02x02 - Take Two

[bunniefuu]

♪♪

Ow! Watch where you're
throwing those, buddy!

They're still
rebuilding Oscorp.

Don't care. Paladin steals
what he's hired to steal,

no matter what,
or who, is in the way.

[grunts]

"Paladin"? You look
nothing like one.

Paladins were knights.

Trust me. I've been
to many a Ren Faire.

It's a code name.

We don't all have to
dress like team mascots.

[chuckling]
Ouch!

Hey, smile for my web-cam.

Get it? "Web"-cam? Ha ha!

Filming yourself
fighting a trained
mercenary, kid?

Haven't you had your butt
kicked in public enough?

Uh, sure, but there are three
reasons I'm not giving up:

Isaac Newton, Thomas Edison,
and Albert Einstein.

Shut up. We're fighting here.

Sure. Happy to explain.

Three great scientists,
all my heroes,

but I heard Newton
dropped out of grade school.

Edison said he failed
almost a thousand times

before he perfected
the light bulb.

And rumor has it Einstein
struggled to learn basic math.

Know what that means?
It means I don't care.

Wrong. It means a true hero
never gives up.

[men shouting]

I used to think
you were some weirdo,

but now I know
you're our weirdo.

Eh, that was supposed
to be a compliment.

[groaning]
Trust me. I appreciate that
more than you know.

[trilling]
Well done, Paladin.

Exactly the data we need.

Blurry. Blurry. Sky. Blurry.

Elbow. Huh. My rear end.

Nothing usable.

[phone buzzes]

Well, if it isn't
Harry Osborn,

the world-famous traveler.

Yeah. As if overseeing
the European operations

of my dad's company
is a vacation.

Hey, I don't have much time.

Just called to wish you
luck this year.

Isn't tonight Horizon's
Back to School Night?

It sure is.

But it might also be
my farewell to school night.

Classes start Monday,

and if I can't get
Spidey footage

to sell to the Daily Bugle,

I can't afford tuition.

I told you, Pete, I can help.

Nah. This is something
I have to do on my own.

Uncle Ben taught me
the importance of being
self-sufficient.

And besides,
after all the trouble
I've been through recently,

the law of averages says

my luck has to change
at some point.
[students screaming]

[Doc Ock]
Doctor Octopus has returned!

I come for what is mine.

But maybe not today.

Uh, Harry, I'm gonna
have to call you back.

All of this was inevitable.

Who is that guy?

Ha! Freshman.

It's taken months,
but now it's my time.

Miles, we need to change
into our work clothes.

It might not be necessary.

I made some modifications
to my security bots.

They're much more
proactive now. Watch.

Otto, how are you
no longer in prison?

You're not welcome here.

Max Modell.

Let me explain.

No way. Let's shock
some sense into him.

[grunts]
[bots shouting]

[students clamoring]

Gwen!

Ock saved us?

Okay, that's not very evil.

I did not come
for a confrontation.

You said you came
for what was yours.

I assumed you meant revenge.

What? No.

Why would you think that?
I meant forgiveness.

Was that not clear?

You all understood,

yes?
[students whimpering]

Hmm. Perhaps not.

I regret last year.

I fell in with a bad crowd--

Osborn and his g*ons--

and I let myself be fueled
by my own insecurities.

Why are you coming
back here now?

Parker?
Hmm. A fair question

from a student
who's brighter

than I ever
gave him credit.

I was recently released

from a facility for
so-called supervillains,

The Cellar.

They thought
you paid for your crimes

after such a short time?

They promote intensive
criminal rehabilitation.

While imprisoned,
I tried to be productive,

earning three doctorates.

And, to repay
my debt to society,

I would like to offer
my teaching services

to Horizon High again.

For free, of course.

I'm sorry.
After the things you did,

you are not welcome here.

[sighs] While this
is not the outcome
I was hoping for,

I understand.

Perhaps, to help me
start a new life,

might I be able
to pack up my old lab
while I'm here?

Please be quick.

