Spider-Man, and gets compliments on how well he fills out his costume. Black Cat evidently likes Halloween too.
Freak Lab Accident - Spider-Man, Electro, The Sandman, Doctor Octopus
Freak Out - Electro snaps, unable to cope with his loss of humanity. Doctor Octopus suffers traumatic electrical shock, and goes from meek to megalomaniacal.
Freudian Slip - Pete says Gwen's name instead of Liz's in an inner monologue
Fridge Brilliance - You really have to watch each episode two or three times in order to pick up on the subplots, subtext and foreshadowing that become important later.
Fun Personified - Mary Jane Watson
Gadgeteer Genius - The Vulture invented his flight-capable Powered Armor, while Mason creates all the Chameleon's Shoe Phone technology.
Genetic Engineering Is The New Nuke - Spider-Man, Electro, The Lizard
Getting Crap Past The Radar
Mary Jane Watson:...but if I can't dance with Pete, I guess I'll dance with...it's Randy, right?
Rand Robertson: Very.
- and...
"Well, you are the expert on premature gloatalation."
- and...
Liz Allen "You can web me up anytime, Petey."
- and... well a good chunk of Black Cat's dialogue but:
"You better not get your goop in my hair."
- After Peter, Liz, Harry and Gwen decide to go to Flash's birthday party as a double-date:
Harry: "Then it's settled! This Saturday we're a foursome!"
Glad I Thought Of It - J. Jonah Jameson does this with Peter Parker's idea to take pictures of Spider-Man.
The Glasses Gotta Go - Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy
Grenade Hot Potato - Goblin tosses up a Pumpkin Bomb in the Billiard Room that gets tossed from person to person until it blows up a pool table.
The Good Captain - Colonel Jupiter
Goofy Print Underwear - Peter's Heart-Pattern Thermals. (They were on sale.)
Gosh Dang It To Heck - Spider-Man says "Every single blasted fragment of you?!?"
Grappling Hook Pistol - Spider-Man's webshooters, Black Cat's rope shooter
Grandma What Massive Hotness You Have - Well, more like Aunt May What Massive Hotness You Have. She does not look her age.
Hard Head - Hammerhead.
Heart Symbol - Peter and Gwen hide from reporters behind a sculpture with a heart shaped window that frames their faces.
Heavy Sleeper - in "Group Therapy", Peter or rather, the symbiote using Peter's body while he's asleep, fights AND defeats the Sinister Six.
He Knows Too Much - The motivation behind the Green Goblin's attempted murder of Otto Octavius.
He Who Must Not Be Seen - Master Planner
Hellish Pupils - The Vulture/Adrian Toomes has comma-shaped pupils, which look particularly odd when he's out of costume.
Heroes Want Red Heads - Peter is interested in Mary Jane, but is rebuffed.
Heroic Bystander - Eddie Brock defends his friends from Electro, and helps Spider-Man fight the Lizard. John Jameson helps Spidey find a timebomb. Flash Thompson subverts this, putting himself in harm's way.
Heroic Sacrifice - Sandman, sort of.
- A variation in Opening Night, as the Cat Burglar decides to unleash the tranquilizer gas on the escaped prisoners, leading to him being knocked out as well, and going back to prison.
Hey It's That Voice - Try to watch a whole episode and not recognize at least one character's VA from a different show. The voice actors of this series are on the same level as The Avengers in both quality and quantity.
Hopeless Suitor - Liz Allan verges on this with Peter in the second season, even when they actually are dating. Despite being completely empathetic and nice to him, Peter is preoccupied with Gwen for most of the time, to the point that when leaving in the middle of a date, he apologizes to Gwen who is double-dating with Harry and ignores Liz.
Hostage For Mc Guffin - Doctor Octopus takes Liz Allan hostage to force Spider-Man to fork over desired Applied Phlebotinum.
- The Master Planner also takes Gwen hostage so that Captain Stacy can get him Homeland Security Defense Codes. The Doc/ Planner is very fond of this tactic.
