Chapter Summaries

Peter remained distracted by Nick Fury’s revelations about his parents and searched Richard Parker’s notebook for clues. A conversation with Dr. Jonathan revealed that Richard’s spider research involved real Taranto wolf spiders, and Peter learned that his father had collected the original specimens in Taranto, Italy.

• Peter told Gwen that Nick Fury had visited him, but he did not explain Fury’s revelations about his parents.
• Peter revisited Richard Parker’s notebook and questioned whether the spider used in his father’s research was really a tarantula.
• Peter went through a portal to Web-Slinger Base and asked Dr. Jonathan about the spiders Richard had studied.
• Dr. Jonathan explained that Richard had used Taranto wolf spiders, which were smaller and lacked venom and webs.
• Dr. Jonathan told Peter that Richard had traveled to Taranto in southern Italy to collect the original spider specimens.

Peter asked Nick Fury about his parents’ trip to Europe and learned that Fury had found no clues about the person who helped Richard Parker in Taranto. Fury arranged for Peter to investigate Taranto as Spider-Man while an LMD continued the European trip, and Captain Britain’s Excalibur arrived to help Silvia’s Wild Pack fight the Elementals.

• Peter asked Cindy to contact Nick Fury so he could question him about his parents.
• Fury told Peter that his parents had departed from Budapest and that he had never identified Richard Parker’s contact in Taranto.
• Peter and Fury considered whether the unknown helper was connected to Hydra, but found no evidence either way.
• Fury offered to send an LMD on the trip with Peter’s classmates while Peter investigated Taranto as Spider-Man.
• Silvia assigned the Elementals to Captain Britain and Excalibur while the Wild Pack accepted Fury’s employment to handle other matters.

Peter, Cindy, and Felicia arrived in Taranto to investigate Richard Parker’s past, while Captain and Logan also headed there after Nick Fury warned them that Spider-Man was in the city. Peter left the hotel with little new information, and Captain and Logan prepared to keep their identities hidden.

• Peter and his companions flew from the freighter’s route to Taranto, where Silvia dropped them off and gave Peter a communicator.
• Felicia wondered whether her father’s death was connected to Peter’s parents’ deaths, and Peter searched for the hotel where his parents had stayed.
• Peter learned from the elderly receptionist that his parents had come to Taranto to look for local wolf spiders, but she knew nothing about their contact.
• Captain and Logan rode toward Taranto, where Fury told them to conceal their identities because Spider-Man was there.

Peter, Cindy, and Felicia searched Taranto for clues about Richard Parker and discovered a magically concealed temple beneath the city. The temple was dedicated to Ness and Anansi, revealing that Richard’s mysterious partner may have been connected to the Spider Totems.

• Peter learned from a reptile-shop owner that Richard Parker had bought Taranto wolf spiders for experiments and later had them shipped to the United States.
• The shop owner said Richard had visited with Peter’s mother and asked whether the spiders had been caught near ancient ruins.
• Peter and Cindy sensed something in the old town and suspected Richard’s partner had been a Spider Totem.
• Peter, Cindy, and Felicia followed their Spider-Sense underground and found a tunnel protected by magic.
• Peter entered an ancient Roman ruin filled with Taranto wolf spiders and identified statues of Ness and Anansi as evidence that it was a temple for Spider Totems.

Peter and Felicia left Taranto with unresolved questions about Hydra’s possible connection to supernatural powers. The next day, Captain and Logan arrived and were ambushed by Taskmaster and the Winter Soldier.

• Peter and Felicia discussed whether Hydra’s origins might involve the same kind of godlike power that had aided Richard Parker.
• Peter decided to leave Taranto and rejoin the others, unaware that someone restored the damaged sewer wall and spiders covered the statue after he left.
• Captain and Logan reached Taranto the next day, learned Peter had already departed, and were attacked by Taskmaster and the Winter Soldier.
• Taskmaster fought Captain and copied his techniques while the Winter Soldier fired grenades at Logan, who survived and healed.
• Captain turned Logan toward Taskmaster, then faced the Winter Soldier himself as Logan revealed his claws.

Taskmaster fought Wolverine while Captain faced the Winter Soldier, whom he recognized as his old friend Bucky Barnes. Captain began restoring Bucky’s memories, but an unidentified Quinjet extracted the Winter Soldier before he could finish.