And a security bot
will keep an eye on you.

That is only fair.

[chattering]

Max might be too harsh.

Dr. Octavius
has clearly changed

and wants to make amends.

What ever happened
to second chances?

Hello! Ock created
the Sinister Six.

He mind-controlled
Spider-Man.

And he just saved our lives.

After putting them
at risk.

When your robots attacked him.

Welcome to Horizon High's
Back to School Night.

I know this is going to be
one of our best years ever.

Now let's start
this program off right

with the announcement
of Horizon's annual project.

This year it's a doozy.

I give you a quantum leap
in computer science--

the Neuro Cortex.

[gasping, murmuring]

A self-sustaining database

modeled after
the human brain itself,

utilizing a unique mix
of chemistry and electronics.

When finished, it could
revolutionize medicine,

energy, travel, and even
how the Internet itself runs.

We're talking
about the potential
to change the world.

[students chattering]
Ohh. Where's Anya?

She'd love this.

[buttons beep]

Hey. You missed
Max's presentation.

Aleksei's doctors
give me limited access
to him each day.

If I'm gonna find a way
to permanently cure him
of his rhino transformation,

I need every second.

So, is it true?
Doc Ock is back?

Only to get his stuff
and leave.

Max knows better
than to trust him.

But it's a shame.

Ock has been working hard
to rehabilitate himself,

and it's not fair we aren't
giving him a chance.

Not fair?

Look at what Ock
did to Aleksei.

He's not a man
who can ever be trusted.

[phone buzzing]

Max wants to talk to me?

Uh-oh.

[Max sighs]
This is uncomfortable,

but I'm sure you know
why I called you here.

I know, Max.

I'll have my tuition money
in soon, I promise.

I just need
a couple more days.

Unfortunately,
I don't know how long

I can keep your spot
open here

if we don't get a payment.

And trust me.
I don't want to lose you.

You're one of my most
promising students at Horizon,

and I need your help
on the Neuro Cortex.

It sounds like
an amazing project.

It is. But like anything
this complex,

it's also frustrating.

For instance,
like a human brain,
it has two lobes,

but I'm having trouble
getting them to communicate
with one another.

Have you considered
embedding connections

to simulate
neuronal cell bodies
in human gray matter?

[sighs]
I came to tell you

that I retrieved
all my equipment

and am exiting Horizon
for the final time.

Good-bye, Doctor.

Hmm.

Otto. That idea--

simulated gray matter.

What made you think of it?

Like I mentioned,

I recently obtained
a few more doctorates,

including one
in neurochemistry.

Not to sound overconfident,

but I am certain
it would work.

I'll put it
under consideration.

[Silver Sable]
Everything is in alignment.

Boom! If a camera
webbed to my wrist

can't get decent footage
to sell to the Bugle,

maybe this drone
can do the job.

Let's test you out.

Ohh, nice!

Big bucks, here I come.

[beeping]

Hmm.

Something's not right.

Show your hall pass.

[grunts]

Boo!

Man, this is a bad day
to be a security bot.

Ah. Horizon's spider mascot.

Our client said
we might run into you.

Whoa. "We"?

Wild Pack.

You thought the police
could hold me?

Round two, kid.

And this time I've brought
some friends to the party.

Something about the name
"Wild Pack" tells me

this isn't going to be
a slumber party, is it?

Paladin, Puma,
Battlestar.

We've studied his moves.
Take him down.

Uhh!

You've studied me?
I'm flattered.

Of course.
We're professionals.

You didn't really
think I was stealing
from Oscorp, did you?

Uhh!

Wild Pack, target acquired!

Move out!

[groaning]

Oh, good.
Glad you got all that.

Okay. Four weirdoes
in bizarre costumes

can't just disappear
without a trace, can they?

Of course, this is New York
I'm talking about.

[Doc Ock]
Help me! Anyone!

[muffled grunting]

Doc Ock, do I even want
to know how you got
into this situation?

Aah!

Did they get away?

I heard commotion
at Horizon

and saw that group

of oddly-dressed
individuals

running off
with the Neuro Cortex.