Hostage Situation - Played straight when Electro holds the genetics lab staff hostage to force them to develop a cure for his condition.
How We Got Here - "Catalysts", "First Steps"
High School Dance - The fall formal is the subject of much agonizing as Peter tries to find a suitable date.
Hollywood Cyborg - Doctor Octopus
Hollywood Nerd - Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker
Homage Shot - Numerous Comic Book Covers are used in the series including Amazing Fantasy #15, ASM#33 ASM #39, ASM #100 and more.
I Just Want To Be Normal - Peter briefly considers taking a Power Nullifier. Electro is in pursuit of a cure for his powers.
Idiosyncratic Episode Naming - Episode titles are all derived from scientific terminology, grouped by field:
- Weisman has referred to the season 1 groups as "Biology 101", "Economics 101", "Chemistry 101", and "Psychology 101".
- Season 2 has "Engineering 101", "Pediatrics 101", "Criminology 101" and finally, "Theatrics 101".
Idiosyncratic Wipes - Spider hordes, symbiote pseudopods, and pumpkin bombs.
If You Know What I Mean - Peter and Harry both know what "nice personality" usually means, and the viewers are expected to as well.
Ignored Vital News Reports - the Sinister Six's breakout in "Group Therapy"
I Knew It - In the first season, we are introduced to Green Goblin. Most people by now know that Norman Osborn is the Green Goblin, and at first the show didn't do much to deny this, giving several indications that it was he. Then later that season, we were shown that it was in fact Harry Osborn. When Goblin made his return in the second season, the final episodes played up the idea that other people could be the Goblin, giving the audience some very serious misdirection. Even this troper, who is rather well versed in Spider-Man lore, thought that possibly they would change the identity of the Goblin. Of course, all of this was proven to be just subterfuge, as in the final episode it was revealed that the Goblin had, in fact, been Norman Osborn all along.
- Adding to the confusion, of course, was the fact that Harry Osborn was also the Goblin in the comics for a while.
Imagine Spot - When asked to try out for the football team with Harry, Peter has a brief, absurdist fantasy of making touchdowns while in costume and wearing a football helmet.
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: The Vulture clearly attended before he added lasers to his harness.
Improbable Weapon User - Silver Sable wields a giant staple gun.
Incredibly Lame Pun - The Goblin reports to Tombstone that Hammerhead is "tied up at the moment", and chuckles. "You gotta love the classics."
- In "First Steps" Sandman is hired to steal "The Urn of Morpheus" (Morpheus is the God of Dreams and is also known as "The Sandman")
Indulgent Fantasy Segue - Otto Octavius fantasizes about attacking his domineering boss Norman Osborn mere minutes before his high-voltage Freak Out, after which he does it for real.
In Medias Res - "Subtext"
Intrepid Reporter - Daily Bugle reporter Ned Lee is investigating Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.
- Fredrick Foswell fits this trope as well, if not more so.
~~Is This A Joke?~~ Am I Being Punked? - Stan Lee ironically provides same the explanation for the surrounding weirdness that he gave to the citizens of the Marvel U when he was writing back in the Silver Age. Aunt May asks the same thing when questioned if her nephew is Spider-Man.
Ironic Echo Cut - "Intervention" Tombstone says "That's the deal." Cut to Martha Connors saying "That's the deal."
It Only Works Once - Doc Ock explicitly mentions that none of the previous methods Spider-Man has used to beat members of the Sinister Six will work this time. He has an alternate power source, Vulture has an armored control unit, and Electro can now control his powers in water, and The Rhino isno longer dumb enough to enter closed spaces.
Its Always Spring - Averted. Time passes realistically, with Season 1 going from September to November and Season 2 from December to March.
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique - Spidey does this with The Tinkerer in "Shear Strength".
Jerk Jock - Flash Thompson, Kenny "King" Kong. Flash is softening up, though; He's the one who brought Pete back down to earth and clued him in on the way he was acting
Jerk With A Heart Of Gold - J. Jonah Jameson. Phenomenal dick? You betcha, but he's a phenomenal dick that would risk death by giant rhino-man to protect a worker. Also Flash Thompson by Season 2.
