Spider-Man: No Way Home has fans of the web-head going nuts for several reasons. Of course, all three generations of Spider-Men united for a historic final battle – and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker faced the toughest losses of his life for the greater good, and so much more. However, one interesting point in the film is getting overshadowed, and a Reddit user’s theory argues it could be the key to the whole story.
At one point in the film, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange fight over the spell box that has the ability to send all of the multiverse villains back to their respective timelines. Spidey wants to help the villains in order to prevent their deaths in their respective universes, while Strange argues that their sacrifice means more than their ultimate demise. A battle ensues in the mirror dimensions for the box, which ultimately sees Spider-Man come out on top.
However, at one point in the battle Strange separates Parker from his physical body and attempts to take the box from his hand. Instead, even though Parker’s astral form is separated from his body, his physical body is still moving the box away from Strange’s reach. Strange goes as far as noting that Parker shouldn’t be able to do that.
According to this Reddit theory, this might have to do with the “absolute point” in time component that was introduced in What If..? In that show, Dr Palmer’s death was described as an “absolute point” in time that can not be altered, no matter how much Strange tries to prevent it.
(Spider-man: No way home) The key to the whole movie, Spider-man’s future, and foreshadowing for Dr. Strange’s role in the Multiverse of Madness is hidden in one small scene nobody is talking about.
byu/TheMediocreCritic inFanTheories
Comparatively, in every portrayal of Spider-Man, Peter Parker loses someone extremely close to him in order to make him into the man he needs to be. For example, Andrew Garfield and Tobey McGuire’s Peter Parkers lose their uncle Ben. Garfield also lost Gwen Stacy after failing to save her from a horrific fall. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker witnessed the death of Aunt May before ultimately having everyone he knows and loves forget him entirely.
With that being said, this may explain why Strange wasn’t able to defeat Spider-Man and regain control of the box. Parker’s significant loss is an absolute point in time and needed to happen, and therefore can’t be prevented.