I tried to stop them,

but they clearly have
technology

I was not prepared for.

Yeah, well, now they have
some more tech,

and that's a big problem.

I'll help you track them.

The Neuro Cortex
in the wrong hands

could spell
unmitigated disaster.

I am aware of its
dangerous potential

because I recently obtained
a few doctorates--

In neurochemistry.

Yeah, you mentioned that.

How do you know that?

I haven't seen you
in months, Spider-Man.

[chuckling]
Uh, oh, oh, yeah, right.

I mean, that's--
th-that's what I heard.

Eh, c-congrats.
Doctorates are great.

Love 'em.

Since they're now
long gone,

the first thing
we need to do is--

[chuckling]
Whoa. Whoa.

There is no "we" here.

I'm on this. This is me.

But I'm offering my brilliance
to assist you, for free.

Ock, call me crazy, but I
don't exactly trust you.

Look, we don't have the best
history, you and me.

[sighs]

Did you know Edison said

he failed almost
a thousand times

before he streamlined
the design of the light bulb?

That he was completely
dismissed by his peers?

If he had not been given
more opportunities
to prove his worth,

we would never
have benefited

from his world-changing
discoveries.

I know second chances
don't come easily,

but, like Edison,
I am not going to give up.

I don't expect you
to understand, Spider-Man.

No shock that mercenaries
like the Wild Pack

don't exactly have
home addresses.

Huh. But who hired them?

I wonder if anybody
at the Daily Bugle could--

Oh, no. I have to get
my footage in within the hour

to make the deadline!

[J. Jonah Jameson]
Ha ha ha!

Now, this is
what I'm talking about!

Brock, get in here!

Look at this fantastic
footage of Spider-Man
this kid took.

And he's still
in middle school.

Hmph.

High school.
Same difference.

What grade are you in, Brock?

Parker, you keep bringing me
this kind of footage,

I'll keep writing you
these kinds of checks. Betty!

[angry groan]

One more of these,
and this month's tuition
will be no problem.

The first day of school's
tomorrow.

We have no other projects

that could take its place
for the year?

A cyber-chemical interface

of the Neuro Cortex's
complexity?

None of our other projects
is even close

to that level of ingenuity.

The year's funding
is based on it.

Cyber-chemical interface.

I've been trying
to track the Wild Pack

when I should
have been tracking
the Neuro Cortex itself.

The Cortex uses a chemical
with a rare heat signature,

which is a lot easier to find
than dangerous mercenaries.

[Silver Sable]
Two things. One,

I'm impressed you found us.

Our client picked
this transfer location

for its isolation.

And two, I can't believe

you just walked out
into the open like that.

We literally saw you
a mile away.

But on the bright side,
my tracker works.

You should have left us alone.

Unless, of course,
you want to pay us off

and buy back the device.

What? That's all it would take?
Just buy it from you?

[chuckles]
Everyone has a price.

Say, 1.2 million.

I'm a little short
on the 1.2 million,

but I might be able
to scrounge up ten bucks.

Wild Pack...

keep him away
from the Neuro Cortex.

Delta-14 formation!

Wait. You have actual
fight plans? Whoa!

I'm used to villain teams
just yelling stuff out like,

"Crush the spider!"

[grunts]

Ta-da!

Oh! Aah!

You're rather juvenile

for a superhero, aren't you?

[voice cracks]
I'm older than you think.

Nope. Ha. My voice totally
did not just crack.

It's been a pleasure,
but this ends now.

[growling]
Puma, destroy him.

[snarling]

The offer to buy you
out still stand?

'Cause that ten dollars
is burning a hole
in my pocket.

[grunt]
[Silver Sable]
Puma, destroy him.

[Doc Ock]
Behold! The return
of the Octopus!

Fighting valiantly on the side
of goodness and virtue.

[grunts]

Aah! [fretting]

Never thought I'd say this,

but I am so glad
to see you right now.

How did you find me?
With this.

