"Gangland" Season 2: Episode 23 Discussion Thread

[nygma619]

You can tell a villain's (or any character's, for that matter) motivations by his actions, even if they're not explicitly stated- and Tombstone's actions all indicate a man who is working to maintain a status quo he finds favorable. We see him reacting to threats against his criminal empire, but never trying to increase his power for its own sake. Therefore, I think it's fairly safe to say that Tombstone's goal is simply to remain the most powerful figure in the New York underworld.

Really? I don't remember any of Otto's (Otto, not Doc Ock) actions in his debut showing he had the desire for world domination. Well look where he is now.
All I'm saying is you never know with this show sometimes, if things aren't going to get twisted/bent into something more, but still plausible. In order to keep things fresh.

I'll admit I've not see Evolution (though I plan to soon), but I disagree with your fundamental premise- that a villain loses his cool factor after being beaten by the hero.

If that villain beats the hero in 5 seconds the first time then he's instantly the toughest villain on that show, but loses the second time, without taking that hero to his limits; he looks like a fluke. Tombstone's fight with Spidey was NOT staged in a way in which it appeared that he took Spidey to his limits. They did a better job with Kraven in that regard there.

To use another villain you brought up as an example, take Darkseid from the DCAU. At the climax of 'Legacy', Superman gives him a far worse beating than anything Spider-man dished out on Tombstone- I fully believe he would have killed him had Supergirl and Darkseid's slaves not intervened. (Keep in mind that until this point Darkseid has dominated Superman utterly effortlessly).

That's not a totally acurate comparison on this, though I can see where your coming from.

The difference is Superman's victory over Darkseid was built to over time, and it came when involved in a feud between the two of them. No outside parties.
And the staging was so superb that even though Superman defeated Darkseid (which was by luck mind you blocking his Omega Beam), Darkseid still beat the tar out of Superman throughout their battle and in the end, it didn't make Darkseid look weak. Superman didn't walk away from that battle without a scratch.
Also Darkseid beat Superman effortlessly multiple times. Tombstone only once. What they should've done here, was have Spidey vs. Tombs in a 20 second skirmish that ends in a draw. Then make the next round come next season in a feud between the two of them (like the story idea I proposed) where he then gets his victory.

Spidey's victory over Tombstone was anti-climatic, and there really wasn't any reason that Spidey's victory couldn't of been held off for better buildup.

When Darkseid returns in Justice League, however, he hasn't lost one iota of his menace factor- because that menace always came not from power, but from his cunning, resourcefulness, and utter malice. Darkseid wasn't just the one villain who could beat Superman in a fight- he was the one villain who knew how to twist the Man of Steel to his own ends and enjoy it. I believe that Tombstone is the same way.

But what is he going to do with 16 governments watching his every move, that's going to be convincing?
And personally I thought Darkseid's presence wasn't up to par in Twilight compared to what came before. The visuals, staging, dialogue, etc. on Darkseid there, weren't anywhere near as cool as they were in Superman TAS or JLU's Alive & Destroyer. Not that he wasn't good, just not as cool as before, sort of like Tombstone somewhat here.

Also, I'd argue that Norman Osborn (not Green Goblin, but Osborn as a whole) has been villain #1 from the beginning- it's just that nobody noticed. Look back at the series in light of the finale, and it's obvious that Norman is responsible (directly or indirectly) for the events of every major arc except for Lizard and Venom. (and my pet theory is that he was the captain of industry who hired Black Cat, which if true makes him indirectly responsible for Venom as well.)

The reason I say Tombstone was #1 before this, was because he posed a bigger challenge for Spidey in terms of how was Spidey going to prove who the big man was let alone beat him?
Sure Tombstone didn't fight Spidey very much, but there wasn't any need for him to. Unlike the Green Goblin, Tombstone represented a mountain that he couldn't just easily climb. If the Green Goblin physically provokes him into a fight then it's on, and the worry of beating him wasn't going to be something that heavily weighed on his mind.
Taking away this version of Tombstone's ability to dominate is like taking away Apocalypse's ability to dominate. Sure they're still decent villains after all is said and done, but that element gave them an edge that seperated them from all the other villains.

Also with Norman dead to the world I think he's officially been kicked off his throne.

Spidey has traditionally, I would argue, had four top villains- Norman Osborn, Doc Ock, Venom, and a mob figure (Kingpin in most adaptations, Tombstone in this one). Beeing foiled by another top villain is no shame- particularly if you manage to get back at them later.

