Act 3, Scene 1

A crowded train rumbles through flat fields. It's daybreak. We travel through the compartment until we find our now easily-recognisable (to us) heavily-disguised Mary-Jane Watson, sitting staring out the window. Beside her, a middle-aged woman's headphones lead to a small pocket television she keeps in her lap. She's glued to it.

We stay on Mary-Jane's wistful window-staring for another moment before the woman beside her gives such a gasp that MJ is startled and looks around. Seeing that the woman's attention is still on the television, she looks down. The picture is of the Bugle's front page headline, the one revealing that Spiderman is Peter Parker.

MARY-JANE: Oh my God…

TV WOMAN: (far too loudly) I KNOW! WHO'DA THOUGHT IT, HUH?

Everyone else on the train looks over at them. Mary-Jane grimaces apologetically at them before making 'take your headphones out' mimes to the woman.

TV WOMAN: WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR EARS?

Mary-Jane repeats the gesture. The woman catches on eventually and removes the headphones.

TV WOMAN: (still at exactly at the same volume as before) WHAT?

MARY-JANE: I'm sorry…does that have speakers?

The woman removes the headphone jack from the television. As she does this we turn around and the small television grows bigger until it fills the screen.

NEWSCASTER (V/O): …York stunned today by this revelation. Over the past three years Spiderman has become almost part of the fabric of this city, and while speculation over his identity was initially rife, it had faded, as if we'd accepted we'd simply never know who was behind the mask. Well, we know now; Peter Parker, a twenty-two year old young NYU student-

We pull back. More than twenty passengers have crowded around to watch the television. Mary-Jane, meanwhile, has gone deathly pale.

WATCHING WOMAN: He's not that cute.

WATCHING MAN: He must be a helluva lot stronger than he looks.

The voice-over is interrupted and the picture changes to the news studio anchorwoman.

ANCHORWOMAN: …and some breaking news; we've just received word that the Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson, the man who broke the story and recently offered a one hundred thousand dollar reward for Spiderman's capture, has announced that another special edition of the newspaper will be published this morning…centred around the new claim that - now get this - New York's own rising starlet Mary-Jane Watson is having a secret affair with Peter Parker-

She continues to speak, but it's Mary-Jane we're focussed on now and the news report fades into the background as we see the full weight of what she has just heard settle on Mary-Jane. She's wanted the world to know about her and Pete for some time, but not like this. (N.B. the following dialogue is likewise only just audible – it's Mary Jane we're worried about here)

WATCHING WOMAN: (disgustedly) Oh now I get it. (off looks) Don't you see? When does her new sitcom premiere, like two weeks from now? Don't you think this will help ratings?

TV WOMAN: Oh, that's real smart.

The television's sound comes back into comfortable hearing range for us.

ANCHORWOMAN: …well, I'm delighted to say that joining us now is our resident culture vulture Ted Phillips, and as a very special guest the investigative reporter who broke this story…Eddie Brock. Welcome.

Mary-Jane's head whips around to the television. Her eyes flash with anger. When she speaks, it's in exactly the same tone of voice as when Peter said-

MARY-JANE: Brock…

EDDIE: Morning, Jane. Looking good.

The anchorwoman fawns a little. It's a clear case of success breeding success; this is the same Eddie Brock who as a struggling journalist was seen as slimy and cloying. Now, a hot media property, he's suddenly got charm…

ANCHORWOMAN: This is probably the biggest story of the year-

EDDIE: Well, I'd say the biggest in the last three or four, but then I would say that…

We cut to Mary-Jane disembarking. As she walks off the train at Atlanta central, we intercut between her walking and studio footage of the interview.

ANCHORWOMAN: I understand Mr Jameson has offered you a new column?

EDDIE: Yes…it's a temporary thing at the moment to cover the Spiderman-Peter Parker exclusive, but I have a funny feeling I won't be going anywhere afterward. Eddie Brock is here to stay.

The man sitting beside him, Ted Phillips, rolls his eyes.

ANCHORWOMAN: Ted, you've kept your finger on the Big Apple's pulse for over twenty years now. What's your take on today's events?

TED: Jane, the one thing I feel is pity. I pity Peter Parker and I pity Mary-Jane Watson. Until now they've lived their lives as their own, but now New York owns them and I think it's going to bite them in the ass. That's assuming Parker doesn't wind up dead thanks to our trigger-happy boys on the NYPD…

Act 3, Scene 2

A police helicopter amongst the high-rise of Manhattan, hot on the tail of Spiderman. It's the same helicopter and the same crew he had a confrontation with in Act 1, Scene 5.

PILOT: Ready for some payback?

SNIPER: Oh hell yeah. Let's get the formalities done with.

We cut to Spiderman. He webs the side of a building with his other hand and detaches his main webline, causing the second web to yank him backward like a bungee cord and allowing him to execute a staggeringly tight turn. The helicopter struggles to keep up.

LOUDSPEAKER: THIS IS THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT. LAND ON THE NEAREST ROOF AND PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE.

We cut back to the helicopter.

PILOT: I don't think he's gonna listen.

SNIPER: Aw, damn.

He begins shooting. He's good, but he's no match for a spider-sense; the bullets go extremely close but Spiderman always seems to be able to twist his body in the right way to avoid the bullets. The chase continues as he shoots. Spiderman swings over the Chrysler Building and plummets into the avenue beyond…just as another police helicopter joins the pursuit. Another sniper begins firing. Bullets slice through the air, peppering Spiderman's trajectory a split-second behind him.

Now facing two high-powered rifles, Spiderman must up his game. He takes a ninety-degree turn around a twenty-storey building. The helicopters turn to follow him…and find he's nowhere to be seen.

PILOT: You got him?

SNIPER: I don't got him.

PILOT: Great…(flicks switch) base, we lost target.

We haven't lost him, however. He's flattened himself to the underside of an overhang on one of the buildings he swung past. The helicopters stay hovering for a moment and then split up and fly off, resuming the search.

Spiderman is breathing somewhat heavily, but we sense it may not be due to exertion. Although we can't see his face, the black suit has stretched tighter than usual, so we can see at least a hint of the stress concealed beneath. As we watch he paws at the mask and it vanishes on cue. Peter looks terrible. He holds a hand to his temple, as if fighting off a migraine.

The world flashes into a black void, then flashes back to the New York morning. Peter groans in pain. We see the surface of his suit ripple.

The world flashes again into the void, which stays for longer this time. Long enough for Peter to see another glimpse of that shadowed silhouette lurking. This time it's closer to us and we can see a little more of it – it's human-shaped, but the face…the face is wrong somehow, and those teeth…

THING: Join…me.

Something moves within that unnaturally large mouth, behind those needle-pointed teeth.

THING: Join…with…me.

Peter's back to reality again, back hanging from a New York building. From within the building he's attached to he sees movement. A woman is inside, on the phone. She's looking directly at him. His newly-augmented hearing picks up what she's saying.

WOMAN: …he's hanging off my building! Yeah! Hey, is there some sorta reward for this?

Spiderman simply lets go, vanishing from sight. We cut to him some time later dropping into a deserted alley. Police sirens blare in the distance. He melts into the shadows between two dumpsters, slumping to the ground, perhaps now genuinely coming close to exhaustion.

We see a flash-memory of him punching the guy across the street into the clothes shop window. Reality returns and he clutches at his temple, obviously agonised at the recollection.

An old tramp pushing a cart enters the alleyway, collecting cans. He has a radio taped to his cart.

RADIO: …escaped again. Meanwhile crime in New York has seen a massive spike in the wake of the frenzy. With the police and Spiderman too busy with each other, it seems the real winners today are the criminals.

TRAMP: (muttering)Lousy cops…

He fiddles with the tuning dial until another station comes through.

RADIO: …seems as though the police simply won't have the manpower to deal with the crowd converging on the Parker household...

In the shadows, Spiderman's head lifts.

Act 3, Scene 3

Aunt May's house. Peter Parker's childhood home. The police have cordoned it off, but there are only around four or five squad cars and already well over three hundred people converging. The vast majority are simply curious rubbernecking civilians anxious to see if Peter is at home, but there are a large number of particularly villainous looking types hanging around too.

POLICE: (through loudspeaker) Please disperse. Nothing to see here. Please return to your normal tasks.

Nine or ten hoods are standing in a close-knit group.

HOOD 1: Freak busted six of our boys last year alone.

HOOD 2: Left me hangin from a damn lamp-post for three hours.

HOOD 3: Yeah? At least he let you dangle right way up.

HOOD 1: Well boys…it's payback time.

There are low rumbles of assent from his companions. Moments later the shooting begins. One of the gang ducks down behind a car with a bag, which he unzips. It's a compartmentalised bag with petrol bottles inside, rags attached – a sack full of Molotov cocktails. He distributes these to a few of the gang whilst the gun battle continues with the police.

One of the petrol bombs sails through the air and lands on Aunt May's front porch, where it explodes, showering flame and debris. Seconds later another lands.

We follow a third bomb as it arcs toward its target. Midway there however it's snatched from the air. The carrier lands on the roof. It's Spiderman, enraged. He winds his arm back and hurls the bomb back from where it came.

HOOD 2: Oh sh…

He dives for cover just as Spiderman's bomb smashes into the satchel, exploding and triggering the others still in there. Fragments of superheated glass and flame rain down on the scene. There are screams from the bystanders. Spiderman ignores the screams and webs the fires on the porch and front windows, starving them of oxygen and quenching the flames.

Shots begin to track in Spiderman's direction from the hoods below. He spreads his arms and webs with deadly accuracy. Six hoods are picked up and yanked viciously forward, crashing into cars, concrete and cops.

Not done yet, Spiderman leaps from the roof right into the middle of the melee below and beginning to take apart all comers. A hood takes a swing. Spiderman ducks effortlessly and smashes the man into a car, breaking every window in the vehicle.

And that's when the car alarm sounds, and everything changes.

The piercing howl of the alarm has Spiderman clutching his head immediately. We see the surface of his suit churning violently, more violently than it has since it first augmented itself to him via Chang's bite. Spiderman sinks to his knees, in tremendous pain.

