- Looking for another article with the name Vampire Queen? Check out the Vampire Queen disambiguation page.
The Vampire Queen is the seventh episode of season four. Spider-Man, Black Cat and Morbius must work together to defeat a vampire named Miriam who plans to turn everyone in New York City into vampires. However, they are opposed by Blade when he discovers that Miriam is his long-lost mother.
Plot[]
Felicia Hardy is in her apartment. Felicia is conflicted because she knows she is either going to have to betray Spider-Man or help kill Michael Morbius. After Felicia thinks back to some flashbacks and then gets into her Black Cat costume, she uses her grapple hook to swing away from her balcony. Just as Black Cat swings away, Spider-Man swings past Felicia's apartment missing each other by a few seconds. Spider-Man wonders if he will ever see Black Cat again. Spider-Man says that he shouldn't have turned Black Cat off to being a superhero because he needs help fighting Morbius, because vampire hunting is not his thing.
Meanwhile, in Transylvania, a vampire named Miriam stalks a small village nearby a castle she lives in. As Miriam is about to drink the blood of one of the villagers she is attacked by Blade. Miriam flies away and Blade followers her to her castle. As Miriam flies away Blade grabs her cape and is dragged along as she flies. However, Miriam undoes the strap on her cape and it, and Blade fall to the ground as she flies away. As Blade looks in the pocket of the cape Blade finds a locket. Blade recognizes the locket and screams.
Back in New York City, Black Cat wonders if it is wrong for her to hope that Morbius is still alive. Spider-Man swings by but doesn't notice Black Cat. Spider-Man knows that Morbius hasn't attacked anyone in several days and realizes that Morbius must be starving because of lack of plasma. In another part of the city Morbius and craving blood just as Spider-Man had deduced. However, Morbius refuses to feed on anymore humans. Morbius is then approached by Miriam who explains that she found him because all vampires have a psychic link with each other. Miriam tells Morbius that she needs his knowledge of the Neogenic Recombinator because she knows it can turn people into vampires. Morbius refuses to help Miriam, but Miriam reads Morbius's mind and gets the information she needs.
At that moment at Empire State University, Debra Whitman tells Flash Thompson and Clay Marks that she wants to help Morbius but can't because Herbert Landon took back all their equipment. At that moment Miriam flies into the laboratory and uses her mind control powers to make Debra Whitman tell her where the Neogenic Recombinator is. Debra tells Miriam that the Recombinator was taken by Herbert Landon and that he is now in the hospital. Miriam then drains Debra, Flash and Clay of their blood and goes to Herbert Landon's hospital room and uses her telepathy to read his mind. By doing this Miriam learns the location of the Neogenic Recombinator and learns how to use it. A short while later Kingpin walks into Landon's laboratory and notices that the Neogenic Recombinator is missing.
Spider-Man goes to ESU and sees Debra Whitman and Flash Thompson being taken away in an ambulance. Spider-Man sees Terri Lee and asks her what happened. Terri answers that Debra, Flash and Clay were drained of blood. Spider-Man assumes that Morbius was behind the attack. Black Cat is on a rooftop nearby an overhears Spider-Man and Terri Lee's conversation. Black Cat knows that she can't let Morbius hurt anyone else. Spider-Man approaches Black Cat and asks if they can work together. However, Black Cat answers that she wants to work alone this time. Black Cat also tells Spider-Man that she needs Whistler's help and leaves.
Both Spider-Man and Black Cat go to Whistler and tell him that they need a weapon to capture Morbius. However, Whislter answers that his weapons are only designed to kill vampires. Black Cat asks if there is another way. Spider-Man notices that Black Cat sounds worried for Morbius almost as if she cared for him. Just then Terri Lee walks in. Spider-Man tells Terri Lee that they can stop Morbius without hurting him. However, Terri doesn't believe Spider-Man. Terri Lee also says that Whistler has the equipment they need to stop Morbius once and for all.
A short while later Spider-Man, Black Cat, Terri Lee and Whistler begin to track Morbius through New York City. Spider-Man asks Black Cat why she is so worried about Morbius. Black Cat answers that someone close to her was once a victim of vampirism. Also, Terri Lee asks Whistler where Blade is. Whistler answers that Blade is somewhere in Europe tracking a vampire. Whistler also tells Terri Lee that it was a good thing she decided not to have a relationship with him.