• Taskmaster used bullets, a tether, and poisoned darts against Wolverine, but Logan kept fighting and revealed he had taken an alloy shield for Captain.
• Logan threw the shield to Captain, who used it to charge the Winter Soldier and shouted that he was Steve Rogers.
• Wolverine cut Taskmaster’s mask open, while Taskmaster realized Steve was fighting the Winter Soldier and received an order to retreat.
• Captain disarmed the Winter Soldier’s mask and reminded him of their childhood and wartime service, prompting Bucky to ask who he was.
• An unidentified Quinjet arrived, and its operators extracted the Winter Soldier as Captain cursed at them.

The Holy Sword team confronted the Elementals in Naples while Peter remained aboard a Wild Pack freighter, where Hydra was trying to rescue Molten Man. Captain Britain fought Sandman and Hydro-Man after the Elementals mistook him for Spider-Man, while Psylocke and the others engaged the remaining enemies.

• Brian Braddock assigned Captain Britain and Megan to occupy the Elementals, Psylocke to attack their minds, and Dane to protect the students.
• Sandstorm arrived in Naples, and Wild Pack soldiers used artificial rain shells and vibration bullets to summon Hydro-Man and a tornado giant.
• Captain Britain led the Holy Sword team into battle, but Sandman mistook him for Spider-Man because of his British-flag costume.
• Captain Britain shattered Sandman's sand fist and struck Hydro-Man, who realized his opponent was protected by an invisible force field.
• Peter remained aboard the Wild Pack freighter, where Molten Man was being held and Hydra's infiltration team was attempting a rescue.

Spider-Man and Silvia discovered the Viper Gang was attacking the Wild Pack's ship to free Molten Man. Silvia destroyed Molten Man's spirit body before Madame Viper could restore him, while Madame Viper escaped the confrontation with a promise to remember Silvia.

• Spider-Man sensed trouble with Molten Man and warned Silvia, who put the ship on alert and notified Silk and Black Cat.
• Felicia encountered Viper Gang attackers breaking into the ship and recognized Rattlesnake among them.
• Madame Viper confronted Spider-Man and Silvia, revealing that the Viper Gang had been hired to rescue Molten Man.
• Spider-Man and the Wild Pack fought the attackers as Madame Viper advanced on Molten Man's cell with a case of liquid metal.
• Silvia triggered the cage's energy and erased Molten Man's spirit body before Madame Viper could free him.
• Madame Viper burned her hand on the cell and told Silvia she would remember her.

Peter and the Wild Pack stopped Madame Viper from freeing Molten Man, while the Excalibur team fought the Elementals outside. Whirlwind unleashed poison gas to force the heroes into a trap, but Spider-Man collected it with a sealed vacuum and confronted the villains.

• Madame Viper teleported away with the conscious Viper Gang members after opening Molten Man’s cage, and Silvia said she had disposed of the prisoner to stop the escape.
• Silk and the Wild Pack defeated several Viper Gang members, and Silvia sent Spider-Man to capture another prisoner while warning that the gang might return.
• Captain Britain, Megan, and Psylocke fought the Elementals, but they struggled to stop Hydro-Man and Jim Hammond.
• Whirlwind used the Viper Gang’s gas bombs to spread biochemical poison gas across Naples, intending to force the heroes to enter it.
• Spider-Man rushed into the gas in his Speed Suit, vacuumed it into a sealed device, and returned to challenge the Elementals.

Peter used the Speed Suit and magic to defeat Whirlwind while Captain Britain and the other heroes kept the remaining Elementals occupied. Whirlwind dissipated after Peter trapped his soul, and Sandman and Hydro-Man fled.

• Students watching from the hotel lounge saw Spider-Man arrive, while Peter Parker and his friends' LMDs helped conceal Peter's identity.
• Peter explained the Speed Suit to Captain Britain and asked the heroes to keep the other Elementals busy while he fought Whirlwind.
• Captain Britain fought the Original Human Torch, the Fairy Princess attacked Sandman, and Psylocke interfered with Hydro-Man as Peter used supersonic speed to counter Whirlwind's tornadoes.
• Whirlwind spun up a massive tornado, but Peter weakened his control over reality and caught his soul with Soul Weaving.
• Whirlwind dissipated, and Sandman and Hydro-Man called for a retreat.

After Whirlwind died from a dark curse, Nick Fury asked the British Sacred Sword to investigate how to stop it while he explained to Peter that Hydra had targeted the captured Elementals to cover its tracks. Fury revealed that Steve Rogers and Logan had been attacked by the Winter Soldier and Taskmaster in Taranto, and Peter realized Fury had sent another team to investigate.

