Sunday, May 20, 2012

Ultimate Spider-Man Episode 9 Review

Ultimate Spider-Man Episode 9 was given the title of Field Trip. In this episode, our heroes go on what seems to be a run of the mill field trip. However, things get interesting when a frost giant shows up, following Thor, God of Thunder stopping by. However things get messy as Thor gets turned into Thor, Frog of the Thunder, by his trickster of a half brother, Loki. Ultimate Spider-Man Episode 9 Field Trip first aired on Disney XD on May 20th 2012.

Ultimate Spider-Man Episode 9 Field Trip

Spoilers as always for the latest episode of Ultimate Spider-Man

Episode Summary

As Peter Parker remembers his horrible history with field trips(including the spider bite thing, but glad that the goat he was bit by wasn't a genetically altered goat), a frost giant appears to reek havoc. Spider-Man, Nova, Iron Fist, Power Man, and White Tiger do battle but are joined by Thor, the God of Thunder. The son of Odin shows up and does battle with the Frost Giant, but the Norn Stone around his next transforms Thor into Thor, Frog of Thunder.

It is off to Asgard, but Loki has already frozen everyone, standing with the frost giants, and with Odin in the Odin Sleep(which Loki plots to kill Odin), it seems hopeless. After a tactical retreat, Thor goes to the Dwarf King but naturally he has to swallow his pride. The team gets powerful weapons, except for Spider-Man, who already has the most powerful weapon of all. His words.

As it turns out, Spider-Man's words are enough, as he mocks Loki, saying that his victory would be nothing if he didn't defeat Thor as Thor and not as a frog. Thor is turned back into Thor, he lays the smackdown on Loki, following his plans. As a thanks for their help, our team gets a two headed goat, which bites Spider-Man.

Episode Review

This episode this week was half annoying and half good. I think the biggest flaw that I've found this week, as this show can have a rather decent super hero plot when it wants to, but then it turns around and panders to the lowest common denominator, thus undermining anything that it has set up in past or present episodes.

When this show tries to be deep and meaningful, Spider-Man's words are a powerful weapon, Thor is arrogant and needs to swallow his pride, it could be something, providing Ultimate Spider-Man doesn't undermine itself with some of the absurdity. Granted, I think that a show rather starring someone who got his powers by a genetically altered spider bite is going to be on the scale of absurdity to begin with but such is life.

Still Thor Frog of Thunder, I did geek out about that, which is going to just give it one more point. Out of the two Thor centered episodes that aired on the Marvel Animated block, this was the lesser one, because it did squander its potential in many ways. The characterization of the team seems to be all over the place. Believe me, I know it's hard to balance a lot of heroes, look at Young Justice and the struggles it still has with the team aspect.

However this show tries to be both a team show and a Spider-Man cartoon, tries to have a deeper message or at least some illusion of one, while also being a bit silly and zany, with the cutaways and the fourth wall breakage.

Oh and every time Odin goes into that infernal Odin Sleep, something bad happens. You would think that they would be better prepared but no, I guess not. That's not a problem with anything, just merely an observation.

I don't know, just take this show for what it is. I think a lot of people already stopped watching it by now and those who are still watching either do enjoy it for what it was or watch it because they have to review it, like I do.

Final Rating

5/10 rating for this one, likely would have been deeper in the basement if not for the few things I liked, which I noted above. You can watch Ultimate Spider-Man Episode 9 on Disney XD On Demand and don't forget to watch new episodes of Ultimate Spider-Man on Disney XD on the Marvel Animated Block at 11:00 AM Eastern Time on Sunday Mornings.

Past Ultimate Spider-Man Reviews

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