05x09 - Chapter I: Arrival

[bunniefuu]

- Are you afraid?
- No!

You will be, Spider-Man.
You will be.

Soon, you will face your
greatest challenge in life.

Look into my eyes.

No! My limbs are going rigid.

I'm paralyzed!

Madame Web has
lured me into a trap!

This is the one?

This fragile being?

I have grave reservations
that he can succeed.

Nevertheless, he is the one.

He alone can make the difference

between existence and destruction.

I wager that he may surprise you.

Put him to the test.

I shall.

Let us begin.

[ Thunder crashing ]

[ Gasping ]

Web. What did you...?

Greetings, Spider-Man.

Peter Parker.

Who... what are you?

No doubt I startle you.

Let me assume a
more familiar form.

Think of me as
one from beyond.

Call me... the Beyonder.

My servant, known to you
as Madame Web, and I

are beings who can
take many forms.

We have travelled a long way,

and have seen many curiosities

but none as perplexing as a
planet we stumbled upon called...

...Earth.

Our scrutiny has revealed
much about humans

that we don't understand.

The most intriguing are your
concepts of good and evil.

I felt they warranted further
study and observation.

You are obviously
an agent for good.

Therefore, you have been chosen.

Chosen? For what?

For the ultimate test
of good against evil.

Yes.

I want to know which
one is stronger.

You're crazy.

There's no way you can do that.

Ah, but you are wrong.

I intend to devise
an experiment.

Behold.

A planet somewhere
in the galaxy.

This planet has found
peace for centuries.

Their technology has eliminated
hunger, pain and unhappiness.

These humanoids have
no concept of evil.

This place is what you Earth
people would call paradise.

For my test

I shall introduce evil to
this unsuspecting planet.

No! Why would you interfere
with these innocent lives?

I won't let you do it!

Whoa!

[ Grunting ]

You cannot change this.

It is already decided.

Just as we found you,

we have scoured the
Earth to find those

who best represent
the evil we require.

Here we have one
Otto Octavius,

known to you as Dr. Octopus

who uses science to
justify evil deeds.

He is a good first choice.

In this place, we shall
find another doctor.

A tyrant who equates
evil with power.

He is so despised by his people

that they have hired
assassins to eliminate him.

Yes, I have use
for this Dr. Doom.

Now, here's one who deludes
himself into thinking

that his evil can be dismissed
because he has a just cause.

He wants to save his father.

Alistair Smythe!

Next, I have chosen one
for whom evil is a disease.

His brain poisoned
by radioactivity.

Curt Connors!

No! Leave him out of this.

He's got a wife and a child!

It is his alter ego, the
Lizard, that I am after.

You've got to stop this!

I desire only one more.

One whose evil is so strong

that it has transcended
the boundaries of time.

The Red Skull.

Now I will introduce
these examples of villainy

to our paradise planet.

But they'll destroy it!

You mustn't...

Web, you can't let him do this!

It's not for me to
choose in this matter.

Look.

[ Hissing roar ]

[ People screaming ]

There. Phase one is complete.

Now, for phase two.

I shall accelerate time.

Time will pass equal to
one of your human years.

You can do that?!

The Beyonder can do many things.

What am I up against here?

Who is this guy?!

Look at what has happened.

The evil ones have used this
planet's advanced technology

for their own gain

and used their power
to seize control.

The result is that

those beings who originally
inhabited this planet

have been trampled underfoot.

You had to wreck an
entire civilization

to prove that evil is bad?!

For such a powerful being

you're a few stars
shy of a galaxy, pal.

Then you shall have the pleasure

of making all that is wrong...

- ...right again.
- What?!

The Beyonder has chosen you

as this planet's savior.

Yes.

I issue you this challenge.

Restore this planet
to its rightful owners

and banish evil
from their presence

or perish trying.

An intriguing game,
wouldn't you say?

But one side has
all of the pieces.

Which hardly seems fair.

Therefore I have now infused
this device with power.

It has just enough energy

to transport a fixed
number of people

through time and space.

You may use this

to bring a small contingent
of the forces of good

to this planet.

