Crusher Creel transforms into the Absorbing Man, and breaks into a house. He transforms one of his arms into a hammer, and kills his victim. Triumphantly, he picks up his victim’s Cuban cigar, and lights it. Later, he goes back to his truck, and his mysterious, female partner picks him up. She congratulates him on the fine job, but wonders why Crusher doesn’t change his attack plan from time to time, since he always attacks by transforming his hand into a hammer.
Creel becomes frustrated, and thinks the lady is mocking him. He transforms his arm into metal again, and makes three claw-like stakes coming out of it. He points them at the woman, and warns her not to call him stupid, since he doesn’t like that. The woman, panicking, claims she would never do that, since she respects Creel by just his name, “Crusher.” Creel smiles and, after withdrawing the stakes, he asks the woman what she was just saying.
Meanwhile, at Stark Tower, Wolverine tries to apologize to Spider-Man, whom he has just stabbed with his claws. Peter, bleeding, doesn’t believe it was an accident and starts hitting Logan a few times, rather hard. Logan knows he might deserve the beating he’s getting, and is actually hurt a little bit by the punches. But, still trying to apologize, Logan sits down, holds his hands on his head and asks Peter to stop fighting him. Cap tries to get Peter away from Wolverine, but he doesn’t want to listen. Cap asks for help, but Luke smirks he would probably do the same thing if Wolverine had stabbed him, and Spider-Woman thinks the situation seems to be resolving itself.
Iron Man lifts Peter up, and tries to make him understand that it was an accident. Peter explains to everyone that when he came home, he found Logan hitting on his wife and couldn’t have that. Wolverine, confused, gets up, and tells Peter that he knows he used to be a nerd, and since he now found himself a beautiful wife, Logan would never go after her, since he’s happy for Spidey. Peter slips out of Iron Man’s blood, since his blood is slippery, and tells everyone to back off while he goes to kick Logan’s butt. However, Peter never got the chance, as at that moment, he faints.
Tony concludes that Peter’s out thanks to the blood he just lost. Luke defends Peter, and warns Logan that if what Peter just said is true, he won’t care what Logan’s blood is made of – he’ll break his bones. Cap speeches that he isn’t aware of what Xavier puts up with, but this kind of behavior isn’t tolerated among the Avengers. Since Cap has known Logan for a long time, he’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but warns Logan that he knows what Cap will do if the problem keeps going on. Wolverine goes to sit in a corner. Jessica approaches him, and asks Logan why he doesn’t defend himself. Logan proudly says that if Spider-Man wants to play with the big boys, he’s got to learn that stuff happens. And, he adds, if the Avengers want him out, they’ll just have to say the word.
Later at dinner, Peter can’t focus on his dinner, much to Aunt May’s dismay – especially since it’s her meatloaf he loves so much. Peter lies that he’s just tired, and goes to bed. In their room, MJ notices Peter’s wounds and wants to know what happened. Peter says it’s nothing, and explains that, though the Avengers might not pay him, they’ve got a great health plan. Peter lies down, and a worrying MJ asks if he’s alright. Peter doesn’t worry, and thinks it’s just a flesh wound that’ll be gone in a few days, if he takes it easy.
The next morning, Peter meets the same man on the subway again. He greets Peter, and asks how things are. Peter explains that things aren’t that great: he got a new job at the Daily Bugle, and has got to earn money to buy his family a house. After hearing the name of the Bugle, the man sarcastically apologizes.
Later at the Bugle, Peter meets up with Jameson, who tells him not to waste his time, as he’s got some super-hero hunting to do with Ethan. He meets up with Ethan, who notices that Peter isn’t feeling well. Peter fakes that he’s taking something for it. Ethan gets serious, and tells Peter he knows that people in the big city don’t do it much, but nonetheless asks Peter if he has tried praying. Peter doesn’t understand. Ethan explains that he doesn’t know if Peter is religious, but he promises that he’ll be surprised what a little faith would do.
