#I’ll be writing or drawing some wholesome Peter Parker content

[amarylliasky]

I have a lot of thoughts about the new Spider-Man movie..

MAJOR SPOILERS for Spider-Man No Way Home under the cut!!!

I still can’t decide whether I loved it or hated it.

I know I hated the end, but I think the majority of the movie was pretty good (Aside from the whole May dying thing).

I just really wish there was some other way they could have done the end.

One of the main reasons I fell in love with this version of Spider-Man was because he was so different from the previous ones. I remember watching Civil war in theatre’s and becoming absolutely endeared with Tom Holland’s portrayal of the character. He was everything I liked about Spider-Man rolled into one. He was funny, a bit immature, talked way too much, a complete dork, and wasn’t played by someone in their 20’s or 30’s.

Not only that, but the way he was introduced was phenomenal. I couldn’t believe that one of my all time favorite characters was finally a part of this big universe that I had been growing up with already. And to top it all off was his mentor being Tony Stark. Something that had been done in cartoons and comics but had yet to make it to the big screen and it was there. From then on, I was an even bigger Spider-Man fan and avid fan of Irondad and Spiderson as well.

Of course, Endgame robbed us of that last bit, but there’s always fan content.

But then Far from home happened. And the end was huge and disastrous.

And now we have No Way Home.

The overall theme of this movie was much different then the first, or even the second. Automatically I felt a sense of dread for the characters. (Of course, my dad looked up the movie beforehand and spoiled me with May’s death). But y’know, I was surprisingly ok with May’s death compared to what happened at the end.

Anyway, I was enjoying it, and then we had all the interactions with the classic villains and the other Spider-Men, and it was a good time.

But then the end slapped me in the face.

I was not okay. For several days.

The whole time I was internally screaming “no”. I legit cried at the goodbye scene. I was also internally screaming at him to say something when he was talking to her later. Anyway, by the end of the movie, I cannot stress how not ok I was.

I think the biggest thing for me was that they built up his character with his entire journey throughout the mcu. And in the end of this movie they just. took it away. They spent years developing him as a character. Growing his relationship with MJ, Ned, Happy, Tony, heck, he’s on a first name basis with some of the avengers! And following along throughout the years, it was easy for me to think that he was a part of something bigger than any other Spider-Man has been. So at the end of it all, when they took it all away, and no one even knows he existed, it left me feeling….kinda empty tbh.

After the initial shock, confusion, and general heartbreak wore off, I was left feeling kinda…meh. Like, after everything, they just went and stripped this poor kid of his entire life. I’m only a little older than him and to imagine someone my age going through that…feels bad man.

I understand the writers reason behind it. With Tom potentially quitting, they needed to leave Peter at a place in his life where at that point, we knew where he was going. There would be no set up for another movie, no cliffhangers or unanswered questions, no doubt as to where he was headed. A place they felt comfortable leaving this character and story for the unforeseeable future. Because at this point, we know the story. Peter would continue to be Spider-Man while working at the Daily Bugle to pay for rent and whatever else he has going on. He might go work for this universe’s Doc Ock or maybe go to college, but the choice is left to our imagination and all we know about this character. Yet still, it’s got to be one of the most heartbreaking ending I’ve ever seen.

At this point, he’s no longer the one who’s so much different from every other variation of Spider-Man that we’ve seen. He’s now one among the many Peter Parker’s in the universe. He no longer has the support of friends, family, or other superheroes. No fancy tech or people to call upon when he’s in trouble. And no guidance from people much more experienced than he is. And that hurts.

But I think, in the grand scheme of things, what hurts the most about it is that Tony’s entire legacy is gone. It never existed. I mean, sure, he could have left all his tech and suits to say, Spider-Man. But that’s highly unlikely considering how little the Avengers, Pepper, Happy, and even Tony would have known about Peter without, well, Peter. I think what’s more likely is that Tony left it all to Pepper, and eventually Morgan. Spider-Man is just another superhero to those that knew him. And Peter is nonexistent to those that knew him.

In the end, Peter Parker is just how he’s always been. Someone going through life, not really sure where it leads. On his own, maybe finding some romance or friendships along the way, maybe even mentoring some young spiders himself. But ultimately, a loner. He’s just the person behind the mask of Spider-Man. The only thing that seems to matter to him or the world.

His story is one we know and love. And, for better or worse, whether we see it further or not, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, has a new life. He has a fresh start and endless possibilities.