The police there see their opportunity. With most of the hoods out of action, a few cops fan out and cover the others, giving three officers the chance to approach Spiderman. On his hands and knees, he crawls toward the car as they approach.

COP 1: FREEZE!

Spiderman's hand wraps around the car's fender. He pulls himself underneath the car and with one huge heave and kick, the car is airborne. Everyone ducks, but the car sails over their heads and lands sixty feet away in a grass clearing. By the time everyone has recovered from the scare – including the police – Spiderman has vanished.

More squad cars arrive on the scene and the hoods are cuffed. The cop who yelled 'Freeze!' is approached by one of the new arrivals.

COP 1: It was the noise. The noise hurt him…

Act 3, Scene 4

Mary-Jane steps out of a taxi. She's in a leafy suburb in Atlanta. She checks the address on the mailbox with the address on a piece of paper in her pocket and nods, satisfied.

We cut to the front door. MJ raps once, twice. Moments later it's opened by an old lady who bears more than a passing resemblance to Aunt May.

MARY-JANE: Nellie?

NELLIE: Yes? Can I help you, dear?

MARY-JANE: Is May Parker here?

NELLIE: Oh, you're not another one are you! Like I told the others, I don't want to talk about my sister's nephew! Good day!

She makes to slam the door but MJ grabs it and holds it open.

MARY-JANE: No, you don't understand…I'm Peter's girlfriend, Mary-Jane Watson. I'm here to see Aunt May. She's expecting me. Please, I need to speak to her.

NELLIE: Well you're out of luck dear. She was here for a little while, yes, but then that nice young friend of yours came to collect her.

Mary-Jane's eyes widen.

MARY-JANE: Friend of mine?

NELLIE: Yes. Handsome young man. Name was…oh let me think-

MARY-JANE: (flatly) Harry.

NELLIE: That was h…oh…my dear…is everything-

By the time she trails off Mary-Jane has turned tail and is sprinting away from her door. She heads for the road at the end of the street, taking out her mobile phone and switching it on…before she remembers.

MARY-JANE: You broke it…

She reaches the road and flags down a taxi.

DRIVER: Where to?

MARY-JANE: Airport. And hurry, please...

Act 3, Scene 5

The offices of the Sentinel. A room inside, filled with people. The low buzz of conversation fills the room. Lynas enters at the head of the room and the buzz melts away. It's a meeting of the Web. He cuts straight to the point.

LYNAS: You know why you're all here.

We see that Robbie is in the front row. Everyone looks grim.

ROBBIE: He needs our help. Jesus, what he must be feeling – the entire city is coming down on him out there.

LYNAS: At the minute there's nothing we can do.

ROBBIE: You own a newspaper! There's plenty you can do! Jonah has no evidence apart from one picture. He's counting on no serious challenges coming forward and so far no-one has. But people respect the Sentinel.

LYNAS: We can rubbish it all we want but unless we prove it's not Peter – and that, needless to say, might prove difficulyt nothing will change. That's the media culture we live in, ladies and gentlemen.

WOMAN: I heard he put some guy through a window.

An uncomfortable silence follows that statement.

LYNAS: As Robbie said, he must be under immense strain at the moment. He saved all of our lives – I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. He's a hero, and he'll prove it to this city again.

ROBBIE: Who's gonna let him, Lynas? He'll be arrested or killed before he has a chance to prove anything to anyone.

As he says those last two sentences, we fade into a view of Peter sitting on one of the birds on the side of Chrysler Building, the exact place where he sat the night his Uncle Ben was killed. He looks out over New York with haunted, hunted eyes.

Act 3, Scene 6

Mary-Jane leaves JFK airport. Before she can call a taxi, a limousine pulls up. The passenger door opens and Lynas leans out.

LYNAS: Get in.

MARY-JANE: Who are you?

LYNAS: Peter's boss.

MARY-JANE: Sorry, but I'm in a real rush here-

She turns to walk away.

LYNAS: He's different now isn't he? Something happened to him after that shuttle crashed. Something went into him, and it's changing him.

She turns back.

MARY-JANE: You better be going my way.

LYNAS: My dear, I guarantee it.

Act 3, Scene 7

The light is beginning to fade from New York. We fade through a succession of images showing a city degenerating into increasing lawlessness; muggings, robberies and carjackings are rife. We follow the little girl who lost her balloon as her mother and father scoop her up from outside her home and bring her indoors. Before her front door shuts she turns to look up at the rooftops one last time.

LITTLE GIRL: Bye, Peter.

A group of Spider-slayers walk up one of the working-class streets. Every man and woman is armed, most with crude two-by-fours, some with bats, some with guns. We see the fearful faces of the little girl's parents watching from inside their homes as they pass.

Inside the house, the television is still on, and coverage of the day's events is still ongoing. Amateur footage of the two helicopters' pursuit of Spiderman from earlier that day is playing.

ANCHORMAN: Since then we've had only sporadic and rumoured sightings of Spiderman throughout the city. But with much of the city's police and a huge number of self-proclaimed 'Spider-slayers' roaming the streets searching for him, that's hardly surprising.

LITTLE GIRL: But Daddy, he's nice. He got me my balloon.

DADDY: Rosie, dear, what have I told you about your stories?

She pouts.

LITTLE GIRL: I hope he stays lost. You're all so mean to him. He's a nice kind man!

Act 3, Scene 8

A man's body slams against an alleyway wall. Before he has the chance to collapse to the ground someone grabs him and pins him in place. It's Spiderman.

SPIDERMAN: You tell the rest of your buds that they can stay the hell away from me, do you hear me? One hundred K may be a lot of money, but the kind of surgery you'll need after trying to get it will cost a hell of a lot more.

He dumps the man to the ground and leaps straight up and out of the alleyway, landing on the roof above. One kilometre or so east a police helicopter is shining a searchlight on the rooftops as it performs a flyover. Spiderman kneels behind a wall to find cover.

We go to the void again. The figure is incredibly close now, a looming presence in the darkness, the glinting of its eyes like two ice-cold stars in the twilight.

THING: Join.

PETER: Who are you...

THING: Power.

PETER: I need more. I'm not strong enough.

The teeth glint. It's smiling.

THING: More...from...join. Join...power.

We're back on the rooftop. Spiderman shakes his head to clear it, putting out a hand to steady himself as the effects of the vision wear off.

We cut to high above, and the Goblin on his glider, his helmet removed. He watches Spiderman suffer with obvious relish.

GOBLIN: Had enough, Spiderman? It's only just beginning.

Act 3, Scene 9

Harry's mansion, an ominous looking hulk in the fading light. Lynas' limo pulls up outside and deposits Mary-Jane outside. As she gets out of the car Lynas leans out.

LYNAS: You're sure about this.

MARY-JANE: (looking admirably sure)Yes.

LYNAS: No…this is crazy. The police should-

MARY-JANE: No.

LYNAS: Then at least let me –

MARY-JANE: No! You have somewhere to go. So go.

Lynas looks at her and nods.

MARY-JANE: Thank you.

LYNAS: Peter's a lucky man.

The car pulls away. Mary-Jane looks up at the huge mansion before her, gathers herself, and approaches the front door.

Act 3, Scene 10

Connors lab. In stark contrast to Spiderman's stealthy sneak-in tactics, Lynas bursts through the front doors, startling Connors.

CONNORS: I should really get a lock for that.

LYNAS: Doctor Connors. We need to talk about a recent unusual visitor to your facilites.

CONNORS: Which one?

LYNAS: Spiderman. He came here to see you, didn't he?

CONNORS: Yes. Now who exactly are you?

LYNAS: Doctor Connors, Lynas Stewart. I'm a great admirer of your work. I was saddened to read NYU had refused funding for your genetic research program. I'm a supporter of progressive science myself you see. Well, one has to spend one's vast personal fortune on something, hmm?

We can literally see the penny dropping in Connors' eyes. He swallows nervously.

CONNORS: Nice to meet you, sir.

LYNAS: Now, let's talk about Spiderman, shall we?

Act 3, Scene 10

Back to Spiderman on the rooftop. He seems woozy still when the helicopter nearby begins broadcasting.

POLICE: THIS IS THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT. DUE TO LEVELS OF UNREST ALL RESIDENTS IN THE AREA SHALL NOW ABIDE BY AN EMERGENCY CURFEW. STREETS MUST BE CLEAR IN THIRTY MINUTES.

In the street below, front doors open. Residents mill out onto their front porches, looking up at the helicopter above. All seem enraged.

RESIDENT: Curfew my ass!

RESIDENT 2: Yeah you come down here and say that!

The helicopter promptly belches flame from its aft section. Spiderman's spider-sense flares and he's up and standing in a second, in time to see the debris from the tail section of the craft rain down on the streets below. The chopper begins to spin crazily out of control.

The residents below, having just milled out of their houses, now scramble back inside again.

PILOT: I can't hold her! I can't hold her!

And through the evening sky from directly above comes a familiar sight - the Goblin atop his glider, second pumpkin bomb primed and ready in hand.

GOBLIN: Curfew revoked!

Spiderman moves, leaping from the roof and webbing the opposite side of the street. He secures a line snaking from one rooftop to the other like a washing-line and, this done, webs the helicopter with both hands, jumping off the roof as he does so. When his webline to the chopper is secure, he adjusts his aim and webs to the securing line above, just as the helicopter below, in its death throes, is about to impact.

The whole harness tightens...and holds. Just. The helicopter's momentum is arrested and it is suspended above-ground for a second, before the webs give way and the chopper falls all of the remaining ten feet or so. The crew manage to flee the craft before the fuel tank ignites and the copter goes up in a ball of flame.

We rise above the fireball as it climbs, high above the street below and onto the aerial combat realm currently occupied by the Goblin and Spiderman. They come together in mid-air with a tremendous impact, sending the glider spinning. Spiderman is sent flying also but stops himself easily by simply throwing out a hand and attaching himself to the wall of the nearest building.