Journey To The Center Of The Mind - Spider-Man is forced into one of these by the symbiote
Just Friends - This frustrates Gwen, because she doesn't want to risk their friendship by telling Peter that she wants to be More Than Friends.
Just Hit Him
Just Think Of The Potential - Connors' rationalization for developing his formula
Karma Houdini - Black Cat, but thankfully, not her dad, who murdered Uncle Ben, and stays in prison despite Cat's break out attempt
Kick The Wrong Dog/ Mistaken For Murderer - Dr. Octopus attacks Spider-Man on the wrong accusation that he tried to kill him because the doc thought Spider-Man figured out he "created" Sandman and Rhino; it was actually Green Goblin behind the accident.
Doc Ock: Don't play games with me, hero. You tried to destroy me! But you failed.
Spider-Man: Destroy you? ~~Hell~~ Pal, I don't even know you!
Kid Hero - Spider-Man
Language Of Magic - Complete with Latin
Large And In Charge - Tombstone
Large Ham - We're VENOM!! Eddie
- And later on Mysterio. Oh so much. As Tinkerer mutters, "Actors"
- Doc Ock, especially the first time he speaks after completing his Face Heel Turn: "Silence!! You imperious moron!!!" He later gets lines like "Arachniiiiid!", "TREACHERYYYYYY!", and "Then L. Thompson Lincoln is WEEEEAK!"
Laser Hallway - Peculiarly, appears in the ESU genetics lab to deter theft of the "ooze."
- Black Cat remarks "Lasers, how original."
Latex Perfection - Master Of Disguise the Chameleon wears this type of mask over his own full-face mask.
Le Parkour - This Spider-Man doesn't just Wall Crawl, he wall runs, too. Black Cat pulls it off as well.
Laughing Mad - Harry Osborn
Leaning On The Fourth Wall
Doctor Octopus: Do you ever shut up!?
Spider-Man: Sorry, no. My fans expect a certain amount of quippage every battle.
Legion Of Doom - The Sinister Six
Lego Genetics - Spider-Man, the Lizard
Left Hanging - As of the second season finale, there are a few unresolved plot threads, such as Miles Warren taking control of Connors' old lab and using it to perform illegal experiments to create super soldiers.
Leitmotif - Snippets from the 60's and 90's series can be heard in the background music.
Lex Luthor Security - Tombstone's office, lampshaded.
The Libby - Sally Avril. Gradually, she becomes just a little nicer.
Lightning Can Do Anything - Electric and bioelectric shocks grant Electro superpowers, which catalyze a gene-altering formula. Electromagnetic shock fuses Doctor Octupus' harness to his spine, causing his Freak Out.
- Miles Warren actually lampshades (or justifies, depending on your point of view this by saying that the only way to get the gene-altering formula to work is to catalyze it with a big dose of electricity.
Limited Wardrobe
Loads And Loads Of Characters - It's what happens when you take nearly every major and minor character from Spider-Man's history and put them all in one show.
- Find any named character. Any of them. Then look them up on The Other Wiki. They will be there.
Love Dodecahedron - The dynamics of the Midtown high group are enormously complicated, but succinctly - Gwen and Liz both like Peter, Peter likes Gwen & Liz and also MJ, MJ flirts with Flash but also comes to really like Mark Allen, Liz has lingering feelings for ex-boyfriend Flash, who finds MJ attractive but then focusses on Sha-Shan, Gwen dates Harry, who previously dated Glory, who left him somewhat inexplicably for Kenny, and I'm sure there are others in there.
Love Makes You Crazy - Eddie Brock's love for... the Symbiote.
Love Triangle - A fairly straightforward one as of the end of season 2 between Harry, Gwen and Peter. complicated by the fact that Harry is aware of Peter and Gwen's mutual attraction, but they are unaware that he knows.
- Also, Peter, Eddie Brock and the Symbiote. Yeah.