A group which you must
then lead into battle.

This computer contains
a database of heroes,

as you call them, whom I
have observed on Earth.

Now, use it and choose
your game pieces wisely

for your only chance to save
this planet and return home

is to lead the fight
against evil and win.

Come back!

Beyonder!

This is insanity.

Great.

Now I'm some kind of pawn
in a galactic game of chess.

My only way out of
this is to bring help.

Not only to save this planet

but to fight the
Beyonder as well.

I need to assemble
a team of people

that I know can
be useful to me.

Okay.

Now, who's fought that Dr.
Doom guy before and won?

Of course!

Computer, can I transport
to this planet

the Fantastic Four?

Affirmative.

And there's another

who was a big help to me
against Carnage and Venom.

My friend, Iron Man.

Affirmative.

And there's only one man
who can fight the Red Skull.

Captain America!

Affirmative.

There will only be enough energy

for one last teleportation.

There's another team
of superheroes

that I've worked with before.

Computer, bring me
one of the X-Men.

Which one?

Good question.

Let's see.

There was one so powerful

that she could control
the very weather.

She might be a suitable match
for the Beyonder's powers.

Computer, bring me
the one called Storm.

Affirmative.

All right.

Bring everyone that
I've called for now.

[ Thunderous rumbling ]

W-what happened?

That's my fault, I guess.

Spider-Man?

I'm the one who brought you.

Tell us what's going on

or I'm gonna squash you flat.

Stop. I know Spider-Man.

You can trust him.

Hey! Don't wrinkle the
rocks, you rust-bucket!

[ Grunting ]

Bad move, pal.

That's my friend you
just messed with.

Flame on!

No, Johnny! Stop!

- Hey!
- Hold on, hothead.

Gotcha!

Reed, let me out!

Everybody calm down.

We've got to figure
out what's going on.

My spider sense.

[ Roaring ]

You tried to trap me
and keep me in a cage!

I broke free, didn't I?

Now I will destroy you!

[ Grunting ]

He really means it.

It feels like he's trying
to break me in two!

Just my luck.

Everybody, form a perimeter
around that monster

and we'll attack from all sides.

You can try to surround me

but I will tear you apart.

Move in!

Try to restrain him
now while he's down

but try not to hurt him.

Whoa!

Great! I'm supposed to be
the leader of this group,

but so far all I've got
on my hands is chaos.

Can't... restrain him.

Hold on, big guy!

[ Reed yells ]

No! Don't hurt him.

It's not his fault.

Hey! Will somebody please
get me out of here?

I don't know, kid.

This is one way of keeping
you out of trouble.

Now, you got some
explaining to do, bug-boy

and we're all ears.

No problem.

I'm not sure I understand
it all myself,

but here's what I know.

There's this intergalactic
entity named the Beyonder

and he wants to
see who would win

in a battle of
good against evil.

And that's it.

I'm supposed to lead you

against the forces of
evil on this planet.

Millions of lives are at stake.

You have to help me.

I say we forget this place

and figure out how to get home.

The only way the Beyonder
will send us home

is that we free the
people of this planet.

Exactly what planet are we on?

I don't know.

And where is this
Beyonder you speak of?

I don't know that either.

The so-called "evil" ones
who've taken over,

why aren't they here?

It is odd that this
place is abandoned.

From what little I can tell,

this is some impressive
equipment,

and whoever was here

even managed to capture
our lizard friend.

If it's true that the villains have
taken over everything of value

why is this place vacant?

Stretch is right.

Something smells.

Who's side is the
web-head really on?

Well, I'm not
waiting to find out.

Flame on!

I say we make you talk.

Maybe I ought to put
you in the hot seat.

Good idea!

And this time, if
he tries to web you

I'll clobber him!

Ben! Johnny!

If you don't back
off, rock-brain,

I'll smash you into
a pile of pebbles.

Boys, boys!

Can't we settle this quietly?

Look, if you don't simmer down,

I'm gonna lose my cool and...

No! We can't let him get away!

He could hurt innocent people.

Come on.
We'd better stop him!

