FicWad

Spiderman 3
Act 1, Scene 1

The New York cityscape, the most famous in the world. We stay on it for a second and then - whoosh - a flash of blue and red flies past the screen. It's Spiderman. He's chasing two police cars which themselves are hot on the heels of another vehicle, a large van. The van's back doors fly open and two hoods are revealed. One grins as he hefts a rocket launcher to his shoulder. The police cars veer to the left and right, and one smashes into traffic, out of commission. The other survives.

As the hood launches the rocket, a web attaches itself to the launcher and jerks it upward slightly, out of the path of traffic and pedestrians. The rocket fires. We enter Spiderman's 'spider-sense' bullet-time mode as, from his point of view, he sees the rocket shoot toward him as he swings. He twists his body in a way no human could and, falling, shoots his web from both wrists so it attaches itself to the rocket. He's pulled upward with the rocket, web still firing from his wrists, thickening the two weblines until the rocket is covered in a protective cocoon of webbing. This done, Spiderman detaches himself from the rocket and begins falling once again to the New York streets.

We cut to a daytime scene. Peter Parker, dressed in his university gear and looking quite well, is thumbing through the newspapers available on a newsstand. He comes to the Daily Bugle, which screams SPIDERMAN IN ROCKET ATTACK ON CITIZENS! alongside a sensationalised picture of a small boy standing beside the cocooned rocket, trussed up like a beached shark.

PETER: Figures.

We go back to the previous scene. Spiderman is still falling. As he's now done many times before, he judges the moment to perfect to snake out a webbing line and swoop back into the pursuit of the van. As he nears it again, he sees that the hoods have reloaded the rocket launcher and are fumbling it into launch position.

SPIDERMAN: Not again you don't...

In his customary spectacular style, Spiderman uses two lamp-posts to swing around the in-motion traffic (barely avoiding an oncoming rig) and land on the roof of the van. Just as the hood has the remaining police-car in his sights, Spiderman's hand reaches down from above him and calmly plucks the launcher.

SPIDERMAN: Thanks. Here, you have this.

He punches the hood in the face and swings around the edge of the van to land nimbly inside. The other hood faces him.

We cut back to the newsstand scene. Peter picks up another tabloid paper, the New York Sun-Chronicle. SPIDER-VIGILANTE CRUSHED MY HAND! is the headline/, /beside a picture of the hood cradling a small puppy with one hand. The other is heavily, heavily bandaged.

Again we go back to the van. The 'victim' pulls a large bowie knife on Spiderman and lunges. With one swift move Spiderman evades the thrust and raps his opponent's knuckles, making him drop the knife. Seconds later he's affixed to the wall with a burst of webbing.

We cut to the masked driver. He's tapped on the shoulder. He glances up, barely daring to look away from his high-speed getaway.

SPIDERMAN: Hi.

HOOD: Ah, /crap/...

Spiderman pats him on the shoulder.

SPIDERMAN: ...right over there will do. Nice and slow.

The hood obliges, reducing the van's speed and pulling it over.

SPIDERMAN: Nice driving.

HOOD: Thanks.

SPIDERMAN: So, been doing this long?

HOOD: Yeah.

They come to a halt. The police car, now joined by two more reinforcement cars, screech to a halt beside them.

SPIDERMAN: Ever think about maybe...stopping?

HOOD: (/bitterly/) Do you?

Spiderman webs the hood's hands together with a quick precise burst. When he speaks there's quiet satisfaction in his voice.

SPIDERMAN: Not any more.

With that we see him shoot from the back of the van, bounding high into the New York night. The police officers crane their necks to watch him go.

OFFICER 1: Damn menace.

OFFICER 2: Ah, get off the guy's back, willya?

OFFICER 1: He's a menace. The sooner someone brings his ass in, the better. Don't you /read /the papers, man?

And we go back to Peter Parker, who's doing just that with a look of resigned disappointment. The newsstand owner comes into shot, glaring at Peter.

OWNER: This look like a library to you?

PETER: Sorry.

OWNER: You buyin' one or not?

PETER: No, I...

But as he says this, his attention is distracted by another headline from another paper, the New York Sentinel. HERO SPIDERMAN FOILS ROBBERY.

PETER: Can I have this one?

OWNER: Sure you can. Can I have some money?

Peter fumbles in his pocket for change. He palms the correct money to the newsstand owner, who takes it and turns away, presumably to abuse some other member of the public. Peter begins walking away slowly, reading the article aloud softly to himself. As he reads a disbelieving grin begins to spread across his face.

PETER: '...last night, New York City was once again made a safer place, once again shown that we have at least one hero who will stand up to the criminal element and show the rest of us an example to follow. And that hero's name, ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, is...'

Act 1, Scene 2

An ornate desk, upon which rests the same paper Peter is reading.

HARRY: '...Spiderman.'

We see his hand curl reflexively at the name, crumpling the picture of Spiderman on the front page. Harry continues to read.

HARRY: 'For over three years now New Yorkers have lived beside this anonymous benefactor, this champion. Our fellow press delights in calling him villain, but this paper asks: what his Spiderman done except protect us when necessary from lunatics like Doc Ock or the Green Gob...'

He trails off and sits there in silence for a moment, his face betraying the inner furies raging within, the confusion.

NORMAN OSBORN (V/O): Harry...

Harry closes his eyes and grits his teeth.

HARRY: No...no, not you.

NORMAN: Lunatic. That's what they call me.

HARRY: You killed innocent people! You murdered the entire Oscorp board!

NORMAN: I did it for /us/, Harry! You and me! Look around you - everything you have, you to owe to /me/!

HARRY: Everything I have!

He leaps up from his chair and whirls to face the full-length mirror. As ever, the dearly departed Norman Osborn - his father, the Green Goblin - is there looking back at him accusingly.

HARRY: I lost everything. Octavius saw to that. The house is all that's left.

NORMAN: The house...and everything in it.

We see a flash of the moment in Spiderman 2 where Harry discovers the hidden Goblin's cove behind the mirror from which his father speaks. The glider. The bombs. The outfit. Everything one needs to become a supervillain.

NORMAN: Rise again, son. Use what you have here! Restore our family, and destroy our enemies!

HARRY: Spiderman...

NORMAN: PETER PARKER!

Harry is agonised.

HARRY: He's my friend. He's always been my best friend.

NORMAN: He murdered me. You saw it. He knew who I was, didn't make any difference to him. Believe me, son...I would never have hurt Peter, but he came after me! He hunted me!

His face and voice change - it's the classic Osborn - Goblin switch.

NORMAN: He deserves to die. Him...and all he cares about.

Harry's agonised eyes open. They are clear and purposeful. He speaks to his father with a trace of backbone for the first time.

HARRY: No.

NORMAN: No?

HARRY: I'll never hurt MJ, or Aunt May. I'm not like you.

NORMAN: No, you're not. But you want to be, don't you Harry?

Harry doesn't reply.

NORMAN: And Parker? What about him? Will you make the same promise for him?

We can see the truth in Harry's eyes; whatever protection MJ and Aunt May could enjoy, the same cannot be said for Peter. A cold, cold hatred burns there.

HARRY: Leave me alone.

He walks away to the sound of his father/the Goblin's maniacal laughter...

Act 1, Scene 3

Space. A shuttlecraft's engines burn toward Earth. Inside are three astronauts; two men and one woman. The commander is Colonel John Jameson, son of that quiet unassuming newspaperman J. Jonah Jameson. He speaks into the onboard camera.

JOHN JAMESON: Houston, our engines show good burn.

We cut to JJJ's office in the Daily Bugle. A huge screen has been erected and is currently showing the camera feed from the shuttle.

JAMESON: Did you hear that! Good burn!

There are about ten people assembled behind him. They watch with polite interest.

JAMESON: I /said/, did you hear that?

There is a sudden explosion of 'great!' 'yes!' 'brilliant Mr Jameson!' 'that's quite a son you got there Mr Jameson!'. It's sufficient to make JJJ harrumph with pride. He's clearly the proudest father imaginable.