I remembered the Neuro Cortex
uses a chemical

with a rare
radiation signature.

[Spider-Man]
So you developed
a tracker

that could zero in
on the signature.

I did the exact same thing.

[Doc Ock]
Really?

The Spider-Man
knows science?

I have my moments.

Clearly we are more alike
than we both realized.

Huhh!

Also, we both represent
multi-limbed creatures

for the purpose of justice.

Epsilon-ten formation!

They utilize tactics
denoted by the Greek
alphabet?

Uh-huh. They have
their own evil playbook.

That's probably something
you could've used

with your Sinister Six.

I never claimed to be
a good supervillain leader.

Continue the formation.

I'm pulling a Sigma-12.

Meet you
at Location Beta.

Why can't you just say

"Finish him off,
I'm running away"?

[snarling]

[growling]

Spider-Man!

Uhh! Impact trauma
to my parietal pleura.

Stay down. I have an idea.

I don't want to be the filling
in a mercenary sandwich.

Huh?

Uhh!
Oof! Uhh!

Ock, I got to get you
to a doctor.

But we can't let Silver Sable
escape with the Cortex.

I developed a backup plan
for this very circumstance.

From this short distance,
[grunts]

my tracker
can radically stimulate
the chemical containment.

Blow it up? We can't
destroy the Neuro Cortex.

Better destroyed
than letting her

sell it to someone
with evil intentions.

We can't stop her in time.
There's no chance.

I bet that's
what they told Edison.

[grunting]

[thump]
Ohh.

Don't you ever quit?

It's really annoying,
isn't it?

[grunting]

You do know
no one's flying
this thing?

[both shouting]

Shouldn't have quit
those fencing lessons.

You think
this is a joke?
[grunting]

Of course not.
Under this mask,

I'm making
a super serious face.

Whoa! Aah!

Aah!

[chuckles]
Oh. Sorry.

Should have taken that
ten-spot when I offered.

Your loss.

I was wrong, Spider-Man.
There was a chance.

I am truly starting to learn
that there always is.

Yeah.

That's something I should
probably remember, too.

Hey, Max. We picked up
a little back-to-school supply.

[Max gasps]

I don't--

I don't have the words

to express my gratitude,
Spider-Man.

Don't thank me. If it
wasn't for Otto here,

I would have been
Puma food.

A device this advanced
belongs only with a mind

capable of harnessing
its true potential--

yours, Max.

Now, I won't
overstay my welcome.

You realize, Max,

the processing power,

even in the prototype
Neuro Cortex,

could cure poor Aleksei.

With the right parameters,
it could run

through every conceivable
chemical formulation

in minutes.

You think you can save him?

I know I can.

I do not support this idea.

I have some doubts
as well, Anya,

but we've tried
everything else,

and Spider-Man
has faith in Ock.

Huh?
[gasps]

[grunts]

[gasps]
Huh.

Oh.

What?

Where am I?

Oh, I missed a lot,
didn't I?

It's good to have you
back, Aleksei.

And not only is
the Neuro Cortex prototype

returned and operational,

our year-long research project
will be spearheaded

by our returning professor,
Dr. Otto Octavius.

[students exclaiming]
[applause]

[clears throat, coughs]

I know second chances
do not come often.

I swear I will not disappoint
all of you students.

Getting thrown in prison
was never part of the deal.

No, it wasn't.

But have patience, Paladin.

Our client's plans are

long-term.

[chattering]

[Jameson]
Look at this menace.

He causes more damage

than the so-called bad guys

and webs up
innocent students!

But that's not what happened.

Whoa, Pete.

Someone looks like they
just failed a test.

Not that I would know
what that looks like.

It's just...

something didn't turn out

like I thought it would.

So?

What about all the things

that turned out
better than you thought?

Ock's reformed.
Aleksei's back.

Never dwell on the bad, Pete.

You know what happened
to Edison, right?

And Newton?

And Einstein. You're right.

It doesn't matter if you've
failed a thousand times.

There's always a chance
to achieve something great.