Spectacular Spider-Man #227
If Death Be My Destiny!
This story continues from Spider-Man #61...
Ben Reilly has just recently learned that he was the original Peter Parker.[1] Upon learning that he was a clone and living a lie for five years, the man now known as Peter Parker ended up joining with the Jackal.[2] Trying to find Peter, Ben has found himself battling an army of Spider-Clones alongside the imperfect clone known as Kaine. The Scarlet Spider is disturbed by Kaine's willingness to kill the Spider-Clones, pointing out that they are victims of the Jackal as they are. As they continue to fight, Ben wonders where the Peter Parker he came to find.
Meanwhile, at the Parker home, Mary Jane tries to make sense of everything that has happened. All she wants is for her husband to come home as they have a baby on the way.[3] In order to try and coax Peter to return home, she activates all of his spider-tracers all at once. Elsewhere, Spider-Man is swinging across the city with the clone of Gwen Stacy in his arms. When Mary Jane activates the spider-tracers it his spider-sense to go off painfully. He almost drops himself and Gwen to the ground but manages to stop his fall by clinging to the side of a nearby building. When Gwen asks what happened, Peter explains that his wife must have activated all his spider-tracers. Hearing this, Gwen is surprised to hear that Peter is married and insists that they go and help her.
While at his lab, the Jackal is still trying to figure out how the man named Rafael Carago survived being exposed to his new and improved Carrion Virus. This comes as an upset to the clone known as Spidercide because he wants to destroy the Scarlet Spider and Kaine. Unfortunately, the Jackal has determined that this is a paltry concern if his virus is not 100% effective. Back at the scene of the battle, the Scarlet Spider is still struggling to come to terms with the revelation that he is the real Peter Parker as he battles the Spider-Clones. Suddenly, the clones begin to degrade and melt into genetic soup on the floor. Kaine wants to speed up the process by killing the clones that are still standing. Reilly tries to convince Kaine to stop committing cold-blooded murder. He then decides to try and talk sense into the clones, begging them to join him in his fight against the Jackal. By this time, Spider-Man arrives back at his home with the Gwen Stacy clone. At first, Mary Jane mistakes her for the real Gwen Stacy, but still treats it this situation as a long-awaited reunion.[4] When Gwen tells Mary Jane how happy she has see that she and Peter are finally together. This causes Mary Jane to wonder what kind of future the pair have going onward.
Back at the Jackal's hideout, the battle between the Scarlet Spider, Kaine, and the clones has landed in the middle of the Jackal's main lab. With Spidercide nowhere around, the Jackal decides to flee the scene, but his escape is spotted by Kaine. While at the headquarters of the New Warriors, the team watches a news report about the Scarlet Spider and wonder who he is.[5] When Turbo complains about there are two Spider-Men, her teammate Speedball points out how ironic her statements on.[6] Their conversation is interrupted by their leader, Justice, who tells them that the survivor of the Springville slaughter has been captured.[7] He orders everyone to mobilize that they are going to search for the Jackal's innocent victim.
Meanwhile, the Jackal finds Spidercide in one of his computer rooms transmitting the Carrion Virus data to Scrier.[8] When the Jackal attempts to activate the kill switch implanted in Spidercide's mind, he discovers that it has been deactivated by Scrier. When Spidercide attempts to kill his creator, he is ambushed by Kaine, who wants Miles Warren for himself. Back in the lab, the Scarlet Spider continues to try and convince the Spider-Clones that they can have normal lives. Removing one of their masks, Ben is horrified to see that these imperfect clones aren't even fully human. When they all begin to melt before him, he becomes ill. He is able to hold his own against Spidercide until he is struck by another precognitive flash of Mary Jane getting killed.[9] This time he sees who the killer is and cannot believe it. This distracts him long enough for Spidercide to impale Kaine through the chest. This is seen by the Scarlet Spider who is horrified that Spidercide committed murder.
As the two fight it out, the Jackal goes to Kaine's side and asks his creation why he risked his life. Kaine tells the Jackal that he did so because the mad scientist was responsible for giving him life. As Kaine apparently dies in his arms, the Jackal finds this pathetic. Eyeing one of his cloning canisters and decides not to let this genetic material to go to waste. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Spider knocks Spidercide into one of the electronic devices. This causes an explosion that frees Helix, who flees the scene. The blast pins the Scarlet Spider's leg under equipment, allowing Spidercide to escape. The Jackal finds Ben Reilly and tells him that he has to go as he learned that there are other players in this game. However, he doesn't want to leave the Scarlet Spider alone and at the snap of a finger the genetic soup on the floor suddenly merges into a single entity that begins trying to smother the Spider.
... Maximum Clonage concludes in Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Omega #1.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy (clone), Kaine, Jackal, Spidercide, Helix, New Warriors (Justice, Firestar, Turbo, Powerpax, Speedball), John Jameson
Continuity Notes
Ben was told this during the events of last issue. However, this was all a ruse orchestrated by the Green Goblin as revealed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1.
Peter joined up with the Jackal following the events of Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Alpha #1. The "five years" is a rough account for the length of time between Amazing Spider-Man #149 and this story according to the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Also, by the way, this is not the real Jackal but a clone as explained in Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 4) #22.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here. Mary Jane revealed that she was pregnant in The Spectacular Spider-Man #220.
The real Gwen Stacy was tragically murdered in Amazing Spider-Man #121. This clone was one of the first ones created by Miles Warren, first surfacing in Amazing Spider-Man #142.
Turbo mentions how the Scarlet Spider got his name from the Daily Bugle. Reporter Ken Ellis gave the Spider his name in Spider-Man #52.
At the time of this story, Turbo's identity was shared between Mike Jefferies and Michiko Musashi since their debut in New Warriors #28. They will continue to share this identity until Mike's death in New Warriors #73. The man everyone thinks is Speedball is actually an impostor who took the real Speedball's place in New Warriors #50. This is revealed in New Warriors #68-69.
Helix was kidnapped by the Jackal in New Warriors #61.
Scrier enlisted Spidercide to his cause in Amazing Spider-Man #404. Spidercide states that he is sending the data to Scrier is being done via a dail-up modem. This should be considered a opical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as dial-up modems are considered an obsolete technology.
Kaine has been plagued by these visions since Spider-Man #55.
