Ultimate Spider-Man’s Greatest Threat is Gwen Stacy

Ultimate Spider-Man has reinvented and reimagined plenty of Spider-Man’s mythos in Marvel’s newest alternate universe. One of the biggest and best changes was to turn Gwen Stacy into one wielder of the Amulet of Mysterio, which elevated her from simply being a love interest to one of the most powerful and dangerous characters in the series. Mysterio isn’t just one person with some cheap parlor tricks, either. This time, Mysterio is the name of the collective council of magic wielders who share the Amulet, all with the goal of undermining what the Maker has turned their world into and restoring it to how it should be. Their powers of illusion seem unmatched, but in the upcoming war against the Kingpin and what remains of his Sinister Six, they’re going to need that. Except that Mysterio, and Gwen Stacy specifically, might just be the biggest threat Spider-Man has to overcome.

War is Coming to New York City

As shown in Ultimate Spider-Man #17, Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy have taken the battle to the Kingpin’s soldiers in the battle for control of NYC. Harry once again donned the Green Goblin armor, and the unfortunately chosen AI of Norman Osborn wasted no time in belittling his son for all of his perceived failures. The false copy of Harry’s father whispered in his ear the whole time Green Goblin and Mysterio took down Mr. Negative’s men, telling him that Gwen was controlling him and clearly didn’t trust him, as Harry told Gwen about his alter ego immediately, but Gwen only brought him into the fold when it was necessary to save his life.

Harry drowned out his father, but after Gwen destroyed the building where the Demons were housed seconds after Harry finished clearing the people out, it was clear that some of Norman’s words stuck. He tried confronting Gwen about going too far, saying that people easily could have died because of her, but Mysterio brushed him off, saying that she was willing to cross whatever line it took to win this war. Seeing his wife so casually say she was willing to throw lives away obviously disturbed Harry, and he took steps to fight his own way as well.

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Although Gwen fired him for getting too close to the truth about her double life, Harry secretly kept Otto Octavius on as his personal scientist and technician. Harry funded this with his own secret stockpiles of money, determined to keep this entire thing away from Gwen’s notice. And after witnessing her callousness in the field, he felt he had to have an ally on his side to win this war the right way. At the end of the issue, Uncle Ben helped Harry call Peter, who he asked to come home because his best friend needed his help. Spider-Man is joining the war on Green Goblin’s side, but Mysterio might just be their biggest challenge to overcome.

Gwen Stacy Has Her Hand in Everything

Not only are Gwen Stacy, Quinten Beck, and Daily Bugle reporter Robbie Robertson Mysterios, but so is Wesley, the Kingpin’s righthand man. Add onto that the alliance Gwen forged with Mole Man, the murder of Kraven, and the recent attacks on Mr. Negative’s territory, and you have the perfect recipe for Gwen Stacy to bring down the Kingpin, and maybe even take his place. Think about it, Gwen is already the CEO of one the world’s most powerful companies, and she’s never been one to turn away from gathering power. She’s already shown she’s incredibly capable of leading a shadowy organization and willing to do anything to bring down the Maker’s vision. She could very well not just be setting up the Kingpin’s downfall, but her ascension to his throne, which would bring her one step closer to swinging at the Maker himself.

Of course, she could never attain that level of control and trust from the Maker’s people if she doesn’t cross lines that should never be crossed. Harry can see how far she is willing to go, and despite how far he is willing to go himself, even he fears what she might do. Spider-Man, of course, would never just stand by and do nothing while she tried to become the new ruler of New York City. He’s fighting for its freedom from tyranny, not to just elect a new dictator who is a little better than before. And yet with all the alliances she’s forged and the power and information she holds she might just be too much for Spider-Man or Green Goblin to handle. Hopefully it never comes to that, but if it does, and it looks like it might, the two heroes are going to have to do everything in their power to take Gwen Stacy down before she becomes the new Kingpin of New York City.