The Uncertainty Principle

"The Uncertainty Principle" is the ninth episode of the animated television series The Spectacular Spider-Man, which is based on the comic book character Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It originally aired on the Kids WB! programming block on The CW Network on May 10, 2008. The episode chronicles Spider-Man on Halloween, as he partakes in his final battle with the villain Green Goblin and finally discovers the villain's true identity. Meanwhile, Air Force Colonel John Jameson attempts to land his badly damaged space craft back on Earth. The episode was written by Kevin Hopps and directed by Dave Bullock. Hopps researched all the available comic books he had that featured Green Goblin in order to prepare his penning of the episode's teleplay. "The Uncertainty Principle" served as a conclusion to the Green Goblin storyline for the first season. In the context of the episode, the title refers not to chemistry, but rather the confusion regarding the Goblin's identity. The supposed revelation of Goblin's identity in the episode would later be disproved by the second-season finale "Final Curtain," which the writers had planned since the series began. "The Uncertainty Principle" is available on both the third volume DVD set for the series, as well as the complete season box set. The episode received a generally positive critical response from television critics—reviewers singled out elements such as the Halloween motif and Mary Jane's vampire costume. Plot summary On the night before Halloween, Green Goblin gases and kidnaps Hammerhead, taking him to a steel mill. The Goblin tries to convince him to join his ranks, but Hammerhead refuses as his loyalty lies solely with the "Big Man," Tombstone. Later, Goblin confronts Tombstone and steals a jump drive he is carrying, declaring that he can take it back from him later that night before he sails off on his glider. Spider-Man spots him and they begin to juggle. Goblin reveals that he possesses the jump drive stolen from Tombstone and that he can have it later that night, before kicking him off his glider.