Master Of Disguise - The Chameleon, Fredrick Foswell
Master Of Illusion - Beck, the Chameleon's special effects wizard, who, in season 2, dons the guise of Mysterio.
Mean Boss - Norman Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson
Meaningful Name - Patch
Spider-Man - Really? Your parents must have had foresight.
- Justified - it's a cover identity for Fredrick Foswell.
Meganekko - Gwen Stacy.
Melee A Trois - The massive battle between Silvermane, Tombstone, Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man in "Gangland".
- And a couple episodes earlier (in "Accomplices") with everyone's lieutenants: Silver Sable, Hammerhead, Rhino, and Spidey.
Mind Hug - Peter's memories of Uncle Ben allowing him to fight off the symbiote, culminating in a very heartwarming pair of montages
Mad Scientist - Doctor Octopus
Made Of Iron - The Rhino can bust through walls and survive a fall from the top floor of a building unscathed. His environs aren't so lucky. Hammerhead can likewise smash walls with his extraordinarily hard skull.
Magnificent Bastard - Tombstone, Dr. Octopus, Norman Osborn, whose schemes run rings around every other character in the show.
Male Gaze - Black Cat + Tight Air Vent =
Marilyn Maneuver - Spidey uses a web slingshot that causes a breeze that causes a nearby woman to experience this in "Reaction"
The Masochism Tango - Randy Robertson/Sally Avril; seriously, Rand, why?
Mirror Scare - Octavius discovers the Green Goblin in this way. It's also inverted when the viewer sees Harry's face reflected as the Green Goblin.
Monster Of The Week - Tombstone explains that he wants to keep Spider-Man busy fighting super-powered brutes to distract Spidey from combating his rather profitable crime empire
Moral Event Horizon - Norman framing Harry solidifies him as an amoral bastard. But injuring Harry's leg to do it demonstrates a casual cruelty and cowardice that erases any hint of redemption.
Morally Ambiguous Doctorate - Doctor Octopus
Motifs: Speakspeare Quotes, The Opera, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Motive Decay - Averted in "Group Therapy", where after the first go at fighting Spider-Man, the Sinister Six nearly break up because most of them view fighting Spider-Man as a distraction from their personal goals.
Multi Armed And Dangerous - Doctor Octopus, yet again.
Mythology Gag - many shots are based on or even directly stolen from the live-action movies
- Some shots are straight from comic book covers, including the famous Amazing Spider-Man #100 cover.
- Spidey uses one of The Thing's many Catchphrase "What a revoltin' development this is"
- Combining this with possible Foreshadowing, Stan Carter complains that Spider-Man "doesn't go far enough" when dealing with criminals. The comicbook version of Carter was actually the psychotic vigilante Sin-Eater, who went way beyond "far enough" including the murder of Jean DeWolff
- Doc Ock had two girls on his arms in "Accomplices", and the blond one of them bears a resemblance to Stunner, one of Doc's in-comic girls. Some say the black haired one looks a bit like Mary-Alice, his first fiance.
- As well as some to the fans for example, lack of banter was a complaint about the movies, so when fighting a villain who yells "Why won't you just shut up?!" Spidey responds, "Sorry, my fans expect a certain amount of quippage in every fight."
- The Season 2 episode "Shear Strength" has Spidey trapped into a situation similar to the comic books, where he had to save the life of a loved one despite being buried under a big fricking machine.
Name That Tune - In the season 2 episode "Probable Cause" Ox starts humming the show's theme tune while he and the other Enforcers are riding down an elevator. When Shocker and Ricochet look at him incredulously he responds . . .
Ox: What? It's catchy.
Names To Run Away From Really Fast - Tombstone, Venom. Peter even lampshades it.
Peter - "The guy calling himself "Venom", Does that name inspire trust?"
Narm - Eddie Brock, post-Venom, in his moments without the symbiote.
Eddie - It only loves me for the hate!
Necro Cam - The camera dives into Peter's bloodstream after the spider bites him in the opening theme.
- Also when we see Dr. Octopus' harness merge with his spine.
