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The short answer
Behind Kindred hides Harry Osborn, presumed dead and back to pass judgement on his old friend. Published in 2020, this arc turns the hero’s loved ones against him and traces everything back to the pact struck with Mephisto in One More Day. We unpack the revelations and what is at stake below.
Last Remains: Spider-Man facing his deepest demons
With the ‘Last Remains’ story arc, Nick Spencer pushes Peter Parker to breaking point. This landmark story, published in 2020, plunges the web-slinger into a mental spiral where the past, guilt and sacrifice collide with the strangest threat of all: the return of the Sin-Eater… but not as you knew him.
As Spider-Man tries to rebuild himself after the events of Sins Rising, reality warps: a mysterious new enemy named Kindred surfaces. A manipulator of nightmares and master of worms, Kindred forces Peter to relive his worst memories, turning every ally into a potential puppet.
The tone is dark, the story complex, and the Spider-Man universe will not come out of it unscathed. And for good reason: Last Remains is not a simple physical fight, but a monumental psychological duel in which the secrets of the past come bursting into the open.
Artwork-wise, Patrick Gleason’s pages amplify that inner tension with oppressive compositions and faces etched with fear. Peter is not only facing Kindred. He is facing his own history.
In this first part of the article, we lay out the foundations of the arc and the triggers that plunge Spider-Man into the introspective hell that is ‘Last Remains’.
- 💥 For fans of intense stories: browse our Spider-Man figure collection featuring Kindred and the Sin-Eater
- 🎭 Dive into the psychological arcs: read our dedicated article on The Death of Jean DeWolff to carry on this descent into darkness
- 🎬 And to compare with the film versions, discover the pillar page covering every Spider-Man film
Kindred shows his hand: Spider-Man’s allies become pawns
As Peter Parker tries to regain the upper hand after the Sin-Eater’s return, the mysterious Kindred steps in far more directly. His identity stays hidden… but his actions are devastating.
Through unsettling dark magic, Kindred manages to possess Peter’s closest allies: Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy as Spider-Gwen, Silk, Spider-Woman… All of them are suddenly driven by an unconscious hatred of Peter, attacking him as though he were their worst enemy.
These physically brutal, emotionally heavy confrontations give Nick Spencer the chance to drive the psychological point home: what if every misfortune in the Spider-Man universe stemmed from Peter’s choices? What if his eternal silence, his guilt, his secrets… were literally feeding the monsters he fights?
Little by little the reader understands that Kindred is far more than an ordinary villain: he embodies Peter’s karma, he personifies his failings, his past acts of cowardice… and his bond with death.
The tension builds steadily, with a mental chamber piece that grows ever more unbearable. Mark Bagley’s artwork underlines that build-up: piercing stares, visual nightmares, distortions… The nightmare settles in.
‘Last Remains’ is an arc in which Spider-Man is isolated, misunderstood and betrayed by the people he loves. And that betrayal is not faked: it comes from an evil he has let grow for far too long.
💡 If this kind of introspective storytelling grips you, do not miss our articles on Back in Black and One More Day, two arcs that are just as deeply tied to Peter’s regrets.
And for multiverse enthusiasts, head to our pillar page on every version of Spider-Man: every Spider-hero has his own share of failings too…
Kindred’s revelation: the past comes back to haunt Peter
Hidden until now behind his worms and his manipulations, Kindred finally reveals himself. And the truth is a shock for Peter: it is Harry Osborn. Yes, his best friend, presumed dead, back from the grave… changed, broken, and obsessed with the need to confront him.
This revelation is rooted in decades of Marvel history. Peter Parker has shared everything with Harry: friendship, betrayal, loss, madness. But never, never had he imagined that his return would come in the shape of a demon from the past. A demon he had, in a way, helped to create.
Kindred accuses Peter of never owning his actions, of always sacrificing others to save his own ideal. And above all, he confronts him with the dark pact he made with Mephisto in the One More Day arc. A pact that erased Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage, but more importantly, threw the course of fate off balance across the whole Marvel universe.
In a tense face-off, Peter is thrown into a loop of suffering. Kindred makes him relive Gwen’s death, Uncle Ben’s fall, the loss of his parents… Every trauma is turned against him. This is no longer a simple vendetta, it is a spiritual judgement.
This central revelation completely changes the dynamic of the story. It ties ‘Last Remains’ to the whole Spider-Man mythology, and above all to that one obsession: the weight of guilt. Can you really save others if you have never forgiven yourself?
🧠 To explore that psychological dimension, read our full analysis of The Night Gwen Stacy Died or our feature on Dying Wish, where Spider-Man’s very identity is called into question.
And if you are after items linked to Harry Osborn, explore our poster collection featuring the different versions of the Green Goblin… and of Kindred.
A bitter ending: Spider-Man facing his own darkness
The resolution of Last Remains does not happen in the light, but in a form of dark clarity. After facing Kindred several times over, Peter realises that he can neither save him nor even fully stop him. The final fight is not a victory, it is a brutal moment of awareness: some wounds never close, and some ghosts never go away…
But what stays with you most is that Peter is no longer alone. His spiritual family, the other Spider-Men, Miles Morales, Silk, Jessica Drew, Madame Web, are all there. And they face the aftermath of Kindred together. A poignant reflection of what the Spider-Verse really is: a chorus of voices, of pain, but also of collective resilience.
The final image of the arc, Peter standing silently before a grave, reminds us that even the greatest heroes are marked forever by their choices. And that sometimes, real strength is carrying on regardless.
Last Remains: a major turning point in Spider-Man’s mythology
By reactivating the threads of the One More Day arc, ‘Last Remains’ neatly links past, present and future. It questions the hero’s morality, the impact of his decisions, and opens the way to a new, more introspective era.
This story is a gem for any fan wanting to understand Peter Parker’s torment at the deepest level. It reinforces the importance of the multiverse, of legacy, and of the alternative versions of Spider-Man.
And to extend the experience, do not miss our selections of costumes, masks and Spider-Man blankets to relive the greatest story arcs at home.
👉 Want to discover more landmark stories? Dive into our pillar page dedicated to Spider-Man’s story arcs and explore the stories that shaped the myth.
