Despite Slott's run being a controversial one, Go Down Swinging has actually garnered some praise for doing justice to Spidey's supporting cast, many of whom get to help in saving the day:
- Although The Scrappy in regards to how she treats Peter in their relationship, Mary Jane continues to be a pillar of moral support and Damsel out of Distress when Norman comes knocking.
- Eddie Brock not only goes toe-to-toe with the Red Goblin for a while, but he actually manages to be a better man than before and loans Spider-Man the Venom Symbiote to put them on an even playing field.
- Building off of this Peter and Eddie actually manage to pull a surprisingly good team-up combo on Norman, with Eddie getting in some haymakers while Peter's going for Norman's big vulnerable point. His throat.
- J. Jonah Jameson pulls every ploy he can to make up for making the Goblin remember Peter's identity and tracks down Eddie Brock to protect Mary Jane. He later on takes control of an old Spider-Slayer to save Aunt May from the Carnage-controlled Normie Osborn.
- The fact that Venom, one Arch-Enemy of Spider-Man, is the one who comes in to protect Mary Jane, completely willingly, and ignoring the poor history between the two for the sake of protecting her life no matter what. This is who Eddie Brock was born to be. This is Venom: The Lethal Protector.
- Doc Ock is the one who has JJJ beat to the latter though, as he still cares for May and couldn't fully shed Peter's memories.
- Harry stands up to Norman and impales him with a glider. He also gives Normie a Cooldown Hug that snaps the boy to his senses, injuring himself in the process.
- When Norman tries to reaquire Alchemax for his grandson, Liz in the most professional way possible tells him to go take a hike.
- The long-overdue "The Reason You Suck" Speech Spidey delivers to the Red Goblin after Normie finally turns on him and his plan has begun to fall apart.Red Goblin: My empire. My heir. My future. All gone. My entire family turned against me! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, SPIDER!
Spider-Man: Yeah. That totally tracks. Wow, you really are a nutball, aren't you, Gobby? Fine. Go ahead. Put that all on me! I'll take it!
Red Goblin: You have no idea where I'd be without you around! You're the one always getting in my way!
Spider-Man: HA! You finally cracked a good one! You know who's under this mask. I'm the world's biggest screwup. So what's that say about you?
Red Goblin: MEDDLESOME BUG! THIS IS WHERE I FINISH YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL! WHERE I DEVOUR YOU WHOLE!
Spider-Man: Good, we're on the same page. 'Cause I was just about to tell you... to BITE me! - The entire story is basically a villainous one for Norman Osborn, who as the Red Goblin is a nearly full-on Invincible Villain and, had it not been for Flash Thompson's interference, would have successfully killed everyone Peter cares about. As it stands, he still kills Flash.
- Flash Thompson is practically the MVP of the story, since he figures out Spider-Man's identity and uses that knowledge to track down and save all his allies. After he pulls a Heroic Sacrifice, Peter concedes that in the end, Flash was his hero.
- Spider-Man plays Norman's ego against him and tricks him into letting go of the Carnage Symbiote by pointing out that if Norman defeats him like this the public will think it was Carnage who killed Spider-Man rather than the Green Goblin, settling things with him mano-a-mano. Although Norman initially has the upper hand, Peter defeats him because, while Norman fights for himself, he fights for others and he won't give up for them.
- Earlier on, Peter-with-the Venom Symbiote enters full-on Unstoppable Rage when Norman mortally wounds Flash. In their mutual anger, they punch the Red Goblin across several street blocks, through a building.
- Silk hasn't been in Amazing Spider-Man since the conclusion of Spider-Verse, but her solo developed her relationship with JJJ. She convinces Peter that Jameson, although he really messed up, deserves a second chance and is only trying his best to make up for his big mistake.
