1536-1538

Chapter 1536: A Mental Maze 

Youth is wild, bold, and dazzling. But at the same time, it’s restless, confusing, and a struggle. 

Back then, we first started to sense our own complexity. We fumbled our way into the bittersweet mess of the world, tiptoed toward the flutter and ache of first love, and felt the sting of loss hit us hard for the first time. Questions piled up in our heads, but answers? Nowhere to be found. 

Those fleeting years felt like a storm crashing over us. 

So, we got trapped in youth’s raging tide, thrashing around, banging our heads, bleeding out until we were bruised and exhausted—still with no answers. 

That stretch of time dragged on, endless, like no matter how fast we ran or how hard we tried, the finish line never came into view. 

We used to think growing up would fix it all. Just get older, and the answers would come. Just get older, and the confusion would fade— 

Only when we actually grew up did we realize life isn’t that simple. 

But right now, on the big screen, they’re seeing it again—youth’s haze and chaos. The little things that didn’t matter back then felt like the world was caving in. 

Looking back after growing up, finally free of those days, we thought we’d miss the youth and fire of it most. Then, in a quiet moment, we started missing the worries instead—stressing over too much homework, not having friends, botching a school play, dozing off in class and getting called out, or wondering if our crush liked us back. Tiny worries, insignificant but big enough to fill our whole world. 

Because once you’re grown, the real troubles aren’t so small anymore. 

Just like Peter Parker up there. 

Once, his biggest fears were whether Mary Jane would notice him, if his friendship with Harry and Norman would drift because of him, or if Aunt May might figure out he’s Spider-Man. 

Now, he’s stuck guarding a massive secret, pushing away family, love, and friends. It’s not just him hurting—everyone around him is caught up in the pain too. 

Maybe Mary Jane getting engaged is a good thing. She’s moving forward. 

Still, he can’t smile. 

From Spider-Man to Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker’s turning into a flesh-and-blood guy—a regular college kid anyone might know. 

The gala ends, but Peter can’t shake the weight in his chest. He suits up again, swinging through New York’s night sky, hoping the cold air will clear his head. 

Then, out of nowhere, his powers fail again. 

This time, he drops straight from the sky. 

Worse yet, after a slew of tests, Peter realizes his powers might be gone for good— 

Wall-crawling, super sight and hearing, leaping, and, of course, the webs. 

All gone. 

In an instant, he’s… just Peter Parker again. The nerdy kid at school, overlooked, picked on by the football team, glasses and all. 

Now what? 

Things look bad. Doctor Octopus is back at it, full of ambition, rebuilding the shield, diving into fusion research again. 

But Peter’s thinking—maybe this isn’t the worst thing. 

In the dark, he sits on his apartment balcony, gazing up at the moon. Bathed in its soft light, he glances at the Spider-Man suit beside him. 

No words, no dialogue, no inner monologue. The exhaustion and worry etched between his brows seem to ease under the moonlight. His tense shoulders relax, and those clear eyes show a hint of relief. 

Then, he turns to the photo of Uncle Ben and Aunt May on the nightstand, looks down at his hands, and lets out a long breath. 

It’s the second time in the movie the camera lingers on Anson’s face, letting time stretch, quietly tracing the play of light and shadow across his features, catching every flicker of emotion. 

No blunt words spelled out here—just pure trust in Anson’s acting. In a bold move, this fast-paced blockbuster slows down, giving the film room to breathe on the big screen. Through visuals, sound, light, and performance, it digs deep into the heart. 

Fearless. Subtle. Brilliant. 

You can tell from the reaction in Radio City Music Hall—everyone’s holding their breath, eyes glued to the screen, totally lost in the movie’s flow. 

Next morning, Peter wakes up with a smile he hasn’t felt in ages— 

He trips flat on his face again, puts on his glasses, sees an NYPD car roll by and knows he can’t help. He focuses on schoolwork, earning the professor’s praise again, and starts hunting for a part-time job to fix Aunt May’s troubles. 