I'm gonna say this one time so everybody gets it:
It's not IF you get beat that matters, it's HOW you get beat that matters. And how Tombstone got beat was anti-climatic.
It's not the fact that he was defeated that bugs me, it's that Spidey's defeat of him hardly felt poignant at all.

How to make Tombstone as menacing as he was before? Same way they did with Darkseid- show him rise from the ashes of his defeat, prove himself superior to other villains and to the hero, and prove once and for all why he is the Big Man. If anything, I personally would have even more respect for the character after seeing him succeed without his resources as well as he did with them.

So how is he going to rise from the ashes again like you said? I hope Greg & Co. thought this through and we don't get some outrageously contrived resolution (like how Peter waits 3 days to start looking for Eddie after threatening Gwen's life) as to how to fix his situation.
Not that I don't think they couldn't think up some Empire Strikes Back type story where he comes back, but he needs to do something big that makes an impact that reminds everyone that he's back. So what's he going to do that's going to make him cooler than him being an invulnerable crime lord?

 

[MasterGandalf]

Really? I don't remember any of Otto's (Otto, not Doc Ock) actions in his debut showing he had the desire for world domination. Well look where he is now.
All I'm saying is you never know with this show sometimes, if things aren't going to get twisted/bent into something more, but still plausible. In order to keep things fresh.

Now you're the one making a not entirely accurate comparison. The accident that turned Otto into Doc Ock also completely removed his inhibitions, effectively causing his personality to do a 180. He may well have fantasized about being the ruler of the world before that (honestly, who hasn't?) but like most people there were many factors that kept him from acting on this. But notice that when he becomes Ock, he almost immediately starts going on about how he will conquer the world and make everyone grovel. So unless something happens to completely change Tombstone's personality, I think we have a pretty good handle by this point on who the man is and what he wants. (And note that Tombstone almost always reacts, rather than acts- because he's at the top of the crime game and needs to defend his throne.)

That's not a totally acurate comparison on this, though I can see where your coming from.

The difference is Superman's victory over Darkseid was built to over time, and it came when involved in a feud between the two of them. No outside parties.
And the staging was so superb that even though Superman defeated Darkseid (which was by luck mind you blocking his Omega Beam), Darkseid still beat the tar out of Superman throughout their battle and in the end, it didn't make Darkseid look weak. Superman didn't walk away from that battle without a scratch.
Also Darkseid beat Superman effortlessly multiple times. Tombstone only once. What they should've done here, was have Spidey vs. Tombs in a 20 second skirmish that ends in a draw. Then make the next round come next season in a feud between the two of them (like the story idea I proposed) where he then gets his victory.

Spidey's victory over Tombstone was anti-climatic, and there really wasn't any reason that Spidey's victory couldn't of been held off for better buildup.

Thing is, Legacy was intended at the time as both the finale of Superman TAS and the wrapup of the Superman/Darkseid enmity. Gangland isn't either. Tombstone is down but not out, and there is no indication that his rivalry with Spider-man or the other crimelords is finished. It can't be an anti-climax because it's not a climax period. The story isn't done.

But what is he going to do with 16 governments watching his every move, that's going to be convincing?
And personally I thought Darkseid's presence wasn't up to par in Twilight compared to what came before. The visuals, staging, dialogue, etc. on Darkseid there, weren't anywhere near as cool as they were in Superman TAS or JLU's Alive & Destroyer. Not that he wasn't good, just not as cool as before, sort of like Tombstone somewhat here.

I think the bit about Darkseid illuminates part of our problem- we simply have different tastes. Personally, I thought that Twilight was one of Darkseid's best moments- he comes off of losing a good portion of his army (along with his top general and second-in-command) and having his plane nder seige by another A-list villain, only to turn the tables, outwit Brainiac, the League, and Highfather, and come within inches of conquering the universe.

As for Tombstone, I imagine he'll keep quiet for a while and let the authorities turn towards the currently active crimebosses, then make his move. He might also work through an intermediary to deflect suspicsion from hismelf. He's had to have done things like this before, seeing as he's been a mega-philanthropist and a mob boss at the same time. I think he can manage.

