The Best Spider-Man: The Animated Series Stories, Ranked

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, radioactive Spider-Man. Anyone who grew up or was a fan of the ’90s superhero series will recognize that those simple but catchy lyrics come from one of the best animated superhero shows of all time. The show took a surprisingly mature take on many of Spider-Man’s most entertaining and devastating stories for a children’s show, remaining iconic and of enough quality for people of all ages to enjoy the stories it offers to this day. Here are the best stories shown throughout the numerous episodes of Spider-Man: the animated series.

5

The return of Hydro-Man

watery sadness

• First episode release date: September 30, 1995
• Why it’s such a good story: It has heartbreaking scenes.

One of the most emotional episodes to ever come out of Spider-Man history, featuring one of the most iconic scenes in animated superhero fiction featuring Spider-Man’s blood-curdling screams emitted by a evaporating Mary Jane.

In this special two-part story arc, we see Peter and Mary Jane finally ready to enjoy their honeymoon as they head to Niagara Falls. Unfortunately, nothing goes as planned for the unfortunate couple. Their journey is interrupted when the aquatic villain Hydro-Man captures MJ. Spider-Man has to be helped by the femme fatale Black Cat in order to save her. A fight later breaks out with Hydro-Man, which ends in the most unpredictable way. Hydro-Man is defeated by an enhanced Mary Jane, and it is revealed that he now has her abilities for some reason.

Spider-Man later discovers that Mary Jane is a clone and, after a final battle, watches her evaporate along with Hydro-Man, resulting in her iconic scream. This episode lights a fire under this version of Spider-Man, making him more determined than ever to find the real Mary Jane.

4

The mutant agenda

Spider-Man and the X-Men

• First episode release date: September 30, 1995
• Why it’s such a good story: Spider-Man interacts with Charles Xavier and company.

Being bitten by a radioactive spider which turned him into a superhuman, which led to him being considered a mutate and considered a threat by normal humans in power, Spider-Man is one of the best characters to compare to the mutants of X- Men.

In the Mutant Agenda story, we see Spider-Man actively seeking help from mutants in order to better understand their abilities, and there is talk of dangerous cures for mutants. Things become contentious when the X-Men keep Peter in a detention chamber. Spider-Man finds a way to escape the chamber and hijinks ensue. Hobgoblin serves as a major villain throughout this story, adding to the frenetic fun. Professor Charles Xavier rejects Spider-Man, stating that he only deals with natural mutations and not the mutated powers he received.

Spider-Man eventually leaves the X-Men to their fate, but the Beast seeks him out again and reveals that he is familiar with a man, Herbert Landon, who is working on a possible mutant cure.

3

secret wars

A brilliant crossover event

• First episode release date: November 7, 1997
• Why it’s such a good story: We see so many different heroes and villains in one story.

What happens when a group of individuals with superior powers are in charge of building a scenario in which they can discover which faction is stronger, the heroes or the villains? You get parts one through four of Secret Wars, that’s what happens.

We see Spider-Man fighting alongside heroes from famous teams like the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men against villains like Doctor Octopus, Doctor Doom, the Lizard, and the Red Skull in a battle royale between good and evil. evil. ages of animation. We see Spider-Man in another plane of reality alongside these other well-known Marvel heroes and villains, making it a historic collaboration. Beyonder took all these figures to another planet in collaboration with Madame Web to carry out this interesting test.

Many revelations are made throughout the intriguing interactions this story provides, such as the heroes managing to separate a grateful Curt Connors from his Lizard persona. Black Cat enters the scene, Dr. Doom must be stopped in New Latveria, and memories are manipulated.

2

The alien costume

Birth of poison

• First episode release date: April 29, 1995
• Why it’s such a good story: Introduces alien themes and a major adversary.

Space travel, alien organisms, and the proper introduction of one of the most respected Spider-Man villains of all time, the story of The Alien Costume has a lot to offer in terms of all things Spider-Man.

In an ironic twist of fate, Spider-Man helps J. Jonah Jameson’s son on a space trip gone wrong, saving the life of the man he believes is the son of a threat. While this is happening, an alien symbiote attaches itself to Spider-Man. Initially, he’s not sure what it is, or why it has changed his costume, giving him a sleeker black gel look. But as he fulfills his duties as Spider-Man, he discovers that he is much more sinister. He finds that this symbiote enhances his strength and power as a positive, and his aggression and rage as a negative.

You may initially separate from him, but this is just the beginning of your problems. The symbiote joins Peter Parker’s rival, Eddie Brock, creating one of his most iconic villains: Venom.

1

Crucial moment

The Green Goblin Menace

• First episode release date: November 23, 1996
• Why it’s such a good story: Shows the Green Goblin at his best (or worst).

As shown with Willem Dafoe’s performance in Sam Raimi’s nostalgic Spider-Man trilogy, and his return as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best villains in spider manGreen Goblin is the most dangerous and captivating Spider-Man villain of all time. Acting similarly to the Joker in relation to Batman, the Green Goblin is a horrible threat that could easily ruin Peter Parker’s life, and the Turning Point story shows that this is even an understatement.

This season finale sees the Green Goblin in possession of a device that allows him to spy on and teleport to whoever and wherever he wants, allowing him to terrorize Spider-Man with twice as much ease as normally. Green Goblin manages to discover Spider-Man’s true identity.

Not only is Mary Jane thrown off a bridge in this finale, but the many antics of the Green Goblin, Madame Web, and the Time Dilation Accelerator lead to her demise. At the end of the episode, Spider-Man realizes that he understands that the loss of the Time Dilation Accelerator means that he cannot bring Mary Jane back.