Robert grew up in the inner city with his single mother, who owned a grocery store that was harassed by a protection racket and is struggling with health problems. Robert has had numerous run-ins with the law throughout his life. At some point in his life, he enrolled Hardy Foundation Science Center, where he was taught by Peter Parker. One night, when he is picking up medicine for his mother at the pharmacy, Robert is skateboarding home when he witnesses Spider-Man fighting against a group of thieves on jet packs following a giant wheel. After Spider-Man caught one of the thieves, but the thief escaped and dropped some of the money he stole, which Robert tried to take for himself. Unfortunately for Robert, the police showed up believing he stole the money, getting him arrested. At the police station, Robert had his bail posted by Felicia Hardy, who brought along his mother to pick up Robert.
The next day, while Robert is helping out his mother at the store, a group of thugs show up warning Ms. Farrell to come up with ten times the amount of money they take protection or they will burn the store, after Robert tells his mother to go lie down and rest while cleans up the mess the thugs made. Robert is then visited by Peter, who told about his run-in with the police the night before by Felicia, and offers Robert some help, but Robert turns Peter down and tells him he is dropping out of the Science Center, despite being gifted and having a passion for science, much to Peter's disappointment. While out skateboarding, Robert bumps into one of the thieves from the night before, follows him to their hideout, and steals some of their equipment, not knowing that he was caught on camera.
Robert suits up in a suit and starts calling himself Rocket Racer. He tries to start his new criminal life by stealing from a jewelry store, but he remembers what his mother said and starts hesitating at actually going through this, realizing now that what he was doing was wrong. The police arrived during it, and Rocket Racer made his escape. Spider-Man chased after him though and but Spider-Man gets distracted by a falling elevator, and Rocket Racer is able to escape. Despite that Spider-Man tracked Rocket Racker down to his apartment and learns he is Robert Farrell; Robert explains to Spider-Man why he started stealing, that he needed a way to survive and everyone already thought that is who he was.
However, before anything else happens, Felica Hardy comes over and tells Robert that his mother is in the hospital. Right after, Big Wheel attacks Robert's apartment, wanting to get his equipment back from Robert. Rocket Racer gets the idea to use electricity to disable his wheel and spots a downed power line that it could be used for. Rocker Racer lures Big Wheel away, and Spider-Man does exactly, defeating Big Wheel. Robert then begins to reconsider his idea of not needing an education, later apologizing to his mother as well.
Trivia[]
The Rocket Racer alias is never mentioned outside of the episode name and credits.