One of the secretaries pops her head in the door.

SECRETARY: Mr Jam-

JAMESON: Don't wanna hear it!

SECRETARY: But Mr Jam-

JAMESON: Are you new here?

SECRETARY: Well...yes, Mr Jameson.

JAMESON: Well now you're /fired /here. GET OUT!

The girl blinks and begins to tear up. Robbie steps over to comfort her.

ROBBIE: Just slip back to your desk and keep on working. He's watching the beginning of his son's space mission.

SECRETARY: Okay. Thank you.

Robbie winks at her as she turns to go. She remembers something however and turns back.

SECRETARY: What will I tell them?

ROBBIE: Who?

SECRETARY: NASA. They want to know how Mr Jameson got access to their top-level classified video feed.

ROBBIE: Wrong number?

He shows her out as kindly but as quickly as possible. JJJ is still enraptured by the feed, and has quite clearly forgotten all about the naïve secretary.

HOUSTON: Roger that good burn, Praetor.

JOHN JAMESON: On course for intercept with target object. ETA sixty-two hours fifteen minutes.

We're back in space, and we see the target object - a large asteroid tumbling end over end in the infinity.

HOUSTON: Roger that. Stand by, /Praetor /- we're receiving reports of a security breach in this transmission...

At this, JJJ reaches over and calmly pulls a plug from the wall. The video link dies. He stands up and seems surprised to see the group assembled behind him, blinking like rabbits in the headlights..

JAMESON: What do I look like, a magic eye picture? Get back to work!

They file out and prevent Peter Parker - who's just arrived - from entering the office. Eventually he gains access, still holding the Sentinel under his arm. He sits down opposite JJJ, who lights a cigar and notices him for the first time.

JAMESON: Parker! What do you want?

PETER: You asked to see me?

JAMESON: Course I did! Big society ball coming up tomorrow night, some infectious disease's birthday or some pianist died, who cares. Since you love that kind of thing, you're my photographer for the event. Got it? Good. Get out.

His intercom buzzes.

JAMESON: What?

SECRETARY: Mr Brock here to see you, sir.

JAMESON: Who?

SECRETARY: Your showbiz correspondent?

JAMESON: Send him in!

PETER: Mr Jameson, have you seen this?

JJJ makes a 'give it here' hand motion. He snatches the Sentinel from Peter and scans it. His lip curls with disgust. Eddie Brock enters the office behind them. He's a few years older than Peter and a good deal broader.

JAMESON: Two-bit hack journalism!

PETER: They're telling the truth!

JAMESON: What are you, an echo? Get out!

Peter gives up in exasperation. As he leaves the office Eddie Brock puts a hand on his chest.

EDDIE: You're the one takes the pictures of the webhead, aren't you?

PETER: Yeah.

EDDIE: Can't you get him doing something a little more in the public interest than wall-crawling or webslinging?

PETER: Like...?

EDDIE: I don't know. Exiting a starlet's hotel room at 3am. Throwing a tantrum at a hot-dog stand because someone messed up his order. Taking off his mask.

PETER: (/coldly/)I don't think so.

EDDIE: Hey I got nothin' against the freak. I just think he could sell a few more newspapers than he does.

JAMESON: Now /there's /a man with a future at the /Bugle/!

PETER: So nice to meet you, Eddie.

Outside, Peter bumps into Robbie.

ROBBIE: They'll never change their tune about Spiderman, Peter. You know that.

PETER: I know that.

Robbie regards him keenly. There's a hint that Robbie, genial assistant though he seems to be, knows a great deal more than he's letting on, and that Peter is not unaware of this.

ROBBIE: I don't think Spiderman cares what people say about him anyway. He knows he's a hero. He knows there are enough people out there who are glad to see him doing what he does.

PETER: I think you're right. But I'm sure he was glad to see this.

He displays the Sentinel's headline.

ROBBIE: Wonder if they have a job going?

He and Peter share a wry smile. Robbie re-enters the room and we hear JJJ's familiar bellowing before the door shuts on it once again. Peter stares after him thoughtfully.

PETER: A job...

Act 1, Scene 4

A theatre. A poster for a play featuring Mary Jane Watson prominently displayed outside. The poster has a bar across saying LAST NIGHT! SOLD OUT!

Inside, the play is in full swing. Mary Jane is in her element, her bearing regal, she stalks the stage with the air of one born to be there.

During a break in dialogue, she casts a glance at the audience, scanning it. A few rows back from the front is an empty seat, the only one in the house. Her eyes settle on it for a moment and we see a faint ripple of a sad but stoic smile touch her cheeks before it's her next cue and she's swept up in the drama once again.

The scene ends and the interval curtains descend. MJ runs to the wings to change her costume. One of her female co-stars, Angela, a slightly dizzy blonde, does the same thing beside her.

ANGELA: No Peter tonight?

MARY JANE: Ssh!

ANGELA: Oh give it a rest with your secrecy! You didn't keep you and John Jameson a secret, and he's a celebrity! What's with the hush-hush for you and Pete?

MARY JANE: It's...different with Peter, Angie. Just don't say a word, okay?

ANGELA: Hey I'm reliable - unlike a certain cute photographer! This is your last night before your big TV move and he doesn't even show?

MARY JANE: I'm sure he tried to. Something must have come up.

ANGELA: Something more important than this!

MARY JANE: You never know.

ANGELA: All I'm saying is, for his own good he better not be blowing you off to hang out with some girl...

Act 1, Scene 5

.../a girl, falling, screaming her lungs out. Spiderman dives off a rooftop as she plummets toward the ground. He snags her with a webline and pulls her falling body to his own before using another webline to deposit them both to safety on the ground. The girl sobs hysterically, throwing her arms around Spiderman./

We hear the classic 'click-click-whirr' sound of a camera taking a picture, and Spiderman and the girl freeze in place for a moment, before the action resumes.

GIRL: Oh thank you, oh thank you, oh my God thank you-

SPIDERMAN: No problem...uh...really...you can let go now.

GIRL: No! I'll fall without you!

SPIDERMAN: Uh, we're on the ground. So no falling. Sorry, I got something to do.

Free from her grasp, he leaps and is gone. The girl stares after him, before her eyes roll back in her head and she collapses limply to the ground.

A helicopter zips and zags through the buildings. Four gun-toting men are inside, one flying, two guarding large cloth bags, one holding a gun on a middle-aged man.

HOOD 1: Is he gone? Did he catch her?

HOOD 2: No sign of him...and who cares? If he gets too close we've got another little distraction for him.

He's talking about the middle-aged man, who moans in fear.

HOOD 3: Hey man, I hear he nailed your cousin?

PILOT: Yeah, just last night. Antwon was the best damn driver in the city too.

HOOD 3: Well, if you wanna talk about it...

PILOT: Thanks m...what the-

Suspended between two buildings up ahead is the largest spiderweb ever constructed. Big enough, in fact, to trap one escaping helicopter. The pilot leans on the stick and the helicopter attempts to veer off, but it's too late; the thin but incredibly strong strands affix themselves to the craft and refuse to let go.

HOOD 1: Where is he? Where the hell is he?

HOOD 2: I don't see him. Let's give him something to think about.

HOSTAGE: Please, no...

But his cries fall on deaf ears. The hood grabs him with one meaty arm and tosses him out the open side door. The man's scream fills the night sky.

HOOD 3: You idiot! He was our last hostage!

We cut to Spiderman nimbly catching the falling man. As he does there is another rapid succession of 'click-click-whirr' noises - the entire sequence is being captured on camera.

SPIDERMAN: Do you trust me?

MAN: Why d - aaaagh!

Spiderman tosses him into the air in order to continue his pursuit of the helicopter. Without even looking his wrist shoots a safety web onto a nearby rooftop, which the man falls into...bounces back up and out of...and then falls back into again. We linger on his dazed face for a second before climbing high to rejoin Spiderman again.