The four of them track Morbius to a place called Kishi Electronics. As the four of them enter the building they see someone attacking a guard and believe it to be Morbius. However, the vampire turns around revealing herself to be Miriam. When Black Cat attacks Miriam, Miriam drops a piece of paper. As Spider-Man picks the paper up he sees that it is instructions for how to build a Neogenic Recombinator. As Whistler is about to kill Miriam with a solar weapon Blade comes in and stops him. Blade then reveals to them that Miriam is his mother. Blade discovered this after finding her locket. Blade tells everyone that he will take Miriam away to be cured. However, Whistler, Spider-Man and Terri Lee tell Blade that Miriam must be stopped. Spider-Man attacks Blade and Black Cat attacks Miriam. Miriam is nearly able to drain Black Cat of her blood but Morbius arrives and stops her. However, Miriam is able to fly away with a box of equipment that she needs to build a Neogenic Recombinator. Blade then leaves determined to track down Miriam. Black Cat then goes over to Morbius who is lying motionless on the ground. As Black Cat examines Morbius she determines that he has gone too long without drinking blood. Spider-Man asks Whistler if the serum he once saw him give Blade will work on Morbius. Whistler answers that it will only work if Morbius wants to be human again.
As they get Morbius back to the theater, Whistler injects him with Blade's serum. Whistler says that it feels strange to be saving a vampire. Terri Lee asks how they are going to find Blade and Miriam now. Morbius answers that he can locate them because they have a psychic link. Spider-Man says that if Blade continues to defend Miriam than he is their enemy too. However, Whistler tells Spider-Man that Blade is like a lost child bonding with the mother he never knew. Whistler tells them that in the end he knows Blade will do the right thing.
The next day Blade and Terri Lee meet at Central Park. Blade apologies for what happened last night and says that his mother only wants to be human again. However, Terri Lee asks if Blade can really trust her. Blade tells Terri that it was her that showed him to beauty of feeling with his heart and that as long as he has her love, he can be strong. Blade then leaves and tells Terri Lee not to follow him.
That same morning Peter Parker is in his apartment and puts on his costume, but his mask is torn a bit and blames Blade for this. he then puts it away and grabs a spare mask. However, Peter doesn't realize that a piece of his other mask is hanging over the side of his dresser drawer. Spider-Man then web slings out the window. Harry Osborn comes into Peter's room looking for him but realizes he is not there. Harry finds the Spider-Man mask and begins to suspect that Peter might be Spider-Man.
Back at the theater, Whistler tells Black Cat that Morbius is doing very well. Whistler tells Black Cat that the formula Morbius was injected with isn't a cure, but it will keep his blood lust in check. However, Morbius tells Black Cat that he doesn't know if he will be able to rely on the serum for the rest of his life. Black Cat replies that it might work if someone stays by his side and gives him strength, like her.
Meanwhile, in the alley behind a club called The Dungeon, Miriam uses the Neogenic Recombinator to turn two people into vampires. Blade tracks Miriam to The Dungeon and finds her in the club's basement. Blade believes that Miriam intends to use the Recombinator to turn herself into a human. However, Miriam has two vampires subdue Blade. Miriam then tells Blade that she wants to use the Neogenic Recombinator to turn everyone on Earth into vampires.
At that moment Spider-Man, Black Cat, Morbius and Whistler arrive at The Dungeon. As Miriam is about to fire a beam at Blade making him a full vampire, Spider-Man shoots a webline at the Neogenic Recombinator and pulls it in a different direction to the beam misses Blade. As Miriam grabs the Recombinator she flies into the dance hall. Morbius flies up to Miriam and the two struggle over the Recombinator. The Neogenic Recombinator accidentally activates, and the beam hits a disco ball. The laser reflects off the disco ball and hits several of the patrons turning them into vampires. These new vampires attack Morbius and Miriam gets away with the Neogenic Recombinator. While Spider-Man and Black Cat go after Miriam, Blade, Morbius and Whistler stay in The Dungeon and fight the vampires. After defeating the vampires, Morbius flies after Miriam. However, Blade has no desire to fight his own mother. However, Terri Lee convinces Blade that his real mother is still in that vampire, and she needs his love.