The Goblin, meanwhile, was thrown upward and simply somersaults with amazing gracefulness to a ledge thirty feet or so above Spiderman's head. The two antagonists look at each other. It's one of those John Woo-esque moments, the eerie calm of two people who know that they're about to fight until one of them dies.

GOBLIN: Havin' a good day so far, Pete?

SPIDERMAN: I'm still alive. So it's gonna beat yours.

GOBLIN: Does it hurt to see your life flushed down the toilet? Maybe now you know how it felt when I saw you standing over my father's body. Maybe now you know how it felt to take off that mask and see my best friend's face staring up at me.

SPIDERMAN: You know what, Harry? I'm tired paying for the fact that you're a loser. You were the pampered son of a multi-millionaire. You had everything and you screwed it up. Your father saw in me in five minutes more potential for a son than he ever saw in you, you miserable...excuse...for a human being.

GOBLIN: No more bluffs.

SPIDERMAN: Suits me.

Spiderman stands up at a ninety-degree angle and begins running up the building, a scream building in his lungs. The Goblin leaps off the ledge and onto the just-arriving glider, crouches, and flies straight downward in a collision course.

At the last moment before another impact, both men twist their bodies. The Goblin dismounts the glider and swings downward as the glider loops with its front prongs deployed, meaning to trap Spiderman into being either impaled or laid open for a massive blow.

But Spiderman has anticipated the move and lashes out with a foot placed between the prongs. The glider is deflected off-course and Spiderman is free to grab the Goblin by the torso and whirl him around and free, sending him fully two hundred feet and straight through the side of a building. Wasting no time, Spiderman webs and chooses his trajectory with such precision that his body drops into the hole in the building - a high-rise office block - the Goblin has just created.

We don't follow into the building. Instead we stay with the glider as it levels out and begins tracking back to its owner, ignoring the hole, flying past the side of the building and finally flying all the way around to the opposite side-

-just in time to see the Goblin sent rocketing through the windows there, the victim of another truly enormous Spiderman punch. The glider maneouvres underneath his master so he is able to reach up and grab onto its edge to arrest his fall. Somersaulting around so he stands atop it again, the Goblin reaches down and opens a compartment in the glider's interior. His explosive toys are revealed inside.

A black dart shoots clear of the building the Goblin has just been forced to vacate, heading straight for the glider. The Goblin activates three of the pumpkins and hurls them clear, before causing the glider to drop like a stone. Spiderman misses his target and swings around in a one-eighty, in time to see the three bombs - which now have now grown elongated conical noses - ignite. They're missiles.

Homing missiles, to be precise.

Twisting to avoid the first missile, Spiderman does not notice until too late the thin whiplash wire fired by the Goblin. It wraps itself around him, pinning his arms to his sides, making him helpless to web away as the other two missiles bear down on him. We see him go limp, as if he's giving up...and for a split second, we flash to the void, and the thing therein. It growls, and when we go back to Spiderman he's able to break apart the cord with a mighty snap of his arms and legs.

There's still the little matter of the missiles. Webbing both, Spiderman throws them at their sender. Jinking desperately, the glider is nonetheless damaged by the shockwaves their detonations create. Losing altitude rapidly, the Goblin descends over Central Park and dismounts, vanishing into the greenery below. Swinging high, Spiderman drops from two hundred feet or more into the trees, hot on his trail.

We cut to a police helicopter about a mile away.

PILOT: Sighting over Central Park. We might have the Goblin and Spiderman.

BASE: Roger that. All units in area, assist immediately. Ready the counter-measures.

PILOT: Affirmative.

He flicks a switch. Affixed to the helicopter's roof beside the loudspeaker unit is a mysterious box. It hums into life.

PILOT: (nervously)This is it...

Act 3, Scene 11

Connors lab. He's showing Lynas the readouts of Spiderman's body.

CONNORS: I got the results of the detailed scans I ran only a few hours ago. Whatever this thing is, it's spreading throughout your friend's system...but not in his cerebral cortex. There it seems to be unable to spread nearly so quickly.

LYNAS: His mind is resisting control.

CONNORS: For now, yes. But the effects of the symbiote on the rest of the body are working like a drug. Soon he'll be convinced he can't function without it, and when he accepts that...

LYNAS: ...it'll control him completely.

CONNORS: Yes.

LYNAS: How long does he have?

CONNORS: As little as twenty-four hours. Maybe less.

LYNAS: So what do we do?

CONNORS: Damage the host enough and the symbiote will detach and seek another.

LYNAS: Damage Spiderman? How do we do that? He's evaded the entire NYPD.

CONNORS: I haven't the faintest idea.

Lynas seems about to say something when his mobile rings. He answers.

LYNAS: Yes? (pause) Central Park? Thank you. I'll be there. Good talking to you Doctor. I'll send you a grant.

He turns to go and remembers one more thing.

LYNAS: Who was the other?

CONNORS: Other?

LYNAS: When I asked you about unusual visitors, you said which one? So who was the other visitor, Doctor?

Act 3, Scene 12

The darkened interior of the Osborn mansion, looking like exactly the sort of house you wouldn't want to wander about in alone. We travel down the wood-panelled corridor and see the beautiful antique windows, each one imported from Europe and lovingly-

-smash-

-broken by a large rock being thrown through it. We cut to Mary-Jane outside, hiding behind a statue in the grounds. She closes her eyes and grimaces, clearly expecting something to happen. Nothing does.

MARY-JANE: (incredulously)No alarms?

With commendable agility Mary-Jane scrambles up a small wall and, taking care where to place her hands to avoid the broken glass, is soon landing softly on the plush carpet inside. She sets off down the corridor. We cut to her wandering through the house's various rooms, until finally she comes to the study…

MARY-JANE: (in horror) Bernard…

She leans down by the manservant's body, tears welling up in her eyes, unable to believe that someone she called friend could have done this. If it hadn't already, the knowledge that Harry really has changed finally sinks in.

There's a muffled noise from somewhere.

MARY-JANE: Aunt May?

We cut to the mirror that serves as the entrance to the Goblin's lair. Mary-Jane's reflection approaches us. The mansion is in almost total darkness, so she's not exactly sprinting to the noise. It sounds again - faint, but unmistakable; a human voice.

MJ puts her ear to the glass.

MARY-JANE: Aunt May? Aunt May, it's Mary-Jane.

The faint noise again. Mary-Jane puts her fingers between the frame and the wall and tugs experimentally. Nothing gives. Letting her hand linger for a second in the gap, we see the fine hair on the back of her arm be blown by a draught. There's definitely something behind the mirror.

Mary-Jane looks around the room in desperation. Her eyes alight on one of the many exhibit cases filled with Norman Osborn's passion - weapons and masks. There's a large double-bladed axe in one case nearby. She breaks the glass holding it (again, no alarms) and hefts it in her hands, before turning around to face us. It's an incredible image - the once-meek perennial victim Mary-Jane Watson walking toward camera, hefting a double-bladed axe and with a face like thunder. As she steps to one side of the mirror, lifting the axe, ready to swing it into the glass, she calls out-

MARY-JANE:Aunt May...stand back. I'm coming through.

Act 3, Scene 13

Deep inside Central Park's treeline. A green-suited hand grasps a trunk. The Goblin moves stealthily through the foilage. He's hyper-alert and aware of the smallest noise or disturbance from around him.

SPIDERMAN (V/O): I see you, Harry.

The Goblin's head snaps around, first one way, then another. He sees nothing, detects no movement. A few birds, disturbed from their nest, flee from the treetops above. He readies a pumpkin bomb and dives to his left, waiting for a target to present itself, but none does.

SPIDERMAN (V/O): Isn't it weird Harry...no matter what you do to try to match me, I'm always better than you.

GOBLIN: You're not better than me.

The Goblin sees something up ahead. He begins to circle to the right.

SPIDERMAN (V/O): Say that to my face.

GOBLIN: I'll say it over your dead bo-

He stops, and turns his head to the right. Hanging suspended from a branch is Spiderman, right on top of him.

SPIDERMAN: Gotcha.

Before Harry can react Spiderman lands a massive blow to the torso, knocking Harry through several trees. They tumble to the ground. Above in the police helicopter, the crew veer in the direction of the felling greenery.

PILOT: Fire it up. On my signal.

We go back to the Goblin, just picking himself up. Spiderman is walking boldly toward him, hardly visible by more than the white spider motif on his chest.

GOBLIN: This new you is beginning to get on my nerves-

At 'nerves' he launches his counter-attack. In contrast to the fight he won when Spiderman was protecting Chang, this time his opponent is a step ahead of every punch, every kick. For a while Spiderman simply avoids every blow the Goblin tries to land on him.

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

He webs the Goblin's arm and heaves, picking him up entirely, before whirling him around his head and flinging him away...only to web him and pull him right back in time to meet another series of superfast punches.

With the Goblin recovering from this assault, Spiderman's left hand drops to his midriff. The suit parts and releases the vial of antidote Connors gave him. Spiderman closes his hand around it-

-and just as he does so, the police helicopters arrive on the scene. There are three of them, and they converge in perfect unison, shining their powerful searchlights down on the clearing below and illuminating the scene; Spiderman with the Goblin dangling in front of him.

Spiderman places the antidote vial on his chest and it's re-absorbed.

SPIDERMAN: You'd think you would have gotten the message by-

PILOT: Punch 'em!

He flicks the switch, as do the two other pilots. The boxes beside the loudspeaker unit activate, and begin broadcasting an incredibly loud signal similar to the car alarm.

SPIDERMAN: What...aaaaaaaagh...

We see the helicopter crews, all wearing protective headgear to block out the noise. Even so those that can afford to have their hands over their ears as well.

To Spiderman, the effect is devastating. He drops the Goblin and sinks to his knees instantly, the black suit in turmoil, rising up from his skin in waves before crashing back down. Every time it is re-absorbed it causes Spiderman to wail in agony. He curls up into a foetal ball, clutching at his head.

The Goblin rises to his feet above him. He tips a salute to the helicopters above.