The reason I say Tombstone was #1 before this, was because he posed a bigger challenge for Spidey in terms of how was Spidey going to prove who the big man was let alone beat him?
Sure Tombstone didn't fight Spidey very much, but there wasn't any need for him to. Unlike the Green Goblin, Tombstone represented a mountain that he couldn't just easily climb. If the Green Goblin physically provokes him into a fight then it's on, and the worry of beating him wasn't going to be something that heavily weighed on his mind.
Taking away this version of Tombstone's ability to dominate is like taking away Apocalypse's ability to dominate. Sure they're still decent villains after all is said and done, but that element gave them an edge that seperated them from all the other villains.

Also with Norman dead to the world I think he's officially been kicked off his throne.

I'm not just talking about the Goblin, though- I'm talking about Norman Osborn. Spidey might not be able to expose Tombstone as a villain, but he doesn't even know himself that Norman is a villain until the finale (he almost has it in Uncertainty Principle, but Norman deflects him very successfully). Not to mention that his schemes, in costume or out of it, run rings around every other character in the series. You can almost give credit for Tombstone's downfall to Norman as much as to Spidey, since if it weren't for Norman Tombstone would never have been in a situation where he would have been vulnerable. Again, though, it may jsut be taste- Norman and Tombstone are head and shoulders the two most important villains on the show, and which one prefers is largely a matter of personal preference.

So how is he going to rise from the ashes again like you said? I hope Greg & Co. thought this through and we don't get some outrageously contrived resolution (like how Peter waits 3 days to start looking for Eddie after threatening Gwen's life) as to how to fix his situation.
Not that I don't think they couldn't think up some Empire Strikes Back type story where he comes back, but he needs to do something big that makes an impact that reminds everyone that he's back. So what's he going to do that's going to make him cooler than him being an invulnerable crime lord?

If I see Tombstone successfully play all of his enemies off each other, defeat the rival gangsters and reclaim his throne in a fashion worthy of the Magnificent Bastard that he is, I will consider him officially risen from the ashes, and quite possibly cooler than ever to boot. Bonus points if he tricks the police and/or Spider-man into doing his dirty work for him.

And where are you getting the three days thing about Eddie Brock, by the way? I just watched Blueprints again this morning, and between that and Greg's comments, I was always under the impression that he started looking for Eddie immediately, and simply had no luck in finding him.

 

[Anwar]

Jameson is only Spidey's top nemesis in his own mind, and is usually played for laughs. About the only times Spidey takes him seriously is when there's something else bad going on at the same time. Also, he's not evil- just a jerk.

I'm not saying he's not a great character, but comparing him to the likes of Doc Ock and Tombstone is just silly.

Well, maybe in the comics it's better pronounced than this show (I know everyone thinks Jameson's a kook in the movies) but Jameson has been Spidey's adversary since the 60s (hell, longer than Norman) and he's been responsible for the creation of some of Spidey's major foes like Scorpion as well as the Spider-Slayers and the Smythe family going after Peter as well. He may not run around in a costume and try to take over the world (though Jameson was leader of the Sinister Six in one "What If?" story) but to say he's not an important villain to Peter is sort of selling him short. He manages to be one of the most human characters in the series at the same time.

 

[MasterGandalf]

Well, maybe in the comics it's better pronounced than this show (I know everyone thinks Jameson's a kook in the movies) but Jameson has been Spidey's adversary since the 60s (hell, longer than Norman) and he's been responsible for the creation of some of Spidey's major foes like Scorpion as well as the Spider-Slayers and the Smythe family going after Peter as well. He may not run around in a costume and try to take over the world (though Jameson was leader of the Sinister Six in one "What If?" story) but to say he's not an important villain to Peter is sort of selling him short. He manages to be one of the most human characters in the series at the same time.

I know that Jameson has created villains, and I'm not denying that he's an important character, but to be a major villain, I think you have to be some things that Jameson isn't. Such as evil- and successful. The fact of the matter is that Jameson is an otherwise ordinary man who happens to have a borderline-psychotic obsession with Spider-man. Antagonist? You bet. Supervillain? Not exactly.

 

[November Rain]

Most of the time nobody believes Jameson's smear campaign in the Bugle against Spidey. He often ends up with egg on his face when Spidey is proven to be a hero.

Jameson is a better villain than Venom though

that's what happens when they turn jameson into comic relief

he really should be the driving force towards the public hating spidey. It also helps with peter's developments as he struggles to make money while knowing every cent he earns as peter is a point against spidey's popularity.

tas did the line well and made jameson come across as obsessed but still respectable and influencial. J3 communications was a decent idea.

