Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of Marvel’s most successful movies of all time and loved by critics and audiences alike. It’s well-deserved praise, as the movie excels at both rehashing the cinematic history of Spider-Man’s past and laying the groundwork for the future of its current Peter Parker actor, Tom Holland. It’s also a fun movie from start to finish, which may be why it took weeks before I started to ask some really deep questions about this movie and its consequences for the presented fictional universes.
A lot happens towards the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the questions that remain for audiences are, quite frankly, hard to answer. These are just a few of the brain busters I’m wrestling with after a second viewing, and I’m not sure I’ll get any closer to answering these questions in the near future.
How Did Peter Parker Get An Apartment With No Identity?
Peter Parker obtaining an apartment after Doctor Strange’s spell may seem like a nitpicky question, but it’s really not. Erasing Peter Parker from existence means all evidence of him is gone. I would assume that includes all legal records and digital evidence of his existence too. Otherwise, what’s the point? If digital records didn’t get wiped, MJ and Ned easily had evidence of Peter and his importance to them on their phones and the world. I guess Peter could’ve saved for rent, but even then, most places do background checks. Did the spell give Peter an alternate identity and name, or is he just entirely off the grid? I need answers.
Did Spider-Man: No Way Home Retcon The Previous Spider-Man Movies?
Spider-Man: No Way Home shows the Spider-Men healing the villains from the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man movies, which raises interesting questions about what that means for that universe. The survival of Norman Osborn, Dr. Otto Octavius and the rest has massive implications for the villains and potentially the world around them. For example, could Gwen Stacy be alive again in the Amazing Spider-Man universe? Are Peter and Harry still friends in a world where Norman's time as Green Goblin ends earlier in the Sam Raimi film series? If so, that’s a massive retcon of the original movies, and probably realities audiences would like to see visited again.
Did The Villains Learn Anything If Their Minds Were Wiped Of The Experience?
The villains of Spider-Man: No Way Home were cured and sent back to their respective worlds. With that said, it seems like they too had their minds wiped of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. Otherwise, Doctor Strange’s spell to keep out other visitors from dimensions didn’t work. If they don’t remember Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, then how would they remember the adventure that happened at all? The reality is there’s a possibility all these villains were cured and returned to their world, and then went on to do exactly the same things that led to their villainous turns all over again. I hope that’s not the case, but if their sacrifice is as meaningful to the cosmos as Doctor Strange said, it was inevitable.
When Exactly Is Each Visitor From Another Dimension Returned To Their Time?
One confusing part of Spider-Man: No Way Home is that many of the characters from outside the MCU appeared from various points in time. A few villains arrived just prior to their deaths, but the points in which characters like Sandman, Lizard and the two older Spider-Men showed up was seemingly random. Were they returned to the same place they left? That wouldn’t be cool in the cases of “cured” villains who would die despite their reformed ways. It would also be jarring for the other Peters, who could presumably return to times radically different from when they left.
How Does Spider-Man Fare As A Loner?
One recurring theme of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies is that he’s always had a solid support system. First, it was Tony Stark, then it was Nick Fury (who was actually the Skrull Talos). And, of course, we can't forget his Aunt May and friends all throughout. Now he’s on his own and really doesn’t have a choice but to fight crime on his own for now. Sure, people still know him as Spider-Man, but that only goes so far. It will be interesting to see how that loner lifestyle impacts him or how he’ll change as a hero as a result. We should probably expect a more mature Spider-Man in his next outing, though I’m sure he’ll still be a bit goofy.
How Do Ned And MJ’s Lives Change Without Peter?
In some ways, it’s nice to see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man become one closer to the Spider-Man of the comics. On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking that the MCU had to take away his best friend and girlfriend to make it happen. Unfortunately, with the two headed off to MIT, it could be a while before we see them back in New York for a Spider-Man adventure. This means there’s little opportunity for audiences to see how their lives changed without Peter, and how they may further change if they aren’t reunited. Really, I just want Peter to have some people who care about him back in his life, so I’m really pulling for some magic reversal of the spell when it applies to MJ and Ned in the future.
Will The Memory Erasure Be Difficult To Keep Consistent?
A world in which no one knows who Peter Parker is a cool and game-changer concept, and one that all future Marvel movies may have to keep in mind until further notice. Generally, the MCU does a good job at keeping its plot threads consistent, but this one is pretty far-reaching. Plus, there’s the possible scenario where Spider-Man is still an Avenger, but no one knows his identity. Truthfully, maybe I’m overthinking how much Spider-Man will be referenced in other movies and ensembles because people may not think about him if they don’t really know him or have any memories connected to him. I’m mainly just curious to see how much it impacts the MCU, and if any plot holes arise from this awesome twist.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is in theaters and doing well at the box office. Hopefully it encourages Marvel and Sony to work that much faster on a follow-up, though that may not be possible with all the Marvel movies still on the way.