POLICE: PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE!

The Goblin complies...but one of his hands reaches over and presses a wrist control on his other arm. We see the glider rise from the treetops from where it crashed.

GOBLIN: (shouting)I love the NYPD! Don't you!

Spiderman doesn't - or can't - reply. The symbiote is in agony, and thus so is he. As we watch he loses his battle for consciousness.

GOBLIN: You don't, huh? (shrugs) But they're so...

He presses another button. The glider's front compartment opens and two missiles deploy, each targeting a different helicopter. The pilots don't have time to react before they and their crafts become fireballs.

GOBLIN: ...flammable.

The third helicopter opens fire, but it's been blown off-course by the explosions of its sister craft. The Goblin leaps and the glider smoothly assumes its customary position underneath him.

The pilot of the third copter hollers in fear as the Goblin, laughing like a maniac, bears down upon them...

Act 3, Scene 14

Our world swims back into focus, and we realise we're looking at Spiderman's head, and that Spiderman himself is just regaining consciousness. Obviously remembering the circumstances of his blackout, he jerks in panic and tries to stand up...and fails. He's bound from head to toe in a thin silver wire.

The Goblin appears, kneeling only a few feet in front of him. Behind him New York stretches out like silver pepper. We pull back and see they're on top of a skyscraper, a round-shaped building around sixty storeys high.

The Goblin is holding a box.

GOBLIN: You know, word of advice - that suit may look good, but between you and me you've never been known to faint at loud noises before.

SPIDERMAN: Oh great. More ranting.

GOBLIN: Now now. Be nice.

He holds the box in his hands out and activates it. It's the unit from the top of the third helicopter, and it begins to blare out the sonic signal. Spiderman writhes in agony, struggling at the restraining wire, but to no avail.

The Goblin cuts off the noise.

GOBLIN: I wouldn't bother trying to escape, Pete. That little thin wire just happens to be adamantium. Cost more than you make in...well, ever.

SPIDERMAN: Boasting about money, Harry? Your Daddy would be so proud. If he wasn't dead.

Furious, the Goblin grabs Spiderman by the mask, lifts him off the ground and walks him to the very edge of the building.

GOBLIN: I'm going to kill you, Pete. But not just for my father. Oh that was Harry Osborn's motivation sure, but see, I'm not entirely Harry any more.

We go to a wide-angle shot of the Goblin holding Spiderman over the edge with one hand. The sonic emitter is in the other.

SPIDERMAN: You don't say.

GOBLIN: But you can't forget where you came from. So I think the score needs settling, Pete. For good old Harry to feel a sense of closure on this whole sorry mess.

Spiderman's mask melts away. Peter stares the Goblin straight in the face.

PETER: So drop me, Harry.

With his free hand the Goblin removes his own mask.

HARRY: I can't do that, Pete.

PETER: I knew it.

HARRY: Killing you like this wouldn't even the score.

Awful realisation dawns on Peter at that moment. We see his entire body go rigid with fear and a pent-up anger rising in intensity...

PETER: What have you done?

A slow, terrible smile breaks out on Harry Osborn's face.

HARRY: Shame on you, Peter Parker.

And Peter knows. Just from those first three words, he knows.

PETER: Aunt May...no...what did you do with her!

Harry laughs and walks around the circumference of the roof, Peter redoubling his efforts to get out of the bindings as they walk.

HARRY: What do you think I did, Pete? I put her up at my place.

Peter glances over his shoulder. Far below but clearly visible in the distance is the Osborn mansion.

HARRY: I wouldn't have anything less for Aunt May. She's practically like a mother to me. I just hope she doesn't pry...I think I might have left some of Dad's toys lying around-

Spiderman's spider-sense begins to shriek in an intensity it never previously has. The Osborn mansion comes into terrible, sharp focus.

SPIDERMAN: HARRY, NO!

But Harry presses a button, and the Osborn family mansion, Harry's home...is wiped off the face of the Earth.

The explosion is tremendous. The shockwave ripples out, knocking over cars, blowing out windows in a spectacular straight line from the mansion to the building where Spiderman is held. When the debris settles in the epicentre of the blast, nothing of the building remains.

HARRY: Now that's what I call closure.

He tosses Spiderman aside, into the centre of the roof. As soon as his body impacts the ground, we disappear into the void. Peter faces the creature, his expression truly terrible.

THING: Join...with...me.

PETER: Yes.

Fully unleashed at last, the creature rushes forward. We see the briefest glimpse of razor-sharp teeth and a huge, alien tongue and then we're back on top of the roof. Peter gets to his feet. The Spiderman mask climbs back up his face again.

At his midriff, the vial is secreted by the suit. With Peter's hands bound, it drops to the roof and rolls a short distance. Harry notices it.

HARRY: And what was that?

With the biggest heave and strain of his life, Spiderman pushes at his bonds from within. They bend and snap, falling to his feet. Astonished, suddenly fearful, Harry takes an involuntary step backward. Spiderman steps forward, and his foot comes down decisively and quite deliberately on the antidote vial, smashing it completely.

SPIDERMAN: That...was the one small chance you had of me not killing you.

Harry's eyes widen. He hefts the sonic emitter and it blares, but the pain which previously brought Spiderman down...here hardly slows him. He springs with vengeance and hatred in his every movement, his every strike. Harry is knocked from one end of the rooftop to the other. The emitter is destroyed. He swings a few blows, but even serum-enhanced speed and strength is no match for Spiderman in this mood.

With one massive punch, Harry is knocked off the roof and begins falling to the sidewalk below. As it has done many times before, his glider slides in underneath him, but he cannot even stand, and merely lies upon it as it carries him toward the explosion.

Above, Spiderman leaps from the roof of the circular skyscraper and descends like the shadow of death from above. The jump is so precise that he falls into the glider's flight-path and is able to grab onto it as he falls. He swings himself up onto the underside of the machine and with quick, savage strikes sets about completely ruining the mechanics. The glider loses altitude, smoke pouring from its innards.

Now irreparably damaged, the glider begins to nosedive for the surface. Spiderman detaches himself. Harry barely manages to roll off the top before the glider impacts, smashing itself to pieces. Harry lands less than gracefully. The glider has carried him far enough so that he has grounded almost at the outskirts of the mansion's (former) gardens. Smoke and debris are still thick in the air.

Harry glances behind him. A black-clad figure is swooping and looping toward him. He turns tail and half-runs, half-limps toward the midst of the smoke, but to no avail. Spiderman's silhouette through the smoke solidifies suddenly and with one swift movement his legs have impacted Harry's back and pinned the Goblin to the ground.

Triumphant, Spiderman rears back up upon his prey, his head to the stars above. Something strange is happening to the mask on his suit...as we watch, it grows a mouth, an opening, from which pointed teeth flash for a second.

Harry attempts to get up and only succeeds in being knocked onto his back. He stares up in abject terror at Spiderman above him, poised and ready to deliver the final blow. As we watch Spiderman's hand closes around an object left lying in the charred grass of the Osborn mansion gardens. He lifts a large fragment of glass with a wickedly sharp point. Harry begins to babble in fear.

HARRY: Peter, God...I never meant for any of this to happen. You've gotta believe me Pete. It's Harry. I would never hurt you. Give me a chance, Pete. Give me a chance!

PETER: And Aunt May? Did you give her a chance? Did you!

He raises the shard of glass, ready to bring it down upon Harry Osborn-

AUNT MAY: Peter?

Frozen on the downstroke, Peter turns his head toward the source of the impossible voice, but sure enough, defying all logic, Aunt May steps from the smoke, looking a little dishevelled but very much alive.

PETER: Aunt May...?

May nods.

PETER: How did you-

Right on cue, Mary-Jane emerges beside her.

MARY-JANE: You know...I think this makes the score Mary-Jane one, supervillains two.

AUNT MAY: Let's go home, Peter.

Peter's hand relaxes around the shard...but we hear a growl from somewhere, the growl of the symbiote, and his grip tightens again. His suit ripples slightly.

PETER: I have to do this.

He raises the razor-sharp piece of glass above his head again, ready to bring it down.

MARY-JANE: Peter, no!

PETER: You'll never be safe so long as he's around, MJ. I'm sorry.

He's just about to strike when-

AUNT MAY: Would it make him proud?

She says it calmly, but the effect is immediate. The shard stops an inch from Harry's exposed neck. Peter looks tortured. We don't flashback here, we just stay on the makeshift blade, one quick thrust away from ending Harry Osborn's life.

With a jerk it's tossed aside.

HARRY: What are you doing? What are you doing!

He tries to struggle free, but Peter is too strong and Harry too weak from the preceding fight.

HARRY: You promised! You promised!

MARY-JANE: (as realisation dawns)Oh my God.

PETER: You want to die?

Harry breaks down completely into sobbing. He covers his face and curls into a ball. We begin to hear the faint wail of sirens in the background.

HARRY: Kill me...kill me, please...

MARY-JANE: He's still in there! Can't you see that? Harry's still in there.

Aunt May steps forward and places a hand on Peter's arm. He looks up at her and for a second there's communication there - pride on her part, vulnerability on his.

AUNT MAY: I think it's better if you're not here when the police arrive, Peter.

PETER: And him? I'm not leaving you with him.

MARY-JANE: They can't find him like this, Pete.

PETER: (ominously)Not a problem.

We cut to Harry's semi-naked body being lifted onto a stretcher and bundled into the back of an ambulance. He's unconscious and sports bruises all over his torso.

Another ambulance man is speaking to Mary-Jane and Aunt May.

AMBULANCE MAN: This is how you found him?

MARY-JANE: In the grounds. Must have been thrown clear.

Nearby, a police officer discovers the wreckage of the glider. He speaks into his radio.

POLICE OFFICER: Base, we have probable Goblin involvement.

BASE (V/O): Roger. All units on alert for the Goblin and Spiderman in the area. Both targets to be considered extremely dangerous.

And as we hear that, we cut back to the ambulance carrying Harry. His eyes snap open and his mouth twists into that hideous Goblin smile...

