A soft spot for Spider-Man

"You arranged for Loki," Russell said, turning to Stan Lee. "What about Galactus? Should he be sent to the Time Variance Authority as well?"

Stan Lee shook his head.

"The Time Variance Authority is not a place for Galactus."

Loki went there because he needed to see all his own possibilities; he needed to understand what he could become and what he could not become.

Galactus doesn't need these things. He has lived through countless eras and witnessed all his potential; only hunger compels him to keep going.

He paused.

"Besides, I don't want to write stories for Galactus to see, because there's no need."

Russell narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You're still making excuses? Since you've already interfered with the Timeline, sending Loki to the Time Variance Authority and dealing with Galactus shouldn't be difficult."

Stan Lee did not answer immediately.

He lowered his head, looking at the messy handwriting in the notebook. The handwriting glowed faintly under the fluorescent light, as if it had been given a life of its own.

Then he sighed.

"Alright, but like you, I won't personally take action against Galactus."

Russell tilted his head slightly.

"Then who will make a move?"

Stan Lee looked up at Russell.

"Spider-Man," he replied after a moment's thought.

Russell stared at Stan Lee with a strange look in his eyes.

"Spider-Man is a good kid," Stan Lee explained. "I trust him to handle these kinds of things."

Russell leaned back in his chair, a very faint smile curving his lips.

"Sure enough, Stan Lee really favored Spider-Man. There's a reason Peter Parker is Marvel character."

Stan Lee did not deny it.

He just smiled, a smile that carried a certain composure that belonged to an old man, a composure that came from having his little thoughts seen through.

"Peter Parker is a good kid, and he's my favorite character I've ever created."

"Of course, a failed man, a friendly neighbor of New York City." Russell shrugged.

"Yes, a friendly neighbor means being down-to-earth and well-liked by the public. This isn't because they are the strongest or the smartest, but because they are most in line with the needs of the people."

Stan Lee paused for a moment.

"He was a kid who grew up in Queens, had a loving Aunt May, an uncle he admired, and a girl he liked, living the bittersweet life of an ordinary person."

He looked at Russell.

"Then he gained power and lost Uncle Ben, which taught him that with great power comes great responsibility."

Russell listened quietly; in reality, losing Ben Parker wasn't a good thing for Spider-Man.

He didn't become an arrogant Spider-Man, nor an angry monster, nor did he become a cold-blooded god like most Heroes who gain power.

A friendly, helpful neighbor who wanders around Queens is a really refreshing idea.

Stan Lee nodded and said, "That's why I like him."

"So you've entrusted him with dealing with Galactus." Russell shifted the topic back to Galactus.

How exactly do you do it?

Stan Lee picked up his pen and wrote another line in his notebook. The line lingered on the paper for a moment before disappearing.

"It's very simple. When Galactus appears, Spider-Man only needs to shout, and Galactus's Cosmic Power will become Spider-Man's."

Russell's eyes shifted slightly.

"Shout it out," he repeated. "Is it really that simple?"

"Yes." Stan Lee closed the notebook where he had created the story.

"Galactus's power comes from Cosmic Energy, which was bestowed upon him by the Cosmic Will to enable him to carry out the mission of ' Destroyer '."

But the Cosmic Will has never stipulated that this energy can belong solely to Galactus.

"Now I've added a setting to this power: if a person who is pure and kind enough utters the predetermined words in front of Galactus, the Cosmic Will will hear them and then redistribute this power."

Russell looked at the old man and said, "What do you mean by 'Cosmic Will'? You yourself represent the Cosmic Will."

Not to mention the power Galactus, even the other four Creator God would have to obey you.

But he didn't say it explicitly.

"So when Spider-Man shouts, Galactus's Cosmic Power becomes his."

"Yes." Stan Lee nodded. "Galactus will lose his immense power and revert to being the survivor from the previous universe, but only within this universe."

"And Spider-Man Peter Parker will receive the power of Galactus and become the new host of Cosmic Energy."

But unlike Galactus, he won't use those powers to devour planets; instead, he'll use them to help others and be a better neighbor.

"It seems you've even thought about what will happen to Spider-Man afterward. If the Inheritors still have designs on this Cosmic Spider-Man, they'll be facing Spider-Man who has inherited Galactus's power."

Russell opened his mouth.

"I write stories. A story needs a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Galactus is the beginning, Spider-Man is the middle, and an ending that everyone can accept is of course essential."

Stan Lee placed a hundred-dollar bill on the table as he spoke, then stood up.

"I'll tell Spider-Man about this myself; he's still wandering around Queens."

"Spider-Man will be shocked to be getting this special attention from you. He'll definitely wonder if he's won the lottery," Russell joked.

"This child deserves my special attention, and not just him."

Stan Lee gave Russell a deep look, and then he vanished into thin air.

"But I told them you were going to deal with Galactus, now it's Spider-Man instead... Hmm, I'm off."

Russell sat in his chair, looking at the spot where Stan Lee had disappeared.

Then he looked down at the notebook and the pen Su used to write stories, which were still on the table.

"Old man," Russell called out, "You dropped something."

There was no response.

"Okay," Russell said in a low voice.

"To prevent this from falling into the wrong hands and causing negative consequences, I'll keep it for now."

After saying that, he put away the notebook and pen.

Inside the fast food restaurant, those still figures remained still.

Silver Surfer's starlight pupils froze as they spun, while Thanos's deep-sea eyes froze at the blink of an eye.

After Russell had completely collected Stan Lee's belongings, everything began to return to normal.

Silver Surfer's starlight pupils began to spin again, and Thanos's deep-sea eyes began to blink again.

Everyone in the restaurant returned to normal.

"Russell," Silver Surfer's voice came from behind, cold and calm, "Where is that old man?"

Russell leaned back in his chair, his hands in his pockets.

"I'm leaving," he replied calmly.

"Gone?" Silver Surfer repeated. "Where did they go? Did they go to deal with Galactus?"

"No, he went to tell Spider-Man how to defeat Galactus."

"Spider-Man defeats Galactus?"

Thanos's deep eyes widened slightly, Ebony Maw's lips parted slightly, and Corvus Glaive's fingers tightened slightly.

Proxima Midnight's gaze swept back and forth between Russell and the empty doorway.

"Who exactly is that old man?" Thanos asked, puzzled.