As Spider-Man, Black Cat, Morbius and Blade rush to the roof of The Dungeon, Blade throws a solar grenade at Miriam. The flash from the grenade temporarily blinds all the vampires. Spider-Man then uses a webline to get the Neogenic Recombinator away from Miriam. Spider-Man then drops the Recombinator to the street below. As the Neogenic Recombinator hit the ground it breaks, and this causes all the vampires to transform back into normal humans. With the Recombinator destroyed and all the vampires returned to normal humans, Miriam flees. Blade tells Terri Lee that he must find Miriam so that he can help her and drives away on his motorcycle.
On the roof of The Dungeon, Black Cat tells Spider-Man that she is going after Miriam. Spider-Man offers to go with her. However, Black Cat tells Spider-Man that he has to stay and protect New York City. Spider-Man doesn't want to let Black Cat go but realizes that he has to. A short while later Black Cat and Morbius meet up with Blade. They tell Blade that they are going with him. Blade is not thrilled but allows them to tag along. As Black Cat and Morbius discuss about Blade, Morbius asks Black Cat if she wants this. Black Cat agrees goes with Morbius to follow Blade.
Back at the theater, Spider-Man and Terri Lee talk about how their relationships never go right. Terri tells Spider-Man that are now a regular lonely-hearts club. Just then, Terri gets a call over her radio that she responds to, goes into her car, and tells Spider-Man to take care himself. Spider-Man then says the same thing to her too, and Terri drives away. As Spider-Man web swings away, he wonders what he has done wrong, because now Black Cat has left him, Felicia is gone, and Mary Jane Watson is still missing. Spider-Man thinks to himself that with all the bad things he's gone through, things eventually have to get better as there’s nowhere for him to go now but up.
Cast[]
Actor Role(s) Christopher Daniel Barnes Spider-Man/Peter Parker Jennifer Hale Black Cat/Felicia Hardy Liz Georges Debra Whitman Patrick Labyorteaux Flash Thompson Gary Imhoff Harry Osborn Nichelle Nichols Miriam Brooks J.D. Hall Blade Nick Jameson Michael Morbius Don Gene Reed Clay Marks Roscoe Lee Browne Kingpin/Wilson Fisk Dawnn Lewis Terri Lee Oliver Muirhead Abraham Whistler
Cameos[]
- Richard Parker (Indirectly mentioned)
- Mary Parker (Indirectly mentioned)
- Mary Jane Watson (Mentioned only)
- Herbert Landon
Locations[]
- North America
- America
- New York
-
- Manhattan
- Felicia Hardy's apartment
- Herbert Landon's laboratory (Flashback)
- Empire State University
- Hospital
- Crime Central
- Movie theater
- Kishi Electronics
- Central Park
- Statue of Balto
- Peter's apartment
- The Dungeon
- Europe
- Romania
-
- Castle
Items[]
Continuity[]
- Felicia Hardy has flashbacks to the previous two episodes, Partners and The Awakening.
- Blade finds a Daily Bugle newspaper with a headline that reads "ESU Student Discovers Morbius Lives". This is a reference to Debra Whitman finding Morbius in the previous episode The Awakening.
- Herbert Landon is in the hospital because of the injuries he sustained when Morbius attacked him. This also happened in The Awakening.
- Spider-Man mentions that it was his blood sample that turned Morbius into a vampire. This happened in the episode Morbius.
- After Harry finds Peter's Spider-Man mask. He has a flashback to when he was talking to Peter through the door to his room but when he opened the door Peter wasn't there. This happened in Partners.
Trivia[]
- The theater that Blade and Whistler use as their headquarters is showing the movie Yeux Sans Visage, which translates in English to Eyes Without a Face, as part of a Georges Franju Film Festival.
- Yeux Sans Visage is a horror movie that was released in 1960. The movie revolves around a plastic surgeon who is determined to perform a face transplant on his daughter, who was disfigured in an auto crash.
- Georges Franju is a French filmmaker that is known for the movies Eyes Without a Face (1960), Spotlight on a Murderer (1961), Therese (1962) and Thomas the Imposter (1965).
- Spider-Man says that it was his blood sample that turned Morbius into a vampire. The word blood was usually replaced with plasma because of the network censors.