 

[The Joker]

I know that Jameson has created villains, and I'm not denying that he's an important character, but to be a major villain, I think you have to be some things that Jameson isn't. Such as evil- and successful. The fact of the matter is that Jameson is an otherwise ordinary man who happens to have a borderline-psychotic obsession with Spider-man. Antagonist? You bet. Supervillain? Not exactly.

Well said

that's what happens when they turn jameson into comic relief

In fairness, Jameson was never turned into that. He was portrayed as that from the get-go. Stan Lee wrote Jonah that way, always having him humiliated at the end of the day for being totally wrong about Spider-Man.

And often Spidey would come and laugh in his face about it.

 

[November Rain]

I'm not much of a comic purists but the jokes should be from spidey's mockery rather than than being an idiot.

kinda like winding up a really stressed person. That's the funny side but when you can't take the character seriously (and hence the added comic relief), that aspect of it goes. he just becomes a charicature.

 

[nygma619]

Now you're the one making a not entirely accurate comparison. The accident that turned Otto into Doc Ock also completely removed his inhibitions, effectively causing his personality to do a 180. He may well have fantasized about being the ruler of the world before that (honestly, who hasn't?) but like most people there were many factors that kept him from acting on this. But notice that when he becomes Ock, he almost immediately starts going on about how he will conquer the world and make everyone grovel. So unless something happens to completely change Tombstone's personality, I think we have a pretty good handle by this point on who the man is and what he wants. (And note that Tombstone almost always reacts, rather than acts- because he's at the top of the crime game and needs to defend his throne.)

You might have a point there (even if I don't agree with it), but there's also Norman Osborn himself. Very little of what we saw of him suggested that he had a flamboyant, and theatrical personality behind Norman's business man persona. Yet look who was the Goblin behind the mask.

Things aren't always what they seem on the surface all the time. Not all of the characters desires are going to be revealed right away, regardless of what we see.

It can't be an anti-climax because it's not a climax period. The story isn't done.

Not true, this was supposed to be a big turning point for Tombstone's character. Cause now he has no immediate access to his empire, and his big man person is now public knowledge.
Yet how we got to Tombstone being outed was anti-climatic.
And Spidey outing him lacked any real logic or tact on his part. Sure Foswell would end up reporting what he heard (does that even hold up as evidence unless he has a tape recorder? If not, what's it doing in the papers?) but Spidey had no idea that he knew this or would tell anyone.

I think the bit about Darkseid illuminates part of our problem- we simply have different tastes.

Of course we do. Most of it comes down to what we think will work out better because of how certain similar stories had been done in other mediums.

Personally, I thought that Twilight was one of Darkseid's best moments- he comes off of losing a good portion of his army (along with his top general and second-in-command) and having his plane nder seige by another A-list villain, only to turn the tables, outwit Brainiac, the League, and Highfather, and come within inches of conquering the universe.

And yet the climax of that plan lasted for like 2 minutes, not enough time IMO to buildup a feel of suspense, with a universe being potentially taken over in more time.

As for Tombstone, I imagine he'll keep quiet for a while and let the authorities turn towards the currently active crimebosses, then make his move. He might also work through an intermediary to deflect suspicsion from hismelf. He's had to have done things like this before, seeing as he's been a mega-philanthropist and a mob boss at the same time. I think he can manage.

What intermediary is he going to contact with 16 different government agencies watching his every move?

I'm not just talking about the Goblin, though- I'm talking about Norman Osborn. Spidey might not be able to expose Tombstone as a villain, but he doesn't even know himself that Norman is a villain until the finale (he almost has it in Uncertainty Principle, but Norman deflects him very successfully).

Spidey can't just go up and fight Tombstone though, he can do that with the Goblin if he shows himself. And since they're the same person (GG & Norman) that comparison is fair game.

Not to mention that his schemes, in costume or out of it, run rings around every other character in the series.

Do they? With the exception of the last 3 episodes of the season, I would beg to differ. His first three appearances as the Goblin were mostly him trying to cover Norman Osborns tracks for the most part. And most of his appearances in season 1, he wasn't trying to take something over right away.

