Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #41

Jun 23

Jun 23 Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #41

One More Day Part Three

This story continues from Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24

Spider-Man finds a young girl in an alley and asks her what she’s doing out walking out alone in the middle of the night. The little girl points out that if she answered him she’d be talking to a stranger and she shouldn’t get into the habit of doing that. The web-slinger can’t argue with that and when the little girl asks if he protects people, he confirms this. She then suggests to him that maybe it is time form someone to help and protect him. Taking off his mask, Peter tells the little girl that she wouldn’t understand his situation and that there is nobody who can help him, that he’s at the end of his rope.[1] This makes the little girl laugh, because she’s seen the rope, and suggests that Peter follow her if she wants to save her life. As Peter follows her, the little girl says she doesn’t have a lot of time, he has less, and the woman he is trying to save has no time left at all.

Following her, Peter asks the little girl where her parents are. She tells him not to worry as her parents give her a lot of leverage because she is very smart for her age, just like her father. The girl admits that she’d rather take after her mother because she is beautiful. Peter tells her that she’ll probably grow up to be beautiful like her mother. However, the little girl isn’t so sure she’ll ever grow up, turning around and telling Peter that he’s selfish and so self-involved, putting his own pain in the center the universe. She scolds him, saying that as long as he can go to bed with a clear conscience he doesn’t care who has to pay the price for his good night’s sleep. She says the whole world has to answer for his pain because it makes him feel big. Peter is pretty impressed that the young woman is so articulate. Growing frustrated, the young girl storms off saying everyone was right when they called him an idiot and decides to take him to the next step so they can get this over with.[2] The girl runs around the corner and Peter chases after her, calling out to her to come back because it’s not safe. However, when he rounds the corner he finds no sign of the little girl.

A fat man in glasses reading “Atlas Shrugged” on a park bench hears Peter calling out and asks if there is anything he can do to help. When asked if he saw a little girl, the fat man knows who Peter is talking about and says that she’s always disappearing. When Peter asks who the man is, he tells Peter that he mainly works in software design and game testing, that he took on that job right out of high school. When Peter says that sounds like a really fun job, it causes the fat man to pause and think for a moment. He then tells Peter that the reason why people like him get into video games so deeply as him because there is something missing from their lives. They look around the world waiting for the opportunity to be a hero, to be someone important, but it’s just not the way it used to be. That there is no magic way of becoming a hero in real life so they satisfy themselves by becoming completely enthralled in fantasy because the world they got wasn’t the world they were promised. When Peter points out that these places do exist, the fat man says that if that were true and he could become a hero, he would be the happiest guy on Earth and wouldn’t need anything else. Going back to his book, the fat man says Peter should be grateful because the rest of the world never gets that chance.[3]

Peter decides that this is preventing him from finding the little girl when suddenly a limo pulls up to them. The old man inside tells Peter that he has seen the little girl and offers to drive him to her. Peter gets in and is impressed by the holographic computer displays that are inside the limo. The old man says they are his inventions and offers Peter a drink. When Peter refuses, saying he doesn’t drink on principal, the older man remarks how he used to be the same way himself and thinks its funny where one’s choices bring them in life. He tells Peter that he grew up in this neighborhood and went to school nearby as well. He was bullied and figured the other kids hated him because he was smart. However, things changed quickly when he started inventing things. By the time he was nineteen, this man had 30 patents under his name and made his first million that year. Eventually, he became so wealthy, his old high school tormentors were either working for him in some capacity or working meaningless jobs. He figures they still hate him, but at least now they have a reason. When Peter suggests he must be happy to have everything he could want, the man says he doesn’t. He said there was a woman once when he was in high school and that she was all he ever wanted by he lost her. Then, without further explanation, he tells Peter that this is where he gets out.[4]

The elderly man decides to walk Peter along the way, as they go down the street the man admits that he has it all, but he would trade all his wealth for the woman who got away as she was the only one who loved him fro who he is. Once they get to the other end of the street, the old man says that it is the end of the line for him and tells Peter that the she is waiting for him up ahead. Down the street a piece, Peter finds an older woman lurking in the shadows who is wearing a big red dress. Peter tells her that there must be some kind of mistake because he was looking for a little girl. However, the woman insists that she’s been waiting for Peter for his entire life. Peter asks her if she actually means that she has been waiting for him her entire life. The woman responds by saying that all really depends on how long either one of them lives. Peter finds this all confusing and for the first time admits that things have taken on a surreal dream-like quality ever since he started talking down this road. The woman questions how he can know this is a dream when it could be that his entire life up to this moment was a dream and this is reality. Peter admits if he does wake up and discovers this has all been a dream because it would really tick him off.

