Every Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 1 Episode, Ranked

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.The first season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has come to an end after exploring a new Peter Parker variant’s origin story as the titular wall-crawler over ten brilliant episodes. Set outside the main MCU continuity, which features Tom Holland’s Peter Parker as Spider-Man, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1 saw What If…?’s Hudson Thames loan his voice to Spider-Man. Instead of meeting Tony Stark, this Spider-Man variant was mentored by Colman Domingo’s Norman Osborn, which set him on a very different path.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has already been confirmed for a second and third season, which means Peter Parker’s journey is far from over. Season 1 ended with some major cliffhangers, while Peter Parker became a fully-fledged Spider-Man after battling the likes of the Unicorn, the Scorpion, Speed Demon, Tarantula and a Venom-like Symbiote, among others, over the course of ten episodes. Some of these episodes were stronger and more entertaining than others, but each of them developed this new Spider-Man story in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

10

Episode 5, “The Unicorn Unleashed!”

Mila Masaryk’s Story In “The Unicorn Unleashed!” Was Underwhelming

Slap bang in the middle of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1 was episode 5, “The Unicorn Unleashed!,” which played more like a case-of-the-week story as Spider-Man went toe-to-toe with Mila Masaryk’s titular laser-helmeted Unicorn. Episode 5 is the worst – though still not bad – episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1 as it’s the only episode that could be removed from the season without making much difference. No huge set-up occurs in the episode, and the Unicorn storyline is unnecessary and underwhelming.

In Marvel Comics, it’s Soviet Union intelligence officer Milos Masaryk, introduced in 1964’s Tales of Suspense #56, who becomes the Unicorn by wearing technology designed by Iron Man villain Crimson Dynamo.

Despite its pitfalls, “The Unicorn Unleashed!” is still a fun watch. It was great to see the relationship between Peter Parker and Harry Osborn get developed, while the tension between Parker and Nico Minoru increased. Additionally, Otto Octavius’ introduction, albeit brief, was exciting for the season’s subsequent episodes. This episode did mark the official debut of Mac Gargan, who played a pivotal role in the remainder of the season as the Scorpion, so it’s still worth the watch, but “The Unicorn Unleashed!” pales in comparison to other episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

9

Episode 2, “The Parker Luck”

“The Parker Luck” Set Up Plot Threads For The Rest Of The Season

Following a strong season premiere, Marvel took the opportunity to feature a huge amount of set-up and a number of character introductions in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 2, “The Parker Luck.” This unfortunately meant that the season’s second chapter was a bit of a slow burner, centering mostly on Peter Parker beginning his internship at Oscorp alongside Asha, Amadeus Cho and Jeanne Foucault, and his trying to balance being Spider-Man with his public persona. Despite being slow, however, “The Parker Luck” is still a fun installment.

Alright Marvel, I’ve Completely Changed My Mind On 2025’s First Spider-Man Release

Despite some concerns about the new version of the wall-crawling hero, 2025’s first Spider-Man release has turned out to be pretty great.

It’s a testament to Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man that even one of the worst episodes is still an enjoyable watch. Peter Parker struggling to balance his personal and professional lives, Lonnie Lincoln’s development as an ally to Parker, the set-up of Otto Octavius’ activities behind the scenes and the proper introduction of Norman Osborn were all brilliant to see. “The Parker Luck” just didn’t include much in-depth exploration of Spider-Man’s story, which made it feel a little underwhelming compared to other, stronger episodes.

8

Episode 3, “Secret Identity Crisis”

Norman Osborn Proved To Be A Strong Mentor To Peter Parker

After finding out Peter Parker’s identity as Spider-Man at the end of episode 2, Norman Osborn got far more attention in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 3, “Secret Identity Crisis,” which contributed to a stronger episode. Colman Domingo’s Norman Osborn is suave, sophisticated and captivating, so it was great to see him get more development here, particularly as an ally to Spider-Man who seemed to want what’s best for the young wall-crawler. However, episode 3 isn’t without its flaws, most notably the inclusion of Tarantula and Speed Demon as villains.

While Tarantula and Speed Demon’s inclusion in “Secret Identity Crisis” began to set up Otto Octavius’ debut later in the season, these minor antagonists were seriously lackluster and inconsequential, posing little threat to Spider-Man and making practically no mark on the season. The establishment of Lonnie Lincoln as part of the 110th Street gang in this episode, however, was a high point. The grounded nature of this episode meant that it isn’t as exciting as Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s subsequent installments.