He’s Peter Parker once more. 

No superpowers weighing him down, life slides back to normal. Ordinary problems for an ordinary guy—let the big stuff fall to someone with the power to handle it. 

Hard to believe, but this is the movie’s lightest, most carefree moment. Peter Parker drops the Spider-Man mantle and slips back into a regular college kid’s life. 

Then that melody kicks in—the second song Anson played at the premiere. 

In its bright, flowing tune, Peter bursts with unbelievable energy and life. On the big screen, Anson comes alive in a flash. 

Even seeing it with your own eyes, it’s tough to wrap your head around—the same guy pulling off such different vibes, impossible to look away. 

He even makes it to the theater on time, sitting in the audience for Mary Jane’s show. 

On stage, Mary Jane’s performing. Her eyes drift to the crowd and catch Peter—his glasses glinting in the light. 

She freezes for a second. 

Peter’s lips twitch up, then settle. “Focus,” he says. 

That one word lifts the corner of her mouth, nearly making her miss her line— 

“I’m so happy,” the stage manager prompts from the wings, over and over. 

Mary Jane turns toward the voice, like it’s echoing her own thoughts, then looks back at Peter in the seats and gives a small nod. 

“I’m so happy.” 

Crisis averted. 

After the show, Peter and Mary Jane walk side by side through New York’s night. 

Peter’s buzzing, trying to win her back. Mary Jane doesn’t dodge him—she lays it out straight. She’s getting married. One night of him showing up to her play isn’t going to send her running into his arms. 

He tries to explain, to make it clear, but his words float without roots. 

Mary Jane doesn’t think it’s that simple. 

A longing flickers in Peter’s eyes, deep and eager, like he’d rip his heart out if he could. “Things are different now. Punch me, and I’ll bleed.” 

So romantic, yet so raw. Radio City gets the tangled layers behind it in a heartbeat. 

But Mary Jane doesn’t. She stares at him, helpless, for a long stretch. “…I have to go.” 

By the taxi, she turns back to Peter, studying him, forcing a faint smile. “You really are different.” 

Then she climbs in and drives off, no lingering. 

Peter stands there, dazed, his gaze locked on the cab until it’s gone. 

Chapter 1537: Facing Himself 

Peter decides to ditch his Spider-Man life for good, tossing the suit into a dumpster. But he never could’ve guessed a homeless guy rummaging through the trash would fish it out. 

Greedy and opportunistic, the guy hauls it to the newspaper, looking for a quick buck. The editor brushes him off with a measly hundred bucks, then plasters it across the front page: 

“Spider-Man No More!” 

No one saw this coming: the same editor who’s spent years trashing Spider-Man, tearing him down every chance he got, secretly slips into the suit in his office. He strikes poses, playing superhero like a kid. 

The theater erupts in laughter. 

Peter’s back to being a regular guy. But when he spots a thug harassing someone weak on the street, his feet freeze. He wants to step in—instinct screams at him—but he can’t. 

He’s just Peter Parker now, powerless. It stings, a messy mix of loss and frustration. 

After wrestling with himself, he turns and walks away. 

It’s Uncle Ben’s memorial day. Peter and Aunt May visit his grave, then head home. 

Aunt May’s heavy with guilt. The day Ben died, Peter wanted to take the subway, but Ben insisted on driving him—said he needed to talk. If she’d stopped Ben, she says, maybe the accident never would’ve happened. 

Peter can’t stand seeing her trapped in regret. Finally, he musters the courage to come clean. 

The underground boxing match. Letting the robber go to spite the organizer. Uncle Ben dying right in front of him, taking his last breath. 

Everything—except that he’s Spider-Man. He lays it bare: Uncle Ben’s death was because of his selfishness. 

Aunt May stares at him, stunned. Peter’s eyes are red, fighting to hold it together. She can’t believe it. Slowly, she stands and heads upstairs without a word. 

