The episode sees Spider-Man trying to stop the psychotic supervillain Green Goblin from bombing a dinner party filled with high-class New York citizens on the night of his school's big Fall Formal.

Performers Steven Blum and Vanessa Marshall began their roles as Green Goblin and Mary Jane Watson, respectively.

It ranked as among the highest rated children's telecast the morning it aired and received a generally positive response from television critics.

Now armed with personal terrorists, he crashes and holds up a dinner party orchestrated by the "Big Man" in his alter ego as philanthropist L. Thompson Lincoln.

Peter is contacted by the Daily Bugle to go take photographs of the hold-up at the party and is forced to leave Mary Jane, who understands as it is his job.

[9] The episode's title, "Catalysts", expands the series theme "The Education of Peter Parker" chosen by developer Greg Weisman.

[11] The basic structure was based on initial designs drawn by Alex Ross for the Goblin as he appeared in the 2002 film Spider-Man, which was never used.

Marshall has voice acted on several animated series and video games, as well as starring in commercials and other on-screen roles and performing stand-up comedy.

[14] On her character, Marshall noted that she is "incredibly complex:"[14] Her strength plays a major part in Peter’s growth and maturation – she really keeps him on the straight and narrow.

Eric Goldman of IGN, gave it an 8.0 ("Impressive"), writing that "[w]hile not among the very best episodes, this was still another fun and involving installment of the show".

Goldman gave a mixed response about Green Goblin — noting that he is "perhaps a bit hyper sensitive on how he's portrayed" — considering the design, while similar to the comics, be more of an exact version of it; Goldman considered the character's personality was "a bit too evocative of the Joker", the iconic villain from DC's Batman comics, but believed that his "malice side" worked.

On the topic of Mary Jane, Goldman praised her for being "much like Stan Lee created her – a quick witted, fun loving girl".

Elliot noted that the storyline with Peter and Mary-Jane going to the Fall Formal together made him nostalgic of the old comic books that had the pair involved, whereas current publications do not.

[2] Writing for DVD Talk, Justin Felix wrote that "Catalyst" was a "fun episode - although the teen histrionics at the school dance are a bit much".