The Superhero Show Show #588The Rise of Marvel's Forgotten Heroes on Spider-Man: The Animated Series
On this week’s The Superhero Show Show, the Taste Buds dive deep into Spider-Man: The Animated Series Season 5, Episode 3: Six Forgotten Warriors Chapter 3: Secrets of the Six. This installment uncovers long-buried super-soldier secrets, Cold War betrayals, and the rise of the Six Forgotten Warriors—all while villains like Kingpin and Red Skull close in on a world-changing weapon.
If you’re a fan of comic-book-based TV shows, this arc combines Marvel's golden age history with Spider-Man’s most emotional personal revelations.
What Are the Secrets of the Six?
The episode finally answers the central mystery: Who are the Six Forgotten Warriors?
They’re not just Cold War footnotes—they're WWII-era super-soldiers created after Captain America's disappearance. But with time, politics, and betrayal burying their legacy, these heroes faded from public memory… until now.
The panel discusses how Spider-Man: TAS cleverly weaves these original characters into Marvel’s mythos, creating an alternate version of events that mirrors the Super Soldier Serum storyline. The Secrets of the Six reveal how these warriors were part of a doomed experiment—and how one of them, Keene Marlow, is the key to unlocking everything.
Related episode: Unclaimed Legacy – Chapter 2 Recap
Kingpin and Red Skull Battle for the Forgotten Weapon
While Spider-Man uncovers the truth, Kingpin and Red Skull race to seize control of the ultimate WWII-era doomsday device—a weapon hidden by the Six decades earlier.
Kingpin’s criminal empire crosses paths with global politics, manipulating intelligence agencies and supervillains alike to claim the weapon. Meanwhile, Red Skull—long thought dead—reemerges as a terrifying legacy villain. Their clash raises the stakes to global proportions, giving this animated episode serious MCU-level energy.
Who is Red Skull? (Marvel Fandom)
Meet Kingpin in the Spider-Verse
Keene Marlow Is Revealed as The Destroyer
Fan speculation pays off as Keene Marlow is confirmed to be a founding member of the Six—and in Marvel Comics, he’s known as The Destroyer, a Golden Age hero created in 1941.
In the show, Marlow is a grizzled, world-weary soldier who watched his teammates fade into history and now wrestles with the consequences of decisions made in secret. The podcast explores how this reveal deepens the show’s lore and draws connections to Captain America: The First Avenger, decades before the film even existed.
The Destroyer on Marvel Fandom
Peter Parker’s Family Tied to the Six
In a shocking twist, Spider-Man learns that his parents, Richard and Mary Parker, may have worked alongside or against the Six during their Cold War missions. This haunting possibility drives Peter to question not just the history of these forgotten heroes, but the legacy of his own family.
The hosts debate: Were Peter’s parents secret agents? Heroes? Traitors? The emotional stakes climb as the line between ally and enemy blurs.
Who Were Richard and Mary Parker?
Looking for earlier episodes?
- Chapter 1: Silver Sable and the Wild Pack
- Chapter 2: Unclaimed Legacy
FAQ: Marvel's Forgotten Heroes – Spider-Man TAS
Q: What is the "Secrets of the Six" episode about?
A: Spider-Man uncovers the origin of the Six Forgotten Warriors—WWII heroes who created a hidden superweapon during the Cold War.
Q: Is Keene Marlow a real Marvel character?
A: Yes. Keene Marlow is the civilian identity of The Destroyer, a classic Marvel hero from the 1940s.
Q: Are Kingpin and Red Skull working together?
A: Not exactly—they’re both trying to claim the Six’s lost weapon, setting up a villainous power struggle.
Q: How are Peter Parker’s parents connected to this?
A: Evidence suggests Richard and Mary Parker were entangled with the Six, possibly as spies or informants during the Cold War.
Final Thoughts: Secrets of the Six and Marvel’s Forgotten Heroes
Secrets of the Six might be the most ambitious episode of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. It elevates the stakes beyond typical villain-of-the-week fare, connecting Spider-Man’s journey to the larger Marvel Universe—and reshaping what we thought we knew about legacy heroes like Keene Marlow and secret villains like Red Skull.
For fans of superhero shows rooted in comic book lore, this episode (and this podcast discussion) is a must. The Six Forgotten Warriors arc proves that Spider-Man: TAS was decades ahead of its time in serialized storytelling and world-building.
️ Stay tuned next week as the arc continues in Chapter 4: The Six Fight Again.