• Peter and the British Sacred Sword identified Whirlwind’s death as the result of a recently placed dark curse, similar to magic used by Morgan le Fay and demons.
• Nick Fury asked the Sacred Sword to research how to prevent and lift the curse, while S.H.I.E.L.D. would focus on stopping the Elementals rather than arresting them.
• Fury told Peter that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sent to Taranto had been attacked by the Winter Soldier and Taskmaster.
• Fury revealed that Steve Rogers and Logan had been posing as a decoy investigation team, and Peter deduced that Hydra was killing captured Elementals to prevent its secrets from leaking.
• Peter asked whether Fury had sent a second, genuine investigation team, and Fury smiled in response.

Peter explained the S.H.I.E.L.D. LMDs and the resulting confusion about his dates to Harry and Amadeus, then tried to make peace with Gwen during the trip to Rome. Gwen agreed to enjoy two days together in Rome, leaving Peter's awkward situation with Cindy unresolved.

• Peter told Harry and Amadeus that S.H.I.E.L.D. had used LMDs to cover for him and Cindy during their mission, and admitted he had told Gwen about his android double.
• Harry teased Peter about dating Gwen and Cindy, while Amadeus asked whether the two LMDs had gone on dates in their place.
• Peter said the Elementals would not attack proactively for the next few days and learned that the group would spend five days in Rome.
• On the train from Naples to Rome, Gwen sat beside Peter and gave short replies as he tried to make conversation.
• Peter offered Gwen a day together in Rome to make up for the LMD date, but Gwen asked whether he would then owe Cindy a date too.
• Peter and Gwen set aside the question and agreed to enjoy themselves in Rome for two days.

Baron Strucker and Zemo discussed Hydra’s origins, plans, and the approaching threat of Nick Fury, Captain America, and Peter Parker. Zemo left to kill Captain America and demanded Jim Hammond for a surprise.

• Strucker and Zemo met at Hydra’s Budapest headquarters and discussed Fury’s pursuit and the arrival of Captain America and Peter Parker.
• Strucker and Zemo descended into the temple beneath the castle, where Strucker explained Hydra’s connection to the primordial god Set.
• Strucker described Hydra’s plan to use fear and growing threats to make humanity surrender its freedom in exchange for protection.
• Zemo rejected Strucker’s focus on Hydra’s larger plans and vowed to kill Captain America and destroy what he stood for.
• Zemo demanded Jim Hammond so he could prepare a surprise for Captain America.

Peter and Gwen visited the Colosseum in Rome, where Gwen apologized for her earlier anger and explained that she felt powerless and feared Peter would die in a fight without telling her. Peter revealed that Gwen Stacy died in many other Spider-Verses, but he promised Gwen she was safe for now, and they returned to taking photos.

• Peter and Gwen encountered three pickpockets while waiting to enter the Colosseum and scared them away.
• Peter explained the Colosseum's history of damage and restoration as he took photos of Gwen.
• Gwen apologized for her earlier tantrum and said she was upset because she could not help Peter or know how dangerous his fights were.
• Peter told Gwen he kept her out of dangerous fights because he would worry if she were involved, and said Cindy was also kept away from many of them.
• Gwen asked about their lives in other Spider-Verses, and Peter said they usually became lovers before Gwen died.
• Peter described how Green Goblin killed Gwen Stacy in other universes and promised it would not happen to her; Gwen then asked him to take more pictures.

After Spider-Man appeared in Naples, Mary Jane investigated why enemies were targeting her school’s student group and asked Jessica for help. Jessica realized Spider-Man was among the students and decided to mislead the Daily Bugle while continuing her secret investigation.

• J. Jonah Jameson assigned Mary Jane to track Spider-Man’s appearance in Italy and report on it for the Daily Bugle.
• Mary Jane connected the attacks in Lisbon and Naples, along with the flash in Madrid, and suspected the enemies were following the students.
• Mary Jane helped Jessica after she collapsed in the hotel café and learned Jessica had memorized information about the students.
• Jessica concluded that Spider-Man was a student at their school and that the monsters had come after him.
• Jessica offered to help Mary Jane investigate, intending to lead the Daily Bugle down the wrong path.

Peter and Cindy investigated a hidden Pantheon beneath Rome’s Pantheon, finding evidence that Hydra had tried to conceal it. As they waited for Captain and Logan to join the investigation, Cindy asked Peter about choosing her path, and he promised to help her find an answer without forcing one on her.

