Norman Osborn has returned. Impaled by his Goblin Glider years prior in a fight with Spider-Man, enraged over the death of Gwen Stacy, the Goblin was believed dead and gone. As it turns out, the formula that gave the Goblin his powers also gave him a healing factor allowing him to survive the otherwise lethal blow. He recuperated overseas, plotting his vengeance and his return into Spider-Man's life.
Luring Peter Parker into a trap by having an associate, named Alison Mongrain, poison a pregnant Mary Jane's food at the Daily Grind coffee shop, putting her into early labor. When Peter arrived on the scene, a doctor drugged him and he awoke to find his greatest enemy alive and well and his Spider-Man costume on. It was there Norman revealed that he was the true Spider-Man, and the man named Ben Reilly who had taken over the role was in truth the clone. Norman revealed just how deep his claws sank into Parker's life, just how many strings he has been pulling all these years.
But his vengeance was not yet complete. Luring everyone from Peter's life to a "party" at the Daily Bugle, he had the entire newsroom sealed off and littered with time delay pumpkin bombs, ready to go off at any moment. Peter engaged the Goblin while Ben staggered back to consciousness and saved Peter's friends. With that task underway, Ben was now free to join Peter in an intense aerial battle over the Daily Bugle.
"How much pain do I have to inflict on you!" the Goblin demands as he flings pumpkin bomb after pumpkin bomb. "How much do I have to tear away from you!" The bombs all land near Spider-Man's body as he approaches. Rage keeps him from feeling the blasts that manage to nick him, while his spider sense allows him to avoid the more serious blows. "Under that costume you're just flesh and blood! And yet, time and time again you endure the agony and keep coming forward! You live!" The Goblin leans forward and brings his glider into a dive straight for Spidey. "Why! WHY!" Spidey leaps and delivers a mighty kick to the Goblin's stomach, sending him flying back off of his glider and landing hard on the rooftop.
"I do it to SPITE you, Goblin. I do it IN spite of you," Spidey says as he lands. He stands and looks down at the dazed Goblin. "Now…Halloween's over. No more tricks. No more bombs. No more webbing." He reaches down and grabs the top of the Goblin's mask and pulls both of theirs off. "No more masks. You were right earlier…this has NEVER been about Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. It's always been about Peter Parker and Norman Osborn. Tonight, we'll settle this face-to-face…as MEN!"
Osborn looks up at Parker's furious face, momentarily taken back by the tone. He growls and regains his composure, lunging up with his hands extended to grab at Peter's neck, which Peter easily deflects. "I had you unconscious! At my mercy! How could this have happened? Why won't you just die!"
"Because, then you would win…" He pulls back and delivers a hard right cross across Osbron's chin, sending him flying back and knocking him out for the count. "...and I'll NEVER give you that satisfaction!"
"Nice job, 'cousin'," Peter turns as he hears Ben's voice behind him. Ben approaches, carrying the pumpkin bombs from the Bugle in his coat. "Now, if you don't mind, I could use a hand with these pumpkin bombs…nng!" Ben collapses and Peter catches him, being careful to avoid the bandaged area around his mid section where a bomb nailed him as he saved Flash Thompson.
"Ben!"
"I'll be okay, but these bombs are on timers. I was thinking maybe the one of us who was still wearing the web-shooters could bring them over to Osborn's little hideaway." Peter grabs the coat and slips his mask back on, turning to head off of the roof towards Osborn's building.
"Done, but keep an eye on him."
"I think I can handle old Norman. I do have some experience with this sort of thing, you know," Ben says as he kneels on the ground trying to regain his strength. Unseen behind him, Norman discreetly brings himself up, pressing a button in his glove. His glider flies back up to the roof by remote control, shedding its ornamental front to reveal spikes sticking out of the body. Their spider senses flare up as the glider makes a direct line for Peter's back, but Ben responds faster as he lunges and tackles Peter to the roof; letting the glider plow harmlessly through the Daily Bugle sign's remains.
"Experience, huh!" Spidey says as they stand up.
"Don't rub it in…" Ben mutters.
Osborn stands up, pulling his mask on as the glider makes a u-turn and heads back towards him. "Both of you insects have this uncanny and annoying ability to survive! But, alas, the time has come to SQUASH you spiders once and for all!" He leaps up and lands on the glider, securing his feet as he heads right for them, his gloves crackling with energy as they ready to deliver a lethal burst. Spidey pushes Ben out of the way as he flings the coat up at the Goblin.
"Goodbye, Green Goblin!" The bombs inside the bag explode as they react to the energy in the gloves, setting off a series of explosions as the Goblin plummets to the street below. They can hear his sinister laughter as he disappears into a cloud of smoke, as if taunting them that they have not yet heard the last of Norman Osborn or the Green Goblin.
"Think it's over?" Ben asks.
"For his sake, it better be," Spidey answers.
"Heh…ow!" Ben clutches at his wounded side. Spidey looks over at him, and all the bruises on his swollen face.
"We better get you to a hos…HOSPITAL! OHMIGOD! Mary Jane!"
"Let's move it then, cuz!" Ben puts his arms around Spidey's neck as Spidey fires a web line and takes both of them off the roof.
"Peter!" Anna Watson exclaims inside the hospital as she watches her nephew-in-law and his cousin running down the hallway towards her niece's room. (Well, to be fair, Peter runs while Ben more or less hobbles.) "What happened to you two?"
"We, uh, got caught in a super battle at the Bugle," Ben says.
"Anna, is she--? Are they--?" Peter stammers out as he tries to catch his breath. Anna reaches over and pushes open the door to the room.
"See for yourself," she says with a smile. Peter looks inside the room and sees his beautiful wife, Mary Jane, laying in the hospital bed holding a small bundled blanket. She looks up and smiles weakly at him, her hair still matted from sweat. Peter slowly approaches the bed and peers over the blanket to see the small form within it.
"Hey, Tiger…say hello to little May," MJ says. Peter kneels down next to her and gently reaches out for the baby.
"MJ, she's…is she? She's not…?"
"She's fine, Peter. She's healthy and strong…just like her father." Peter leans in and hugs his wife and his new baby daughter gently, feeling the happiest he's ever been in his entire life.