The truth
A 24 year old Wendy used her webs to pull down the weakened Green Goblin’s hover board thing. He crashed into the corner of the rooftop they were on. Coincidentally it was the same one Peter fell off of eight years ago. The Green Goblin was too weak to get up so he just sat there in a slumped over position as Wendy walked closer and closer.
Wendy was panting, tears welled in her eyes, and there was nothing but pure rage coursing through her. Finally she was going to find out who this piece of shit was. The man who knocked Peter off that roof so many years ago. Her eyes flashed red and sweat dripped down her back in anticipation.
Wendy: Eight years I’ve been waiting to see who you are. Eight years Peter hasn’t seen justice. All of that will change today. I hope you know that.
Green Goblin: (said with a laugh) Isn’t that the first rule of being Spider Woman? Not to kill? Isn’t it written in your moral code or something like that?
Wendy was standing right in front of him, her foot in between his legs and backing him further into his slumped over corner. Rain poured all around them as they stared at each other.
Wendy: Codes can change all the time.
Wendy then ripped the mask off of the man in front of her revealing the face of Norman Osborn, the friendly librarian she knew. Wendy stepped back in shock. This man was the one who was a key factor in Peter’s death all those years ago? She trusted him with her secrets. He lent her a helping hand when times got rough. He sounded like he actually cared about her and Peter whenever he wished them well. He looked at her every day while she was grieving and told her things would get better and she foolishly believed him.
The tears that had been at bay this whole time finally flooded over onto her cheeks. The man in front of her only smiled at her grief and the pain she was feeling as if he never cared at all.
Wendy: You. I-I trusted you! All those years I trusted you! PETER trusted you!
Norman: I knew you were Spider Woman. I saw that spider bite you. In fact it was my own creation. That spider was never meant for you and at first I was annoyed.
Wendy: It was…it was you. W-why befriend me then if I annoyed you? Why string me along?!
Norman: I had to keep my eyes on you. You were the first of your kind. A superhero created from a lab made spider and venom. A superhero created by me. If the spider was going to be wasted on you then I might as well enjoy the ride.
Wendy: No. NO. This can’t be happening! This can’t be real! HOW CAN THIS BE REAL?
Norman: Get used to it, Wendy, it’s real and it’s all happening right in front of me.
Wendy: PETER! What about Peter? What did he mean to you?
Norman: (laughing) Absolutely nothing. I had to get rid of him somehow and he fell into place perfectly that night. I didn’t have to do any of the killing. It was all you.
Wendy: You…you monster. He was all I had left! HE WAS ALL I HAD LEFT AND YOU TOOK THAT FROM ME!
Norman: He was nothing but a pest. A piece of dust on the wind. You were the main target all along. The whole city knows it.
Wendy: (voice shaking) Say that again. I’ll kill you where you stand.
Norman: You wouldn’t do that. What will the world think about a Spider Woman who murders?
Wendy uses her webs to bring Norman close to her once more. She grabs him by the front of his uniform, a fist already raised in the air. Her face mask slipped down her face, revealing gnarled teeth and murderous eyes.
Wendy: They’ll get used to it.
With her last words, she starts beating the life out of Norman. His cries echoed throughout the surrounding area, but no one would come since they thought it was part of the normal nightlife. Blood coated her fist, but she didn’t stop. She felt like she couldn’t. Like she was a robot. Peter had to be avenged. If not tonight then when? If not by her then by who?
It wasn’t until she felt someone physically pull at her fist behind her did it finally register what happened. Norman was in front of her bleeding profusely but still alive his face mangled and bruised.
The person behind her continued pulling her back until they were near the door to the roof. Wendy turned to look at who it was and saw it was the Black Cat. Her expression filled with worry and empathy.
Black Cat: Stop. Please stop. I know you better than this. You don’t kill.
Wendy was feral and she was resisting Black Cat’s strong grip the best she could. Her chest rapidly rose and fell with her rapid breaths and tears streamed down her face through all the blood and the dirt. Black Cat didn’t know if she would be able to get through to her.
Wendy: How do you know who I am? How do I know who you are?
Black Cat: You know who I am. I’ve told you.
Wendy: But he has to die! For what he did to Peter! For what he did to ME! He can’t get away with all of this! I just can’t let him! He has to pay! HE HAS TO PAY!
Black Cat brought Wendy closer to her holding tightly onto her fists to keep her steady.
Black Cat: Look at me. Right here, look at me.
Wendy steadied her focus on Black Cat, her eyes still wet with tears and still panting heavily.
Black Cat: You’re better than him. I will make sure he pays. I have my ways. But Spider Woman doesn’t kill and I think it would be another open wound you’re going to try healing for the rest of your life if you did.
Wendy: I…I-I. B-but…
Black Cat: I know your trust in me is sometimes very small. But trust in me for this, please.
When Black Cat said that it was like a weight dropped in Wendy’s stomach. Suddenly all the grief of this revelation came flooding in and she collapsed into Black Cat’s arms. Screams and sobs she didn’t even know she was capable of producing escaped her body and rang out through the night. They both sunk to the ground, Black Cat holding Wendy close as she cried. This encounter proved to Wendy that she really couldn’t trust very many people. Black Cat was there of course, but she had to keep her circle small. That meant Gwen, Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Someone would have to come along and prove to her that the world was not all bad and she didn’t know if they ever would. Black Cat held her tight as she cried and made sure Norman didn’t wake anytime soon. They knew right then and there that it was going to be a long night.
(Earth 1180 Canon Event completed)