Act 3, Scene 15

A private hospital room. A doctor checks a still-unconcious Harry over, mulls over some of the instrument readings.

DOCTOR: This can't be right...

He taps the monitors and chews his pencil in disbelief. Still muttering to himself, he exits the room. Again, Harry's eyes open. He takes in his surroundings, and seems about to move when he notices someone approaching the door. He assumes his out-cold routine again.

The door opens and in steps Mary-Jane. She glances up and down the corridor furtively, but the only occupant is an orderly sweeping the floors. Satisfied, she ducks into the room and approaches the bed, taking out a syringe from her inside pocket. She reaches up to Harry's IV drip and positions the syringe-

Harry's hand moves in a heartbeat, clamping around MJ's arm and squeezing. She howls in pain and drops the syringe. Harry sits up and swings his legs out of the bed in one fluid movement.

HARRY: You know suddenly I feel a lot better. It's a miracle...!

He steps off the bed and takes a step toward a terrified MJ.

MARY-JANE: Harry, please...it's a cure! It's for your own good!

HARRY: You know what would be real good right about now, Mary-Jane? Your insides all over this clean floor.

He takes another step just as the door opens and in steps...the hospital orderly, sweeping up. He glances up from his work and takes in the situation; the terrified Mary-Jane, the advancing Harry.

ORDERLY: Is now a bad time?

HARRY: Get lost.

MARY-JANE: Help me!

Harry scoops MJ up by the neck and slams her against the wall. MJ starts to choke and splutter for breath.

There's a tap on Harry's shoulder. It's the orderly.

HARRY: I said get lost.

ORDERLY: Yeah, I heard ya. But you know what-

And with two quick movements, the nondescript man has Harry release his grip on MJ, before Harry is slammed backward against the far wall. As Mary-Jane watches agape, the orderly spreads his hands and webs Harry securely to the wall, binding his hands and feet first, then his legs and torso.

ORDERLY-insides are a bitch to clean.

The man's skin begins to ripple...and change...and shimmer...pulsing into a blackness before it re-settles into a more familiar shape; Spiderman.

HARRY: You're going to pay for th-

With a casual shot, not even looking, Spiderman webs Harry's mouth shut.

SPIDERMAN: I knew all that 'oh please kill me' stuff was crap.

MARY-JANE: You were...different...how did you do that?

SPIDERMAN: (shrugs) It's new to me too.

The monitors Harry was hooked to are blaring attention alarms. Footsteps rumble from outside the room. Spiderman pulls the blinds on the window to the corridor and quickly webs the doorhandle shut. Meanwhlie Lynas runs to gather up the syringe, lest it be damaged.

SPIDERMAN: Is that what I think it is?

MARY-JANE: Connors had made up another batch by the time Lynas visited him. It's got to be administered right now, Peter, if it's to have any chance of working.

He moves to Harry's neck. Harry struggles mightily, the webbing holding him beginning to weaken. His eyes stare into MJ's, promising painful revenge. As he's about to apply the syringe, Spiderman stops him, clamping his fingers over his wrist.

MARY-JANE: What are you-

SPIDERMAN: What if it works? What then? What's to stop him from taking another dose of serum and this whole nightmare beginning again?

There are now repeated thumpings on the door, as well as muffled voices from the corridor demanding that whoever is in the room open up immediately.

MARY-JANE: You are. I am. We're his friends, aren't we? With the serum gone from his system, at least he'll have the opportunity to make a different choice, to change. Otherwise, you really will have to kill him. And if you do...it's over between us, for good.

We sense the conflict being played out in Spiderman's mind. This man has beaten him to a bloody pulp, menaced his girlfriend, and kidnapped his beloved aunt with the intention of blowing her to kingdom come. And there's always the thing in the darkness, hungry for blood...whispering suggestions and growling with intent.

SPIDERMAN: Give him a chance.

He releases MJ's hand. She plunges the syringe into Harry's neck and empties its contents. Harry begins fitting violently but soon calms and then falls unconscious entirely.

The door shudders. Spiderman looks to the window to the outside.

SPIDERMAN: Coming?

We cut to a rooftop nearby. Spiderman lands with Mary-Jane.

MARY-JANE: You've got to go to Doc Connors, Pete. The thing inside you-

SPIDERMAN-is making me stronger. If it hadn't, I would have died in that river. I need it, Mary-Jane. I can't become Peter Parker again.

MARY-JANE: It's controlling you, Pete! Can't you see that? You wanted to kill Harry rather than try to cure him!

SPIDERMAN: He deserved it. Just like his father deserved it. Oh, what, I'm sorry, not PG-13 enough for you? My life isn't all saving cats and retrieving balloons. I make the tough choices.

MARY-JANE: And the nightmares, Pete? You too powerful for those now too?

SPIDERMAN: They'll be gone soon.

MARY-JANE: And so will I.

SPIDERMAN: (webbing a nearby building) If you want a regular boyfriend - go back to the astronaut.

He leaps and is gone, leaving Mary-Jane to stare angrily after him, furious and worried in equal parts.

Act 3, Scene 16

Lynas' limo. Mary-Jane is there with Lynas.

LYNAS: That morphing trick...could he do it to look like anyone?

MARY-JANE: I don't know...why?

LYNAS: I have a really bad idea...

Act 3, Scene 17

Establishing shot of a large theatre-type building. We go inside and the place is thronged with journalists, including a just-arriving J. Jonah Jameson and Eddie Brock, trailing along behind him like a faithful lapdog. They sit down in the front row.

From the side of the stage Lynas emerges. He arrives at the podium.

LYNAS: Thank you all for coming at such short notice.

JAMESON: (threateningly) Wouldn't have missed it, and neither would my attorneys.

We cut back to the back of the theatre. A long line of men in suits are watching proceedings intently.

LYNAS: Such a pleasure as always, Jonah.

Jonah glowers at him in response. We see his face on a television screen and notice that around the perimeter of the theatre are many camera crews from different networks.

LYNAS: Ladies and gentlemen, my esteemed colleague Mr. Jameson has made certain recent allegations about the identity of one of New York's finest citizens.

JAMESON: (standing up)Notorious criminals! If you have some evidence to present Lynas, then let's see it – I'm bored already!

LYNAS: As you wish. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you – Spiderman.

He gestures toward the far end of the theatre. In unison heads and cameras track up to where he's pointing. A black-clad figure swoops in through one of the windows near the ceiling and proceeds to go through the most astonishing set of acrobatics, swinging, looping, backflipping and webzipping around the arena like a pinball, before finally landing perfectly poised on the stage next to Lynas.

At first dumbstruck, the collected media bursts into life, shouting questions and queries at Spiderman. Jameson is loudest of all, but he's not directing his attention at Spiderman himself. He stalks over to a policewoman leaning against a wall.

JAMESON: What are you waiting for? Arrest him!

POLICEWOMAN: I've radioed for backup, sir. As soon as it gets here we'll detain the suspect.

JAMESON: And until then you're going to do nothing! How long before backup gets here!

We travel downward to the woman's hands, which are clasped. We see (but Jameson does not) a small tattoo on her arm.

POLICEWOMAN: Oh, could be some time…

Back on the podium, Lynas is calling repeatedly for quiet. He eventually manages to quell the rowdy crowd.

LYNAS: And now, ladies and gentlemen of the press – meet the real man behind the mask.

Spiderman steps forward and with one movement pulls off his mask to reveal…

Viewing from behind, we don't see his face. All we see are the press' facial expressions – disbelief, disappointment and complete amazement.

For Spiderman is none other than…Bob. The Spider-Guy.

BOB: (nervous voice)Hello New York.

Jameson stares at Bob open-mouthed. His expression is repeated all over the arena. Onstage, Lynas puts a supportive arm on Bob's shoulder and leans into the microphone.

LYNAS: New York, meet Bob Hesselmeyer. (confidentially)He's a little shy.

BROCK: That's not Spiderman! Parker is Spiderman!

BOB: You mean my photographer?

BROCK: Your…your what?

LYNAS: Peter and Bob have something of an understanding.

BROCK: Then how do you explain the picture of Parker in the Spiderman outfit?

LYNAS: Well, let's ask the man himself, shall we? He's backstage right now. Peter? Peter…?

No-one emerges.

BOB: Must be the big crowds…sorry, I'll get him.

Bob walks offstage. We follow him as he turns a corner so that he's now out of sight, and bumps into…Bob.

FIRST BOB: You ready?

SECOND BOB: Oh God yes.

The first Bob takes off his Spiderman mask and hands it to the second Bob. As we watch, first Bob's appearance shimmers and changes into Peter Parker in civilian clothes. Second Bob – real Bob – stares at him in awe.

BOB: You're a God.

PETER: Just get in there.

They re-emerge back into the arena together, Spiderman and Peter Parker walking side by side. We see a thousand camera flashes go off. Live news feeds carry the story worldwide – Parker not Spiderman; Bugle fooled in hoax. During the following Q&A lights flash in Peter's eyes constantly. He grows more and more irritated by them.

REPORTER: Why were you wearing a Spiderman outfit?

PETER: I do his laundry. I was bored. I was indoors. Is it a crime?

REPORTER 2: Are you involved with Mary-Jane Watson?

Lynas glances over concerned for this one. We see a shadow pass over Peter's face.

PETER: No.

REPORTER 2: (to Bob) Are you involved with Mary-Jane Watson?

BOB: (huge grin) I'm not at liberty to-

He glances across and sees Peter's expression.

BOB-no.

The questions continue. Looking at the two men as they stand on stage with Lynas, their body language is remarkable. 'Spiderman' – Bob – is grinning from ear to ear. This is clearly the proudest moment of his life. On the other hand, Peter Parker seems twitchy, withdrawn, almost surly.

Lynas inches closer to Peter.

LYNAS: How are you feeling?

PETER: I've told you. It's under control now.

LYNAS: You're wrong. If you don't remove that thing, you're going to lose control completely. And when you do-

PETER: What? What happens then, hmm?