Still trapped in the web, the crooks have given up trying to fly their way out of it. Realising they won't last long within the helicopter, they're now - very gingerly - climbing their way out. Spiderman swings towards them. He's spotted and they open fire, forcing Spiderman to execute another one of his ultra-flexible mid-air dodges. Web-bullets fire in response, knocking clear two of the crooks' guns. A burst of sustained webbing affixes the criminals to the web, pinning them in place.

Click-whirr.

We cut to see the photographer for the first time. He's a man of about forty, and he has a woman with him. They're looking up at the high-rise dramatics going on above their heads and wearing expressions approaching awe.

As the man repositions the camera to snap another few pictures we see a small spider-web tattoo on his wrist. The woman has one too, in the same place.

A police helicopter finally emerges on the scene, powerful searchlight illuminating proceedings. One of the crooks, the pilot, who has climbed to the top of the web like a rope ladder, looks down at Spiderman coming up after him. He levels his gun at the police helicopter, to Spiderman's horror.

PILOT: Can they dodge like you can?

SPIDERMAN: /Don't/-

A single shot rings out. The pilot twitches and slowly, ever so slowly topples from his perch. We follow his fall in slow-mo until he's caught, gently, by Spiderman and set down on a nearby rooftop. The man coughs blood as Spiderman checks his pulse and the entry wound of the bullet, somewhere around the sternum.

PILOT: Guess they really.../can't /dodge...huh?

SPIDERMAN: You'll be alright.

PILOT: You got...my cousin...too.

SPIDERMAN: You've gotta hold still.

PILOT: You know something? This /really /hurts.

And with that, he slips away and dies. Spiderman reaches over and closes his eyelids. As he does the police helicopter rises above the roof of the building, shining the searchlight on the body.

POLICE LOUDSPEAKER: REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE...

Spiderman's nowhere to be seen, however. We cut to the interior of the police helicopter, where the officer speaking into the loudspeaker curses.

There's a knock to his left. Instinctively, he turns his head...and recoils in shock. Spiderman forcibly opens the side door of the helicopter. The sniper attempts to react, but his gun is slapped away. Spiderman grabs him. The pilot, unable to let go of the controls, is forced to witness.

SPIDERMAN: I had things under control. I was about to bring him in for you, do your job for you, and I would have left him /alive/.

SNIPER: They were throwing people out the door!

SPIDERMAN: For me to catch.

With a squeeze of his hand he destroys the sniper rifle.
SPIDERMAN: Next time you wanna help me...don't.

And with that, he's gone.

Act 1, Scene 6

Peter's grotty apartment. It looks as basic and cramped as when we last saw it, but there's a few ever-so-subtle changes; a few feminine touches, the legacies of Mary Jane's occasional stopovers. We linger on a few of them - a vase of flowers; a tapered candle, etc.

Peter enters the apartment. He looks troubled and weary. He slumps onto the bed and stares at the ceiling for a moment. When he closes his eyes, we see a subliminal flash of the dead pilot breathing his last. Peter's eyes open. He's clearly pained, and when his eyes close again we see why - he's remembering seeing his uncle Ben lose his battle with life, the tragedy that sent him on the path to being a superhero.

We white-out to Uncle Ben's car - the setup should be the same as this scene from Spiderman 2.

BEN: Peter...you came back.

PETER: I was wrong, Uncle Ben. I couldn't stop being Spiderman.

BEN: I know, Pete.

PETER: I let you down. I'm sorry.

BEN: Son, you've never let me down.

There are tears in Peter's eyes. Clearly he wants to believe Ben, but he can't.

PETER: Because of me...

BEN: No. Because of /you/, people have hope.

PETER: A man died tonight.

BEN: Five people lived.

PETER: Numbers? Is that what it's about?

BEN: It's about doing what you can to make things better. Not to atone, Peter, but because that's the person you are. With great power...

PETER: ...I know. Comes great responsibility.

BEN: And great potential. Be true to Spiderman, but remember he's just the mask. Peter Parker is the real hero. At least...he always was to me.

Peter's tears shine, but he looks grateful.

BEN: Aren't you gonna answer that?

PETER: Answer...?

We cut back to Peter's apartment. He snaps out of the dream/vision and realises the front door is being knocked.

PETER: Who is it?

MARY JANE (V/O): Room service.

Peter smiles. As he does, we cut to outside the door. Mary Jane is there, smiling, heavily disguised though in a headscarf and long coat.

PETER (V/O): Come in.

She does so. Peter's not there. She glances to the left and right, and then gives a little jump and a squeal as Peter descends from the ceiling, upside down. We close on their faces and their lips especially - their positions are identical to the famous kiss from the first movie.

MARY JANE: I never get tired of that...

PETER: I am so sorry about tonight.

MARY JANE: Ssh. I caught the news. I know.

PETER: I wanted to be there.

MARY JANE: Don't worry tiger, you were. See that's the thing...you're not an empty seat anymore, no matter whether you're there or not.

She kisses him again and then takes off her scarf and coat. They look at each other for a moment and then MJ is scooped up in Peter's arms and carried along - with Peter walking on the ceiling - to the bed. He deposits her on the quilt and detaches himself from his grip so he's above her. One more kiss...

.../and, discreetly, we fade out./

Act 1, Scene 7

The Brooklyn Bridge. Spiderman lands on one of the girders. He looks up to see the Goblin standing above him, with Mary-Jane dangling from his left arm and a cable attached to a cable car full of children in his right. It is, of course, the end sequence from the first Spiderman movie.

GOBLIN: Spiderman! This is why only fools are heroes...because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice.

Terrified, Mary-Jane screams.

GOBLIN: Let die the woman you love...or suffer the little children.

The children in the cable car scream.

CHILD 1: Save us!

GOBLIN: Make your choice...and see how heroes are rewarded.

SPIDERMAN: Don't do it, Goblin!

GOBLIN: We are who we choose to be! Now.../choose!/

He releases MJ and the cable. And here is where things go wrong. Spiderman moves, sprinting and diving from the summit, to catch MJ and swing across to catch the car magnificently...
...except that he's not Spiderman anymore. The moment he jumped from the bridge, he's Peter Parker pre-Spiderman, wimpy nerd, glasses, the whole works. He reaches out a hand to web something, anything, and nothing happens. We see a flash of Mary-Jane's terrified face as she falls to her death, shortly before Peter himself, screaming, impacts the freezing waters below-

-we cut to Peter's apartment, Peter's bed. He sits bolt upright.

PETER: NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Mary-Jane is up and beside him in an instant. Out the window we see lights go on across the street. Distant shouts of resentment filter through.

MARY-JANE: Peter...Peter, sssh, Peter...it was just a nightmare.

Peter runs a hand through his hair, his head between his knees. His whole body is shivering.

LANDLORD (V/O, FROM DOWNSTAIRS): Parker! Damn you, /one more time /and you are OUT, you hear me! Crazy son of a bitch!

Mary-Jane makes a face in the direction of the doorway. She hugs Peter, who's still trembling. Realisation dawns.

MARY-JANE: Again?

PETER: Again.

MARY-JANE: Peter, that's four times this month.

PETER: (/getting out of bed and fixing himself a glass of water/) I know.

MARY-JANE: I have to ask, Peter...why always the Goblin? Why do you never dream about Octavius, or any of the others?

Peter pauses with the glass at his lips.

PETER: Because I didn't want to kill any of the others.

He downs the water. We see Mary-Jane looking on, concerned.

Act 1, Scene 8

A picture of Mary Jane. A finger touches it. We follow the finger along the hand until we see the touch belongs to John Jameson. He's floating in the shuttle, looking at the picture with anger and longing. His fellow astronaut -Richard Stevens- notices this.

STEVENS: (/makes the 'Psycho' stabbing noise) /Colonel sir, with all due respect - get over it!

JOHN: I'm sorry - how many beautiful girls have jilted you at the altar again?

STEVENS: Blah blah. Get your mind back on the mission, superstar.

Chang, a pretty Asian female and the third astronaut, floats into the chamber.

CHANG: Loverboy pining again?

STEVENS: As per.