My spider sense
is going bonkers.

Where did he go?

It's him!

But where the heck did he...?

[ Roars ]

Oh, boy!

Giant worms!

They're all over the place.

No! Unbelievable!

We have to get back to the lab.

[ Roars ]

[ Both grunt ]

This thing's got its own armor.

It doesn't even feel my fists.

[ Grunts ]

It's clobberin' time!

Thank you.

It's no use.

There are too many of them.

We've got to fall back
towards the lab.

I'm with you, web-head.

[ Grunts ]

Spider-Man!
Get out of here!

No. We have to get
the Lizard back.

Believe it or not,
he's my friend.

You can't be serious!

Don't worry.

My invisible force field
will get him back.

Just protect yourselves.

It's no use.

Those worms are
all on their way

and they're gonna
tear this place apart.

Not if I can help it.

My shield will keep them out.

Sue can't keep that up forever.

What are we gonna do?

You know, Spider-Man
was telling the truth.

The scientists of this planet must
have made this their last fortress

against the forces of evil.

Those worms would have provided
a natural defensive barrier.

Yeah. Not even Doc Doom

would want to rule a
land full of these guys.

If that's the case,

then this lab complex had to
have its own security system.

I can't be certain.

But I think that this dish

might have created a
kind of energy force field,

A protective barrier.

Why did they shut it down?

Maybe this is the answer.

I think it's an energy gauge.

This whole complex
simply ran out of power.

My guess is that the lizards
smashed their power source.

How awful!

You mean the shield
dissipated and they...

I... can't... keep this
up... much... longer.

We've got to find some way
to harness enough power

to turn on the force field.

Can't just get power
out of thin air.

Yes. We can.

Storm. I remember that you
can harness the elements.

Like electricity.

Yes, Spider-Man.

Good! We have to locate
the shield generator

and feed a line into it.

Are you ready?

Go for it!

Power of lightning
come to my aid!

[ Thunderclap ]

[ Buzzing ]

It's working.

We're almost there.

They... must... hurry.

Now!

Oh.

You did it, darling.

You saved us!

[ Roaring ]

He took a bad hit.

Is he gonna be okay?

I think I can revive him.

There seems to be two different
components to his brain.

One part, the savage lizard part,

is now unconscious.

But the other...

has been lying dormant
in some kind of stasis.

That's got to be where my
friend's consciousness resides.

Then I'm going to try to
reawaken that dormant part.

[ Growls ]

Where am I?

Spider-Man?

Wh-what's going on?

It's okay, doc.

You're here amongst friends.

This story you're telling
me is unbelievable.

And yet, here I am
with my rational mind

trapped in this lizard body.

Well, I'm with you.

I'll help you in
whatever way I can.

Thanks, doc.

Listen, all of you.

We've always acted heroically

because it was the
right thing to do.

Now, we can show this alien
monstrosity, the Beyonder,

what Earth people
are really made of.

That is, if you'll all agree
to work with me.

I, for one, accept your
leadership, Spider-Man.

I, too, am with you.

As always, it's a pleasure
to fight by your side.

Thank you.

And you?

I agree with you all.

Ben?

The Fantastic Four
ain't gonna fink out

when there's a battle
to be fought.

Besides, I owe you one for
saving my hide out there

and Ben Grimm always
pays his debts.

We're in.

So you see, he is a leader.

Already he has rallied
them behind him.

Yes. A most promising start.

But there is still
much to be done

if Spider-Man is to
survive destruction.

Soon, Spider-Man must face his
greatest horror in the universe.

A penny for your thoughts.

Huh? Oh. Doc Conners, it's you.

I was just thinking and planning.

I sense that you're worried.

I've never led a
scout troop before,

let alone a group
of superheroes.

I'm worried, all right.

Don't despair, my friend.

I think you have what it
takes to get through this.

Thanks.

What's that in your hand?

It's some kind of
recording device I found.

This is going to be the
biggest battle of all time

and I'm going to use this
to keep a diary of it.

I'll record whatever happens

so that the greatest
w*r ever fought isn't...

...a secret w*r.