Spider-Man and Daredevil work together to help clear Peter Parker's name, while the Kingpin works to stop anyone from implicating him.
This episode provides examples of:
- Adaptation Name Change: While in the comics Wilson Fisk was the Kingpin’s birth name, but in the cartoon his birth name was Wilson Moriarty, before he changed his name when he got of prison.
- Antagonistic Offspring: Once established as the city's top criminal, the Kingpin had his hated father tracked down and killed (both to keep him quiet and for revenge). Richard taking the fall for the whole scheme leaves Kingpin wondering when he will be on the receiving end of the same fate.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- Peter and Mary Jane are trapped in the chamber and going to suffocate, but Terri leads a unit to storm the building.
- Spider-Man stops Kingpin from delivering the finishing blow against Daredevil.
- Bittersweet Ending: While Peter's name is cleared and Richard Fisk, Susan Choi, and the Chameleon are all arrested, however the Kingpin manages to escape conviction. But now Spider-Man knows of the Kingpin's identity and begins working to defeat the Kingpin once and for all.
- Call-Back: Spider-Man recalls back when the Hobgoblin take over the Kingpin's base.
- Double Agent: Susan Choi is revealed to be a corrupt agent on the Kingpin's payroll working to help keep the latter from being arrested.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: When Kingpin learns from Daredevil that the police have captured his son, he is outright furious.
- Evil Counterpart: Susan Choi to Teri Lee. While Teri is a law abiding police officer, Susan is a corrupt federal agent who is helping the Kingpin.
- Fall Guy: The reason why Peter was framed. There was an on-going federal investigation into Fisktronics and Smythe suggested having Peter take the blame.
- Flashback: Kingpin recounts his origin to Smythe, from when he was just an overweight, unpopular son of a small-time gangster all the way to when he exacted revenge on the father that left him to rot in prison.
- Foreshadowing:
- Terri Lee questions why Susan Choi is ignoring the new leads in the investigation and rushing to judgment before fully investigating. This is the first sign she is working for the Kingpin.
- Blaming Smythe for Richard's arrest, Kingpin assures him his days in the operation are numbered.
- Friendship Moment: As Spider-Man and Daredevil part ways.Daredevil: It's unfortunate that we masked men must hide so much from the world, but there is one thing you do need to know: behind this mask is the face of a friend and a lifelong partner in your war against Kingpin.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: The Kingpin was originally an overweight, unpopular child. His attempt to follow in his father's footsteps left him holding the bag for a robbery, earning him a lengthy prison sentence. While in prison, though, he toughened up and gained the skills needed to take the criminal underworld by storm.
- The Greatest Story Never Told: Jameson demands that Matt Murdock tell nobody that he hired him to defend Peter, as he doesn't want to spoil his image or have Peter thinking he likes him.
- Had to Come to Prison to Be a Crook: How the Kingpin became who he is in the present, originally sent to prison for larceny after one of his dad's scams went south and his bulk prevented him from following his father up a fire escape. Once he comes out, he's got 'connections' and uses what he's learned to begin building his criminal empire.
- He Knows Too Much: Kingpin's father was the last remaining link that could connect him to his original identity. He orders the old man killed both for this and as payback for being left to rot in prison.
- Hero of Another Story: The reason for the Frame-Up against Peter was because federal agents had found out some data smuggling was occurring. Their investigation was getting closer and closer to the Kingpin's organization.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Jonah paid for Murdock's legal services, but he absolutely doesn't want Peter to know it.Jonah: It'd spoil my image. Besides, I don't want Parker getting the idea I like him.
- History Repeats: During Kingpin's origins, the court offers to show him mercy if he names his accomplices, which would have included his father, but he refuses. He later takes his revenge on his father for leaving him in jail after he becomes the Kingpin. In the present, Kingpin's son Richard is offered the same deal but also refuses, and Kingpin is sadly left wondering how much time he has left before his son takes his revenge on him too.
- Internal Reveal: After spending the first two seasons being unaware of the Kingpin's existence, Spider-Man learns of Wilson Fisk's true colors from Daredevil.
- Ironic Echo: "Sacrifices must be made" is said multiple times: when Fisk's father leaves him to be arrested, when Fisk has the old man killed, and when Fisk pressures Richard to keep quiet during the trial.
- Karmic Death: The Kingpin has his father killed not only to keep anyone from identifying with his former identity, but as revenge for both abandoning to be arrested and rotting in prison. Kingpin later wonders how long he has left before his own son does the same to him.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: As Spider-Man didn't know of the Kingpin and his goal to destroy him for unknowingly interfering with his criminal empire, the Kingpin allows Spider-Man to become a bigger threat to him by framing both Spider-Man and Peter, causing the Web-Slinger to learn of his identity.
- As Alistair Smythe was the one who came with the plan to frame Peter in the first place, he is inadvertently responsible for Spider-Man learning the Kingpin's identity.
- Nothing Is Scarier: What exactly was done to Kingpin's father is unknown, but Smythe is horrified by the story.
- Parental Betrayal: Continuing the cycle in the family, the Kingpin betrays his son to save his own skin, like how his own father did to him by abandoning him to get caught by the police in a failed robbery.
- Pet the Dog: The end of the episode reveals J. Jonah Jameson was the one who hired Matt to act as Peter’s lawyer.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Terri Lee. While she arrested Peter in the beginning when he was framed, she does chose to further investigate to prove Peter’s innocence.
- Self-Made Orphan: The origin flashback ends with a couple of mooks following orders and closing in on Kingpin's father. It's not stated what exactly happened next for obvious censorship reasons, but Smythe considers it absolutely ruthless.
- Shout-Out: Spider-Man one time jokingly calls the Kingpin Moby-Dick.
- Silent Scapegoat: A villainous example. Richard willingly keeps his mouth shut by order of his dad and takes the fall for the whole business involving Peter being framed and Daredevil. He doesn't reveal Kingpin's involvement in any of it despite the judge promising an easier sentence if he did.
- Status Quo Is God: Peter goes back to working the Daily Bugle after Robbie offers him his job back without Jonah's consent.
- Spot the Imposter: Subverted when Chameleon tried this against Daredevil. Spidey couldn't zero in on the fake due to all the movement, but the real Daredevil didn't need any help proving who was the genuine article.
- Taught by Experience: Richard again has Peter placed in the suffocation chamber, with Mary Jane along for the ride. This time, though, Richard says he'll be staying to make sure the job is done.
- That Man Is Dead: When Kingpin brings his father to him, his father initially expresses joy at the confirmation that The Kingpin is his own son Willie just like he always believed, only for Kingpin to say that "Willie" died in the prison he was left to rot in.
- This Cannot Be!: Kingpin's reaction to Spider-Man knowing exactly where to obtain the evidence.
- Villain Ball: Neither Richard Fisk or the Kingpin ever considered destroying the disk after they got it to guarantee that no one can clear Peter Parker’s name.
- Wham Episode: Spider-Man finally learns that Wilson Fisk is the Kingpin and makes it a personal goal of his to take him down.
- You Have Failed Me: At the end of the episode, the Kingpin blames Smythe for the arrest of his son and dismisses him from his services.