CHANG: Who'd she dump you for anyway? I mean, who the hell does a girl dump a millionaire underwear model astronaut for? Superman?

We see John frown slightly at this, as if a new thought has occurred to him.

JOHN: She didn't 'dump' me 'for' anyone. She just wasn't ready. She needed some distance.

STEVENS: Well buddy, you're a hundred thousand miles from her now. If that doesn't qualify as 'distance', then maybe it just wasn't meant to be...

A light begins to flash on the console.

CHANG: We're coming up on the asteroid.

JOHN: Light the fires. I'll raise Houston.

STEVENS: If MJ calls, what should I tell her?

JOHN: How about /go to hell/?

We leave the shuttle and fly ahead to the asteroid. It's your usual asteroid terrain; pitted, volcanic, steam and vapours rising, the whole massive rock tumbling through space. But in one pitted depression on the surface, something incongruous bubbles; it resembles a small reservoir of black tar, and most worryingly of all, it pulses from within, as if shaken by an interior heartbeat.

As if it's hibernating...

Act 1, Scene 9

Peter sits down for a university lecture along with his many classmates. The general hubbub of student white noise fills the air, but Peter Parker is an oasis of calm amidst it all. This is Peter as we've never seen him since he first discovered his superpowers - a happy, relaxed young man with a confidence about him.

A middle-aged woman walks to the lectern.

WOMAN: I'm sorry to announce that Dr Connors will not be available today to give the lecture. His notes will be available in full from the website, which I'm sure you all use daily so I don't need to say any more. Enjoy your free time and use it -

.../she's drowned out by the mass cheer and exodus as two-hundred plus students suddenly realise they have two and a half unexpected hours of afternoon freedom./

WOMAN-wisely.

She turns to go and is surprised to see Peter.

WOMAN: Yes...Parker, isn't it?

PETER: It's not like Dr Connors to miss a lecture. Is he OK?
A shadow crosses her face momentarily which Peter notices. He doesn't comment.

WOMAN: He's fine. Just a little tired out. I'll be sure to report your keenness to him.

PETER: He'll be here on Thursday?

WOMAN: (/forced smile/) I don't see why not. Now if you'll excuse me...

She bustles off. Pete stares after her and makes as if to follow her but is distracted by a ringing noise. He pulls a mobile phone from his pants.

PETER: Hello?

We cut to Mary Jane. She's on-set somewhere in a studio, with a fake Brooklyn Bridge in the background. During the following conversation we flit back and forth between Peter and MJ as she walks around the set and he leaves the university campus.

MARY JANE: Morning, tiger. Guess you finally remembered to use this present.

PETER: I'd be happier if I paid its bills...

MARY JANE: Don't start - it's a gift. Checked today's papers?

PETER: Not yet.

MARY JANE: You should.

Peter picks up the New York Sentinel from a newsstand. It reads WEBBED WONDER BUSTS HELICOPTER BANDITS, and comes complete with a picture of Spiderman saving the falling girl. Alongside it the Bugle screams SUPER-MENACE LEAVES ONE MAN DEAD, THREE INJURED.

MARY JANE: And hey, I have a surprise for you. Actually I have two.

PETER: Oh yeah?

MARY JANE: You're going to that society fundraiser tonight, right? Well guess who's going too, as guest of the network...?

PETER: That's great! I'll see you there! We can... (/he falters/)...pretend like we don't know each other and...

MARY JANE: Hey - you're one of my oldest friends and everyone knows it. Besides, Jameson will want plenty of publicity shots for the sitcom launch, even if he /does /hate my guts. You'll be at my beck and call quite a bit tonight, mister...under one condition.

PETER: Which is?

MARY JANE: As long as you and Harry promise to behave.

Peter stops walking, which is probably not the best idea in the middle of a New York street. He comes to his senses just in time to escape being flattened by onrushing traffic.

PETER: Harry's going...?

Act 1, Scene 10

The party. Mary Jane stands outside, looking into the New York night. A cab pulls up beside her and deposits Peter, who's buttoning his shirt and adjusting his tie.

PETER: Robbery.

MARY JANE: It's OK. Come on, it's just started anyway.

Inside, the party's in full swing. It's your typical society bash, similar to the one in Spiderman 2; waiters with cocktail trays, the crème de la crème of New York socialites, including one J. Jonah Jameson, who's being led around by his wife. He looks inordinately distracted.

POSH MAN: Jameson, you old rogue! How's life in the tabloids! Spotted Bigfoot yet?

JAMESON: She's over by the wine stand.

POSH MAN (/looking/): How dare you! That's my wife!

JAMESON: What's your point?

The posh man gasps in horror. Jameson's wife drags him away.

JAMESON'S WIFE: Jonah! Behave!

JAMESON: Our son is up there in space making history and I have to make smalltalk with these no-lifes!

JAMESON'S WIFE: (/whispers/)These no-lifes include The Bugle's majority shareholders, and John isn't scheduled to reach the asteroid for another eight hours.

JAMESON: (/grumbles/)If they invented nosebags for wine this place would look like the Kentucky Derby.

The crowd parts at that moment to reveal Mary Jane and Peter walking along. They immediately endeavour to look un-couple-like. Mary Jane even poses for a picture, which Peter takes with all his photographer gusto.

JAMESON: Parker! I'm not paying you to stand around taking pictures!

PETER: Uh...yes you are.

JAMESON: I'm paying you to /mingle /and capture a slice of New York life! In tomorrow's paper I wanna look at these pictures and feel like I was there!

PETER: But you...(/sighs/), yes Mr Jameson.

JAMESON: Good! Get going! Stop! Take our picture! And try not to make my wife look fat!

Peter does so. We get a picture of J. Jonah beaming his usual mile-wide grin and his wife glowering dangerously at him.

JAMESON: Now go!

Peter leaves. As he does so his hand surreptitiously reaches out and squeezes Mary Jane's. She watches him go, realising she's been left with the parents of the man she jilted at the altar.

MARY JANE: So how's-

JAMESON: Oh, go to hell.

JAMESON'S WIFE: (/passionately/)Yes, go to hell!

Jameson looks at his wife, shocked.

JAMESON: Behave.

And they're gone, leaving Mary Jane bemused and dazed in equal parts. She looks a little lost for the first time amongst the sea of mostly inebriated faces. There's a wine counter nearby and she wanders over, as much for somewhere to go as anything else. As she arrives she spots-

MARY JANE: Harry!

Harry finishes off his glass of wine in a gulp. He turns to her and smiles, and it's a genuine smile.

HARRY: MJ. Are you a sight for sore eyes. C'mere.

They hug.

HARRY: I heard about the sitcom.

MARY JANE: Well, I'm not the headliner, but it's nice. How are things with you?

HARRY: They froze me out of the Oscorp board. We lost
three-quarters of our assets in the Octavius project. No company out there will touch me. So I have no job and no reputation. But hey, the wine's free, right?

MARY JANE: Oh Harry...I didn't know. I'm so sorry.

HARRY: I know, MJ. Thanks. (/he smiles weakly/) It all seems such a long time since we were all in school, and all I had to worry about was if my Dad was gonna freak over another F grade.

MARY JANE: I know...I was with Flash. God...

HARRY: I saw Flash two months ago, did I tell you?

MARY JANE: No! How is he?

HARRY: His knee ligaments gave out halfway through his second semester at college. A few pro sides were interested apparently until then. He had to drop out.

MARY JANE: Oh...wow. He must be...a pro career was all he ever talked about.

HARRY: He seemed OK. He said he was doing fine.

MARY JANE: He said that?

HARRY: Yeah. That, and 'do you want fries with that?'

MJ reacts. Harry picks up a glass of wine. We see MJ struggle
to contain guilty laughter and fail. Even as she laughs she's horrified at herself. Harry grins.

HARRY: Oh come on. He was a jerk who never treated you right...

MARY JANE: I know.

HARRY: I guess Flash and I /do /have something in common after all.

MARY JANE: Oh Harry, please...not tonight.

HARRY: I just want to apologize.

MARY JANE: And I accept. Now let's...let's just have a drink and enjoy ourselves.