Nerd Glasses - Otto Octavius' coke-bottle lenses reduce his eyes to hazy black dots
Never Say Die - The occasional "destroy" still gets dropped, but so do actual terms like murder and die.
New Transfer Student - Mary Jane Watson
New York City
Nice Job Breaking It Hero - Peter wasn't responsible for Electro's Start Of Darkness, but he sure helped push him over the edge.
Nightmare Fuel - Curt Connors' transformation into the Lizard, around the time that the good doctor's head implodes.
- Or just a few episodes later when Flint Marko's head explodes after turning into the Sandman.
- Should call it the "Spooktacular Spiderman". Guys like Venom, Tombstone, Otto's tenticles.
No One Could Survive That - Season 2 finale. The Green Goblin, a.k.a. Norman Osborn, atop his trademark flyer sails right into a roof-mounted pumpkin-bomb launcher—which proceeds to go boom with gusto. At the end of the episode, we see a newly blond and facial-hair-sporting Norman Osborn boarding a flight to a tropical island.
No OSHA Compliance - The refinery Death Course Green Goblin sets for Spider-Man and Tombstone.
Not Now Bernard - Shocker dismisses O'Hirn this way when fighting Spider-Man
Not So Harmless - Doctor Octopus
Oblivious Guilt Slinging - Invoked, by Harry pretending to be oblivious but really being a Manipulative Bastard.
Off Model - Occurs throughout the series from time to time. According to Word Of God, the animation was inconsistent.
The One With - ...insert Supervillain debut here
Open The Iris - In particular, Harry's irises shrink to pinpricks when he's angered under the influence of Globulin Green.
- Hilariously, with the way all characters' irises are huge in this series, when this happens to Harry, instead of making him look scary, it makes him look more normal than his fellow cast members.
Ordinary High School Student - Peter Parker
Orphaned Punchline - "...making this the third time the singer's baby was found driving her car."
The Other Darrin - After the first episode, Keith David is replaced with Kevin Michael Richardson in the role of Tombstone.
Paranoia Fuel - Eddie Brock uses this to make Peter reveal the location of the symbiote, making him Venom once more.
Peeka Boo - Flint Marko is depicted as nude when serving as an experimental subject, but clever blocking conceals anything below waist level.
Pet The Dog - Sandman helps a little girl at the beach. Hammerhead calls him out on it.
Playing With Fire - Mark Allan/Molten Man
Post Kiss Catatonia - Peter after Gwen kisses him in the season 1 finale
- It's turned into a running gag, what with Black Cat kissing him in "Persona", and then Liz Allan kissing him in "Shear Strength". Same reaction every time (Though he said the kiss from Gwen was a lot more shocking to him than the one from Black Cat)
Power Incontinence - Electro
Power Nullifier - The "gene cleanser" antidote for Curt Connors' transformation, a tube of which Peter considers taking himself, and later washes down the sink, as an affirmation that Spider-man is "his destiny".
Powered Armor - Silvermane
The Power Of Friendship - How Peter fights against the Symbiote for control of his body.
The Power Of Love - Pretty much how Spider-Man defeats Venom in "Nature vs. Nurture".
Professor Guinea Pig - Curt Connors doses himself with his own formula.
Promotion To Opening Titles - The theme from the first few episodes showcased our Three Amigos plus J. Jonah Jameson. In episode 10, Mary Jane replaced Harry's spot and since then, Peter, along with the three other characters most important to the episode's story are used in the credits.
Psycho Electro - Electro, in his debut episode, provides a perfect example of this trope, essentially running around in a panic and discharging voltage uncontrollably. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't get much better; if anything, he's gotten worse.
- Hell, he provides the trope's picture.
Psycho Serum - Globulin Green, an addictive steroid, causes blackouts and gives its user a Superpowered Evil Side. It's a handy way to adapt the comic book Harry's famous drug addiction for Saturday morning cartoons.
Punch Clock Villain - The reluctant Otto Octavius, before his Freak Out. Also, the Sandman is generally only in it for a "big score," hates revenge, and is kind to children.
