OVERLAY REPORT

In Sam Raimi’s **Spider-Man (2002)**, the lead character's darkest moment occurs during the **final confrontation with the Green Goblin in an abandoned building**, immediately following the bridge rescue. While the death of Uncle Ben is Peter Parker's lowest point of character and the source of his guilt, the climax on Roosevelt Island represents his darkest moment as a hero—a point where he is physically broken, psychologically tormented, and nearly defeated by the embodiment of his own potential for darkness. ### The Specific Detail of the Darkest Moment After Peter successfully saves both Mary Jane and a tramway car full of children, the Green Goblin drags him into the ruins of an abandoned building. The scene shifts from a traditional superhero spectacle to a gritty, visceral horror: * **Physical Devastation:** Norman Osborn (as the Goblin) uses a pumpkin bomb that explodes directly in Peter’s face, shredding his mask and leaving him bloodied, battered, and disoriented. * **The Brutal Beatdown:** The Goblin delivers a series of heavy, slow-motion punches and kicks that Peter is too exhausted to block. For several minutes, Spider-Man is a punching bag, unable to fight back. * **Psychological Torment:** The "darkness" is peaked by Norman’s taunts. He mocks Peter’s heroism, telling him that "only fools are heroes" and that the people of the city will eventually turn on him. He then makes the threat personal, telling Peter that because he "really pissed [him] off," he is going to finish Mary Jane "nice and slow." ### How Peter Overcomes It Peter overcomes this moment through a shift from defensive survival to righteous resolve, triggered by the threat to those he loves. * **The Turning Point:** The mention of Mary Jane being tortured and killed acts as the catalyst for Peter’s "second wind." As the Goblin prepares to strike him with a jagged blade, Peter catches his arm. The musical score shifts from discordant and dark to the triumphant Spider-Man theme. * **Reclaiming Power:** Peter finds the strength to fight back, using his environment and webs to gain the upper hand. He doesn't just win; he dominates the end of the fight, trapping Norman against a wall and nearly beating him into submission before Norman reveals his true face. * **Moral Victory:** The final test occurs when Norman tries to manipulate Peter’s empathy, begging for help as "Mr. Osborn" while secretly triggering his glider to impale Peter from behind. Peter’s "Spider-Sense" warns him, and he leaps over the glider, allowing Norman to be skewered by his own weapon. ### The Bittersweet Resolution Peter overcomes the physical threat, but the "darkness" lingers in the film’s conclusion. At the funeral, Mary Jane confesses her love for him. Peter, now fully embracing the "curse" of his responsibility, realizes that being with her would put her in constant danger. He overcomes his personal desire for happiness by **rejecting her**, choosing a life of solitude and duty. He walks away as the camera pans to Uncle Ben’s grave, signifying that he has finally matured into the hero his uncle believed he could be.