- In the comics, Blade's mother is named Vanessa Brooks.
Episode review[]
Good God another Morbius episode. Season four had a lot of standalone episodes, and lacked any real kind of story arc to it. There was some great chemistry between Spider-Man and Black Cat and it helped tie up a few nagging loose ends from the previous seasons, but overall, not a lot happened in season four. Partially, it's because the show kept bringing back characters that arguably didn't see another appearance, such as Kraven, and this episodes' stars, Morbius and Blade.
I've always dug Blade, from his appearances here to the badass Wesley Snipes movies and this episode dug into his origins a little more, and actually gave him a little more development than I was expecting. His Mother, Miriam wasn't very interesting, and her design seemed to resemble a Lady of the 1800s. A really dissappointing villain.
In Morbius' Neogenic Nightmare appearances, the thing I liked most about him was that his origins were tied into Spider-Man's disease, and Morbius was transformed because of Spider-Man's poisoned blood and in turn, Spidey felt guilty about Morbius' condition. Unfortunately, most of this was completely lost here, and the Neogenic Recombinator turned normal people into vampires as if by magic. It made for a very confusing plot point, and with Spider-Man no longer needing the device to stop him from turning into Man-Spider, there was no real hook to the story. It was a no-brainer to simply destroy the Recombinator. For a series that usually liked to add a little something extra to make its stories unpredictable, it was a little disappointing. Its ending was a bit of a shocker, with Black Cat just up and leaving. Poor Spidey, he had it rough this season. Of course, MJ returned in the next episode so it wasn't all bad, but personally, I was glad to be rid of Black Cat.
It wasn't as bad as I've probably made it sound, but both this episode and the previous one were unneeded.
Quotes[]
Black Cat: "Boojums, I'm afraid. I may have to help destroy one man I love or betray another. Either way, I can't avoid hurting somebody. Since when did my new power come with so much responsibility?"
Spider-Man: "Will I ever see Black Cat again? She seems to have soured on the superhero life. Maybe I should have been more encouraging, made her my partner from the beginning. I sure could use her help now. Vampire hunting isn't my forte."
Black Cat: "Where are you, Michael? Is it wrong for me to hope you're still alive? Sorry, Spider, but I can't face you, not until I sort out my feelings for you and Michael."
Black Cat: "I'm sorry Michael, but I can't let you hurt anyone anymore. You must be stopped."
Spider-Man: "Cat, where have you been?"
Black Cat: "Out trying to catch Morbius. I had no luck. I need Whistler's help."
Spider-Man: "Wait! We both have the same goal. Why can't we work together?"
Black Cat: "I told you, on this I want to fly solo."
Spider-Man: "It was my blood sample that did this to Morbius. Sorry, Cat, I have a steak in this, too, no vampire pun intended."
Spider-Man: "Whistler, your weapons are our only hope of catching Morbius."
Whistler: "My weapons are best suited for annihilating vampires. Are you prepared to destroy him?"
Spider-Man: "She seems almost afraid for Morbius. That must be it. She must have sympathy for his plight."
Terri Lee: "Well, the fearless vampire hunters are all here. I guess I know why."
Spider-Man: "We're assessing our options. I still think we can stop Morbius without hurting him."
Terri Lee: "And I think you're dreaming. He has to be stopped once and for all. Whistler has just what we need."
Blade: "This locket she once possessed has proven to me that she is Miriam, my mother."
Miriam: "Blade?"
Blade: "Look into my eyes. See that I tell the truth."
Miriam: "Yes. Yes!"
Whistler "Blade, she is now an evil stalker of the night."
Blade: "That is why I shall take her away and cure her."
Terri Lee: "No way! She's got to pay for the crimes she's committed."
Blade: "This from you, Terri Lee? You'll have to fight me first!"
Spider-Man: "Are you okay?"
Whistler: "No. I'm disappointed in Blade. I taught him better than this."
Whistler: "The serum appears to be working. It seems odd to me to be saving one of them."
Whistler: "Blade is merely a lost child, bonding at last with the mother he never knew. Surely, you all can understand that."
Spider-Man: "I guess I can. I never knew my parents, either."
Whistler: "You all must help me explain to him that once a vampire, always a vampire. But I think you can count on him to do what's right in the end."