If I see Tombstone successfully play all of his enemies off each other, defeat the rival gangsters and reclaim his throne in a fashion worthy of the Magnificent Bastard that he is, I will consider him officially risen from the ashes, and quite possibly cooler than ever to boot. Bonus points if he tricks the police and/or Spider-man into doing his dirty work for him.

He could, but he'll never have that ability to turn the public on Spider-Man, that the writers should've used with Tombstone turning the law on Spidey, before outing him.
And now that Spidey beat him like a villain of the week in combat. He'll never have that mystique of his invulnerability again (in that you didn't know what the absolute limits of his physical powers/stamina were), that he had at the end of The Invisible Hand (unless they do something like what I suggested in him revealing that he threw the fight knowing he had nothing to gain. But I'm not holding my breath); THAT seperated him from the other crime lords like Doc Ock, Silvermaine, & Hammerhead. Where they either had a form of weakness or you knew what the limits of their stamina was.

Also I didn't ask if he was going to rise again, I asked you HOW he was going to rise again given the circumstances.

And where are you getting the three days thing about Eddie Brock, by the way? I just watched Blueprints again this morning, and between that and Greg's comments, I was always under the impression that he started looking for Eddie immediately, and simply had no luck in finding him.

Go to see what I typed in The Identity Crisis thread, because I'm not typing it here.
With one exception in that Greg Weisman said the season would start with Peter looking for Eddie. He didn't say it was the day after thanksgiving when he started looking, or that was when the season started.

 

[DACrowe]

Can I just say I love the wit and intelligence the writers bring to this, a CHILDREN'S show. I am talking about the use of settings like Rockefellar Center for humorous effect or the fight ending in a shopping mall. But also the use of Shakespeare and A MidSummer Night's Dream multiple times to parallel the events in the show, GG speaking like Puck and in this particular episode the use of opera to underscore the fighting. It was all, very well done.

 

[MasterGandalf]

Also I didn't ask if he was going to rise again, I asked you HOW he was going to rise again given the circumstances.

Tombstone plot idea: Season three features an apparently reformed L. Thompson Lincoln as a supporting character, seeming to do good for no personal, immediate benefit (similar to how Lex Luthor was used in early JLU). Spidey suspects that something is up, but can't for the life of him figure what- especially since the Gang War is back on in the Goblin's absence, drawing much of his attention (plus whatever individual arcs are used.) In the final arc, the Gang War takes center stage as Hammerhead, Silvermane, Doc Ock (and maybe others, too) battle it out for control of the city, causing massive damage- and then none other than Tombstone sweeps in, easily (perhaps single-handedly) taking out the opposition, and offers the police a deal. Things were never this bad while one leader ran things, and he's certainly better than any of the competition (Hammerhead's a brute, Ock's a madman, Silvermane's old and losing his touch, etc.). Tombstone will keep the criminals and collateral damage under control, if the police will agree to allow him to keep his empire. They agree reluctantly, seeing that Tombstone is the best choice of a very bad lot, but Spidey doesn't. This allows Tombstone to step back in as the Big Bad for season four, reestablishes both his intellect and physical credentials in bold, and makes him, if anything, more untouchable than before.

(Captain Stacy probably disagrees too, but feels that Spider-man can make more of an impact than he can in this case.)

I think that the team wanted to have some note of closure for Tombstone in season two, even though Goblin was the villain they had planned for the finale. I don't think they would have had him make bail, though, if they intended the Big Man's story to end there.

 

[Silver Spider]

Beastly idea.

 

[snakeinthegear]

Can I just say I love the wit and intelligence the writers bring to this, a CHILDREN'S show. I am talking about the use of settings like Rockefellar Center for humorous effect or the fight ending in a shopping mall. But also the use of Shakespeare and A MidSummer Night's Dream multiple times to parallel the events in the show, GG speaking like Puck and in this particular episode the use of opera to underscore the fighting. It was all, very well done.

Not to mention how they juxtaposed the opera stuff with the actual ensuing battle. Gangland is definitely one of my favourites. I'll have to rewatch season 2 again to determine my overall favourite but one thing is for sure though, it's definitely one of the latter episodes of the season.

 

[Don Yoyo]

I'm sorry for bringing this topic back on the first page, even more so for something that is not directly related to it (well, I loved the opera being the fight the whole time), but still.

I've just watched the entire show from start to finish. It was great. Really great. But for some reason I fixed on one little thing : where the heck did Hammerhead get that driver??? I mean the woman uses a limo to fight against super-powered beings and is fairly good at it! Plus she never talks and seems dead-loyal to Hammerhead. And frankly, I would like to see her come back. Somehow, she managed to impress me more than some of the more established villains!

