[SPOILER] Returns in Spider-Men II # 5

Something/Someone returns in the last few pages of Spider-Men II # 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sarah Pichelli, which also wraps up neatly the second adventure of Peter Parker and young Miles Morales.

In this issue, Peter and Miles pick up where we last saw them, both Spider-Men brooding over the events last issue. Miles made Peter realize that Spider-Man is synonymous to pain for the older Spidey. Something that the younger Spider-Man isn’t completely willing to embrace especially after all the tragedy that has befallen to him as early as his days in the Ultimate Universe.

They get tracked down by the Ultimate universe’s version of Taskmaster and they go at it again. Meanwhile in the background, Earth 616’s Miles Morales, one of Kingpin’s most loyal friends look for the chance to do what he was planning to do, namely crossover to the Ultimate Universe, which was the point of origin for Taskmaster.

Before he even gets to enter the portal, younger Miles Morales catches older Miles…

Peter gets beaten by Taskmaster, Miles gets covered up by rubble as the building they were fighting in crumbles down. Taskmaster escapes via his car and so does 616 Morales.

When the scarred friend of Wilson Fisk materializes, he finds himself in a similar yet different world.

Morales homes in on his target…

… which happens to be an alternate reality version of his wife, who had died years before. They actually hit it off really good.

That’s when normal went out the door as its revealed that the people who were responsible for the damage in the bar are none other than…

… Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Green Goblin. And the Ultimate universe is definitely back in some weird way after being destroyed at the start of Jonathan Hickman’s Secret War.

Peter’s not alone too as we get to see some familiar faces that form “The Ultimates”. We get a new Ironman/ Ultimate Ironheart, Captain America, Giant Man, Hulk, Spider-Woman and Human Torch. Just in the old days, we also see Mary Jane interacting with Peter Parker and telling him that Aunt May brought a boyfriend and they need to meet.

This part of the story wraps up with Jessica Drew winking at the readers, providing a fourth wall break and a happy ending for Miles Morales.

So with that, welcome back Ultimate Universe! You don’t have your Reed Richards or your Taskmaster but it’s definitely a sigh of fresh breath to know that you’re still alive somewhere.