The woman tells Peter that there are some philosophies that believe that people’s dream selves are real, that they exist in alternate realities living alternate destinies. When Peter admits that he doesn’t believe in any of that, the woman thinks that’s too bad because he has met a number of these people tonight. She explains that human lives are not defined by broad brush strokes, but for finer moments, a missed cab, an unattended party, a bite from a radioactive spider. Peter suddenly sees the moment when the radioactive spider was about to bite him. However, this time, someone calls Peter away to see something and the spider crumbles to radioactive dust before it can bite anyone. The woman shows Peter two possible realities that could have came out of missing that radioactive spider-bite. In one, Peter internalized his anger, becoming overweight, and increasingly introverted. He ended up losing himself in video games as an escapist fantasy from his real life. In another, Peter directed his anger outwards and focusing entirely on his studies. He eventually opens his own business, Parker Industries, and although he has gained a massive fortune, he spent so much of his time trying to prove himself to be superior over others he ended up with an empty life that he lives alone.

The woman concludes by saying those are just two of the many possible outcomes of Peter Parker’s life. Growing annoyed, Peter asks in what reality he becomes a little girl. This causes the woman to smile, and she tells him that’s another story that he’s not ready to hear yet. Peter tells the woman to stop playing games and get to the point of what she wants. The woman says that Peter wants to save his Aunt May but unfortunately, there is nothing he can do and he has already failed. The woman suddenly changes into her true form, the demonic being known as Mephisto. He tells Peter that he can do what others said was impossible, that he can save Aunt May’s life. Peter guesses that Mephisto will do this in exchange for his soul. However, the devil explains that he stopped taking making deals in exchange for souls because even though he condemns those souls to an eternity of suffering there’s just no fun in it for him anymore. Mephisto goes on to say that he now deals in a far richer currency and asks Peter if he’d give up anything for May to live again. Peter says that it’s not only his decision, and Mephisto transports him to the motel he and his family has been living so he can meet with Mary Jane. Entering the motel room, he hears Mary Jane telling Mephisto the same thing as the demon was talking to both of them at the same exact time.

That’s when Peter asks what Mephisto could want that is worth more than a human soul. The demon explains that one soul is a paltry price when taking the one thing that is greater than the sum of the two of them. Getting to the point, Mephisto says he wants Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage. Peter is about to tell Mephisto to shove it when Mary Jane suggests they should listen if it means saving Aunt May’s life. Mephisto decides to give them one last day to be together as husband and wife and, upon accepting his offer, neither of them will remember this deal was made but they will no longer be married. A part of them deep inside will know and scream in agony, bringing Mephisto great joy. At midnight the following day and either the Parkers will give up their marriage or Aunt May’s life. Either way, Mephisto tells them that world they have fought so hard for will come to an end.

…..This story concludes in Amazing Spider-Man #545.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Mephisto

Continuity Notes

He is referring to the fact that Aunt May was shot in Amazing Spider-Man #538 and has been on life support ever since. Peter has been seeking help to save her life in Amazing Spider-Man #544 and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24.
Per the Unofficial Appendix to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, this little girl comes from a reality where Peter and Mary Jane refuse Mephisto’s offer and have a child together. It has been designated Reality-71124. Despite what you find on the internet, this child is never identified by name.
Per the Index, this is an alternate reality version of Peter Parker who never got powers and became a video game tester. That’s reality is designated Earth-7161.
You better believe this is another alternate version of Peter Parker. This one became a wealthy asshole on Earth-71241.