Why can't it be more nuanced ? Some of the spiders are likeable. Some of them are not. Feitan is pretty much bad news but that doesn't mean characters like Machi or Paku or even Franklin can't have likeable sides to them. That doesn't remove the penance they owe for their actions and I don't see where the author tries to make it so.
I think the toned down nature of Phinks and Fietan meeting Gon and Killua at the auction isn't an attempt for the author to make them seem acceptable as people, it's just that they (even being the pieces of shit that they are) couldn't deny the strong feelings Paku left them.
I'm sure it's only temporary for them.
I mean Hisoka is a slimy pedo masochist but even he has a pretty solid fanbase.