LYNAS: Get out of here. Now.

The police burst into the arena, but the stage now contains only Lynas. Parker and Bob are gone. In the surrounding chaos a solitary figure wanders around, looking lost. It's Eddie Brock. He exits the building and descends the steps in a daze, before spotting a familiar figure ahead of him.

BROCK: Mr Jameson!

Jameson's about to get into his limo. He turns.

JAMESON: What?

BROCK: What's going to be our response to this? It's obviously some kind of trick.

JAMESON: Must be a good one. Fooled me.

BROCK: You…believe them?

JAMESON: (quietly, calmly, a world away from his usual bluster)You're fired, Eddie.

BROCK: But…you always say that.

JAMESON: I'm sorry. Now get out of my sight.

He ducks into the limo. It speeds off, leaving Eddie Brock standing there alone amidst the crowds.

Act 3, Scene 18

Spiderman deposits Bob on a rooftop next to a sports bag left there. Bob picks up the sports bag.

SPIDERMAN: What will you do now?

BOB: Change my clothes I think.

SPIDERMAN: I meant in general, Bob.

BOB: I don't know. Mr. Stewart said he'd help me out, get me some work.

SPIDERMAN: Aren't you afraid?

BOB: Afraid of what?

SPIDERMAN: Afraid for yourself, for your family…there are going to be people out there who will want you dead for who they think you are.

BOB: I have no family. And as for me…I'll vanish. I'm good at that. I can do it without even trying. Even if you're right – the world thinks I'm Spiderman. Me. Bob Hesselmeyer. A superhero. I'd have to look down to see heaven. But hey, you know all this already, right?

Spiderman looks out over New York.

SPIDERMAN: (quietly)Right.

He doubles over suddenly in pain, his suit rippling, his breath coming in gasps. We hear the low growl of the symbiote.

BOB: Man, what's wrong? Can I help?

SPIDERMAN: Get away from me!

He pushes Bob away and runs for the edge of the roof. By the time Bob has caught up and looked over the side he is long gone.

Act 3, Scene 19

Aunt May's front room. The television is on. It's another news broadcast delivered by the anchorwoman from Act 3, Scene 1.

ANCHORWOMAN: ...Police Chief confirmed today to the press that, while the NYPD is still holding a warrant out on Spiderman - or 'Bob Hesselmeyer', if you prefer - his status has been downgraded from the all-out manhunt of the past twenty-four hours.

She continues talking but our attention switches to Aunt May and Mary-Jane. May is sitting sipping tea while MJ dries dishes.

MARY-JANE: Can I ask you something, Aunt May?

AUNT MAY: Aren't I obliged to answer a few of my rescuer's questions? Ask away.

MARY-JANE: How did you feel when you...when you knew about Pete.

AUNT MAY: (smiles, putting down her tea)Proud. Oh surprised, it's not something an old woman expects to have a real-life superhero fussing over how heavy her shopping bags are...

MJ smiles.

AUNT MAY: ...but it felt right. It felt like...something that had been waiting to happen to him. I know that's crazy, but that's how I felt. Of course my memory could be a little off...it was almost a year ago now.

MARY-JANE: A year...you've known about Peter since last year?

AUNT MAY: You don't get saved from certain death by a talkative masked man without a few moments of clarity, my dear.

Once again, Mary-Jane, the girl saved repeatedly by Peter as Spiderman who hadn't the slightest clue about his secret identity, has the decency to look embarrassed.

AUNT MAY: There's something's wrong with Peter, isn't there.

MARY-JANE: Yes.

AUNT MAY: You're hoping he'll come here.

MARY-JANE: He knows we'll be here. He has to come eventually.

AUNT MAY: Do we have enough time to wait?

Mary-Jane bites her lip, upset. She walks over to the window and looks out onto New York in the distance. Aunt May rises from her chair behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

AUNT MAY: Find him.

MARY-JANE: I wouldn't know where to go.

AUNT MAY: You found me. And you love Peter. Go. I'll be here if he comes.

Mary-Jane grabs her overcoat and throws it on.

MARY-JANE: You call me if he shows up. You call me right away.

AUNT MAY: I will. Good luck.

MARY-JANE: Thanks, Aunt May.

With that she's out the front door and running. Aunt May watches her go from the front room window, before very slowly and deliberately walking to the table, sitting down, and beginning to cry. And not gentle tears either, but big, whooping sobs.

We stay on her for a moment before fading out.

Act 3, Scene 20

Brock walks through the door to his apartment. It's an enormous place and completely barren, a little like Mary-Jane's.

BROCK: Celine? You here?

A woman storms out of the bedroom. She's carrying a suitcase. It's the same woman we saw in the picture in Brock's car – the one hanging on his arm with all the romantic feeling of lichen on a rock.

BROCK: What are you doing?

CELINE: Taking my suitcase for a coffee. What do you think? I'm leaving you.

BROCK: But – Celine, what about the wedding?

CELINE: Okay newsflash; hottest journalist in New York proposes to you, you say yes. Laughing stock of New York engaged to you, you run.

BROCK: I'll give you time.

CELINE: (opening the front door)I'll give you a restraining order. Do yourself and me a favour, Eddie; get the hell out of the city and stay out. And here's a tip – I'd do it before your first month's rent is due on this place.

BROCK: (almost in tears)But…none of this is my fault…!

CELINE: No, it isn't. It never is your fault, Eddie. You're one of life's passengers, and it's not enough for me anymore. I want to go somewhere. Starting right now with me going out of this apartment.

She pauses halfway through the doorway.

CELINE: Goodbye Eddie. Thanks for everything.

EDDIE: No, wait!

But she slams the door shut in his face. He stands with his forehead pressed against it for a moment, hardly able to believe what is happening to him. Eventually he turns and walks to the window to look out over New York.

The door raps. Eddie bounds over to it.

EDDIE: Celine? Celine, I-

It's not Celine. It's Peter Parker, hands on either side of the doorframe, looking like a demon in the darkness. His eyes glint unnaturally.

PETER: Hello, Eddie.

His fist lashes out, and the world goes black.

Act 3, Scene 21

Lynas' office. A knock at the door.

LYNAS: Come in.

Mary-Jane enters. Lynas looks up from his desk and nods curtly, all business.

LYNAS: Miss Watson.

MARY-JANE: Have you found him?

LYNAS: (looking a little uncomfortable) Not yet.

MARY-JANE: Where have you looked?

There's a pause.

MARY-JANE: Are you looking?

LYNAS: I have a paper to put out.

MARY-JANE: What?

LYNAS: Connors told me if we didn't get that symbiote out of his system in the next few hours, it would be too late. That was half a day ago now, and counting. He's out of control, Mary-Jane.

MARY-JANE: You're giving up on him?

LYNAS: We've gotten the police off his - off Peter's - back. We've given you and Peter's aunt your lives back. You're welcome, by the way.

MARY-JANE: He needs you now, more than ever.

LYNAS: We formed the Web to help and honour a hero, Miss Watson. And frankly, I'm not sure that's what Peter is right now. Take my advice - go back to hiding out. Take his aunt with you. Come to me and I'll make it happen.

MARY-JANE: (getting up in disgust)I'm trying to find him, not hide from him. I want to help him. See, he's saved my life too, and I think that means I'm not gonna give up on him. If you are, fine.

Lynas casts his eyes down. She goes the door and is halfway through when-

LYNAS: Wait.

MARY-JANE: Yes?

LYNAS: Let me get my driver. We've got a big city to search.

Act 3, Scene 22

Eddie Brock wakes up with a start. He stares up at the stars above him, confused, before rolling over...and almost off the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's almost identical to Mary-Jane's awakening at the end of the first movie. Brock panics and yells out in alarm, clutching the bridge tightly, before inching into the centre of the support beam and getting very slowly up on his knees.

BROCK: Spiderman...?

A familiar figure in black loops lazily over a few beams and lands nimbly on all fours on the opposite end of Eddie's support, his hands between his knees. When he speaks, his voice is different - too deep, too rumbling.

SPIDERMAN: Nice night.

BROCK: Wh-what do you want?

SPIDERMAN: Just to talk. Me and you. Face...to face.

As he says the last two words his mask drains away, to reveal Peter underneath...

Act 3, Scene 23

A car speeding through the New York streets. Inside in the back are MJ and Lynas.

MARY-JANE: What happened to your limo?

LYNAS: My new driver happened.

The driver of the car turns around and grimaces apologetically beneath a hideously obvious disguise.

BOB: Sorry, Mr Stewart.

LYNAS: That's alright Bob.

BOB: I just-

LYNAS: (calmly)Eyes on the road Bob. There's a good man.

Lynas' mobile rings. He answers.

LYNAS: Yes? (pause) How long ago? Any witnesses? I see. Keep me informed. Put everyone on this, Janet. Everyone.

MARY-JANE: What happened?

LYNAS: Police contact. Eddie Brock is gone from his apartment.

MARY-JANE: Peter...no, Peter...

LYNAS: Would seem to fit, wouldn't it? I'm keeping this with us at all times.

He pats one of the sonic emitter devices sitting beside him on his lap.

MARY-JANE: Where did you-

LYNAS: Don't ask. We just have to find him before things get worse.

Act 3, Scene 24

Harry's hospital bed. His eyes snap open.

Act 3, Scene 25

Back on the bridge. No time has passed since we last cut from here.

BROCK: (going from amazed to furious)Parker...Parker! I knew it was you!

SPIDERMAN: Pity no-one will ever believe you, Eddie.

BROCK: I'll make them believe me. I had everything...and you took it away from me, you-

In an instant Spiderman is upon him, webs flying. Eddie quickly finds himself with hands bound helplessly staring into Peter's face. As he watches the black surface of the symbiote creeps its way upward again. We see the effect in close-up for the first time and it's disturbing in the extreme - first his veins darken, giving him a horrific death's head appearance, before the rest of his skin blackens and the features of his face soften into the mask shape.

SPIDERMAN: What are you saying, Eddie? That if I let you go you'll just try to ruin my life, again? That you'll put everyone I love in danger for your own personal gain, again?