HARRY: (/bitterly/) Enjoy myself? The only reason I was invited is so I could be stared at. Look, there he is - the boy who blew his father's empire.

MARY JANE: Harry...

HARRY: I should never have let you go, MJ. I know that now. I was a fool who thought you were just some pretty girl. Now I know you're much more than that. Can we give it another try, you and me? Please.

As he says this a camera flash goes off at them. It's Peter, who's arrived on the scene with perfect timing. He and Harry regard each other for a long, long moment.

HARRY: (/sarcasm dripping/) Hey, buddy.

PETER: Harry.

MARY JANE: Well you two have obviously worked out the tensions between you. I'm /so /glad.

She's called by a large man in a tuxedo, the sitcom's director.

DIRECTOR: Mary Jane!

MARY JANE: Duty calls, boys. Have fun.

She waltzes off, leaving Harry and Peter behind. They circle each other subconsciously, each man's eyes never leaving the other's.

HARRY: Making the papers I see.

PETER: Making moves on MJ, Harry?

HARRY: What's it to you? You had your chance and you blew it, Pete. Now look at her. She wouldn't touch you now. Especially if she knew how much of a freak you really are.

PETER: Just leave MJ out of this. Understand?

HARRY: You think I would hurt her?

PETER: I don't know. But if you do, I'll kill you.

HARRY: Is that a threat from you, or from Spiderman?

PETER: Both of us.

HARRY: Spiderman making death threats. This is a new angle for you, Pete. You really ready to kill?

Peter doesn't reply. Harry's grin stretches a little. He begins circling Pete.

HARRY: What would the papers say? In fact, what would the papers say if I went to them with Spiderman's real identity?

PETER: You've known for months and you haven't gone to them.

HARRY: Wondering why?

PETER: Yeah.

Harry closes the distance between them so they're toe-to-toe. When he speaks it's right into Peter's face. The tension between them is bubbling over.

HARRY: Because I know what would happen to Aunt May, to MJ. And I don't want that. They've been good to me. This is between me and the bug. No-one else.

PETER: Your father-

HARRY: I know. I know exactly who he was. /What /he was.

PETER: You know? Then you must know why-

HARRY: He was my father!

PETER: He was a murdering psychopath. He tried to kill MJ. He hurt Aunt May to get to me. You know all that too?

Harry swings a punch at Peter. Peter's spider-sense allows him to block the swing, catching Harry's fist easily. Furious, Harry tries with the other fist and that too is caught in Peter's grip.

HARRY: Let me /go/!

PETER: You can't win this, Harry. Get over it.

Two security personnel approach.

SECURITY 1: Is there a problem here, gentlemen?

Peter releases Harry.

PETER: No problem.

SECURITY 2: I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to leave, sir.

Harry smiles cruelly at this.

PETER: I've done nothing wrong...

SECURITY 2: Not you, sir. (/to Harry/) If you'll come with us?

HARRY: /What /did you say?

SECURITY 1: We saw you swing at this gentleman here. This is a high-class function, sir, and we want it to proceed smoothly. We hope you'll co-operate.

HARRY: Don't you know who I am?

SECURITY 2: No, sir, I do not. Now come with us, please.

They each take one of his arms. Peter stands back and says nothing. Harry fixes him with a murderous glare.

HARRY: Everyone's going to know who I am, Parker. Believe it.

He's led away. Peter stares after him as he goes, obviously deeply troubled.

Act 1, Scene 11

The party is ending, and guests are slipping away to their respective transports, mostly stretch limousines. Jameson fairly drags his wife to their limo, a hideously tasteless colourful homage to the Bugle, replete with mock headlines emblazoned on it.

JAMESON: My office! Step on it!

JAMESON'S WIFE: (/pleased/)You're finally bringing me to your office?

JAMESON: Good point. Driver, drop off my wife at a cab rank on the way.

JAMESON'S WIFE: Don't bother - I'll walk!

She gets out of the limo and storms off. Jameson stares after her, baffled.

JAMESON: What was /that /about? (/to driver/) Go!

He speeds off. Elsewhere, MJ emerges, the director on her arm. From her body language she's clearly a little weary of his attentions, and (after several attempts) manages to extricate herself from his grip and join the rest of the dispersing crowd.

We cut to Harry, who's sitting on the pavement with his back against the window of an all-night pizzeria. He looks like a down-and-out, utterly depressed and pathetic. He glimpses MJ through the crowds and manages to get to his feet and dust himself off. He calls to her but she doesn't hear, so he follows her.

We go back to MJ, who's still glancing around. Something attracts her attention from an alleyway, and she - surprisingly fearlessly, for a woman who's been in mortal peril many times now - wanders in...

.../and right into Peter's arms. He's in full Spiderman outfit except for the mask, which is why he's lurking in the shadows. MJ runs her hands over his chest./

MARY JANE: One thing I wanna know, tiger...where do you keep your other clothes?

PETER: Around.

He points upwards. There's a small bag made entirely of webbing suspended high above the alley. One of Peter's shirtsleeves hangs limply from it.

MARY JANE: Wanna go back to my place, mister?

PETER: What about my clothes?

MARY JANE: You're already wearing more than you need.

They kiss. When it ends Peter tenses his legs and springs high into the air, taking MJ with him, and leaving behind an empty alleyway...

.../not quite. Harry Osborn emerges from the shadows, having seen all, having heard all. He looks like a man who hit rock bottom and fell through it. He tries to take a few steps and falls to his knees./

GOBLIN: (V/O) Harry...

HARRY: (/sobs/) Oh God, no...

His father's face emerges from the shadows, only half-there, only an apparition, but one contorted with hatred and glee. It whispers to him seductively, insanely.

GOBLIN: She knows/, Harry. She /knows /about him and /still she doesn't care. How they must be laughing at you now. Look at you! Pathetic! On your knees in an alley! Is this the son I raised! Is this the boy worthy to call my own! You're no son of mine.

HARRY: I AM YOUR SON!

GOBLIN: Then /prove /it, Harry!

HARRY: (/sobbing brokenly/)Tell me, Father. Tell me what to do...

Act 1, Scene 12

Harry's mansion. We see him open up the mirror and go into the secret chamber beyond. He approaches the serum containers and gingerly lifts one down, cradling it as if it were a nuclear reactor. As soon as he has lifted it from its place a steel door slides down over the mirror entrance, sealing off the secret chamber. A computerised voice plays.

COMPUTER: Chamber sealed.

A hitherto hidden panel in the wall opens, with a hole the shape of the serum container inside. Harry places the container within. The green liquid drains into an unseen reservoir.

COMPUTER: Reaction catalysation in progress. Vapour release beginning.

Harry strips himself to the waist, taking huge breaths. From nozzles in the walls green mist begins to leak.

HARRY: I love you, father.

The gas hits him and he begins to choke, falling to his knees. He can't breathe. His eyes bulge from their sockets. We see his veins stand out all over his body. He fights for breath, crawling on his hands and knees toward the steel door, scrabbling on it for purchase, beating his hands against it as his struggles grow weaker and weaker until he collapses against it, his body limp.

COMPUTER: Vapour release complete.

We stay on Harry's non-moving body. The Goblin mask his father wore is still there on its display stand, and we hear the faint echoes of his maniacal laughter...

Act 1, Scene 13

An office, much like Jameson's, but with a few more 'homey' touches; family pictures on the walls, a few flowers etc. A banner across the top of one wall reads THE NEW YORK SENTINEL - THE TRUTH, AND PROUD OF IT.

Peter sits across a desk from a middle-aged man with a comfortable stomach. We see a golden nametag on the desk proclaim him as 'Lynas Stewart, Editor-in-Chief'. The man is thumbing through a portfolio of Peter's photographs, much like Jameson did in Spiderman 2, but where Jameson was cruelly dismissive, this man is positive and complementary.

LYNAS: These are excellent! You have an eye for the human angle, Mr. Parker!

PETER: (/slightly disbelieving/) You...like them?