Peter’s left alone, his shadow stretching long across the room. 

The camera doesn’t linger this time. It cuts away—Doctor Octopus has finished building a new shield for his experiment. Just one piece left: tritium. 

He knows Harry’s got it. Late at night, he tracks down Harry, who’s losing his mind hunting for Spider-Man. 

Harry’s terrified when Doc Ock shows up, but fear flips to fury. He offers a deal: 

“Spider-Man.” 

If Doc Ock can catch him alive, Harry’ll give him anything. 

Doc Ock doesn’t care. “How do I find him?” 

Harry’s answer is simple: “Peter Parker.” 

Doc Ock takes off into the night. 

Passing a newsstand, Peter catches the headline: “New York Crime Rate Soars 75%.” 

He stops, letting out a long sigh. 

Then, a building down the street bursts into flames. Peter instinctively tugs at his shirt, ready to leap in—until he remembers he’s not Spider-Man anymore. 

He hesitates, about to leave it to the firefighters, when he overhears people on the street: a kid’s trapped inside. 

No second thoughts. Peter charges into the fire. He expects fear—without powers, he’s vulnerable—but it doesn’t come. 

He doesn’t even think about it. 

Through roaring flames, he pushes forward, dodging danger at every turn. It’s a close call, but just before the building explodes, he gets the kid out, handing them off to their parents in the chaos. 

Like always, he turns to slip away fast. But the smoke’s gotten to him, and burns sting his skin. He doesn’t make it far before collapsing, forced to let the paramedics patch him up. 

It’s the first time he’s saved a life with no powers—just pure grit. 

A firefighter praises him, but Peter overhears their chatter: someone on the fourth floor didn’t make it out. 

He freezes. Everything stops. If he still had his powers, could he have saved them too? 

The thought drags him back into that tug-of-war inside himself. 

“Don’t I deserve what I want? Can’t I live the life I dream of? What am I supposed to do?” 

No one’s there to answer. 

A voicemail from Aunt May pulls him back home. When he gets there, she’s packing—moving out. 

The bank gave them a few weeks’ grace on the loan, but she knows they can’t pay it. So she’s found an apartment and started early. 

Peter had no clue. She didn’t even ask him for help—just got Henry, the nine-year-old neighbor kid, to pitch in. 

Aunt May’s calm about it. She’s sure she can handle herself. 

Seeing Peter’s guilt-ridden face, she pauses her work and steps over to him. She looks him in the eyes, sincere. The past is done, she says. She’s grateful for his honesty, his courage. No matter what, she’s proud of him and loves him. 

When little Henry pops back in, Peter can’t help but marvel—that tiny kid’s gotten so tall. 

Henry’s more curious about Peter’s job: snapping pics of Spider-Man. 

He and Aunt May both wonder why Spider-Man’s been gone so long. Peter shrugs it off: “Maybe he’s exploring other options.” 

Henry’s eyes light up. “Will he come back?” 

Peter hesitates. “…I don’t know.” 

Henry’s shoulders slump, disappointed, as he shuffles off. 

Aunt May watches him go. “You’d never guess what his dream is.” 

Peter bites. “What?” 

She smiles softly. “Spider-Man.” 

Peter didn’t see that coming. “Why?” 

“He can spot a hero,” she says. “Not many people would swing from rooftops, risking it all to save an old gal like me.” 

“Kids like Henry need heroes—ones who put others first, who show us how to be better. Everyone loves a hero. We cheer them on, shout for them. Years later, they’ll wait in the rain just for a glimpse of the one who saved them.” 

“I believe we’ve all got that hero spark in us. It keeps us true, gives us strength, lifts us up, lets us die proud. Sometimes, though, it means giving up what we love most—even our dreams. Spider-Man lit that fire in Henry. He wonders where he went. He needs him.” 

She rambles on, and Peter listens quietly. 

Those blue eyes behind his glasses are hard to read, but a faint mist clouds the lenses. Tears cling to his lashes. 