Put On A Bus - Harry Osborn was sent on a trip ~~abroad~~ to rehab for multiple episodes.
Race Lift - Liz Allan is now Latina. Ned Leeds is now Asian, and re-named Ned Lee. Kenny "King Kong" McFarlane is now Kenny "King" Kong, also Asian. Jean De Wolff, Debra Whitman and Roderick Kingsley are also noticeably darker than their comic counterparts.
Reasonable Authority Figure - Captain Stacy
Record Needle Scratch - Accompanies cheerleader Sally Avril's blunt rejection of Peter when he asks her out in the first episode.
Redemption Equals Death - Sandman
Reflective Eyes - "Final Curtain" The Unmasked Goblin is reflected in Harry's Eyes.
Rescue Romance - Spidey saves a guy and a girl by webbing them together. For them its Love At First Sight
Spidey - "You Can Thank Me Later Dude."
- In a Continuity Nod, , we see this guy propose to the same girl in "Gangland"
Required Secondary Powers: Mentioned with regularity. Notably, the Shocker can take tons of punishment for the same reason that he is unharmed by his own weaponry.
Rhymes On A Dime - Green Goblin in "Opening Night"
Ridiculously Human Robots - Mysterio has many to disguise himself with, fitting his illusionist persona.
Right Hand Versus Left Hand - From a few obscure lines you'd think that the Sinister Six were going to tear themselves apart through arguments, which is what Spider Man has invoked in other adaptations. Instead they stayed relatively cool with each other, but their individual attacks would accidently take out other teammates.
Rogues Gallery
Roofhopping - Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus
Running Gag - Gwen gives her friends "the look" when angry. Mary Jane, before she actually appears, is repeatedly described as having a "wonderful personality shudder." Hobie Brown being interrupted every time he attempts to say something.
- "Am I being punked?"
Save The Villain: Spidey, to his dismay, saves Electro from Master Planner's Collapsing Lair.
Scary Black Man - Tombstone...no, really. Evil Albino, remember? Also, all his mooks. Except for the albino thing. Oh, and a few of those mooks are Scary Black Women.
School Play - The production of A Midsummer Nights Dream becomes a major subplot in Season 2.
Screw The Money I Have Rules - Tombstone offers to buy Spider-Man's services in exchange for looking the other way now and then, but he declines. Though he takes the deal when fused with the Symbiote, once it's gone, he rejects the offer again.
Screwed By The Network - Why Disney XD waited until summer to air Season 2 I'll never know.
Secret Identity
Secret Identity Change Trick - Used often. At one point, this backfires on Peter, when it looks as though he lied about where he was going in order to take pictures of Spider-Man.
Secret Keeper - George Stacy keeps hinting that He Knows.
Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness - Doctor Octopus
Shadow Discretion Shot - The first time the Lizard appears, the horror of the transformation is depicted in shadows and the reactions of Mrs. Connor, Eddie Brock, and Gwen Stacy.
She Cleans Up Nicely - Gwen shows up to her date with Harry sans glasses and in a dress and heels
She Is All Grown Up - Hammerhead says this about Silver Sable
Shipper On Deck - Mary Jane; a Peter/Gwen shipper all the way.
Ship Tease - ><;;;
Short Run In Peru - Canada aired the entire second season before the US even started on it. And then Disney put it on hiatus midway through...
Shout Out - Greg Weisman's Gargoyles, quite a number of comic book cover homages, and musical leitmotifs from the 60's and 90's series are all referenced.
- The statue of Atlas is a reoccurring feature, likely a shout out to "Atlas Shrugged" in keeping with Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko's objectivism.
- In "Opening Night" Black Cat uses a fake ID with the name "Selina Drew" "Drew" is probably a reference to Spider-Woman, aka Jessica Drew, while "Selina" may refer to Catwoman, of whom Black Cat is an Expy.
- In "Nature Vs. Nuture" Peter wonders if "Romita's" delivers Turkey Pizza. A reference to artists John Romita and John Romita Jr.