7

Episode 4, “Hitting The Big Time”

Spider-Man’s New Costumes Brought Fun To The Season

While notable heroes of the mainstream MCU timeline had been mentioned in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s early episodes, episode 4, “Hitting the Big Time,” marked the greatest convergence of these alternate timelines. This episode unfolded shortly after the implementation of the Sokovia Accords and the Avengers’ Civil War at the Leipzig/Halle Airport, which this version of Spider-Man was not involved in, unlike his MCU counterpart. These MCU references were a welcome addition to the Multiverse Saga series, while the episode’s core storylines were also interesting.

The Sokovia Accords were introduced to the MCU in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War alongside Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law revealed that the Sokovia Accords had been repealed after the five-year-long Blip.

This episode marked a shift in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1, as Peter Parker officially dove head-first into his partnership with Norman Osborn, and Lonnie Lincoln became a more established member of the 110th Street gang. Watching Peter Parker try out different costumes and get into precarious situations was hilarious, and it was very satisfying to see him finally land on his black-and-white Oscorp costume. “Hitting the Big Time” also marked the debut of Otto Octavius, which was a very exciting development for the series.

6

Episode 8, “Tangled Web”

Struggle Defines Peter Parker’s Spider-Man In “Tangled Web”

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 8, “Tangled Web,” perfectly set the stage for the season’s epic double-finale, and arguably defined Spider-Man as a character more than any other episode. Peter Parker’s story is often underlined by tragedy and struggle, and this was put front-and-center in “Tangled Web” as he dealt with the aftermath of his battle against the Scorpion and his serious injury. This struggle was also reflected in Lonnie Lincoln’s story, as he officially broke up with Pearl to dedicate his time to the 110th Street gang, cementing his destiny as a future villain.

Split image of Spider-Man and Uncle Ben dying

I Can’t Believe Marvel Just Gave Spider-Man’s Nemesis His Most Famous Ever Line & Made It Evil

Marvel just gave one of Spider-Man’s biggest comic villains one of the franchise’s most iconic lines, and changed it to have a very different message.

One of the highlights of this Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode, and indeed the entire season, was the appearance of Tony Stark’s Iron Man during the apprehension of Otto Octavius. Voiced by What If…?’s Mick Wingert, it’s great to see Iron Man still have a prominent role in the MCU even six years after Robert Downey Jr.’s departure. This episode also saw Norman Osborn deliver a fantastic twist on that iconic quote, noting that “with great power comes great respect,” which added a sinister tone to Spider-Man’s story and perhaps teased Osborn’s own “great power.”

5

Episode 7, “Scorpion Rising”

Spider-Man & Scorpion’s Battle Is Intense

Just beating the impact of episode 8 is its immediate predecessor, episode 7, “Scorpion Rising.” This episode featured two core storylines, one which saw Harry Osborn and Nico Minoru bond after the latter learned of Peter Parker’s activities as Spider-Man, and the other featuring Spider-Man going up against the Scorpion for the first time. It was great to see Harry and Nico get some human development and start to become firm friends in this episode, particularly since they found common ground where there didn’t seem to be any, but the Spider-Man vs. Scorpion battle was this episode’s strongest sequence.

Michael Mando portrayed Mac Gargan in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, and was teased to be becoming a major Spider-Man villain in the movie’s post-credits scene, but this is yet to come to fruition in the MCU.

Peter Parker and Norman Osborn work well as a team to battle Scorpion, that is until Osborn becomes distracted with trying to find Otto Octavius, which gives Mac Gargan an opportunity to stab Spider-Man and leave him seriously injured. This was a well-animated, thought-through and powerful battle scene that showed the flaws of Spider-Man’s partnership with Norman Osborn. “Scorpion Rising” may have teased this relationship not lasting much longer, however, as the episode featured the first appearance of Osborn’s Green Goblin glider, which was incredibly exciting.

4

Episode 6, “Duel With The Devil”

Daredevil’s Cameo In “Duel With The Devil” Is Exciting

It’s Daredevil’s appearance in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 6, “Duel With the Devil,” that makes this chapter of the season so exhilarating and so much better than other episodes. This marked Charlie Cox’s most recent appearance as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, though this animated iteration is seemingly much darker than his MCU counterpart, reflected in the vigilante’s black costume, rather than his trademark red. After his appearance alongside Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it was great to see Daredevil and Spider-Man actually engage in a fight.