LYNAS: Yes, yes I do. Now Mr. Parker as you know we're a new paper and New York is a hard market to crack. That being the case I want the best people possible, and you strike me as a valuable asset. I'd like you to work for us - we have a vacancy in our-

PETER: You're offering me a job?

LYNAS: (/laughs/) Mr. Parker you seem to delight in repeating the obvious. So would you be interested? What are you making currently, salary-wise?

PETER: I'm...I'm not actually salaried. /The Bugle /gives me freelance work.

LYNAS: /The Bugle/? Jameson wouldn't know talent if it smacked him in the jaw - and now /there's /a photograph New York's media would love to see. Tell you what Mr. Parker, how does 40 thousand dollars a year to be our assistant photographic editor sound to you? Obviously you'll need time off for your studies but that should be fine.

Peter's eyebrows raise. He tries to speak and finds he can't. He tries again, and still he can't. We see Lynas frowning quizzically at him. Finally Peter clears his throat and says very calmly-

PETER: Fine.

LYNAS: So it's settled! We'll get the paperwork out of the way in the next few days. You'll work out of your camera mostly but you'll have an office in the building when you need to work here. I'll get one of the runners to show you.

PETER: Okay.

LYNAS: Are you alright, son? You look a little dazed.

PETER: Fine.

LYNAS: Oh - you're quite famous for your close relationship with Spiderman, aren't you?

This wakes Peter up a little. He's unsure how to react.

PETER: Yes...

LYNAS: Well obviously we'll be wanting you to continue your coverage of him as much as possible. We need to get the message out there that he's been misrepresented, by /The Bugle /in particular - that damn Jameson, he may sell newspapers but he is to journalism what Skin-e-max is to /Citizen Kane/.

PETER: You think Spiderman's a hero?

LYNAS: Oh I know he is. Now I am incredibly busy so if you'll excuse me Mr. Park-

PETER: Peter. Call me Peter.

Lynas stands to shake Peter's hand warmly.

LYNAS: Peter, good to meet you. Hope you'll enjoy working for us.

PETER: Thank you. I think I will.

We cut to Peter being shown around his office by a young intern. He can barely believe his eyes, or his luck. When the intern leaves he sits back in his chair and opens the window blinds. A glorious New York afternoon spills into his office, bathing him in warm sunshine. He basks in the glow for a second...

.../and then his spider-sense tingles. Through the crowds below he picks out a car pulling up outside a jewellers. He leans against the window to get a better look...and finds that it has a central pivot, allowing him easy access to the street outside./

PETER: (/pleasantly impressed/)Hmm. Handy...

He closes his office door and pulls the blinds shut, tugging off his shirt. Unusually for Peter Parker, life is good, and it shows - he has a smile on his face as he sheds his clothes and pulls on the mask.

SPIDERMAN: Work is fun.

Act 1, Scene 14

Harry's house. The ornate mirror. All is still for a few moments, and then - BAM! A steel door is knocked flying through the glass, sailing through the air, taking tables and chairs with it.

Through the smoke that follows, a flash of green shoots past us, trailing all-too-familiar maniacal laughter in its wake.

Riding his glider into New York, the Goblin has returned.

Act 1, Scene 15

Aunt May's house, that night. Peter sits at the dining table while Aunt May pours tea into his cup.

AUNT MAY: Seen much of Harry lately?

PETER: He's...around, yeah.

AUNT MAY: Oh you two. You've been bickering since you were ten years old. I remember...

PETER: (/pleading/)Please, Aunt May.

May senses Peter's not in the mood for nostalgia right now. She nods to accept his wishes and moves off to wash the dinner plates. Peter spots a letter sticking from underneath an ornament. It's a letter reading FINAL DEMAND.

AUNT MAY: Well it seems to be the only cloud in your sky lately anyway.

Peter reacts.

AUNT MAY: You must think I was born yesterday, Peter Parker! A blind woman twice my age could see you're as happy as you've been in a long time. Do you want to tell me why, or should I just tell you?

Peter grins, finishing his tea and moving to help his aunt with the dishes. They fall into a well-oiled routine born of many years practice, and both look a little happier for the reminder of old times.

AUNT MAY: So it's true. Good for you. Good for /both /of you.

PETER: You have to promise me you won't tell anyone, Aunt May. It's...difficult for us, and it would be even more difficult if-

AUNT MAY: One condition.

PETER: Name it.

AUNT MAY: Dinner. All three of us. Buys an old lady's silence every time.

PETER: Deal. It can be a double celebration.

AUNT MAY: She's pregnant!

A plate slips from her hands. In spider-time, Peter stoops, catches it and puts it back into his Aunt's fingers, all before she even registers that she's dropped it or that her nephew has moved. She blinks slightly and frowns, but shrugs off the strange sensation.

PETER: No, she's not pregnant! It's what I came over to tell you - I got a job at the New York Sentinel. A real job. Forty thousand dollars a year.

AUNT MAY: (/delighted/)Oh my goodness! Peter! I'm so proud of you!

She throws her arms around him and hugs him.

PETER: So I was thinking...I want to get a mortgage.

AUNT MAY: Well it's about time you moved out of that disgraceful little hovel!

PETER: It's not for me, Aunt May. It's on this house. I want to buy it for you.

AUNT MAY: Oh /Peter/...no...

PETER: I understand why you refused MJ's help, Aunt May, but this is my /home/. I can't let you lose it. I won't.

AUNT MAY: (/weakly/)It's not so bad as that...

PETER: You're a terrible liar, May Parker.

AUNT MAY: Peter, I can't let you do this. You've worked so hard and to give it up, Peter...no. I can look after myself. You have your own life now and your own blessings and problems.

PETER: (/good naturedly/)Aunt May, I'm not taking no for an answer. Don't make me beat you with a stick. Tomorrow we're going to the bank to get things rolling.

AUNT MAY: Are they still offering that free toaster?

PETER: We'll check.

AUNT MAY: I'm so glad you'll be working for the /Sentinel /and not the /Bugle/. I can't abide the way they treat that nice boy.

PETER: Spiderman?

AUNT MAY: Who else? Calling him a menace. (/she clucks disapprovingly/) Shame on them. The /Sentinel /is finally telling people the truth. It's so good to see Spiderman's finally getting the treatment he deserves.

PETER: I guess it is...

Act 1, Scene 16

Next morning, and a happy little montage of Peter, dressed in his fineries (still pretty cheap-looking, but at least pressed and ironed to the best of his ability), coming to work. He enters the 'Sentinel' building and is greeted with a cheery 'Good morning Mr. Parker' from the two female receptionists. He gets into the elevator and receives friendly nods from all within. Entering his office, he sits behind his desk, just grinning inanely. Gingerly he reaches out and picks up the phone.

SWITCHBOARD: Switchboard - what number, please?

PETER: Ahhh...doesn't matter, sorry.

He puts the phone down. We see that on his desk there are a few executive toys - a Newton's cradle and a stress-relieving squeezable head. He begins playing with the head, still hardly able to believe his good fortune. His telephone rings. He looks slightly flustered for a moment before picking it up.

PETER: Hello...Peter Parker?

LYNAS: Peter! Settled in OK?

PETER: (/weakly in understatement/)Yeah....everything's...great.

LYNAS: Need you for your first assignment. Meet me in the main lobby!

We cut to Peter in the elevator. It 'dings' open at a floor and in steps Spiderman! Peter at first doesn't register this but he casually glances across and-

PETER: Aaagh!

SPIDER-GUY: Jeez, man! You scared the hell outta me!

PETER: Sorry. Just...startled me is all.

He resumes staring ahead as best he can. It's very like the elevator scene in Spiderman 2 (obviously) except that this time it's Peter doing all the glancing over.

PETER: Cool Spidey outfit.

SPIDER-GUY: Yeah, I hope they let me keep it afterward. Could be a hit in the bedroom, know what I mean?

PETER: (/with a far-off grin/)Most definitely.

Something the spider-guy said registers to Peter.

PETER: Keep it after what?

