How did James ‘Spider’ Webb die in Slow Horses? Character arc explored

James "Spider" Webb's death in Slow Horses season 3 comes as a major turning point in the series, as Webb is one of the crucial characters, and the suddenness of his death leaves the viewers in shock. He is murdered by Sean Donovan, a rogue agent. Webb was sent to Donovan to negotiate and offer him money to release Catherine. However, when Donovan refuses the bribe, Webb ends up making a mocking comment about his deceased girlfriend. Enraged, Donovan hits him with a punch, and Webb's head hits the car window, killing him instantly.

This leads to the death of a long-standing internal antagonist whose tension with River Cartwright has always pushed the narrative ahead and added to the drama.

Here is how James ‘Spider’ Webb dies in Slow Horses?

Spider Webb was killed by Sean Donovan, the rogue MI5 agent and leader of the Tiger Team, in Season 3, Episode 3, titled “Negotiating with Tigers.” As mentioned, Sly Monteith, the head of private security firm Chieftain, commands Webb to negotiate with Sean Donovan and offer him a bribe to release Catherine Standish. Their conversation, however, ends on an ugly note when Donovan refuses to take the money, and in return, Webb mocks Alison Dunn, Donovan's deceased girlfriend.

This leaves Sean infuriated, and he punches Webb with all his strength, making his head hit the car window, and in a sudden moment of rage, Webb loses his life. Donovan then dumps Webb’s body outside Anna Livia, a restaurant where Peter Judd and Monteith are dining, to send them a message.

Spider Webb's character in Slow Horses explored.

Spider starts off as River Cartwright’s smug colleague at MI5. He is portrayed as clever and someone determined to climb up the MI5 ladder by hook or by crook. He becomes a symbol of systemic rot in seasons 1 and 2, who is more pretentious than the actual truth.

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In season 3, Spider moved to Chieftain, a private intelligence firm. Still obsessed with River and the Slow Horses, he becomes part of the Tiger Team operation. He pretends to be under threat, tricking River into trusting him again. But in trying to manipulate River and Donovan, Spider overplays his hand and suffers a downfall.

His exit from Slow Horses means the absence of an antagonist, which was crucial to keep the story moving. Therefore, we can say that the show will now focus more on external threats than personal ones in its upcoming episodes.

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