As 1st Gen Spider-Man watched Peter place Gwen on the gears, an overwhelming sense of dread gripped him. His mind replayed the words of The Screen, and suddenly, it all clicked.
"I said I don't like using my webs to save people. I prefer to hold them because it's safer! It's really safe that way!"
"I saved my Gwen, and he said I showed you perfectly how to save someone… and asked someone to learn from me!"
His eyes widened in horror. "No… no way! Peter Parker and Gwen are separated by life and death?!"
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.
"Peter? What's wrong?" 1st Gen Gwen asked, confused by his reaction.
"Oh, damn it! He's saved so many people using his webs—doesn't he realize the risk?!" 1st Gen Spider-Man's mind flashed back to all the times 2nd Gen Spider-Man had used his webbing to save someone.
The foreman's son—the way Peter had thrown Gwen out of a window and caught her with his web—he had relied so much on his webs that he had forgotten their shortcomings.
1st Gen Gwen covered her mouth as she, too, pieced it together. She thought about it carefully and realized that it was exactly as 1st Gen Spider-Man had feared—they had all subconsciously ignored the warning signs.
Her voice trembled. "Separated by life and death… If there had been no Venom in our universe, would I have died from Eddie's gun instead? Did The Screen deliberately bring Venom to me to prevent my death?"
"That's right," 1st Gen Spider-Man nodded gravely. "Venom is under my control now, but back then, it insisted on staying with you. It was as if something had made sure you survived."
"Damn it… I can't warn him!" 1st Gen Spider-Man clenched his fists in frustration. "I can only hope that their universe sees what's coming and avoids the same tragedy we almost faced."
1st Gen Gwen silently held onto his arm, her gaze fixed anxiously on the screen.
Tony Stark and Nick Fury had also noticed it. Tony had been too caught up in the battle to make the connection, but once Banner pointed it out, the realization sent a chill down his spine.
His face darkened. He had suspected this outcome from the beginning, but seeing it unfold before his eyes still made his stomach twist.
He hated it. He hated being right about something like this.
He could only hope that, just like their mistaken belief that Harry was dead, this, too, was a miscalculation.
George Stacy remained silent, his face grim. He, too, remembered the warnings of The Screen. He hadn't said anything, but he had already suspected the real reason Gwen was given Spider-Man's powers in this timeline—perhaps it was to prevent her from meeting the same fate as in the other universe.
"Sigh…" Uncle Ben exhaled. None of them had expected Harry to not only survive but also attempt to kill Gwen in an act of revenge against Peter.
Thankfully, they knew that the real Harry in their universe would never harm Gwen. That was some consolation.
Harry himself looked at Peter and Gwen apologetically. Seeing this version of himself act so ruthlessly made him sick. He would never—could never—do something like this.
Peter tightened his grip on Gwen's hand. He would save her. He would defeat Harry. Just like 1st Gen Spider-Man had defeated his Harry.
Gwen was just as nervous, not knowing what would happen next. But she trusted Peter—he would protect her.
[After placing Gwen down, Peter immediately performed a backflip to avoid Harry's rapid approach. Mid-air, he shot out a web, attaching it to the walls on either side of the bell tower—blocking Harry's path.]
[Harry's glider, having just turned, wasn't moving at full speed, so he didn't crash outright. However, Peter wasted no time—he flipped forward and landed on another platform.]
[As he spun in the air, he fired another web and pulled at a railing, blocking another walkway. His strategy was clear: he was making the already cramped bell tower even tighter with his webbing.]
[Then, with flawless agility, he performed a somersault back to his original position. Just as he landed, Harry came charging through.]
[Peter sprinted up the side of the wall in long, powerful strides, before leaping off and firing another web just as Harry almost reached him.]
[With expert precision, he latched onto a thread that was already stretched across the bell tower. The camera panned to reveal that he had now woven a web maze—four or five different lines crisscrossing the interior.]
[Gwen, meanwhile, cautiously stood up and moved toward the center of the rotating gears, trying to find a safer position.]
[At that moment, Peter—who had somehow already launched himself mid-air—kicked Harry hard, wrapping his legs around Harry's waist to restrain him.]
[Harry's glider spun wildly. Peter grabbed him from behind, locking one arm around his neck while slamming his fist into Harry's head twice.]
[Then, in a desperate move, Peter wrapped a web around Harry's neck, attempting to choke him.]
[Realizing he was in trouble, Harry accelerated toward the bell tower wall, slamming them both into it at full speed.]
[The impact was brutal, but Peter recovered quickly. As Harry tried to push away, Peter used the still-intact wall to kick him off the glider.]
[Using the momentum, Peter grabbed another web line, spun in mid-air, and delivered a devastating kick to Harry's skull.]
[The force sent Harry flying into a steel beam before he finally crashed down onto a metal bridge inside the bell tower.]
[The glider, now out of control, activated its homing function and plummeted downward—heading straight for its fallen master.]
[But in the chaos, it smashed through the gears beneath Gwen's feet.]
[Gwen gasped as the platform collapsed, sending her plummeting.]
[Peter, horrified, immediately shot out a web, catching her just in time.]
[He gritted his teeth, using all his strength to pull her up—but before he could, Harry suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Peter by the throat.]
[Peter refused to let go of the webbing. Gwen dangled below, gripping the thread tightly as she fought against the force of gravity.]
[Harry's grip tightened around Peter's neck, slamming him against the gears to pin him down. Spotting the webbing in Peter's hand, he stomped down on Peter's wrist.]
[Peter cried out as he lost balance. Gwen slid down further.]
[The gears kept turning, pulling the web away from Peter's reach—but an iron rod jammed the mechanism just in time, stopping it from fully unraveling.]
[Harry freed one hand and pulled out a dagger-like weapon—aiming to stab Peter in the chest.]
[Peter, using his quick reflexes, tilted his head just in time, causing the blade to miss by mere inches. Seizing the moment, he clamped his legs around Harry's arm, preventing him from swinging the weapon again.]
[Then, using his free hand, Peter grabbed Harry's face, forcing his head back while locking his legs around Harry's wrist.]
[Harry struggled, trying to free himself. But Peter held firm.]
[Then, as Harry opened his mouth in a snarl, he lunged with the dagger once again.]
[Peter reacted in an instant—he fired a web to bind Harry's left hand to the giant gears beside them.]
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