When we last left Spider-Man, he and Ultraman were working together in harmony to defeat the kaiju, Gango, who was sent to earth by Dr. Doom and Alien Mefilas. A young, lonely boy, Onita wished for Gango to transform into a large kaiju so it could attack his enemies. The interlacing themes of harmony and transformation from the first twelve chapters of Ultraman: Along Came a Spider-Man, along with their counterpoints of conflict and stagnation, continue to drive the plot of the story forward.
Chapter 13 opens with the latter. Ultraman and Spider-Man defeat Gango. As the kaiju falls, Fuji explains to Onita that Gango’s suffering is due to his desire that the beast engage in conflict.
His adversary seemingly defeated, Ultraman begins to save humans from the destruction caused by the battle. Still unable to see the consequences of his actions, Onita commands Gango to transform back into its strongest form. Completely healed, the kaiju resumes his attack on Ultraman.
Spider-Man remembers Iron Man’s earlier advice to attack the root cause of the problem rather than the effects. Inspired, he pleads with Onita to remember that what he really wants deep down is his friend, Ono. Onita replies that Spider-Man can do whatever he wants with his power so he should be able to do whatever he wants with his.
Channeling Uncle Ben, Spider-Man explains to Onita that with great power comes great responsibility. He tells him that because of his wishes, he is responsible for the actions of the kaiju and its life should it perish in its battle with Ultraman.
Onita listens to reason and wishes Gango back to its kinder, gentler form. Meanwhile, Spider-Man remembers the time his uncle gave him the same advice and longs to see him again which transforms the kaiju into Uncle Ben.
In Chapter 14, Spider-Man tearfully hugs the kaiju in the form of his uncle. This act reinforces Spider-Man’s lesson and shows Onita that kindness was Gango’s primary motivation for transforming into people’s desires.
Before this realization can fully sink in, however, Dr. Doom descends onto the scene and claims that kindness is the source of mankind’s troubles. Inspired by Doom’s monologue, Alien Mefilas appears and wishes for Gango to transform again.
Chapter 15 opens with Mefilas’ wish being granted as Gango transforms into a supersized Fuji. Forced to fight his friend and comrade, Ultraman remembers how much she understands and supports him.
Rather than fighting Fuji, Ultraman decides to embrace her while wishing for her to stop fighting. His wish comes true, and she stops fighting and starts crying.
This inspires Onita to wish for Gango to return to his natural form. With a little boost of Ultraman’s power he succeeds.
In Chapter 16, Ultraman’s color timer is running low from the previous battles, Mefilas decides to take this opportunity to fight the weakened hero one on one. Dr. Doom and Spider-Man soon join in the battle. In the end, Ultraman falls, and reminiscent of other story lines including in a meta way, the iconic crossover, Secret Wars, Dr. Doom steals his power.
In Chapter 17, without the power of the Ultra, Shin reverts to his normal form and the condition he was in before the Ultra merged with him to save his life. Spider-Man recognizes the severity of the situation and carries Shin away to safety.
Meanwhile, Onita wishes for Gango to return to his larger form to fight Doom, but the villain enhanced with Ultraman’s power, dispatches the kaiju easily.
In Chapter 18, Shin comes to terms with the fact that his heroic life is likely coming to an end. However, the Ultra informs him that he has enough energy left to save Shin’s life by sacrificing his own.
Shin awakes in a hospital bed to find Peter, Fuji, and Ide at his side.
Meanwhile, as Doom revels in his new powers, Mefilas asks him to grant him dominion over the earth which Doom refuses.
In Chapter 19, Mefilas fights Doom to punish him for breaking their agreement. When he realizes that the earth will be destroyed by their battle, however, he relents and sends three kaiju (Gomora, Red King, and Antlar) to fight Doom instead.
In Chapter 20 and 21, Mefilas leaves Doom to fight Gomora, Red King, and Antlar while Spider-Man saves a kaiju from drowning. The kaiju had given all he had to save a sailor in danger. While he goes unnamed his size, form (including his iconic balloon), and appearance alongside Red King tells us its Pigmon.
Was he sent from the Kaiju Graveyard accidentally or is he a fourth foe that Mefilas chose for Doom to battle? In Chapter 20, Red King throws a rock at Doom similar to the one he threw to kill Pigmon in his initial appearance in The Monster Anarchy Zone seemingly calling us back to that episode.
In Chapter 22, Doom easily dispatches Gomora and Red King. We receive insight into Doom’s motivations by learning that he lost his parents due to their interactions with the Baron. His Mother made a pact with Mephistos to protect her people from the Baron which resulted in her being banished to Hell. His father failed to save the ill Baroness’ life. Instead of being grateful for the doctor’s attempts to save his wife’s life, the Baron blamed him for her death and ordered his execution. He eventually dies protecting his son from the Baron’s men. In Victor’s attempts to resurrect his mother an accident occurs in which he becomes a monster reminiscent of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation.
In Chapter 23, Doom revels in his newly acquired power and its ability to shape his destiny. Standing in the shadow of his godlike nemesis, Spider-Man freezes, and Doom accuses him of surrendering the mantle of hero.
Meanwhile, Shin lays in bed and surrenders to the feeling that without the connection to the Ultra he is no longer a hero. In the darkest night his soul, Fuji reassures him that superpowers are not what makes him a hero.
In Chapter 24, Doom easily defeats the best the militaries of the world have to offer. After his victory he addresses the world via the media and informs its residents that he will become king of the world. He states that the nations of the world will be united and reborn as the Land of Light.
In the first twelve chapters, Spider-Man began a transformation which will hopefully enable him to return home on the cosmic train. In the second twelve chapters, Dr. Doom begins his own transformation. We have repeatedly seen that human connection and reciprocal acts of kindness heal the wounds of the past. It remains to be seen if these transformative acts can heal something as wounded as Victor’s heart.
Kindness has taken those closest to him at a time when he was most vulnerable. This caused him to engage in conflict to try to control his environment, so this doesn’t happen again. Ironically, he drives everyone away from him leaving him with nothing and no one left to lose.
This series was originally set for 24 chapters — but fortunately, Tomo Hirokawa and Shigenobu Matsumoto have more story to tell.
In the flashback to Doom’s youth, we saw that he needed more power to resurrect his mother. Will he attempt to bring her back from the dead again now that he has the power of Ultraman? If so, will this attempt succeed, or will it finally destroy him along with the world he inhabits?
Will Peter and Shin reclaim their heroic nature? What is Pigmon’s role in the battle to stop Doom from taking over earth? His appearance behind Peter in the second to last frame of Chapter 24 seems to foreshadow an important role in the future. Maybe that future includes teaming up with Gango to kill Doom with kindness.
Maybe we’ll find that the story we have been reading is the latest installment of Secret Wars, an installment which includes the Ultraverse. Perhaps Mephisto and the Beyonder will make an appearance before all of this is over. Or maybe they’ve been hiding in plain sight this entire time.
Regardless, it seems like our team of Avengers is beginning to assemble for the final act, an act which hopefully brings Spider-Man and Dr. Doom home to their own dimension having finally overcome their internal trauma.