- There may also be some homage to Batman Beyond Because, at some point during the fight with the Sinister Six (First fight), Spider-Man defeats Shocker the same way Shriek was defeated.
- The battle damage that Spider-Man suffers in his fight with the Green Goblin in season 2 looks like it came from the movie.
Significant Anagram - Of course a criminal named Alex O'Hirn would be called The Rhino.
Skyward Scream - A minor version in the season finale; after Venom ties Spidey up and threatens to destroy everything in his life, the camera pulls out just a little bit as Spidey lets out a fairly low-grade Big No.
Slave To PR - To preserve his public image, Tombstone refuses to do or say anything villainous when civilians that could incriminate him are around.
Slippery Skid - Spidey uses bowling balls to try and stop The Rhino
Spider-Man: "This always works in the cartoons!" *Rhino smashes them by stepping on them rather than slipping* "Agh! Television so cannot be trusted."
Smug Snake - Miles Warren (who admittedly seems perfectly content as right-hand-man to real Magnificent Bastard Norman Osborn), Hammerhead (in the Gang War arc, when he turns against Tombstone only to become the Goblin's pawn.)
So Proud Of You - Osborn, after revealing to be the real Green Goblin, says he's never been so proud of Harry in the second season finale. A shame poor Harry probably didn't hear him...
Soft Glass
Soft Water
Something Person - Spider-Man, Sandman
Something They Would Never Say - "Norman Osborn never apologizes!"
Spider Sense
Spot Of Tea - John Devereaux was having one in the faculty lounge in "Identity Crisis".
The Starscream: Pretty much everyone's Dragon in the gang war arc, especially Hammerhead, which is surprising because he seemed to be extremely faithful toward his leader. However, he is understandably fired by said boss shortly after they (Or at least the boss) were arrested.
Stepping Stones In The Sky - at the beginning of "Shear Strength"
Steven Ulysses Perhero - Otto Octavius = Doctor Octopus.
Story Arc - There are multiple arcs that overlap one another. They consist of three episodes unless stated otherwise:
- Season 1: The Lizard, The Big Man, Green Goblin, The Symbiote (4 episodes)
- Season 2: Master Planner (4 episodes), Venom Strikes Back, Gang War, Return of the Green Goblin
Strange Bedfellows - in "Accomplices": Hammerhead and Silver Sable, Spidey and Rhino
Super Hero Origin - presented in flashback during "Intervention"
Supervillain Lair - The Master Planner's Underwater Fortress, complete with Hacker Cave and Self Destruct Mechanism that causes it to collapse.
Superpowered Evil Side - The Green Goblin. And naturally, with the addition of the alien symbiote, Spider-Man's getting his very own. At first, it simply made him slightly more ruthless and convinced him to lie to protect it. But apparently, it took over completely during his second confrontation with the Sinister Six, given that he doesn't remember the battle afterwards, he didn't make a single quip during it, and he nearly killed Doc Ock before Captain Stacy told him not to.
Talking Is A Free Action - Subverted. When Spider-Man takes the time to say "Woah! My Spider Sense is tingli—!" he is caught in a net before he can finish. Afterwards, his sense is never announced again.
Talking To Himself - Several instances
Tear Jerker - Venom: "WE'RE NOT BROTHERS!!!"
Tempting Fate - at the beginning of "Natural Selection": "Looks like I'm finally making all the right decisions... all the right choices."
Third Person Person - Mysterio and Kraven. Venom, on the other hand, refers to himself in the first-person plural.
This Is Gonna Suck - Spidey actually says the line (substituting "hurt" for "suck") in "Accomplices"
This Is Reality - Spidey trying to use bowling balls to make Rhino trip and failing:
"This always works in the cartoons!"
"Oh, television can so not be trusted!"
Throw The Dog A Bone - Hobie Brown is given the role of Puck in "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" after having previously been interrupted every time he opens his mouth in the show.
Title Drop - Spidey is referred to specifically as "The Spectacular Spider-Man" during his introduction as a wrestler in "Intervention".
- And even earlier in the first scene of the first episode.