His face, half-lit by golden sunlight, flickers in and out of shadow. 

Then he tilts his head, revealing more. His gaze sharpens, a spark of resolve and hope flickering to life. 

“Can you help move the desk to the garage?” Aunt May asks, oblivious to the shift. 

Peter nods gently, letting out a long breath. “Sure,” he says. 

She assumes he’s about to lift it. “Don’t hurt yourself—be careful.” 

A smile tugs at his lips, like clouds parting for the moon. He nods again, softer this time. “Okay.” 

It’s the third time tonight the camera lingers on his face. 

No fancy tricks, no music—just raw feeling. His heart races, blood pumping from fragile to fierce, from doubt to determination. A new soul’s breaking through. 

Nicholas doesn’t even realize he’s sitting up straighter, spine stiff, eyes brimming with hope. 

Chapter 1538: Awakening and Return 

Finally, Peter mustered his courage and faced himself head-on— He needed to get his superpower back. 

Peter went up to the rooftop, silently cheering himself on, "Focus on what you want!" He turned, ran, and sprinted! Pushing off the ground, leaping into the air. Jump! 

Peter jumped off the roof, soaring into the air, completely free, a smile blooming on his face, "I'm back!" 

In front of the screen, Nicholas could feel that wave of joy so strongly he almost stood up and cheered. "I'm back!" 

Peter's cheer echoed between the tall buildings, but in the next second, he felt the pull of gravity. The smile froze at the corners of his mouth and then vanished. Whoosh! Peter fell. 

The entire Radio City Music Hall audience was stunned, their mouths agape as they watched Peter free-fall vertically. The sudden drastic change made everyone stop thinking, standing there dumbfounded, free-falling along with Peter, watching helplessly as he flailed around in the air, finally managing to barely grab hold of some messy clotheslines at the last moment. 

If it weren't for those clotheslines, the consequences would have been unthinkable. 

Then, Peter, holding onto the clotheslines, slammed into the wall like a ton of bricks, his hands slipped, and he continued to fall. First, he slid down the wall slowly like a slug, then tumbled and fell onto the roof of a car parked on the side of the road, and finally bounced up, did a 360-degree flip, and crashed onto the ground. Splat. Face-plant. 

The entire audience was stunned. Nicholas, who was just about to stand up, froze awkwardly in place, feeling a cool draft on his backside which had slightly lifted from the seat. 

Peter, in a display of sheer determination despite being battered, somehow managed to get back on his feet. He stood there, holding his back and limping, "My back, oh, my back." Then, he turned and slowly moved away bent over with a curved back like a snail, a perfect re-enactment of Quasimodo. 

One second, two seconds— Hahahaha! Explosive laughter, thunderous laughter. Including Nicholas, who applauded for Anson. 

Without a doubt, this was a clear jab at the widely known "injury incident" from last summer. Although that incident caused a chain reaction, no one expected Anson to playfully mock it in the movie in such a way, lightly breaking the fourth wall while perfectly fitting the film's plot. 

At a thrilling moment, at a point where emotional intensity was building, Sam Raimi once again light-heartedly ensured the movie's popcorn effect. Whether it was the horror elements returning from his earlier films or the seamlessly integrated comedic moments, the entire audience was completely immersed. The laughter simply wouldn't stop. 

Mary Jane was discussing the wedding guest list with John. Mary Jane didn't plan to invite Peter, which John found strange and expressed concern about. Mary Jane insisted repeatedly that it was fine, that Peter wasn't important. But looking at John, Mary Jane couldn't help but ask him to lean his head back. She leaned over him from above, giving him a kiss that was misaligned, just like her kiss with Spider-Man back then. Mary Jane couldn't help but freeze; it seemed to awaken her memory. 

The next day, Mary Jane arranged to meet Peter. Mary Jane seemed a bit hesitant, a bit conflicted, but she had to be honest with herself. There was a voice in her head that kept tirelessly calling Peter's name. Especially after that night, after Peter said those things. She couldn't keep lying to herself that those words meant nothing. 

