Every Way Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's Finale Sets Up Season 2

"Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" has wrapped up its ten-episode first season. In the season finale, "If This Be My Destiny...", Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) stands ready to take on the future as Spider-Man (now with his classic red, web, and blue costume).

This season took some risks with the Spider-Man formula (leaps of faith, to crib from another Spidey story), but there was still plenty of classic webslinging goodness to enjoy. "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" has already been renewed for seasons 2 and 3, so fans can probably expect to spend at least 20 more episodes with this particular Peter Parker and his supporting cast. "If This Be My Destiny..." concludes on a montage simultaneously concluding characters' arcs this season while setting up where they're headed next time.

No premiere date for "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" season 2 has been confirmed at this time. While we wait, though, there's plenty of time to speculate about what story developments the next season will bring.

"If This Be My Destiny..." went back to the very beginning of the premiere, "Amazing Fantasy." One of the big changes to Spider-Man's origin this time is how Peter is bitten by the super-spider: It doesn't happen in a lab accident, but instead when the spider crawls out of a portal opened by Doctor Strange (Robin Atkin Downes), who is fighting a symbiote alien.

The finale adds more context to that event. Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo) and Oscorp were opening, essentially, a Stargate to allow humanity to travel the cosmos. Doctor Strange shows up and warns Norman of dangerous consequences, but he doesn't listen. Cue the symbiote popping out. While Spider-Man repairs the portal to send the alien back, Strange distracts it, bringing it to the events of the premiere with his time-manipulating Eye of Agamotto.

So, yes, the spider that bit Peter came from Oscorp ... which means there's a predestination paradox at work, because Oscorp created that spider from a sample of Peter's genetically altered blood. In episode 9, "Hero or Menace," Norman said he planned to create a whole Spider-Man army with Peter's blood sample. It looks like he may equip them with black suits, because he discovers a piece of the symbiote left behind in the rubble.

Now, no one says the name "Venom" in the episode, but it's not a huge leap to believe that's who the symbiote is, or will become. It's easy to imagine how the story could play out: Oscorp experiments with the symbiote, Peter finds out somehow and confronts them, the symbiote bonds with him, and you know the rest.

Peter and Norman's relationship is also uncertain right now. Peter said Norman's actions with the portal have given him some trust issues with Oscorp, but they're not outright enemies yet, either. If Norman again tampers with science with disastrous consequences, that could push them apart.

The next question is, if the show does plan to introduce Venom, who will it eventually join with after Peter rejects the symbiote? Will "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" introduce Eddie Brock next season? Or perhaps Mac Gargan, who is reeling from Spider-Man defeating him and who once traded his Scorpion identity for Venom in the comics? Harry Osborn has also become Venom a few times, most recently in Insomniac Studios' "Spider-Man 2" video game. Speaking of which...

Harry Osborn (Zeno Robinson) understands why Peter distrusts his dad now, but he still wants to help him be Spider-Man. So, Harry decides to put his (substantial) money where his mouth is and found a think tank for young geniuses: the "Worldwide Engineering Brigade," or W.E.B. (a name nicked from, of all things, a theme park ride).

The full list of invitees are visible on a chalkboard behind Harry. They include Peter's fellow Oscorp interns: Asha (Erica Luttrell) looks excited, but Amadeus Cho (Aleks Le) blows it off. The list also includes Ned Leeds, Peter's best friend (played by Jacob Batalon) in the live-action MCU Spider-Man trilogy. Also on the list is Max Dillon, the future Electro. Max is usually not portrayed as a genius, but a working class electrician who stumbled into superpowers, but it looks like this show could reinvent him. In any case, Spider-Man should prepare for a new electrifying enemy. 

Throughout the list is an eclectic mix of minor Marvel characters: 

• Priya Aggarwal, a plant-controlling girl introduced in 2017's "Unstoppable Wasp."

• Taina Miranda, another "Unstoppable Wasp" character and an engineering prodigy.

• Kiden Nixon, a time-manipulating girl from the "NYX" series.

• Tiberius Stone, an occasional rival of Iron Man and co-founder of Alchemax, the mega-corp in Spider-Man 2099's future.

• Ripley Ryan, an adversary of Captain Marvel turned anti-hero who is bonded to the Reality Stone in the comics.

• Diane Jenkins, a one-time Spider-Woman impersonator.

Maybe W.E.B. could bring in some actual Spider-Man characters with scientific backgrounds, too. Say, Gwen Stacy? Miles Warren? Debra Whitman?

Another of the Oscorp interns, now invited to W.E.B., is Jeanne Foucault. Back in episode 6, "Duel with the Devil," Peter noticed her sneaking around Oscorp. That was right before Daredevil (Charlie Cox, reprising his role from live-action) showed up and broke in, investigating something sinister that Osborn was up to.

No surprise, Jeanne was Daredevil's inside woman and is now going to keep an eye on W.E.B. for him. More than that, she's also his sidekick, code name Finesse. (In the comics, Jeanne is a master martial artist with a photographic memory.)

So, without a doubt, we'll be getting more of Daredevil and Finesse in season 2. It's still not totally clear how Daredevil became suspicious of Osborn in the first place. Plus, as far as Spider-Man knows, Daredevil is still a thief/saboteur, so Daredevil's next appearance could clear that up and make them into actual allies.