Daredevil’s MCU Project	Year
Daredevil Season 1	2015
Daredevil Season 2	2016
The Defenders	2017
Daredevil Season 3	2018
Spider-Man: No Way Home	2021
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law	2022
Echo	2024
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man	2025
Daredevil: Born Again	2025

Aside from the battle between Daredevil and Spider-Man, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 6 also included some important progressions in the development of Harry Osborn and Nico Minoru and in Lonnie Lincoln’s descent into darkness. We saw Nico finally find out that Parker is Spider-Man in this episode, and it also marks Mac Gargan’s debut in his new Scorpion armor. “Duel With the Devil” is a hugely important episode in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1, and it’s always brilliant to see Daredevil in action in the MCU.

3

Episode 9, “Hero Or Menace”

“Hero Or Menace” Made Huge Changes To Spider-Man & His Allies

The first part of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1’s epic double-finale marked the end of Spider-Man’s battle against the Scorpion, taking everything he’d learned from the season to get the upper hand on Mac Gargan. It was Lonnie Lincoln’s exposure to unspecified chemicals and emergence of superpowers that aided in this fight, officially teasing his evolution into the villainous Tombstone. “Hero Or Menace” mirrored the final battle of Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Peter Parker almost killing Mac Gargan as Tom Holland’s version did to Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn, only to be stopped at the last minute.

Spider-Man with Doc Ock in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Every Marvel Villain Confirmed To Exist In The MCU’s New Spider-Man Universe

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man introduced a swathe of classic and modern Marvel villains, many of which have been reimagined for the series.

While any Marvel fan will know of Norman Osborn’s nefarious personality, this had only been teased throughout Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but episode 9 finally confirmed his true intentions. Osborn claimed Otto Octavius’ work as his own, and even set to work trying to use Spider-Man’s blood to genetically modify spiders, hoping to repeat the process and make more Spider-Men. This episode perfectly set the stage for the season’s incredible finale, but wasn’t quite the second-best episode of the season.

2

Episode 1, “Amazing Fantasy”

“Amazing Fantasy” Is A Strong Start To The Season

The honor of second-best episode falls to Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s premiere, “Amazing Fantasy,” which marked a very strong debut for this new version of Peter Parker. While the season’s premiere didn’t explore Spider-Man’s origin story as much as we would have liked, we did finally get to see Peter Parker get bitten by his spider, and it was interesting to see this happen in the presence of Doctor Strange and a Symbiotic alien. This origin story was not what many were expecting, but it cemented the animated series as a firm part of the MCU’s multiverse perfectly.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1’s premiere did a great job at laying the foundations for the rest of the season. We were introduced to Nico Minoru, Peal Pangan, Lonnie Lincoln and even Harry and Norman Osborn, with some fun action sequences, fantastic swinging scenes and a clear introduction to who this iteration of Peter Parker is. This was a remarkably strong start to the season, and while certain episodes didn’t have as much impact, “Amazing Fantasy” set a high standard that immediately impressed many viewers.

1

Episode 10, “If This Be My Destiny…”

“If This Be My Destiny…” May Be The Perfect Season Finale

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1’s premiere was only trumped to the top spot by the season’s finale, “If This Be My Destiny…” Episode 10 wrapped up Spider-Man’s origin story by explaining exactly where the spider that bit Peter Parker came from, and used some exciting time travel escapades to reveal that Spider-Man’s origin is actually a bootstrap paradox. The spider that bit Parker was one that Oscorp genetically modified using Spider-Man’s blood, which was able to travel to the past thanks to the intervention of Doctor Strange after Osborn opened a portal to a Symbiote-inhabited world.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man surprised with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man background

Marvel Has Already Set Up The Potential For A Truly Huge Spider-Man 4 Twist According To MCU Theory

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s finale just teased the most dramatic twist ever for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in the live-action MCU.

While ‘If This Be My Destiny…” explained more details about Spider-Man’s actual origin story, the finale also provided a wide array of teases for future seasons. Harry Osborn creates the Worldwide Engineering Brigade (WEB) to support young geniuses, Amadeus Cho takes a permanent role at Oscorp, Jeanne is revealed to be Finesse, working alongside Daredevil to investigate Oscorp, Lonnie becomes the 110th Street gang’s new leader and, shocking, Richard Parker is still alive. This might be the perfect ending to the season, while establishing some thrilling stories for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man seasons 2 and 3.