Superior Spider-Man # 31 - Goblin Nation: Conclusion

The story starts with the Goblin King, holding Anna Maria hostage at the top of a skyscraper, forcing her to behold his "Goblin Nation" shaped in the havoc caused by his minions. After Peter returns from Otto's self-mindpurge, he bumps into Sajani who reveals that Carlie is being cured from the effects of the Goblin Formula, albeit in a slow process, but enough to keep her under control. Peter takes Carlie aside to talk with her, revealing he's back and asking her to put him up to date with what happened during the Goblin King's rise to power.

Once Peter heads out to defend the city from the Goblin Nation, he manages to call Aunt May to let her know he's okay. Meanwhile, Mayor J. Jonah Jameson shows his frustration for his personal downfall after the Spider Slayers' failure, but Tiberius Stone uses this as a chance to sell them as weapons to other nations. Peter returns to E.S.U. to aid Spider-Man 2099 in fending off the remaining Spider Slayers. O'Hara confronts Peter who reveals the mindswap to him and asks for his help against the Goblin King. They stop at the streets to aid the Avengers, Cardiac and Wraith in their fight against Goblin Knight, who is taken down by Spider-Man. Cap thanks Spidey, even though he reminds him that "he" left the team, causing Peter to promptly say he is still on the team ("Once an Avenger, [always an Avenger]"),but then tells O'Hara that he managed to find the source of the Slayers' signal to OsCorp Tower.

The Spider-Men reach the tower, prompting Peter to ask why it is called Alchemax now. O'Hara puts him up to date and then they're both confronted by Menace. Menace assaults O'Hara but then Spidey takes Menace down by injecting the cure into her, then he finds Normie Osborn in a "Goblin-esque" state of mind, saying this was all for him. Liz Allan and Tiberius return to find the Spider-Men and Normie, prompting them to march into scape, only for Tiberius to hold back Spidey by using his Spider-Sense Jammer. O'Hara knocks him down and Liz shuts off the jammer, allowing Spidey to regain his senses and take off for the battle while O'Hara and the others evacuate.

Spidey confronts the Goblin King who proceeds to taunt him only to be shocked when he hears Spidey banter in return, making him realize that the real Spider-Man is back. As the Goblin tries to escape, Spidey manages to fight him, while using the Goblin's weapon to help Anna Maria escape, since he knows she can look out by herself. As Spidey gains the upper hand, he prepares to inject the cure to the Goblin King but he manages to fend it off but leaves himself open to allow Spidey to take off the Goblin's mask, revealing the face of Mason Banks. He reveals that he is indeed Norman Osborn, but after waking up from his coma, he had plastic surgery to change his face and avoid suspicion, thus becoming Alchemax Executive Mason Banks, using the corporation to build an empire for his grandson, but in his speech, he tells Spidey that he shouldn't have him unmasked, only for Spidey to reveal that he unmasked him in order to use Otto's Mini Spider-bots loaded with the Goblin Cure to inject him, taking advantage of his face not being recognized by the "Goblin Protocol".

The Goblin Bombs explode, but Spidey manages to save both Anna Maria and Osborn. As Spidey delivers Osborn to the authorities, Liz Allan uses the Spider-Sense Jammer, allowing Osborn to escape. O'Hara confronts her, but Spidey calms him down and lets her go, deciding to keep an eye on her and Normie, having sensed something very off with them. In the underground, Osborn escapes, reflecting on how the Goblin Cure erased the effects of the Goblin Formula, but also healed him from his madness, proclaiming that he won as he managed to secure an empire for his heir and that he will return with a vengeance worse than before, promising that "they'll never see him coming".

As O'Hara takes off bidding his farewell to Peter, he talks to Anna Maria, telling her that everything is OK, leaving him shocked at the sight of how much she loved "Peter" (while Otto was in control),making Peter realize his regret that "I was wrong. For me to even be here - someone had to die". And that person was The Superior Spider-Man.