If This Be My Destiny...!

Peter Parker, the comic book superhero Spider-Man, was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962 for Marvel Comics. "If This Be My Destiny" was published in The Amazing Spider-Man issues #31–33. The issues' cover dates are listed as December 1965, January 1966, and February 1966, respectively. ==Synopsis==

The Amazing Spider-Man #31: "If This Be My Destiny...!" begins with Spider-Man fighting masked men armed with knock-out gas, working for the anonymous Master Planner as they get away with a stolen nuclear device and escape into the ocean. The next day, Aunt May falls over and is hospitalized with an unknown illness. Distracted by her condition, Peter Parker is aloof on his first day at Empire State University and alienates his fellow students, including Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy; not used to being rebuffed, Gwen becomes interested in Peter. At the Daily Bugle, Betty Brant struggles to choose between Peter and Ned Leeds. Reporter Frederick Foswell learns of the stolen device while undercover and flags Spider-Man down to tell him that the next theft will happen at the pier. Spider-Man thwarts them by wearing a gas mask, and they flee into the water. The Amazing Spider-Man #32: "Man on a Rampage!" reveals that the Master Planner is Doctor Octopus. Peter sees Betty at the Daily Bugle and acts dismissively to scare her away, thinking she would not want to date Spider-Man, but she is not fooled by his act. At the hospital, Peter learns Aunt May was poisoned by the radiation in his blood when he had given her a transfusion. He goes to the scientist Curt Connors, who suggests ordering the ISO-36 serum to treat her. Doctor Octopus also wants the serum and has his men steal the shipment. Spider-Man rampages through criminal hideouts demanding information as Aunt May goes into a coma. Upon finding the Master Planner's underwater headquarters, Spider-Man encounters Doctor Octopus and they fight. Spider-Man fights aggressively and destroys the facility. As it collapses, he is trapped under heavy machinery. Exhausted from the last few days, he watches as water drips in, threatening to wash away the serum. The Amazing Spider-Man #33: "The Final Chapter!" returns to Spider-Man as he tries to escape from under the machinery. Unwilling to let Aunt May down the way he did his Uncle Ben, Spider-Man struggles under the weight until he triumphantly lifts it over his head. With an injured leg, he fights through more masked men and stumbles into Conners' lab with the serum. Conners creates the medicine and Spider-Man delivers it to the hospital. To distract himself while waiting for the treatment to take effect, he returns to the crime scene to take photographs that he can sell to the Daily Bugle. Encountering Betty, he successfully scares her away by telling her about the danger of his job as a freelance photojournalist. After selling the pictures, Peter returns to the hospital to see Aunt May as she recovers. == Analysis and themes ==

The main focus of "If This Be My Destiny" is the pressure Spider-Man faces as he balances his many responsibilities. Besides his superhero work and investigating the Master Planner, he also has to manage his classwork in university and tending to his ailing Aunt May. These distractions cause him to eschew a social life and come across as dismissive to his classmates. Ditko's Objectivist beliefs influenced his work, and he preferred to have characters overcome challenges through personal strength instead of through dependence on others. In contrast to the death of his father figure Uncle Ben, which Spider-Man did not prevent, his character matures in "If This Be My Destiny" as he persists in his efforts to protect Aunt May. Aunt May and Uncle Ben become symbols for Spider-Man's grief and fear of failure. Spider-Man shifts from his usual humorous persona as the story builds to one motivated by anger and frustration, and he becomes more aggressive with his opponents. It is his rage against Doctor Octopus that causes him to destroy the underwater headquarters in their battle, and Spider-Man is trapped under a physical weight caused by the emotional weight that he carries. Upon resolving the conflict within himself and finding the emotional strength to continue, he draws upon newfound physical strength to free himself. The final panel of issue #32 uses a deep focus perspective; Ditko placed the vial in the foreground as the water drips over it, while Spider-Man is crushed under the machinery in the background. Issue #33 opens with small, constrained panels of Spider-Man trapped, but the panels become wider as he processes his emotional turmoil and frees himself, culminating in a single full-page spread when he frees himself. One frequent theme in Spider-Man stories is that anyone could be Spider-Man, as he is defined by his character rather than his abilities. While lifting the machinery, Spider-Man contemplates whether he deserves the strength he possesses, deciding that he is only worthy if he persists. This reinforces Spider-Man's character as someone who fights to protect others; knowing that Aunt May's life is at risk, he continues fighting even after he seems to be defeated. ==Reception==

The arc is celebrated as one of the best in Spider-Man's publication history. Matthew K. Manning described it as "an inspiring tale of mind over matter and the power of willpower and determination". In 2019, Kurt Busiek described "If This Be My Destiny" as his favorite Spider-Man story. Fantasy writer Keith DeCandido cited "If This Be My Destiny" as an example of Spider-Man's weaknesses making him a compelling character, as opposed to a more powerful character such as Superman. The final issue of the story was chosen as #15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of readers' favorite Marvel comic book issues in 2001. It was the only entry in the top 25 that did not feature the introduction or reintroduction of a superhero. The sequence of Spider-Man lifting the machinery from his back has become an iconic moment in the history of comic books. Comic book editor Robert Greenberger described the sequence as "a modern-day equivalent to Shakespeare", citing the pacing and Peter's soliloquy. Comic book critic Brian Cronin also praised the sequence after Spider-Man lifts the machinery, in which he fights the masked men. According to Cronin, the art is "so well done that you could still totally see what Peter is thinking just by his body movement". ==In other media==

Television • The animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009) adapted "If This Be My Destiny" in its season two episode "Shear Strength". This episode included both the premise of the Master Planner and an adaptation of the lifting sequence. • The season one finale of the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025–present) is named after the eponymous storyline. Film • The film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) adapted the lifting sequence in a scene where Spider-Man is crushed under rubble, caused by the Vulture destroying pillars and causing the structure they are in to collapse. The film version of the sequence retains the characterization and tone of the comic book version as Spider-Man draws on his strength to prove that he is worthy of his power. His motivation differs in the film; instead of trying to save Aunt May and honor Uncle Ben, Spider-Man is trying to save innocent people from the Vulture and prove himself to Iron Man. Video games • The video game Spider-Man (2018) featured a reference to the lifting sequence at the beginning of the game, when Spider-Man lifts rubble to keep it from falling on civilians. The scene is brief and only replicates the visual element of the comic book. == Collected editions ==

• Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man volume 4 (264 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, August 1991, ) • The Essential Spider-Man volume 2 (530 pages, softcover, Marvel Comics, July 1997, ) • Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko (352 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, 2005, ) • The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus volume 1 (1096 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, April 2007, ) • Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 – The Master Planner (216 pages, softcover, Marvel Comics, July 2023, ) ==References==