Was Flagg needed? **Spoilers**
Before you automatically click "Yes", consider the following...
Flagg (as Flagg, not any of his other identities) did very little in the series. They were ultimately a series of cameo appearences leading up to...well, nothing. Just fodder for Spider-Boy. I have to wonder if Flagg was necessary at all in the series. If someone were to pull a Mephisto (wink wink Spider-Man fans) and erase Flagg, would the series be any different?
Book 1: Walter and Marten are now two seperate figures. Walter dies at the end of the book, but appears in flashbacks.
Book 2: Minimal references to Flagg would be removed.
Book 3: Tick Tock dies in Lud. This is an improvement, considering how Ticky's later appearence was an embarrassment.
Book 4: The only significant change would be here. Given that Flagg is gone, someone else would need to create the Emerald Palace. The flashbacks could also explain what happened to Marten, given that he's now seperate.
Book 5: Flashbacks before Book 1 occur.
Book 6: Flashbacks before Book 1 occur.
Book 7: Flagg's appearence is omitted. It had little-to-no impact on the story, and was only referenced twice in passing.
If you vote "Yes", then please explain why Flagg was important.