Last Stands

Searching for the location of the Silver Samurai and the Viper, Spider-Woman breaks into the SFPD jail to question one of the surviving thugs who previously tried to kidnap Pamela Kramer. Getting the answer she needs, she sends Sabrina Morrel to check on Lindsay McCabe and Pamela Kramer -- Pamela has been hiding out at the Drew/McCabe home following her attempted kidnapping. They are unaware that the Viper has watched from afar and is plotting an attack.

Meanwhile, Spider-Woman heads to Viper and Silver Samurai's hideout in the hopes of freeing Pamela's father the Judas Man. However, when she breaks into his cell, she finds a trap waiting for her and is gassed into unconsciousness. Back at Jessica's apartment, the Viper sneaks in and attacks Sabrina and Lindsay. During the fight, Lindsay throws both herself and Viper off the roof of the house, seriously injuring herself, and sending the Viper into retreat for the moment.

Spider-Woman revives to find herself out of her costume, and before the Silver Samurai. Taking off his armor, he proposes that the two fight hand-to-hand to the death. Jessica at first cannot match the Silver Samurai's attacks, but when some of his subordinates burst in unannounced, they distract the Samurai for long enough for Jessica to take him down. Taking advantage of her apparent resemblance to the Viper, she tricks them into thinking that she is their leader and has the men take her to the Judas Man's cell. When the Samurai tries to stop her from freeing the Judas Man, Jessica easily defeats him.

Fleeing outside, Jessica realizes the gloves she was made to wear were inhibiting her powers and takes them off. This is just in time as the real Viper arrives and tries to kill Jessica, but Jessica stuns her with a venom blast. Jessica then retreats with the Judas Man. Returning to her apartment, Jessica is shocked to find the place torn up and learns that everyone is at the hospital. Rushing there, Judas Man is reunited with his daughter, and Jessica sees that Lindsay has been seriously hurt. There, Jessica reveals to Lindsay that she is really Spider-Woman. However, Lindsay surprises her by telling Jessica that she's known her secret for months. Jessica vows that the next time she fights the Viper, she'll get revenge on her for what she did to Lindsay.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Woman, Lindsay McCabe, Sabrina Morrel, Pamela Kramer, Judas Man, Viper, Silver Samurai

Continuity Notes

• A calendar on the wall here states that it is the year 1982. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

• Spider-Woman's "resemblance" to Viper is due to an alleged claim that Viper is Jessica's. In reality, Miriam Drew was murdered decades earlier by a werewolf as seen in New Mutants Annual #4. In Captain America #281, Viper claims that she was manipulated by Spider-Woman herself. However, the reality of the situation is that Viper was under the spell of Morgan le Fay and Chthon as revealed in the Viper entry of Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Delux Edition #14 and Mighty Avengers: Most Wanted Files #1. One could assume that everyone "mistaking" Jessica for Viper here is a byproduct of that spell.