BROCK: No! No...I won't breathe a word...your secret is safe, I swear to God.

Spiderman picks him up and dangles him over the side of the bridge, exactly as the Goblin once did to Mary-Jane.

SPIDERMAN: Why don't I believe you?

BROCK: I swear to God! I swear to God! Oh God, please...somebody help me!

Act 3, Scene 26

Close up on Mary Jane's face. She has the look of someone working something out, something crucial.

MARY-JANE: They'll be gone soon...

LYNAS: What?

MARY-JANE: I know where Pete is.

Act 3, Scene 27

Back on the bridge.

SPIDERMAN: I save Jameson's son and in return his old man offers a reward on my head. And what do the people do? Support me? No. They hunt me.

We hear a whisper on the wind, a whisper of Norman Osborn's voice.

NORMAN: In spite of everything you've done for them...

SPIDERMAN: And then there's you, Eddie. What am I going to do with you?

Directly beneath them on the bridge, Lynas' car screeches to a halt, causing immediate traffic chaos. Mary-Jane emerges from the car first, looking upward, straining her eyes to make out the figures above.

MARY-JANE: NO!

Between the squealing tires of traffic and her shout, Spiderman notices her presence below. Lynas emerges from the car, holding the sonic emitter.

LYNAS: Take this with you!

MARY-JANE: I need to get up there!

LYNAS: Er...how?

A webline attaches itself to her waist and wraps around her once, twice. She's pulled upwards out of shot with a small squeal. Lynas cocks his head to one side in a 'well, that's one way' kinda way.

People begin to emerge from their cars to verbally abuse Lynas. They witness MJ's sudden ascension, however, and notice what's going on above.

MAN: It's him!

WOMAN: Who?

MAN: Bob Hesselmeyer!

Inside Lynas' car, Bob Hesselmeyer gives a proud little grin.

Up above meanwhile, Mary-Jane is deposited via some elaborate web-trickery on the opposite end of the same bridge beam that holds Spiderman, who himself is still holding Eddie Brock over the side. Mary-Jane takes a moment to steady herself and makes the mistake of looking down.

MARY-JANE: (terrified) Oh my God...

SPIDERMAN: Nostalgic yet, MJ? I know I am. How about you, Eddie?

EDDIE: Let me go!

SPIDERMAN: Let you go? Well if you insist-

MARY-JANE: No! Peter, no!

Brock is released...and caught again a quarter-second later. Even so the sensation of beginning to fall is enough to send Eddie Brock into another fit of ranting, pleading and cursing at his captor.

SPIDERMAN: Journalists.

He webs the man's mouth shut. Mary-Jane is crawling extremely carefully along the beam toward them. The positions are eerily identical to the setup in Peter's nightmare, except with Peter standing in the spot where the Goblin once stood.

MARY-JANE: Stop this, Pete. Please.

SPIDERMAN: Don't call me that.

MARY-JANE: It's who you are.

SPIDERMAN: No more.

MARY-JANE: No. It's this thing inside of you-

SPIDERMAN: Yes. Weakness. That's what I always feared. That I'd go back to being just Parker again, that I'd lose my powers like last year.

MARY-JANE: The nightmares.

SPIDERMAN: I can't lose myself again.

MARY-JANE: If you drop him, you will. Can't you see that? You'll be hunted for the rest of your life. You just got your life back, Pete! Why...why would you do this?

SPIDERMAN: That was for you and Aunt May. No-one will know Peter Parker did this. This is for me. Stay back, MJ. I'm warning you.

Tears stream down Mary-Jane's face.

MARY-JANE: I love you, Peter.

SPIDERMAN: Yeah. I remember.

MARY-JANE: (desperately)Are you making him proud?

SPIDERMAN: I'm done with that. Goodbye, Eddie.

We watch his fingers slowly uncurl around Eddie's shirt. Eddie's mouth strains at its web-bonds in a silent scream. Mary-Jane sobs helpless tears. And then-

HARRY: Don't do it, Peter!

Frozen in amazement (and with Eddie still attached) Spiderman looks down. Clambering up the girders toward them is Harry Osborn.

MARY-JANE: (as amazed as we are) Harry!

SPIDERMAN: Harry! Good to see you, buddy! Let's go for coffee!

HARRY: Sounds good, Pete. Why don't you web Eddie to the surface and we'll do that?

SPIDERMAN: Oh, gimme a break. I'm being talked down by an escaped lunatic?

HARRY: I'm not the one dangling some guy over a bridge, am I...

SPIDERMAN: What, am I supposed to believe you're cured now?

HARRY: I am cured. Thanks to you. You gave me a chance when you could have killed me. Whatever was between us in the past, Pete - it's over.

SPIDERMAN: And what about dear Daddy?

HARRY: I loved my father, but he died when he took that serum, not afterward. No-one knows that better than me, now. I was just lucky to have people who believed in me. I know you're still in there, Peter.

SPIDERMAN: You're wrong.

HARRY: No. I'm not.

Spiderman says nothing. We see his head swing from looking at Harry to looking at Eddie Brock.

HARRY: You've got a choice, Peter. We are who we choose to be! So choose!

Massive internal conflicts are raging within Peter/Spiderman/the symbiote. He staggers and poor wretched Eddie flounders in mid-air, panicking. Eventually he lets loose with a piercing cry of frustration, rage, pain, and a hundred other emotions...and Eddie Brock drops to the beam. Brock falls onto his knees, his hands still webbed together.

SPIDERMAN: Aaaaaaaaggggh!

MARY-JANE: Peter!

Peter is beginning to change, and this time we sense it might be permanent. His teeth are sharpening, his body filling out, becoming more and more powerful as the symbiote makes an all-out grab for power, seizing the moment of uncertainty in Peter's mind to make its challenge.

Harry runs to the next beam and jumps, pulling himself up one-handed with some effort, making his way toward the scene above him.

HARRY: Stay away from him, MJ!

Brock, terrified at what he's seeing, tries to crawl away...and a claw, not a hand, alights on his ankle. He looks behind him tries to scream, but can't. Peter's face has now completely transformed into the symbiote's true form; a howling, monstrously-tongued, needle-toothed abomination, leering and hissing at him.

PETER/THING: Brock...

Brock kicks out at the thing, and so debilitating are the physical changes it's going through that he actually manages to free himself. Mary-Jane grabs his hand and tries to pull him clear. They scramble across the beam away from the figure that was once Peter Parker...

...only for two black weblines to attach themselves to their backs. Getting stronger and less debilitated by the moment, the creature approximates a laugh as it reels Mary-Jane and Eddie in, pulling them back toward it. MJ screams as the weblines bring them within touching distance of the thing. It reaches out a deformed arm and grabs Eddie by the leg...

...just as Harry Osborn arrives.

HARRY: Get the hell out of my friend.

We pan down to his right hand. It's holding a sonic emitter.

The Peter/Thing screams, but too late. Harry activates the emitter and the blackness surrounding Peter's body spasms and writhes. The webline holding MJ breaks and she's free, falling to the beam and almost rolling off. Only Harry's outstretched hand saves her.

MARY-JANE: Harry! Don't let me fall!

Eddie's webline also breaks, but he's being physically held by the thing, and it won't let go. His mouth still welded shut, he can't scream; his eyes plead with Harry for help. Harry however has MJ hanging off the edge by just one hand to deal with. He is forced to drop the emitter to the beam and swing his other arm around to better support MJ.

The emitter continues to broadcast its terrible disruption. The symbiote's blackness is literally bleeding out of Peter now, leaving his white skin exposed, but causing him spectacular agony in the process. And yet, as the blackness bleeds from his face, we see a curious expression of pleasure and triumph alight in Peter's eyes. He even manages to grit his teeth and hiss-

PETER: Get...OUT!

The symbiote flows along the only biological route available to it. Eddie Brock. He is soon covered in the living skin. Finally the webbing covering his mouth is dissolved and re-absorbed back into the main mass of the symbiote, leaving Eddie just enough time to emit one lingering scream.

Harry manages to get MJ safely back up on the beam. He turns to Eddie's writhing body.

EDDIE: HELP...ME!

Harry reaches out a hand, but he's stopped by Mary-Jane, who jerks his hand back.

MARY-JANE: Don't touch him! It'll spread to you!

Eddie's accusing eyes settle on them both. That expression of betrayal is the last thing they see as his body slips, slides, and finally topples over the beam and down...down into the raging river below. It's gone, over in an instant, leaving only the three friends above.

Harry crawls over to Peter, who's motionless on his back. He rolls him over as gently as he can. At first appearing out cold (or worse), Peter's eyes flutter open after a moment.

PETER: Mary-Jane? Harry?

HARRY: Thank God.

PETER: (weakly)Brock?

HARRY: He's gone. That thing too. They're dead. It's over, Pete. It's over.

But Peter's eyes say different. His eyes contain the worry, and the unwelcome certainty that Harry is wrong. Very wrong.

As Mary-Jane envelops him in a tight embrace, we fade out.

Act 3, Scene 28

The surface of the bridge. Mary-Jane and Harry touch base with Peter, who's wearing Harry's stolen coat over his head. The curious crowds assembled there surge forward, but Lynas manages to smuggle the three into his car.

LYNAS: What happened up there?

Safe behind the tinted glass of the car, Peter removes the coat. The three exchange a telling glance between them.

PETER: Brock's gone. So is the symbiote.

Shocked, Lynas can only nod. He gestures down to the sonic emitter.

LYNAS: I see it came in useful for you. I didn't know you had told one of your friends where we were, Miss Watson.

MARY-JANE: I didn't.

PETER: How did you know, Harry?

HARRY: I don't know. I woke up and just...it was there. Maybe someone told me in a dream or something.

He laughs it off. Peter simply smiles, having his own suspicions on who that could have been.

LYNAS: Bob, time for us to be going I think.

BOB: (with an odd light of determination in his eyes)No. Not just yet.