Peter realized what Mary Jane was about to say. He stopped her in time. He looked at Mary Jane quietly, telling her with immense difficulty and pain. "I... don't love you." 

Saying that single sentence took almost all of Peter's strength, but it also completely hurt Mary Jane. Mary Jane's heart was broken. She looked at Peter with anguish and struggle, "You don't?" Peter had already lied once; he couldn't lie a second time. He just stood there stiffly, his clear pupils filled only with Mary Jane. Just one look, merely one look, yet at that moment, it conveyed everything complex and tangled. 

Peter tried to hide his emotions, but this time, he didn't avoid her gaze, because he knew he had to face Mary Jane and truly put an end to things. A complex light, a mix of vulnerability and resolve, flickered in his clear eyebrows, briefly freezing the air around them. 

Finally, Mary Jane grasped at the last shred of her sanity, "One kiss." Peter was confused. Mary Jane took a deep breath, "Give me a kiss. There are some things I need to confirm; just one kiss." She had made up her mind, ready to end things, to verify the slight suspicions in her mind, and then... to completely give up hope. 

Mary Jane closed her eyes and slowly leaned towards Peter. Peter completely froze. He knew he should refuse, end it completely, but he couldn't. He just stood there stiffly. He didn't move forward, but he didn't move backward either. 

In the camera lens, Mary Jane's face was clearly reflected in Peter's deep, clear eyes. He watched her intently, lingeringly. 

Right at that moment! Peter froze, catching the noise from the street behind him. Car alarms blared, screams and fear stirred. The air felt slightly different. More importantly, the reflection in his glasses showed the scene in the glass window behind him, where he could seemingly see a shadow approaching at full speed. In the reflection in his clear blue eyes, Mary Jane was completely covered and swallowed by the shadow. Oh no! 

An alarm blared in Peter's mind. All romantic notions were extinguished. Instinctively, Peter stood up, grabbed Mary Jane, and lunged out of the way. 

The camera lens moved away from Peter's glasses, quickly pulled back and gained distance, changing from a close-up to a wide shot. The audience in Radio City Music Hall could clearly see outside the glass window behind Peter—a black car was flipping and flying towards them. 

It wasn't just Peter and Mary Jane; the entire audience was covered by this shadow. The whole hall dimmed completely, giving a sense of the apocalypse, pressing the audience firmly into their seats, unable to move, until the roaring sound tore through the silence— Bang! Crash! The entire cafe, the entire street was thrown into chaos, shaking slightly. The whole world gently swayed. 

In their view, they couldn't see a monster, but they could feel the arrival of unknown fear. People were screaming, running, fleeing for their lives. An empty space formed in the center of the street. That fear spread across the screen, finally breaking free and engulfing the entire Radio City Music Hall. Boom! Doctor Octopus descended from the sky. 

Gasp! Ah! A wave of gasps swept through Radio City Music Hall. Even though the trailer had been hinting and reminding them, seeing the massive figure of Doctor Octopus actually appear was still enough to make them involuntarily gasp out loud. 

Doctor Octopus had completely lost his mind. He grabbed Peter by the throat, demanding that Peter find Spider-Man, while Mary Jane became his hostage. Peter tried to resist, but Doctor Octopus easily overpowered him, grabbed Mary Jane, and walked away swaggering. 

In the ruins, Peter was buried under layers of rubble and broken walls. He burst out of the ground and shot out like an arrow from a bow, searching for Doctor Octopus. But suddenly, he realized his vision was blurry; he couldn't even clearly see the figures of the fleeing crowd. 

Peter paused, took off his glasses— The world became clear again. 

The glasses in his hand fell to the ground. The lenses popped out. The camera free-fell and hit the ground, shaking violently before bouncing back up, following Peter's long legs as it ascended again. His fists were clenched once more. A glow of determination shone from his handsome face. 

Spider-Man, has returned!