So many SPOILERS are ahead. Believe me, you’re going to want to see Spider-Man: No Way Home in theaters before you read about it.
Did that movie really just happen? What in the actual Falcon?!! Spider-Man: No Way Home has been the most highly-anticipated Marvel movie since Avengers: Endgame, and now that we’ve seen it, we can confirm the movie delivered on that level. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker inadvertently opened the multiverse, leading to the the most iconic Spider-Man team-up in movie history. We’re going to need the holiday to process the glorious Marvel movie we just experienced.
The movie covered a lot of ground and served as a kind of cathartic walk down the multiverse. In the spirit of this, let’s first break down the biggest questions about the Spider-Man universe that No Way Home answered.
The Villain Of Tobey Maguire’s Era That Was Always Good At Heart
I think many of us agree that Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus is one of the all-time great cinematic Spider-Man villains of all time. But the beauty of Spider-Man 2 and why it’s still among our favorite films in the Spider-Man universe to this day is the characterization of Otto and his intriguing relationship with Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. In No Way Home, there’s a closure for Otto provided for us when Tom Holland’s Peter cures him and he ends up helping the Spider-Men, and we even get a cute final moment between him and Maguire’s Peter.
Tobey Maguire And MJ Get Back Together After Spider-Man 3
Before Tom Holland became Spider-Man, two previous franchises ended in heartbreak when they were cut too short by Sony. Spider-Man 3 infamously wrapped up on an awkward note with Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker dancing in an emo getup before coming across Kirsten Dunst’s MJ singing “I’m Through With Love” in a bar and sharing a melancholic embrace. The heart at the center of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was always their love story, and as No Way Home highlights, the couple “made it work” after all. At least one Peter Parker had a happily ever after!
Andrew Garfield Was A Beloved Spider-Man All Along
I don’t know about you, but for years I feel like I’ve been fighting for my life defending how much I actually like the Amazing Spider-Man movies, flaws and all. But with the release of No Way Home, the reaction to the return of Andrew Garfield has been met warmly. While watching the film on opening night, fans were clapping for Garfield just as much as Tobey Maguire, leading me to believe that the Spider-Man fans have been exaggerating their distaste for the Amazing Spider-Man film series after all.
No, The Netflix Marvel Universe Is No Longer Off Limits!
As fans correctly predicted, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil/Matt Murdock did in fact step into the MCU for the first time to briefly portray Peter Parker’s lawyer in No Way Home. And between Cox’s return and Vincent D'Onofrio’s return as Wilson Fisk in Hawkeye, a longstanding question has finally been answered. Yes, it’s very much possible for the MCU to pull the characters from the cancelled Netflix Marvel shows into the MCU, and it’s already happening. However, with that, we are curious how Marvel Studios may revive these characters moving forward.
Tony Stark’s Death Was Never THE Death For Holland’s Spider-Man
When Tony Stark died in front of Tom Holland's Peter Parker after saving the universe from Thanos, we really thought that it was going to be the MCU Peter's Uncle Ben event of his own arc. Man, were we wrong. In true Spider-Man fashion, more trauma was on the way for Peter in No Way Home with the tragic death of Aunt May. While Stark was clearly an important figure to Spider-Man, this movie illustrates how the loss of family is so instrumental to the character becoming a true hero.
Now for every answer, we formulated some big questions about the future of Spider-Man. Let’s get to those next:
Will Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Meet His MJ?
While No Way Home most certainly brought closure to the first two Spider-Man actors, it’s less so in Andrew Garfield because he’s the only actor of the three without a trilogy to call his own. Garfield’s Spidey was cut short when Marvel, Disney and Sony made a deal to include the character in the MCU and Tom Holland was recast in the role. While we learn that Maguire got a happy ending with MJ and Holland truly becomes Spider-Man in No Way Home, Garfield has still been shortchanged the most, especially when the studio did have plans to make Shailene Woodley his MJ and bring hope to his storyline following the death of Gwen. Could No Way Home open the door for The Amazing Spider-Man 3?
Will Ned Get To Expand On His Magical Abilities?
In one especially major scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jacob Batalon’s Ned learns that he has the ability to cast spells. He’s very much discovering his abilities throughout the movie, but now that he’s no longer associated with Peter Parker and this trilogy has concluded, one has to wonder if Ned’s arc into superpower-dom will be expanded upon in subsequent films? One major plot hole that pops up as the movie comes to a close is this: do Ned and MJ at least remember helping Spider-Man and those moments where he used his powers, or was that wiped from their memories too? At this point, your guess is as good as mine.
So… Venom Crossover Or Nah?
In the interim between Spider-Man: Far From Home and No Way Home, a lot of theories floated regarding Venom and Peter Parker finding themselves in a crossover. The end credit sequence for Venom: Let There Be Carnage saw Tom Hardy’s character venturing into the MCU, but by the time this movie ended, Eddie Brock went back home and only but a splatter of his symbiote remained there. No clear crossover is being teased at this point, only a crack of the door was left open for Venom and the MCU.
Will We See Tom Holland’s Spider-Man With The MCU Again?
After No Way Home, the word on the street is that the next Spider-Man movie is in active development via Marvel boss Kevin Feige. But at the same time Tom Holland has cast doubt that he will return, recently saying he has “achieved basically everything I wanted to achieve as this character.” Looking to the future, Peter Parker no longer is known by the members of the MCU, making his future journey more of a solo one and a classic Spider-Man. So with that being said, whether he’ll be connected to the MCU again is a huge question on our minds.
Is Tom Holland’s Peter Parker Ok? I’m Worried About You, Sweetie!
To cap things off, I have personal concerns for our Spider-Man. Is he gonna be ok, you guys? By the end of the movie, Peter Parker has lost everything. He lost his only parental figure and his Spider-Man friends, and literally everyone who’s ever known him doesn’t recognize him. Sure, he’s got Spider-Man to keep him friendly, but I feel like we’re not talking enough about absolutely traumatizing the conclusion for Spidey. Can someone check in on him please?
Wow, did Spider-Man: No Way Home cover a lot of ground! It's truly the most Spider-Man movie to ever swing our way. As the MCU goes forward, we'll be keeping an eye out for more from Peter Parker. Check out what upcoming Marvel movies are on their way.
