Peter found this whole trip quite strange. He had originally brought Gwen along to help boost the confidence of the "dad-bod" Peter, but it ended up spiraling into a cloning conspiracy. After a chaotic confrontation, they pursued the trail hoping to find some mastermind or terrifying evil spider monster, yet they found nothing.
The Superior Spider-Man of this universe was definitely planning something, but unlike the Web Warriors who gathered all the evil Spider-Men together, his team was small and comprised of anti-heroes—at least their stance was more reliable than the likes of Anansi and his crew.
There were many doubts, but their stance was credible; they were on our side, even if their methods weren't always acceptable to everyone.
"For now, we can only keep an eye on things..."
As Peter spoke, he wove through the Web of Destiny and asked Cindy with concern, "Are you alright? I noticed you didn't look very comfortable earlier."
"No, it's nothing, just... I feel like something is nearby. It feels very strange."
Cindy's response left Peter feeling baffled. Something strange?
"Has it been there the whole time? Could it be something Otto hid in his base?"
Cindy shook her head. "It appeared suddenly, without any warning. That's why I was in such a rush to leave; it felt like something very terrifying."
Terrifying? Peter couldn't figure out what that might be. His Spider-Sense hadn't reacted at all, which meant that if the entity truly harbored malice, it could theoretically have launched a surprise attack on him, yet it hadn't. In other words, the entity was powerful, but lacked ill intent.
Peter was at a loss, as there were too many powerful beings in the Marvel multiverse, and he had no idea which one might be out for a stroll.
But speaking of being out for a stroll...
Peter suddenly thought of something. After telling Cindy to wait a moment, he tapped on his Spider-Society watch and locked in a coordinate. "Actually, this is quite interesting. We have a Spider-Man in our league who is an actor, and I believe you will really enjoy his performance."
"But first, we need to find our friend and borrow a couple of costumes."
—
"To be, or not to be, that is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them."
It was 1602, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At the Globe Theatre in London, William Shakespeare's new play, Hamlet, was being performed. The actor playing Prince Hamlet was the Globe's star attraction, the famous "Spider-Man."
Earth-311, also known as the Shakespearean World, in the 1602 century. In this world, Spider-Man was not just a spider totem and a superhero, but also an actor at London's Globe Theatre. The audience delighted in seeing him jump around the stage, showcasing his wall-crawling skills.
"They are even happy to see someone whose face is never visible play Prince Hamlet, making one wonder if the handsomeness described in the script is even real."
At the back of the auditorium, a balding man muttered with great dissatisfaction as he watched the cheering crowd. "They don't care at all about who this kid is or if he's suitable to play the lead. It doesn't matter if the protagonist is a prince, a king, or some poor wretch. As long as they see this kid run up a pillar, stick to a wall, or fire a few webs, they cheer and applaud, then reach for their purses."
Peter and Cindy were sitting next to this man. Upon hearing his grumbling, Peter looked over with curiosity and was amused to find that he looked remarkably like J. Jonah Jameson. "May I ask, are you..."
"William Shakespeare, the creator of this play. Unfortunately, those who come here aren't interested in appreciating the script; they're only here to watch Spider-Man jump around."
The Shakespeare who looked like JJJ grumbled, while Cindy whispered to Peter, "Is Shakespeare real?"
"At least he is here."
After a quick, quiet exchange with Cindy, Peter turned to Shakespeare himself. "It is a great honor to meet you, Sir Shakespeare. I am a huge fan of your work. The plot twist you arranged at the end of The Merchant of Venice was brilliant, and your work in A Midsummer Night's Dream..."
Shakespeare wore a smug expression, clearly pleased to hear Peter discussing his scripts. At this moment, Cindy leaned into Peter's ear and whispered a correction: "King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello don't premiere until 1605. They don't exist yet."
"Thank you, I almost blurted that out," Peter replied with a nod, then continued his conversation with Shakespeare with an apology: "My... companion here is not very familiar with the local language, but she also enjoys your plays very much."
"I am honored that people from foreign lands appreciate my work. Do not worry; I have always believed that good art transcends language, even if she cannot understand it, she can still appreciate it... even if this play is actually being performed by a bunch of wall-crawling Spiders whose faces the audience doesn't even care about."
Nearly an hour later, once the scene finished, Peter and Cindy left the theater. Cindy looked back at the Globe Theatre in disbelief. "It was... absolutely incredible. I never expected to see Shakespeare."
"That is one facet of the multiverse. In fact, we have not only the 1602 universe, but also universes in the era of the Wild West. Perhaps in the past, we could meet Mark Twain, or we could go to the world of Spider-Man Noir, which is in the interwar period. In New York, we might run into Lovecraft, or we could go to Texas to see Robert E. Howard—I've always been a fan of Conan the Barbarian."
"Perhaps this is the true meaning of the multiverse; not just endless spider totems and accidental incidents, but entirely different developments and vastly distinct worlds."
As the two were talking, Peter's watch beeped. He checked the signal on his wrist, eyebrows raised in surprise. Cindy immediately asked, "What is it?"
"Strange said our universe is considered safe now, so we can head back."
"The situation with Mephisto has been resolved?"
Peter shook his head. "No, quite the contrary. Mephisto has vanished, just as he did during the Kang Dynasty."