Ethan looks around and makes sure they’re clear. He notices the secretary wandering off, and pushes Peter into a nearby closet. He tells Peter that if he finds a quiet place now and then to pray, it will help. Peter doesn’t like being in a tight closet like this, but goes along. He folds his hands to pray, and closes his eyes, like Ethan tells him to do. With Peter not looking, Ethan gently turns his glasses down a bit, and his eyes suddenly start to glow golden. Peter opens his eyes again, and Ethan asks if he’s feeling any better yet. Surprisingly, Peter has to admit he does! They walk out of the closet, and Ethan tells Peter not to underestimate the power of praying.
In another building, a group of criminals are preparing themselves and their guns. They talk about the fact that Absorbing Man has at least killed three men lately, including Tony S. this morning. The boss doesn’t like that thought, but his followers are confident they’ll stop him. Suddenly, a shelf from the floor below hits them, and the gang realizes their enemy has fooled them. They open fire, but miss. Creel emerges from the ground, and destroys what they were standing on. The crooks fall down a couple of floors below, and die on impact, except for boss Tony. Creel’s partner is impressed by the imagination of the villain. Creel picks up a bat, and wants to kill Tony now. Tony begs Creel to spare him, and pay the triple of what he’s getting now. Creel is offended, since the last guy he killed offered him to double his current payroll four times, and now he’s really mad.
In the city, Ethan asks Peter about the special relationship he seems to have with Spider-Man. Peter lies that he had the opportunity to snap a few good pictures when the hero first started his career. He adds that Spidey knew he needed some good press to counteract the mischief articles Jonah wrote about him. Ethan wants to know how Peter knows Spider-Man will be in action. The conversation gets disturbed by a loud scream, and the two men notice a man hanging out of a window! Not realizing he’s one of the criminals Creel is attacking, Peter runs into an alley, ready to help her. However, Ethan follows him, as they’re covering the story together. Peter tells Ethan to get into the crowd and get their reaction. Ethan suspects that Peter is trying to get rid of him, but the photographer tells him not to be weird.
After Ethan takes off, Peter fears that if he takes the time to put on his entire costume, he won’t get in time to save the man. So, he puts on half his suit and mask, and still wears his pants, and webslings to action. Below Spidey, two hobos have noticed Peter changing, and sticking to walls, and think that he’s Daredevil. Creel pushes the man down, just as Spidey arrives. He traps Creel’s hands into webs, and then, suddenly, a mysterious, unknown hero arrives. He catches the man before he falls, and lets Spidey deal with the villains. Creel’s partner tells him they don’t have time for this, and that he needs to kill the heroes quickly, but unfortunately, his hands are still stuck in the webs.
The woman throws some water on Creel, hoping he’ll change into that and become more powerful. But Creel can’t handle water well and, as he transforms, he slips out of the window. Spider-Man jumps inside the building, and takes his pants off so he is in full costume. Though, he gets sick when he sees all the dead bodies. Creel’s partner tries to fake that it was horrible, but Spidey’s spider-sense warns him that she’s lying. Having transformed into stone, Creel jumps back inside the building and attacks Spidey. But his spider-sense warns him of the attacks. The woman orders Creel to change into something lighter and faster, but he doesn’t have the time for it. Peter realizes that they are working together, and tries to throw some webs on her mouth so she shuts up, but the woman manages to quickly jump away from the webs.
Absorbing Man transforms his hands into blades, and wants to gut Spider-Man. However, he suddenly stops, and is even silent. Peter fears he’s going to hurl again. However, the mysterious hero from before flies through the window and, with one single punch, knocks Creel down, sending him flying to Hoboken! Spidey tries to talk to the new hero, but he doesn’t answer any of his questions, and just flies away. Peter realizes the mysterious ninja woman is gone too, and has taken his wallet with her.
A few hours later, the woman has found Creel in a bar. She thanks the owner for his help, and that the Owl appreciates it. He says it’s nothing, as the villain is scaring his customers away. She finds Creel sitting alone in a corner, feeling down that he has been blown over a state line. She orders him to get back up on his feet, and smiles that they’ve got to pay someone a visit. Triumphantly, she shows Creel the wallet she stole from Spider-Man!
