Spider-Man: No Way Home was the most realized Spider-Man film for the MCU. No Way Home fully embraces the legacy of Spider-Man and celebrates the cinematic history of the New York web-slinger. This was also a defining moment for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, cementing himself as the greatest Spider-Man actor on the big screen for many, including his doubters.
As such a big movie for the MCU’s Spider-Man, they had to put out all the stops to make the best and most rewarding Spider-Man development. Beginning as a hapless but determined kid, Peter Parker had one of the most obvious transformations out of the MCU cast, as well as any past Spider-Man before him. With No Way Home being such a defining Spider-Man movie, here are a handful of things that Peter Parker has learned to become a better superhero.
This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
If There’s Magic Involved, Leave It Alone
Now if Peter Parker took a second to think, the plot of the film would be non-existent. Odds are Peter should have known that he needed to get in contact with MIT to negotiate the enrollment of him and his friends before deciding to change reality itself by brainwashing all of Earth.
Now, if Peter took this route, we likely wouldn’t have had much of a Spider-Man movie. It’s certainly a comedic moment of Peter realizing he simply could’ve made a call before enlisting the help of a powerful sorcerer, but there are also the parts of Peter ruining Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) spell by not affecting Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). Peter could have very easily just told them his alternate identity after the fact. Hopefully, Peter realized this mistake after almost bringing his reality to ruin.
Saving the Villains is Saving a Life
Peter Parker has always had a firm hold on justice. Though he could sometimes be as selfish as any other kid could be early in his career, Peter had a strong sense of what it meant to be a superhero. Save the girl, save the city, save the world… basic superhero stuff.
But when collecting the villains that were tossed in his reality and inspired by Aunt May, Peter must decide whether to thrust them into an unknown fate or find a way to cure them of their corruption. This sense of justice is what spiraled the events of the film, knowing this was the best way to save everybody. To save their lives, Peter knew he had to give them back their free will.
He Will Never Be Alone
Upon Aunt May’s death, Peter made the realization that he had no family left. Grief does extraordinary things to us: it makes us feel alone, feel responsible in some way, it eats us alive. We begin to think that nobody can begin to understand how we feel, and that's exactly what Peter goes through.
But that’s when Peter discovers the Spider-Men, realizing there is more than one Spider-Man out there. He discovers their identities and lost loved ones and realizes he is just but one part of something much grander. Peter Parker understands that everybody has gone through something, and they’re much closer than he could ever have expected.
Revenge Is Never the Answer
When Aunt May is killed by Green Goblin’s (Wilem Dafoe) hands, Peter Parker is understandably filled with rage and desire for vengeance. He mentions how he is going to slay Norman Osborn with his own glider, nothing but revenge on his mind.
But when the moment comes and Peter and Osborn are fighting on the collapsed Statue of Liberty shield, Peter has his chance as he raises Osborn’s glider and prepares to stab him with it – until Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man stops Peter from doing something he’ll regret all his life. Peter Parker now knows that revenge, however tempting it may be, will never beget happiness and fulfillment. The fact he came close to killing Osborne, however, is a shining moment that displays his humanity and how he needs to keep his emotions in check.
With Great Power...
...comes great responsibility. The most iconic line in Marvel history wasn’t uttered until the third Spider-Man film during the MCU’s takeover. Both Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s iterations of Spider-Man had that same speech about needing to direct their superpowers towards something good by their respective Uncle Bens. On the flip side, his Aunt May is the one that dropped the “great power” line on Peter. MCU’s Peter Parker had a lot of learning to do: he was always willing to help, but he was often irresponsible and careless in getting his jobs done. He just wanted the Avengers title, and that’s what mattered to him.
But Peter had to make a multitude of sacrifices by the end of No Way Home. On top of losing Aunt May, Peter made the ultimate choice of having the entire universe forget who Peter Parker ever was. His friends and colleagues would never think he ever existed. Knowing this, Peter said his final goodbyes to MJ, Ned, and Doctor Strange and let all memories of him wiped away forever.
Eventually, Peter did try to reintroduce himself to MJ and Ned but ultimately decided against it. Realizing he can have a fresh start, Peter dons a more classic Spider-Man suit and prepares himself for this new chapter of his life. Peter now understands that with great power, comes great responsibility. It’s unlikely to see if the Peter Parker in Civil War or Homecoming would take that lesson to heart.