Ultraman: Along Came a Spider-Man chapters 13 and 14 are out now on the VIZ Manga app and website for free! Gango is in peak form, Onita is growing more maniacal with power in the face of Ultraman, Spider-Man is trying to figure out how to help his new giant friend, and Fuji is… well, stuck in a spiderweb.
Fuji keeps it real with Onita though, refusing to spare him from the accountability of his actions. If any of us were bound at the hands of an evil junior high student, we’d probably feel the same.
“That Kaiju is suffering all because you ordered it to fight,” she emphasizes, and for a moment this seems to penetrate. However, Onita is quick to return to stubbornness. He doubles down and sends Gango into his most powerful form, attacking Ultraman with even more fervor.
Ultraman holds Gango off for a while, but things begin to look bleak when he’s forced to fight with one hand, using the other to shield unguarded civilians. Luckily Spider-Man is right behind him, trying to figure out the best possible opening.
Peter focuses in on the task at hand, and in a moment of clarity, it dawns on him that the key to solving ceaseless conflict is to figure out the source of it. He must face a far more unpredictable factor than any Kaiju… An insecure teenage boy.
Peter begins the confrontation by urging Onita to use his power for good, but Onita insists that this is his power, and he can do what he wants with it, the ‘same way’ Peter does.
As any adult figure in a child´s life will tell you; there are times when it´s easy to get caught up in bargaining. Sometimes a child´s strong will is such a force that you forget you´re dealing with someone who is experiencing the trials of life for the very first time. Discipline is learned from the words of the wiser and understanding is built out of life experience.
All this washes over Peter as he looks at Onita, seeing the young soul behind his wounded expression. It is possible that he sees in Onita the same loneliness he sees in himself, or even in Shin. Instead of antagonizing him or using brute force to maneuver the situation, Peter fully assumes Onita’s perspective. He understands what Gango means to Onita. He is his weapon of mass destruction, sure, but he’s really a placeholder for a friend.
Onita remains in denial, dealing with a kid is never that simple. Through his frustration, Peter remains calm but assumes a stern demeanor. Like Fuji, Peter holds Onita accountable, and yet he simultaneously preserves Onita’s autonomy. He makes it clear that Onita holds the ultimate choice, empowering him while appealing to the empathy he knows exists deep within.
“No matter how powerful it is If Ultraman really wanted, he could wipe it out in an instant. But I’m pretty sure that’s not what he wants to do-“ Spider-Man levels with him.
Onita watches Gango, his friend, struggle against Ultraman and is forced to come down from his bout of mania. Few things are as hard as realizing your selfishness has been to the detriment of everyone you care about.
The callous that’s been hardening over Onita begins to crack with empathy as he contends with the truth: Without a strong sense of morality, you will lose track of what you’re protecting. If you do not define your values, if you choose to live in bitter reaction, you will be left with nothing sustainable at your core.
“With great power comes great responsibility” Spider-Man gives this sentence to Onita like a shining golden token. Onita takes it.
Onita transforms Gango back to his original form and realizes the true goodness of Gango’s nature when he manifests Peter’s deepest desire at no extra cost. From the depths of Peter’s heart, the spirit of Uncle Ben emerges and gives him one final hug. I cried and you will cry too.
But of course, no good deed goes unpunished. Immediately after their embrace, Uncle Ben’s face melts away uncannily to reveal Gango’s blank stare, traumatizing us all. Behind him, Doctor Doom awaits, reunited with Spider-Man at last.
With the help of Alien Meflias, Doctor Doom continues his plan of taking advantage of Ultraman’s greatest weakness… “His kindness.” And the two evil forces transform Gango into… We don’t know yet!
As of now, we are consigned to the cliff upon which we hang. Find out what happens next Tuesday on the VIZ Manga app or the VIZ website and stay tuned here at Ultraman Connection for weekly updates!