Vincent D'onofrio was reported to be reprising his role as Daredevil's nemesis, Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin, in "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," but he never showed up in season 1. Perhaps they're holding him back for season 2?

Moreover, in the comics Finesse is the daughter of Taskmaster, a villain who has also faced Spider-Man several times. What happens if her dad comes to town?

Speaking of evil parents, Jeanne isn't the only one keeping secrets from Peter. His best friend Nico Minoru (Grace Song) now knows he's Spider-Man, but it appears there's a lot he doesn't know about her.

In "If This Be My Destiny...", Nico goes into her room, lights ceremonial candles, places her purple pendant in the center of a sun-and-moon adorned summoning circle, and pulls out a spellbook. A few magical words later and she's awash in purple light: "It's so good to see you again, Mom." Huh?

There have been some small hints about this along the way. In "Duel with the Devil," it turns out Nico carries a pack of tarot cards on her person. Then, in the following "Scorpion Rising," her necklace reacted by itself and sped her and Harry out of a car crash. But more of the context here relies on knowing who Nico is outside of the series itself.

Nico Minoru debuted in the 2003 comic "The Runaways," where six Los Angeles teens discover their parents are part of an evil organization called the Pride. After awakening powers or seizing tech from their parents, the teens go on the run to escape the Pride and stop whatever they're up to.

Nico's parents, Robert and Tina Minoru, were the Pride's sorcerers. Nico inherits their magical powers, wielding an instrument called the Staff of One and sometimes using the nickname "Sister Grimm." The animated Nico is living with foster parents and originally from Los Angeles, but what exactly happened to her mother. Is she dead? Trapped in another dimension? Is she as evil as she is in the comics? And will any of Nico's teammates on the Runaways show up next season?

Peter's other new friend this season was Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd). The school's star football player, Lonnie is no Flash Thompson; he's a chill dude and dedicated student who instantly hits it off with Peter. Peter doesn't even hold it against Lonnie that he's dating Peter's childhood crush, Pearl Pangan (Cathy Ang).

But Spider-Man fans knew this wasn't a friendship built to last. In the comics, Lonnie is the albino, Frankenstein's monster-esque criminal named Tombstone. During season 1, he falls in with a gang, joining up to save his little brother from having to do so. After picking up the nickname "Tombstone," Lonnie is exposed to a gas created by Dr. Otto Octavius in episode 9, "Hero or Menace." (In the comics, Tombstone was mutated by a gas called Diox-3.)

The gas makes Lonnie super strong and resilient, with seemingly no negative side effects. He and Peter also part on seemingly good terms too; Lonnie stops Spider-Man from killing the villain Scorpion in a rage.

But in his last appearance for the season, Lonnie has taken leadership of the gang (throwing his old football jersey in the trash), and stepping up seems sure to corrupt him. There are also small white patches on his skin now, suggesting he may be mutating to look like classic Tombstone.

Tombstone is not the only villain on the rise. Doctor Otto Octavius (Hugh Dancy) is also ascendant. This version of Otto is a disgruntled former Oscorp employee. He essentially takes the role of Adrian Toomes/The Vulture (Michael Keaton) in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," supplying the criminals of New York City with superpowered tech. Unlike the live-action Vulture (who salvaged leftover super-villain tech), Otto actually builds his own weapons and wants recognition for it. 

This version of Octavius is rocking the classic Steve Ditko look; green and yellow jumpsuit beneath a white lab coat, eye-concealing shades, and a bowl cut and double-chin. All that's missing is the mechanical tentacles that make him Doctor Octopus. In episode 8, "Tangled Web," Norman discovers where Otto's hidden laboratory is and informs on him; Otto's security system includes the tentacles, but he hasn't gotten the idea to affix them to a harness yet. 

When Otto is sent to prison, Norman shows up to gloat, but turns notably silent when Otto tells Norman he's only a parasite, leeching off of actual geniuses like himself. We've only gotten their two biased, mutually exclusive accounts of how they went from partners to enemies; this Octavius seems quite egomaniacal (Dancy's performance is dripping with condescension), but as a rule, working with Norman Osborn is a good way to get a knife in your back. Did Otto betray Norman, or did Norman betray Otto?

Any more light season 2 can shed on Norman and Otto's falling out will be welcome, especially since the show isn't done with Dr. Octavius. In his last scene, he's still locked up, but is sketching the design for his four extra arms. Otto hasn't even directly encountered Spider-Man yet, but it looks like when he does, it'll be as Doctor Octopus.

Doc Ock isn't the only one in prison. The season concludes with a genuine bombshell that Peter's father, Richard Parker, is still alive and imprisoned for an unknown reason. Aunt May (Kari Wahlgren) visits him and Richard asks to know about his son. (Richard is voiced by Josh Keaton, who previously played Spider-Man himself in the 2008 cartoon, "Spectacular Spider-Man.")

In the comics and the vast majority of adaptations, Peter Parker's parents are dead for years before he becomes Spider-Man. Depending on the version, his parents were either secret agents (very dumb and bad) or scientists (much better, especially since it adds another layer to why Peter wants to be a scientist himself).

We have no context to know why Richard Parker was locked up, and if it was related to his wife's death. Was he a spy engaged in espionage, or a scientist who flew too close to the sun? How will Peter find out about his dad's fate, and when he does, will Richard be friend or foe to his son? All these questions are wide open, because the show saved its most audacious twist for the very end.

"Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" is streaming on Disney+.