Spider-Man: No Way Home is finally here! The most anticipated movie of all time, the third venture in the Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures collaboration that brought the Wall Crawler to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an epic end to one hell of a trilogy. It also has major repercussions to the future of the MCU.
Let us break down how this story effects what is to come in Phase 4 and beyond.
*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD FOR SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME!*
A Very Interesting Cameo
The story picks up immediately where Far From Home ended, with J. Jonah Jameson playing Mysterio’s false narrative of Spider-Man being behind the drone attacks as well as revealing his secret identity. What follows is a hectic roller coaster for Peter, his friends and his family. It is during this initial turmoil that we get our first major impact for MCU’s future.
As Peter, Aunt May and Happy sit around trying to deal with all of the charges against them, their lawyer tells them the good news that none of the charges will stick. That lawyer is none other than Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil. And it was a very familiar face behind the rose colored spectacles: Charlie Cox.
This huge cameo has major implications. Kevin Feige had already let us know that Cox was his only choice to bring Daredevil into the MCU. Between this and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin showing up in Hawkeye on Disney Plus, fans are getting some of their favorites from the Netflix series getting folded into the MCU. We don’t know yet if this make these shows canon or if these will be variants of sorts with a different backstory. What we do know is that these iconic characters are here and are part of the future.
The Multiverse
After all of what transpired during the Infinity Saga, many people were curious as to what would be the next big overarching event that the MCU would have to deal with over the next phases. Turns out it is the multiverse.
Between Loki, What If…?, and now this film, the multiverse has broken open and sets up a chaotic litany of possibilities for what Marvel’s heroes will have to face. Doctor Strange attempts to erase the memory of ‘Peter Parker is Spider-Man’ from the world, but Peter doesn’t want those close to him to forget.
This causes the spell to break down and open up rifts in the multiverse that pulls in people from different universes who know Spidey’s true identity into the MCU. This leads to villains from both of the previous two versions we got on the big screen falling into the MCU, as well as fans getting exactly what they wanted: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield back as their version of Spider-Man. And, thanks to the two post credits scenes (which we’ll get to later), the multiverse implications have only just begun.
Spider-Men!
Arguably the worst kept secret of the year, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield both returned as Spider-Man! A true nostalgia moment, fans worldwide are jumping out of their seats when these two hit the screen. But we got so much more than a cool team up moment between these three. We got some wonderful life lessons from the elder two Spideys, a lot of meta commentary on ‘Who is the best movie Spidey?’ and the true heart of the film.
We also got to explore more of the genius that is true to Peter Parker. And while the door seems closed on these two ever returning again, never say never when the multiverse is involved. Especially when you consider that they ‘cured’ all of these villains before sending them back, which drastically changes their own universes.
A Death in the Family
One of the most tragic moments in the film was the death of Aunt May. She is the strong ethical voice for Peter and finally delivers the epic line (accurately, I might add) “With great power there must also come great responsibility”.
While some may feel that May was ‘fridged’ here, she ultimately served as Tom Holland’s Uncle Ben (arguably the only male character that could fall into the ‘fridging’ category). Her death is a true catalyst for the MCU’s Peter and it ties into the ultimate choice he makes in the end.
A Bittersweet New Start
As the climatic battle comes to an end, the multiverse is truly bursting through and Doctor Strange cannot contain it. Peter realizes that the only fix is to cast a new spell that makes the world forget the existence of Peter Parker completely. Strange doesn’t want to do this, but knows it must be done. Peter says his goodbyes to Ned and MJ, but promises to find them again and make them remember.
However, after the spell is cast and he goes to find them at the diner MJ is working at, he sees that both MJ and Ned got accepted to MIT and are set to head to Boston. He realizes that they can now be happy and out of danger (MJ is still wearing that broken Black Dahlia necklace).
After visiting Aunt May’s grave and running into Happy, which is another hard time for Peter, he moves into his own little apartment (which looks like a flipped version of the one that Maguire’s Peter live in) and prepares for his new life. We see him preparing to get his GED before presumably heading to NYU and his police scanner app listening for crimes.
This new MCU that has no idea who Peter Parker is has major implications. Spider-Man is still known, but the actual person or Parker is a true nobody. And with Ned and MJ gone to Boston and Peter beginning his college journey, this next trilogy of films could be very interesting.
We could get the MCU’s version of Gwen Stacy. Peter could become a photographer. We could see particular professors like an MCU Otto Octavius or Curt Connors. With Peter getting this fresh, albeit strange, start, the possibilities of stories from the vast comic history of the Wall Crawler.
The Mid-Credits Scene
The first of the two end credits scene ties into Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The scene finds Eddie Brock at a bar in Mexico, presumably in the same hotel he ended up in during the end credits scene from his sequel. Eddie is trying to figure out where he is and understand this universe. The bartender has patiently tried to explain all of the super powered people, alien attacks, etc. – and as Eddie and Venom begin to bicker again, they are suddenly transported back to their own universe – but not without leaving a little something behind.
About a quarter sized amount of symbiote is left on the bar. That little nugget of living black ooze has serious repercussions for MCU Spidey’s future as well. Interesting enough, Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock was brought to the MCU like the other villains and Spideys, but he had no idea who Spider-Man was, much less that he was Peter Parker.
So, does this mean that the symbiote hive mind transcends the multiversal divide?
The Post-Credits Scene
The scene at the end of the credits was really more than a scene. It was a trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness! And what a trailer! We see Wanda, Baron Mordo, America Chavez, and Strange as apparently the multiverse is still breaking free.
And the biggest reveal? What If..?’s Dark Strange is coming to the live action MCU!
While it has not been confirmed to be this character, the resemblance is uncanny and would only make sense. Hopefully, this trailer will be released officially soon and we can dive even deeper into it, frame by frame, and dissect what’s to come in the next film for the MCU.
This is really just scratching the surface of what Spider-Man: No Way Home brings to the MCU and to fans in general. The movie was worth the wait and will definitely make a ton of money at the box office. And the future of the MCU looks even more Amazing and Spectacular!
What was your favorite moment from Spider-Man: No Way Home? Let us know in the comments below!