At that moment the elevator reaches the lobby and dings open. Lynas is standing there waiting. He's as inordinately cheery as ever, and practically drags both Peter and the Spider-guy from the elevator's interior.

LYNAS: Peter! I see you've met Bob!

PETER: Bob?

SPIDER-GUY: Oh, this is the photographer? Nice to meet you man.

PETER: I'm shooting Spiderman?

LYNAS: Well, not the /real /Spiderman obviously. Bob here makes quite the living impersonating him though, so he's the closest they have.

PETER: (/slightly concerned now/)Have for what?

Act 1, Scene 17

Two armed hoods burst into a shop. A woman screams. The shopkeeper puts his hands in the air, terrified. Everything is exaggerated with the sheen of extremely bad acting in this scene - the hoods are excessively dramatic with their guns and the woman's scream is your classic horror movie hysterical woman screech.

DRAMATIC VOICE-OVER: New...York...City.

HOOD 1: Gimme the money or you die, citizen!

SHOPKEEPER: You'll pay for this, hoodlum!

Outside, we glimpse a flash of blue and red.

DRAMATIC VOICE-OVER: /My /City...

HOOD 2: (/pointing/)Look!

SHOPKEEPER: Justice comes on swift wings.

In comes 'Spiderman'...but as we've never seen him before - namely, swinging on wires. He lands slightly awkwardly and stares at the two hoodlums, who (rather than simply shooting him) stare back, frozen in an 'oh no!' kinda way.

SPIDER-GUY: Surrender now, or face the consequences.

HOOD 1: Never!

They rush Spiderman (again, puzzlingly ignoring their guns) and there follows the most hilariously unconvincing fight sequence in history. Punches miss by acres. Blows are overblown. Kicks are telegraphed so far in advance that some cave paintings contained reviews of them. We finish on the two hoods lying defeated on the ground, and 'Spiderman' standing above them with his foot resting on their unconscious bodies. The hysterical woman throws her arms around Spiderman.

WOMAN: Oh, my hero...

Spiderman extricates himself and cups her cheek with his hand.

SPIDER-GUY: Sorry ma'am, but I belong to the city.

/He turns to address the camera (we now see the camera and the camera crew, and indeed the entire shop set, just in case we were in any doubt of this all being phony/).

SPIDER-GUY: And when I'm fighting crime, there's nothing better to quench my thirst for justice than an ice-cold Pepsi.

He holds up a Pepsi can.

DIRECTOR: ...and cut!

Bob takes off his spider mask.

BOB: You know all that 'I belong to the city' stuff was just me playing the role, right hun?

WOMAN: Yeah? Well so was me draping myself over you, hero.

She lights up a cigarette and walks away. Bob stares after her wistfully and a little sadly (we get the impression that Bob's not having quite the sexual success he envisioned with this suit, which might be to do with the fact that he's a small, balding man who's not exactly endowed with movie-star looks), before he's accosted by the director.

We cut to Peter watching the whole scene from the sidelines. To say his expression was comical would be to greatly understate matters. He's utterly and completely flabbergasted by what he's just witnessed.

LYNAS: (/whispering/) Yikes. Let's just grab the publicity shots and get outta here.

PETER: But...it's a /commercial/.

LYNAS: Yeah, it's a trailblazer I hope. Oh sure the quality is abominable, but it's presenting Spiderman as a hero, and that's a step in the right direction.

PETER: But no-one asked him.

LYNAS: (/laughs/) Not like he publishes his cellphone number, Peter. Not like he can sue either. I wouldn't have involved the /Sentinel /but as I say at least it shows him in a positive light.

PETER: I suppose so...

Bob wanders over to them and stops at water-cooler to fill a plastic cup. Peter can't help but stare at him. It would be hard to look less like a superhero than Bob.

PETER: How did you get the job?

BOB: I had my own suit.

PETER: Right.

DIRECTOR: Bob! Get your worthless ass over here!

BOB: (/aside, to Peter and Lynas/) Guy's a complete jerk. Coming...

Bob obediently trots over. N.B. the megalomaniac director is being played by Sam Raimi.

LYNAS: Shame in one way for him. Pepsi were willing to stump up 250 grand for this endorsement, but who do they pay it to? Besides, would Spiderman even take it? What does he need money for, right?

Someone calls him over and he walks off, leaving Peter to stare into empty space.

PETER: Aunt May...

Act 1, Scene 18

Mary Jane's trailer interior. She's being interviewed for one of those 'Entertainment Weekly' style magazine programmes. The interviewer is a very nervous Eddie Brock.

EDDIE: So Mary-Jane, or should I call you 'MJ'-

MARY-JANE: Mary-Jane will be fine, Eddie.

EDDIE: (/nervously/)Ha ha! Right! So how does it feel to be the young actress all of New York is talking about?

MARY-JANE: I don't know how true that is.

EDDIE: Well you won the 'Young Actress Of The Month' award in my column. Did I tell you Jameson gave me a column in the /Bugle/?

MARY-JANE: (/genuinely trying to be nice/)That's so great.

BROCK: Well, it would be if I had any decent stories...speaking of that, you're also in the running for 'Most Eligible Bachelorette 2006'...unless there's something you're not telling your admirers...

Mary-Jane's clearly less than happy at having to lie - especially since given the rather greasy way Eddie says it, he clearly counts himself amongst those fans - but she does so as best she can.

MARY-JANE: I wish, Eddie. Look...I'm due back on set in an hour and I'm kinda beat, so I was gonna grab some-

BROCK: Sure, sure.

We see a flash of rejection in his eyes; he's used to getting the brush-off, we sense, and he's growing increasingly weary of it. He leaves Mary-Jane's trailer and we follow him as he walks back to a rather beat-up car...with a ticket on the windshield.

EDDIE: Aw, come /on/...

He takes the ticket and stuffs it in his pocket, opening the car door and throwing his notepad from Mary-Jane's 'interview' in the back. We catch sight of a few books on the passenger's side seat - 'Surge Ahead! Your Guide To A Better Life!' and the like. He has a picture hanging beside a set of furry dice of him with his arm around a girl. It's not a lovey-dovey sweetheart picture - the girl in this image looks singularly disinterested. Eddie, on the other hand, is enthusiasm personified.

He tries to start the engine. It splutters and shudders indignantly. Eddie slams the heel of his palm against the wheel.

EDDIE: Worthless piece of sh-

His mobile rings. He fishes it out.

EDDIE: Hey, my man! I've just come from Mary-Jane Watson's trailer - I'll be over to you in about an...what? Hey, come on, you can't do this...we had an agreement! Who's gonna publicise your album now, huh? (/pause/) Yeah, I read his column. He's a hack. (/pause/) What do readership numbers matter? (/pause/) Well, /you /might think so...fine. I'll have to bump some of the others up my list. You'll regret this.
He ends the call, casts the phone aside and stares for a moment into space before closing his eyes and putting his head in his hands. We leave him sitting like that.

Act 1, Scene 19

Two very Secret Service types, complete with suits and shades, sit on either side of J. Jonah Jameson. He looks a little irked by their presence. On the other side of his desk an official-looking man is giving him a stern lecture.

SECRET SERVICE MAN: Please understand Mr. Jameson that any further infringements of national security will result in the severest penalties you can imagine. The President was only willing to overlook the incident on this occasion because of the intervention of some...mutual friends of yours.

Jameson smirks at this in a self-satisfied way

JAMESON: Can I get back to watching my son now?

SECRET SERVICE MAN: As long as you agree to abide by the strict conditions we have set out-

JAMESON: I agree! Now get the hell out of my office!

They leave. Jameson waits until they've gone then waves for everyone to come in and crowd around the viewscreen as before. .

JAMESON: I can't believe I pay my taxes for those bozos.

ROBBIE: Oh that reminds me. Cayman Islands on line three.

JAMESON: Let them sweat!

He switches on the viewscreen. It shows the shuttle's interior. John Jameson is piloting, his face screwed up with concentration. An interior window in the main picture - labelled 'PUBLIC FEED' - shows the shuttle drawing incredibly close to the asteroid.