• Peter used his soul to discover a damaged Pantheon beneath the Roman Pantheon, where ruined equipment and blocked passages suggested Hydra had tried to hide the site.
• Peter and Cindy decided to wait for Captain and Logan before investigating Hydra’s origins and toured the Pantheon, including Raphael’s tomb.
• Cindy reflected that she might never have met Peter without the spider and admitted she still did not know what she wanted to do.
• Cindy asked Peter whether he had become Spider-Man because he wanted to, and Peter asked what made her feel happy or fulfilled as Silk.
• Peter told Cindy she could give up being a hero if it did not suit her and offered to stay by her side while she searched for an answer.
• Cindy thanked Peter and said that hearing him promise to stay with her was enough.

Felicia and Silvia discussed their motives and pasts while shopping in Rome, and Felicia revealed that her father had been killed investigating the Super Soldier Serum in Europe. The chapter ended with Felicia inviting Silvia to join her investigation, which might also connect to Silvia’s mother’s death.

• Felicia browsed a gift shop while Silvia criticized her lack of combat training and questioned why she had taken the Super Soldier Serum.
• Silvia told Felicia that her mother had been assassinated when she was fifteen, and that she trained to protect herself and fight superpowered individuals.
• Silvia explained that the Wild Pack sought to establish countermeasures against superpowered people, then said she planned to go to college after getting revenge.
• Silvia revealed that she was watching Felicia because Nick Fury had asked her to keep Felicia away from his investigation.
• Felicia said her father had been killed while investigating the Super Soldier Serum in Europe and invited Silvia to investigate with her.

Peter, Captain, and Logan investigated the real Pantheon beneath Rome and found evidence that Hydra had removed statues of four Elder Gods, possibly in pursuit of a supernatural goal. Captain planned to investigate Budapest while Peter stayed behind to deal with the Elementals.

• Captain confirmed that the Winter Soldier was Bucky and said he would seek a fair resolution once Bucky recovered his senses.
• Peter led Captain and Logan through a time portal into the underground Pantheon beneath Rome, while Black Cat told Silver Sable she could explain what they were facing.
• Peter explained that Hydra had removed statues of Gaia, Oshtur, Chthon, and Set, and suspected Hydra's secret was connected to the Elder Gods.
• Peter told Captain and Logan that he had learned about the gods from Strange and from his encounter with Anansi.
• Captain decided to head to Budapest to investigate a similar temple, while Peter remained behind because Fury expected the Elementals to cause trouble.

The school tour continued toward Venice as Jessica grew more certain that Felicia knew Spider-Man’s identity, while Peter anticipated another attack from the Elementals. Hydra prepared Hydro-Man to fight Spider-Man, and Hydro-Man began considering an escape with Sandman.

• Jessica reasoned that Spider-Man was likely a student on the school tour and warned Felicia that she and Daily Bugle intern Mary Jane were close to exposing his identity.
• Felicia denied knowing Spider-Man, then decided she would find a chance to warn him about Jessica and Mary Jane.
• Peter considered Venice a dangerous place to face Hydro-Man and worried that Hydra had prepared new countermeasures for the Wild Pack.
• Arnim Zola modified Hydro-Man’s controlled water to resist the Wild Pack’s vibration weapons and arranged for Madame Viper to provide mental spells.
• Hydro-Man doubted he could survive fighting Spider-Man and considered escaping with his old friend Sandman.

Peter photographed Gwen and Cindy in Venice while Felicia explained how she and Jessica Drew became friends. The chapter ended with Peter taking a picture of Felicia smiling after she said she owed Jessica for helping her uncover the truth about her father.

• Peter photographed Cindy in St. Mark's Square while Felicia explained that Jessica had gone on the boat and she had stayed behind because she got seasick.
• Felicia told Peter that Jessica had learned Spider-Man was in their tour group and that Mary Jane was investigating him for the Daily Bugle, though Mary Jane had planted false information to protect him.
• Peter asked Felicia why she and Jessica were so close, and Felicia recounted how Jessica deduced that she had been drinking on the eve of their first year at Midtown High School.
• Felicia said she joined Jessica's Detective Agency to learn deduction and avoid getting caught stealing, then used what she learned to investigate her father's past.
• Peter took a picture of Felicia as she smiled and said she should thank Jessica for helping her uncover the truth about her father.