Spider-Man searches for a group of superheroes known as the American Six, who fought alongside Captain America during World War 2, while the Kingpin has the Insidious Six track down the now elderly members of the American Six get the keys to the Doomsday weapon the Red Skull created.
This episode provides examples of:
- Adaptation Name Change: Abraham Erskine, the scientist who turned Steve Rogers into Captain America was renamed "Joseph Reinstein". Downplayed in that "Dr. Reinstein" is a code-name Erskine used during his participation in Project Rebirth in the comics
- Adaptation Origin Connection: None of the American Warriors had origins in the original comics that connected them to attempts to recreate the formula that created Captain America. Nor were they grouped as a team that worked under Captain America.
- Adaptational Achilles Heel: The Whizzer, Miss America, and Destroyer need the use of rings to activate and deactivate their powers due to the instability of the serum. In the comics, they didn't need such rings as their powers were stable and could be used at any time. On the other hand...
- Adaptational Badass: Black Marvel and Thunderer had no super powers in the comics, instead being Badass Normals with Thunderer's sonic scream being the result of a device cobbled together from a microphone and a speaker built into his mask. Here, Black Marvel has powers similar to Captain America and Thunderer's sonic scream is an actual superpower he has.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: Unlike in the comics, Miss America and the Whizzer are not married.
- Ascended Fanboy: Marlowe tells Spider-Man and Mary Jane that in their youth both he and Ben dreamed about being heroes, it got to happen for one of them.
- Atrocious Alias: Peter is outright incredulous when told the names of the 6, questioning how anyone could possibly take them seriously. Omar Mosley remarks they were indeed hailed as heroes at the time, noting it was a different time.
- Continuity Nod: When the Kingpin is interrogating the Scorpion, whom he suspects is the traitor revealed in the previous episode, the Kingpin how the Scorpion briefly worked for his rival Silvermane.
- Flashback Within a Flashback: The episode opens with Spider-Man looking for the American Six, whom he and Robbie were told about by Omar Mosley, in flashback, then another flashback shows the story of Captain America and the American Six when they were fighting against the Red Skull in the Second World War.
- Foreshadowing: Omar Mosley seems to know more about the story of the American Six, despite his "boss" the Black Marvel agreeing to keep their story a secret with the rest of his teammates.
- Graceful Loser: Ben and Keene were both in love with Lanora, but Keene won her over by revealing he was the Destroyer. Ben was disappointed to lose out, but he held no grudge. He was even Keene's best man at the wedding.
- The Greatest Story Never Told: With Captain America trapped in the vortex with the Red Skull, his team the American Six, decided to keep their story, including the part about the Doomsday weapon, a secret.
- Heroic Sacrifice: When Captain America is about to be pushed into the vortex by the Red Skull, the former sacrifices himself to prevent to the Red Skull from using the Doomsday Device.
- Hour of Power: Due to not getting the original Super Soldier formula like Captain America did, the powers of the other five of the American Six aren't permanent. Scientists crafted special rings that would allow them to ration the powers for use on missions. As they got older, the window for such usage significantly shortened.
- Little "No": Mary Jane, after Scorpion and Shocker get the upperhand against Spider-Man.
- The Lost Lenore: Lenora Sharp. A girl that Keene Marlowe and Ben Parker both had feelings for when they were young. She married Keene after he revealed his identity to her. However, after the war ended Keene continued to do superhero, despite his powers dwindling and Lenora begging him to retire, then she was killed in a crossfire from a bank robbery Keene tried to stop.
- My Greatest Failure: After World War 2 was done, Keene refused to retire from superhero work, despite his powers not being permanent and his wife Lenora begging to retire for his own safety. When Keene attempted to stop a bank robbery in 1946, it got Lenora killed.
- Oh, Crap!: Spider-Man in response to running out of webbing mid-fight.
- Old Superhero: Five of the members of the American Six, except Captain America, who is trapped a vortex alongside the Red Skull.
- Poor Communication Kills: After both the Whizzer and Miss America's keys are stolen, a frustrated Nick Fury points out they could've been guarded by SHIELD agents, if Keene hadn't kept their true identities a secret.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: The Red Skull is revealed to trapped alongside Captain America in the Vortex in the complex of Project: Doomsday.
- Sealed Good in a Can: Captain America sacrificed himself to be trapped alongside the Red Skull in the Vortex.
- Shadow Archetype: After hearing Keene's story, Spider-Man privately admits he worries that his superhero career will see him end up the same way: old, alone, and feeling responsible for the loss of a spouse.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Whizzer and Miss America were originally killed in the comics, but are shown here as having lived to old age.
- The Reveal:
- Dr. Groitzig wanted to disable the Doomsday device but he needed the six keys order to get into the complex, and Richard and Mary found out the identities of the remaining members of the American Six so they could the Doctor.
- The reason why Nick Fury needed Keene Marlowe to stop May from selling her house was because a long time ago, Marlowe had given Ben his superhero suit and ring to active his powers, along with one of the keys to the complex of the Red Skull's doomsday weapon.
- Take That!: The Whizzer, Bob Frank is shown to have become an art teacher after retiring from his superhero days. He criticizes the art of one of his students for being unrealistic due to drawing the hero's hands larger than his head. "Bobby" simply claims that's just how everybody draws superheroes in comics nowadays.
- Undying Loyalty: After the war ended, and the American six were ordered to disband due to their dwindling powers, both the Black Marvel and the Thunderer vowed never to give up until Captain America was freed.
- With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: After the war, Keene Marlow found he couldn't give up his adventurous lifestyle, even with his powers fading. One night, he impulsively rushed into action to stop some bank robbers, but his wife was killed in the crossfire. In his grief, he gave his old friend Ben Parker his ring and key to hide so that he would never be tempted to play superhero again.Keene: From that moment, we both knew that with great power, there must always come great responsibility.
Spider-Man: [thinking] So, that's how Uncle Ben learned that lesson. - You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After Dr. Wolfgang Groitzig finishes building the complex for Project Doomsday, the Red Skull decides he no longer needs the Doctor and attempts have killed. Fortunately for Dr. Groitzig, the American Six interfered before the Red Skull gets a chance.
- While the Vulture does not say this after he steals the key from Madeline Joyce, the former Miss America from the American Six, this was most likely his intention since he was going to drop her from a great height, before Spider-Man saves her.
