This episode is steeped in the theme of past loves resurfacing, each carrying a different weight. On one side is Morrie Bench, Hydro-Man, a jealous psychopath who refuses to let go of Mary Jane, determined to claim her as his own even in death. On the other is Felicia Hardy, disillusioned by her time in the shadows with vampires and hunters, yearning for something lighter, more human — only to discover that she has returned too late, devastated to find Spider-Man’s heart already spoken for.

The episode balances obsession with resilience. Mary Jane, often portrayed as the damsel, takes agency here, using science to signal Peter and prove her resourcefulness. At the same time, Peter himself shows cracks in his composure, losing his temper with Anna Watson in a rare moment of frustration. These beats remind us that love and loyalty are never simple, and that even heroes can falter under the strain of personal loss.

The cliffhanger ending is seismic, setting up the next chapter with shock and uncertainty. Yet in a broader sense, this episode feels like the beginning of the end — the point where Spider-Man’s world starts to unravel, where love, science, and sacrifice collide in ways that fans still debate. For some, it is thrilling; for others, it marks a turn they cannot forgive. Either way, The Return of Hydro-Man is unforgettable, a story of obsession, longing, and the fragile bonds that hold Peter Parker’s world together.

Mary Jane’s honeymoon with Peter is haunted by recurring nightmares — visions of a clown with a familiar voice. Their journey to Niagara Falls is interrupted when Morrie Bench, Hydro Man, returns from the dead, obsessed with claiming Mary Jane for himself. He drags her back to New York, leaving Peter desperate and alone.

Spider-Man scours the city’s waterways, but finds no trace. Felicia Hardy returns, urging him not to give up, and soon re‑emerges as the Black Cat to join the hunt. Peter’s analysis of water from MJ’s jacket leads him to an oil rig, where Hydro Man awaits. The battle is futile — how do you fight water? Though Spider-Man briefly traps Bench, the villain breaks free, collapsing the rig and pursuing Mary Jane once more.

Black Cat saves Spider-Man from the wreckage, but tensions rise as she admits she has returned to rekindle old feelings. Meanwhile, Mary Jane flees into a chemical factory, using coloured smoke to signal her location. Spider-Man and Black Cat arrive, but Hydro Man is relentless. In the moment of crisis, Mary Jane cries out — and to everyone’s shock, water bursts from her hands, striking Bench down and leaving all bewildered at her newfound power.

Morrie never explains how he recovered from evaporated form in Hydro-Man. Of course, why he doesn’t is revealed in the next episode.

Despite a ferocious friendship in the comics, this is the only time in this series that Mary Jane and the Black Cat share any scenes.

The Price of Heroism | The Return of Hydro-Man (Part 2)