JOHN JAMESON: Matching the asteroid's spin, Houston. Catching a little buffeting from micro-meteorites. Let's hope that fancy shield of yours holds up.

HOUSTON: Roger that, Praetor. We show shield stresses at 40. You've got plenty to spare.

JOHN JAMESON: Beginning final descent.

We see Jonah Jameson's nails digging into his desk. A little of his all-encompassing bluster falls away and we get a glimpse of a very anxious father. This is going to be pretty damn dangerous, and Jonah knows it.

Unnoticed by Jonah (but not by Robbie), Peter Parker slips into the room. He's carrying a small white envelope and looks a little nervous. Upon seeing the video feed, however, his scientific curiosity overruns all other emotions. He stands beside Robbie and they speak in whispers lest they attract Jonah's wrath.

PETER: Isn't the interior shuttle feed usually classified?

ROBBIE: Usually. Jonah pulled some strings...well, /snapped /some strings. What's that (/the envelope/) about? Looks official.

PETER: I got a job with the Sentinel.

ROBBIE: It's a good paper. I like their editorials.

They're veering close to Spiderman territory again. Peter glances across and they share another look.

JOHN JAMESON: Two hundred feet. Looking good, Houston.

CHANG: Getting some odd readings off this rock. It's not your typical asteroid, that's for sure.

HOUSTON: Roger, /Praetor/. Keep her steady - we show shield stresses at 52.

Abruptly the world freezes, all except for Peter Parker, who widens his eyes. His spider-sense is going off, and it's screaming for attention. He casts his eyes about the room to find the source of the danger but cannot...and it's only when he looks outside through the windows that he sees it. A small object, the size and shape of an orange, sailing through the air toward the window. Time resumes at normal rate.

PETER: BOMB!

The windows blow in. Thankfully everyone had been assembled around the viewscreen at the far side of the office, so while everyone is blown off their feet, no-one is seriously injured.

Jonah Jameson is the first to stagger to his feet. He looks out of the new hole in his office wall, dazed, just in time to see the Green Goblin float into view on his glider.

JAMESON: YOU!

GOBLIN: Spread the word, Jonah! The Goblin's back, better than ever! And if Spiderman-

As he says the word, a red and blue figure slams into him from above, and both vanish from view. Jonah runs to the edge of the hole and looks down at the two falling bodies struggling.

We join them in mid-plummet. Spiderman headbutts the Goblin and lands two blows to his midriff.

SPIDERMAN: Someone call?

With a roar of rage the Goblin throws him off and steadies the glider. Spiderman webs effortlessly to the nearest rooftop. The Goblin produces more and more of the little bombs and leans the stationary glider forward until at some unseen command it kicks into gear and shoots toward Spiderman.

GOBLIN: Miss me, webhead!

He tosses the first two bombs. Spiderman leaps high into the air as the explosions flower beneath him. He webs the nearest skyscraper and swings off, running along the side of the building (we see a quick flash of the office workers inside seeing this and running to the windows).

Spiderman launches himself from the building. The Goblin throws another bomb. Spiderman twists his body to avoid it and webs it as it shoots past him. Now with the bomb at the end of a webline, he twirls the webline around himself and slings it back at the Goblin, who presses a button on his wrist. The bomb explodes prematurely, blowing Spiderman backward and through the building's windows, office workers scattering aside just in time.

Spiderman gets to his feet and checks his mask is still on. When he realises it is, he breathes a sigh of relief.

SPIDERMAN: Not /this /time.

OFFICE WORKER 1: Get him, Spidey!

The others chime their agreement. Spiderman sprints to the window and is gone in a flash. Everyone crowds around to watch him swing toward the Goblin. Everyone except a small man at the back, who taps his watch pointedly.

SMALL MAN: Excuse me, people? Can we get some focus back?

For a wonder, everyone does as he says, wandering away from the window and grumbling to themselves. The small man wanders over to the broken windows and shakes his head.

SMALL MAN: (/disgustedly/) New York...

We go back to the ongoing battle. Spiderman wrestles the Goblin from his glider. The two combatants fall fifty feet onto a rooftop where, after only the briefest of respites recovering from the fall, the fight begins again. The following dialogue takes place between blows, kicks, punches and general free-for-all.

SPIDERMAN: Why did you do it, Harry?

GOBLIN: You took away everything I had. But now look at me...strong, like my father.

SPIDERMAN: Insane like him too?

GOBLIN: He couldn't control it. I can.

SPIDERMAN: No you can't. Not forever. Listen to me, Harry. Come with me to the labs. Dr. Connors can...

GOBLIN: Aren't you listening to me?

Behind Spiderman, the glider rises into the air. Its front prongs spring out.

GOBLIN: I want you dead. And when you are, I'm going to look after MJ and Aunt May. I'm going to be the one they turn to, because you'll be /dead/!

Peter's spider-sense sounds. Just as his father did in the final gambit, Harry has triggered the glider to run Spiderman through, back to front. Just as he did then, Spiderman manages to somersault over it as it heads straight for Harry-

-who holds out a hand and stops it before it can stab him. It does not seem to cause him much effort.

GOBLIN: Besides, I've /already /seen Dr. Connors.

He jumps on the glider and moves off to a reasonable distance, before producing a much larger bomb. We see that below him is a small park crammed with people.

GOBLIN: Tell MJ I said hi!

SPIDERMAN: HARRY, NO!

He drops the bomb. Spiderman dives to the edge and plummets after it, managing to get his hands around it-

-as it delivers a massive electric shock to his system. He writhes in agony and the pain forces him to let go. He barely manages to snake a webline and arrest his fall before he would have slammed into the pavement. Meanwhile the bomb lands amidst the throngs of park-dwellers...bounces once...twice...it flashes with activity...

.../and dies./

We hear the maniacal laughter of the Goblin from far above. Spiderman gets to his feet and looks up, but the Goblin is long gone.

SPIDERMAN: No spider sense...I should have known. Damn it!

He leaps into the air. The park's population stands around looking a little dazed and confused as to why Spiderman just landed amongst them. One small boy approaches the bomb, but before he can get there it's snaked in a webline. Spiderman dangles it at a safe height high above their heads.

SPIDERMAN: Didn't your mother tell you never to play with bombs?

He webs off.

MAN: (/ultra enthusiastic/)Go get him, Spidey! Wooo!

There is an embarrassed silence from the people around him. The man lowers his raised arms and attempts to walk away as casually as possible.

We stay on Spiderman swinging through New York and hear his thoughts.

SPIDERMAN: I tried to protect him. Don't tell Harry. Don't tell Harry. And I didn't. I never thought he'd follow his father...but he has. What do I do? I know who the Goblin is, but he knows who I am too. If the world knows who Spiderman is, then MJ and Aunt May are in danger.

We flashback to the dialogue from Act 1, Scene 9 - 'if you hurt MJ I'll kill you' 'is that a threat from Spiderman or from Peter Parker' 'both'.

SPIDERMAN: Am I ready to kill my best friend?

Act 1, Scene 20

Space, the asteroid. The shuttle has landed safely. Chang and Stevens are outside in their spacesuits, bouncing around in the low gravity. John Jameson remains in the shuttle operating controls.

JOHN: Talk to me, guys. How's the weather out there.

STEVENS: A little chilly, John. Might need a sweater.

CHANG: There's some kind of localised node of those signals - two hundred yards east.

JOHN: Houston will be back in radio contact in two minutes, guys. Let's wait for confirmation on any off-route trips.

CHANG: Loosen up, John.

STEVENS: Yeah remember - you're the soldier boy. We're the scientists. You're just here to steer and make sure we don't blow ourselves out an airlock by accident.

We cut to where the two scientists are headed - toward the strange pool we saw briefly earlier. Its surface lies still and unbroken...until it twitches. A ripple spreads out along its surface, then another...

JOHN: Just be careful out there...we're a /long /way from home.

The ripples have run together now, to the point where the pool almost seems to have facial features...a nose, eyes, and a gaping, grinning mouth...

END OF ACT ONE