 

[Spidey_62]

This has got to be one of my favorite episodes from the series so far. The opera music addition was brilliant.

 

[incubat]

This episode really shows how great a "supposed" children's tv show can be, when writers stop treating their audience as idiots and start showing some respect for them, as well as the source material.

As far as this episode goes, I really love how they show parallels between the opera and the fight ("please tell me the fat lady isn't singing"), something they've been doing for several episodes. The editing, and the fight sequences are awesome. Gangland is definitely one of the top episodes of this show. I just hope they renew it for a third season.

 

[RonStoppablefan]

Fantastic episode I know I am late in watching it but man oh man was it awesome. The music, the fights, the animation. Yah Peter is to blame in ending his relationship, what kind of person says sorry to Gwen when his date is right there? Oh wells. Over all it was an awesome episode. Loved every thing about it...

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

Okay, it's that time. Another review of "The Spectacular Spider-Man". After this one, three episodes to go before this season ends.

"Gangland"

It's Valentine's Day, and, well... to everyone like me who hates Valentine's Day, this episode is a treat.

We've got a trio of villains this time. Tombstone, Dr. Octopus and Silvermane call a summit at the opera at, what looks like, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Ock, Silvermane, and the Tombster all decked in fancy tuxedos. Silvermane nearly toasting to a Valentine's Day Massacre made me choke... awesome Al Capone reference there. This was fun to watch. Tombstone, Silvermane and the good doctor all think they're in control, but not at all realizing they're being played.

After Norman Osborn's little speech in the previous episode, Hammerhead has gotten very ambitious, and has trapped these three right where he wants them. Playing them all... but, who is actually playing who? Hammerhead is receiving notes from someone else. Now, who'd want these gangsters and supervillains to destroy each other? I have to say, I loved seeing Tombstone flustered.

Meanwhile, across town, Peter, Liz, Gwen, Harry, Mary Jane, and Mark are dating as a group over at a hotel Liz owns, so, free food... very sweet deal. But, as usual, Peter and Gwen would obviously rather be with each other, which Liz notices, as does Mark. They are joined by Flash, Sha Shan, Rand, and Sally... and hilarity ensues. Gotta love Flash demanding that Peter prevent him from saying something stupid.

I have to say, I loved Mark and MJ's statements on just what a sham Valentine's Day actually is. Sums up how I've always felt about it.

I loved the battle scenes in this episode, with an opera soundtrack in the background. Tuxedos and opera... and carnage. Classy. Very classy. Of course, Peter is forced to take off so Spidey can arrive, and, at long last, take these three down. He takes down Silvermane, then Doc Ock, and finally, the re-match we've been waiting for... Spider-Man versus Tombstone.

Throughout the battle, Tombstone calls Blackie Gaxton for help... there is interference. Octopus calls Kraven... again, interference. At this point, it's become clear, this is bigger than a stooge like Hammerhead. Another hand is at work here.

Can I say again how much I love the opera soundtrack?

Tombstone is taken down, and L. Thompson Lincoln is exposed as the Big Man of Crime, and hauled off in handcuffs. Of course he fires Hammerhead, and tells him to "expect his severance package soon." Nice!

While I know some people are complaining about it, what I like about this show is the shifting status quo. Tombstone doesn't remain the unknown crime lord. It avoids the problems of the 1990's Kingpin in that particular cartoon... nothing ever changed there, same old same old, and every villain worked for him. Here, on the other hand, Tombstone's situation is allowed to change. And that's one of the reasons why this show is so rich.

Of course, Tombstone makes bail. Nothing to convict him on, but that doesn't mean his life isn't about to get a whole lot more difficult...

... Especially at the end, where we learn who the true mastermind behind all this was. With Tombstone knocked out, there is a power vacuum in the criminal underworld. And, being no slouch, Tombstone figured it out. In the words of Michael Corleone, "our true enemy has yet to reveal himself," well, he finally does.

"Guilty, guilty and oh so very guilty of being the new Big Man of Crime?" And with a maniacal laugh worthy of so many others, the Green Goblin ushers in his new dark reign which looks to close out this season.

This episode was just brilliant, and I think may be my favorite of the series run so far. But, we've got three more to go.