Title Theme Tune
Too Dumb To Live - When Spidey apparently walks right into an ambush and gets pounded, Shocker uses these exact words to describe him. He is very wrong, and the fact he fell for Spidey playing possum possibly makes him an example.
Took A Level In Badass - Eddie Brock returns in the second season with what seems to be his own mechanical webshooters, and, more importantly, enough ninja skills to reliably track Spidey across the city and mislead him into thinking that Venom is back before actually reuniting with the symbiote.
Totally Radical - Averted with the usage of common slang, such as "Don't go emo on me, bro."
Transformation Trauma - Again, Connors' Lizard transformation. Flint Marko's transformation into the Sandman, a painful process that culminates when he explodes into sand.
Traintop Battle - Spider-Man fights the Lizard atop and inside a subway car.
Trickster - Spider-Man, Black Cat
Trope Overdosed - And how!
Two Guys And A Girl - Peter, Gwen, and Harry have been best friends for at least 4 years. Harry's dark side seems to be growing.
Underwater Base - Master Planner's HQ
The Unfavorite - Harry Osborn
Unlucky Childhood Friend - Gwen has this problem when trying to get Peter to notice her. Even after she kissed him, Pete is... "easily distracted," as MJ put it, and falls for the much more direct Liz Allen.
- Their UST finally headed for a resolution in the second finale only for a Love Triangle with Harry to put the hurt on again.
Unnecessary Makeover - Gwen Stacy. Your Mileage May Vary
Villainous Breakdown - Dr. Octopus suffers a rather calm breakdown in Shear Strength.
Villain Ball - grabbed very jarringly by Eddie Brock
Villain Team Up - "Group Therapy"
Villain With Good Publicity - Norman Osborn, Corrupt Corporate Executive and The Big Man, L. Thompson Lincoln, who is the philanthropic public face of crimelord Tombstone.
- Note that Tombstone manages to pull this off despite having superstrength and sharpened teeth that make him look Obviously Evil. That is some good publicity.
Wake Up Go To School Save The World
Wall Crawl - Spider-Man, The Lizard,Venom
Wangst - Venom's motivation
We Can Rule Together - Tombstone again, and later the Green Goblin
Well Done Son Guy - Harry Osborn, just, Harry Osborn. When he accomplishes something, he even brushes off his girlfriend congratulating him to call his dad.
Wham Episode - Identity Crisis.
- And now Final Curtain.
When All You Have Is A Hammer - Sandman gets progressively more creative with the ability to turn into sand. By the second season he's using his sand-shifting with a finesse that would impress Sir Crocodile.
Where Did They Get Lasers - While the guns most people carry are supposed to be realistic "shoot bullets" ones, they sound more like lasers or silenced shots. High-tech villains such as the Green Goblin, however, are all about the lasers. There's also a couple of instances of abnormal ammo, although these are rarer.
Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys - So far, it hasn't been mentioned where his webbing comes from, or where the web shooters themselves came from, or how he got his hands on a spotlight that fits on his belt and projects an image of his mask.
- Not to mention, how did he sew that suit without his aunt catching on to what he was doing?
Wolf Man - Spidey refers to mutant Kraven as one of these, even though there's no evidence of wolf DNA in his change.
The Woobie - Gwen, Otto Octavius
Xanatos Gambit - "It's all about misdirection", and boy is it ever...
- Eddie Brock, of all people, pulls a classic one, goading Spidey into leading him straight to the place where the alien symbiote is buried through Paranoia Fuel.
- Norman Osborn is the undisputed master of this, though it borders on Xanatos Roulette.
  - Well what do you expect from a show written by the creator of David Xanatos?
You Blockhead - Poor Peter gets this all the time
X Ray Sparks - Otto Octavius, during a massive electromagnetic shock
Yandere - The Venom symbiote.
Yank The Dogs Chain - Well, it is Spider-Man. Probably the best is "Hey, look, someone else gets superpowers and decides to use them for good! Not."
Yawn And Reach - Flash to Mary-Jane
You Fight Like A Cow - Spidey's famous battle patter

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