Sirens wail outside. Police cars pull up from all directions. Mary-Jane grabs hold of Peter protectively. He squeezes her hand.

PETER: They're here for Spiderman.

We cut to the police leading a man into a squad car, with Mary-Jane and Harry looking on. The man turns, and it's Bob. We pan across from Mary-Jane and Harry to Peter, standing beside them. He mouths 'thank you' to Bob, who simply smiles back as he ducks down inside the car.

MARY-JANE: We can't just let him...

LYNAS: Relax, my dear. I have a feeling he's going to have an excellent lawyer. One who will point out, quite reasonably, that his client is currently not in possession of any superpowers whatsoever.

Peter grins.

LYNAS: Where can I drop you three?

HARRY: Back ho...

And it hits him then, the enormity of what has happened. His home, the only thing he had left in the world, is gone. More, he himself was its destroyer. We see Harry struggle to cope with it. He's on the verge of a total collapse when a hand touches his shoulder.

PETER: I know a place.

Act 3, Scene 29

Aunt May's front door opens.

AUNT MAY: Peter!

Peter recoils back slightly, as if dodging a slap. None is forthcoming. Aunt May skips straight to the hug part. Eventually they part. Peter steps into the hallway.

PETER: I'm so sorry.

AUNT MAY: Shush. I'm proud of you. But are you all right?

PETER: I have felt better. But I'm gonna be just fine. In fact, I'm kinda hungry...

Mary-Jane appears at the doorway, grinning. Aunt May smiles.

AUNT MAY: Dinner for three? No problem.

PETER: Actually...

Harry Osborn steps in, right on cue. He looks awkward, sheepish, ashamed. He fidgets.

PETER: ...it's for four.

HARRY: Hey. If this is too-

AUNT MAY: You're welcome in this home anytime, Harry Osborn. Now you three get in there and get working on setting the table.

PETER / MARY-JANE / HARRY: Yes, Aunt May.

They file in meekly. Aunt May strides out to the kitchen, all business, but once she's in there she simply stands out of sight by the doorway and listens for a moment to the buzz of conversation from the three friends in the next room.

The world's biggest smile lights up her features. She opens the refridgerator and begins to assemble dinner. We pull back, out of the kitchen window, leaving the house behind altogether, that faint conversation still floating in the air.

Act 3, Scene 30

Dusk. The Brooklyn Bridge looms large in the background. Squad cars of police finish the last of the night's mop-up clearing the traffic jam caused by the earlier events. We pass above them and swing low, skimming the surfaces of the waters themselves, before diving underneath and moving through at great speed, until finally we emerge onto the riverbank downstream. Various flotsam and jetsam scatter the fringes.

A shadow lengthens. Something that looked like just another piece of debris gains sudden form and stands tall - seven feet tall, to be precise. We stay behind it so that all we can see is its fearsome silhouette. It's incredibly powerfully built, amazingly broad.

It turns to us and growls, and we see its fearsome countenance, that which we only glimpsed for moments during Peter's final battle to be rid of the symbiote. These features seem real, seem solid and unchanging. The teeth are needle-sharp and numerous far beyond human standards. The tongue behind them flicks out like a snake's every few seconds, savouring the taste of the New York night. Two soulless firefly eyes complete the face.

The figure growls and snarls at us, before crouching down and powering itself for a jump that rockets it up and away into the New York night.

Venom is upon us.

Act 3, Scene 31

Next morning. Peter walks up to the Sentinel's building. Lynas is outside, and has ditched his usual sharp suit in favour of a casual shirt. He's sitting on the sidewalk staring out into traffic. Peter notices as he approaches the building that it's closed.

LYNAS: Pete! Over here.

Pete wanders over to join Lynas.

PETER: What's going on? Aren't we running today?

LYNAS: We're finished, Pete. Shareholders passed a vote of no confidence in me at an emergency meeting last night. Me not showing up didn't help. We've been sold off.

PETER: What? But the press conference yesterday...

LYNAS: You know the Bugle has almost doubled its readership numbers over the past few days? New owner wants to relaunch following 'the Jameson blueprint for success'.

PETER: What about you?

LYNAS: I'll be alright. (dryly)Multi-millionaires have a way of bouncing back from these things, you know.

PETER: Mind if I ask something?

LYNAS: Go for it.

PETER: Did you give me job because I was really that good, or because I was Spiderman?

LYNAS: If you have to ask that, I'm not going to answer it.

PETER: Great. Riddles. Love those.

Lynas offers Peter his hand, and Peter shakes it.

PETER: See you around I guess.

LYNAS: Bet on it.

Peter turns and begins walking away, casting a last longing look up at the window to what was, briefly but memorably, his office. Lynas calls after him.

LYNAS: What will you do?

PETER: Get a job...

Act 3, Scene 32

Jameson's office. He's in full on tirade.

JAMESON: A job! A job! Don't make me laugh, Parker! Here's a few names for ya: Benedict Arnold. Judas Iscariot. Neither of them were even nearly as fired as you are right now!

We don't even see Peter. We stay on Jameson as a folder is slid across to him on the table. He snatches it up and flicks through the photographs within.

JAMESON: (with the air of a man in pain)Five hundred.

Peter's hand reaches across and plucks the folder back from Jameson's hand. We hear a chair scraping across floor. Jameson's features knit into a truly fearsome scowl.

JAMESON: Eight hundred.

We cut for the first time, as Pete pauses at Jameson's door. He smiles.

PETER: I'll drop these with Robbie.

JAMESON: Then get out.

PETER: How's your son?

JAMESON: Sitting up and talking about going back into space.

PETER: Is that all he's talking about?

Jameson reacts to this. Peter opens the door.

JAMESON: Parker?

Peter turns.

JAMESON: I'll be watching you.

PETER: I know.

He leaves the office, and Jameson watches him go.

Act 3, Scene 33

The graveyard. We come around from behind a tombstone and Harry Osborn is revealed before us, holding a single rose.

HARRY: I'm sorry I didn't come before. I just...I wouldn't have felt right, you know? Maybe I should have come. I guess we never really got to know each other, but I just wanted you to know that you got through to me, in the end. When it mattered.

He drops the rose on the grave.

HARRY: I have somewhere to be. But I'll be back, I promise. Thank you.

He walks away. We pan slowly around to reveal the name on the tombstone. It reads: BEN PARKER. BELOVED UNCLE AND HUSBAND.

Act 3, Scene 34

Aunt May opens her front door. Lynas is standing there.

AUNT MAY: Can I help you?

LYNAS: Just here to deliver this, ma'am. Have a nice day.

He hands her an envelope, smiles, and walks back to his car, which drives away. Aunt May stares after him, puzzled. Peter enters from the kitchen.

PETER: Who was it?

AUNT MAY: I don't know. He just gave me this.

She opens the envelope and unfolds the documents within. We pan down to see what she's holding. The first page says TITLE DEED. Aunt May keeps reading. Her eyes slowly widen in disbelief.

AUNT MAY: It's the house.

PETER: This house?

AUNT MAY: I own it. The mortgage has been paid in full.

PETER: (incredulous)The house - the house is yours!

AUNT MAY: Oh, Peter!

They come together in a joyful embrace. It's a real heartwarming moment; finally, after the last three years of uncertainty following Ben's death, they can relax knowing that the house is safe.

We cut to Lynas' car. His mobile rings.

LYNAS: Yes? Yes...it's done. Yes, I'm sure. Listen to me: Peter Parker was going to owe me big one way or the other. And if Parker owes me, Spiderman owes me. And that's more or less the whole point now isn't it?

He terminates the call with a flip of his phone. Suddenly this isn't the genial Lynas Stewart we've grown accustomed to; this is someone different, someone new, and someone quite unpleasant.

LYNAS: Home. We have a lot to do.

We cut ahead to the driver. It's the woman who was present with Lynas when Peter woke up in his mansion. She smiles.

DRIVER: Yes, sir...

Act 3, Scene 35

A red-carpet premiere. Stars step out from their cars. A thousand flashbulbs go off in their direction from fans and photographers alike. Peter Parker is amongst the photographers, perched on the railings, snapping away. He seems a little wistful, a little lost in thought.

A car pulls up, and a leg is outstretched. The hungry press lean forward. The fans roar. Mary-Jane Watson emerges from the car, resplendent in a magnificent full-length gown which trails her feet. She smiles and waves to everyone. We see Peter look at her and be dazzled by her beauty, before he jerks himself into action and begins dutifully snapping pictures.

Mary-Jane makes her way up to the carpet, and begins that celebrity-perfected pose 'n' walk, swirling and twirling her way up toward the movie theatre, giving off a hundred different perfect poses on the way.

And then...she stops.

And walks toward Peter.

Around him the crowd go wild. He simply lets his camera droop to his chest and picks his head up until his eyes are level with hers. We watch from the barrier between them, the metal grille separating the stars from the rest.

She reaches out a hand and wraps her fingers around his.

MARY-JANE: Coming?

Without a word, he steps up and over the barrier. She leads him out into the centre of the red carpet, and in front of a thousand photographers both amateur and professional, in front of New York high society, in front of the millions watching on television cameras...they kiss.

And kiss.

Until eventually they are forced to come up for air.

MARY-JANE: (conspiratorially)I think they saw us. Aren't you worried?

PETER: You can handle it.

They turn toward the theatre.

MARY-JANE: Let's go get 'em together, tiger.

As they walk toward the interior, we spiral upward at a fantastic rate, up the side of the building, bouncing off as we hit the top until we leap through the air to the building opposite. Still we climb, until we reach the top, and there, perched and watching the scene below, is what was once Eddie Brock and Spiderman's symbiote, but is now one body, one mind, one soul...one Venom.

He snarls downward, a sound of pure malicious intent, and is gone an instant later, leaping from the roof and flying through New York as we follow him in classic Spiderman style, but in a way Spiderman could never dream of replicating - stronger, faster, better than Spiderman in every possible way. Eventually he comes to rest on a ledge hundreds of feet up, growls, and swings directly into the camera, filling the screen with blackness.

Fade out.

THE END