Blade: "Thank you for coming. I am sorry about last night. But my mother says she wants to be human again."
Terri Lee: "What makes you think you can trust her?"
Blade: "I had hoped you would understand me. You were the one who showed me the beauty of feeling with my heart."
(Blade and Terri Lee kiss.)
Terri Lee: "I understand, but I'm so scared for you."
Blade: "As long as I have your love, I am strong. But I must go now. And as before, please don't try to follow me."
Terri Lee: "Don't worry. I probably couldn't keep up with you anyway."
Whistler: "What is the attraction you women have to vampires? Detective Lee loves Blade. You love Morbius. What am I missing? Fangs, maybe?"
Black Cat: "Michael?"
Michael Morbius: "Felicia? Felicia, I do not know if I can rely on the serum for the rest of my life."
Black Cat: "Maybe if someone were by your side giving you strength. Someone like me."
Michael Morbius: "You would do that for me?"
Black Cat: "I will do that for you."
Blade: "Mother, I am so glad to have you with me again."
Miriam: "Yes, I was so lost without you. For years, I have sought out the family that I was denied when I was turned into a vampire. At last, my quest will be fulfilled."
Blade: "Oh, soon you will be human. Then you can make a new life for us both. Is the Recombinator ready?"
Miriam: "It is ready. I've tested it."
Blade: "What do you mean, tested it?"
(Two vampires grab Blade.)
Blade: "What is the meaning of this?!"
Miriam: "It is useless to struggle. Unlike you, these are full vampires, stronger than you. My true goal's not to change myself, but to create that family of which I spoke, a family of vampires! And I will be their mother, as well as yours."
Blade: "Mother! I trusted you!"
Miriam: "Blade, you must forsake your humanity."
Blade: "But you are the one who gave me my humanity!"
Miriam: "That was long before I'd seen the wonders of the eternal night! Join me! This is the way you will become a vampire, not the halfling that you are now!"
Blade: "It does not matter. I have no desire to fight anymore, not against my own mother. You, here? But how?"
Terri Lee: "Don't stop now! You must go on! I believe in you, Blade! You're real mother is trapped in that vampire's body, and she needs your love to rescue her."
Blade: "You are right, Terri Lee."
Miriam: "Come, my vampire children. Now these four will join us."
Blade: "Not on your afterlife!"
Miriam: "My family! My beautiful children! Lost to me again!"
Blade: "I must find her. She must realize that I am her only child and that only I can save her."
(Blade and Terri Lee kiss before Blade drives away.)
Whistler: "I must go prepare new weapons and serum for him to use. Will you be alright?"
Terri Lee: "Oh, yeah. I feel giddy with delight."
Spider-Man: "We've lost her."
Black Cat: "I'm going after her."
Spider-Man: "I'll go with you."
Black Cat: "No. I've learned that with this great power comes a great responsibility. I have to use my power where it's needed most, and that's not here with you, Spider. I've finally made a hard decision. I'm going to leave."
Spider-Man: "Why? Why can't I be with you?"
Black Cat: "Because you must stay here and take care of this city. It needs you."
Spider-Man: "I need you! I won't let you go."
Black Cat: "You will, because I'm asking you to. Do this for me, please. Someday, I will explain. For now, just remember I love you."
(Black Cat uses her grapple to swing away.)
Spider-Man: "Cat!"
Blade: "What do you want, vampire?!"
Michael Morbius: "To join you, to give some purpose to my life. You'll find her faster with me. She and I are telepathically linked."
Blade: "Do as you like!"
Black Cat: "Okay, that went well."
Michael Morbius: "We shall follow him. He will grow accustomed to us. Perhaps if we are lucky, someday he will be our friend. Are you sure you want this, my darling?"
Black Cat: "Yes, my love."
Michael Morbius: "Then, let us go."
Spider-Man: "So here we are, dazed and totally confused."
Terri Lee: "Yeah, we're a regular lonely hearts club. I guess it's time for me to get back to work. You take care of yourself."
Spider-Man: "Yeah, you too.
Spider-Man: "What did I do wrong? Now Black Cat's left me, Felicia's gone, and Mary Jane's still missing. Well, at least there's nowhere to go from here but up."