Spider-Man: No Way Home was finally released this week and the ending may have some fans asking, “What’s next? What happens now?” The Marvel Cinematic Universe is changing. That’s been clear since the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame. Which saw the death of Iron Man and the retirement of Captain America. Arguably the two most important (or at the very least, relevant) members of the team. Loki, the popular Disney+ series, shocked fans by leaning full force into the Multiverse. Something that had been teased and hinted at, but never fully explored in a live-action film until now. And No Way Home certainly didn’t shy away from the Multiverse. Not in the slightest. Bringing back fan-favorite characters from the Sam Raimi and the Marc Webb movies, including of course Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men.
Spider-Man: No Way Home SPOILERS Ahead
The ending of the film saw the world forget who Peter Parker was. Not just forget that he was Spider-Man. Forget about him entirely. It was a sacrifice that Peter made in order to bring an end to the horde of Multiverse villains fighting their way into his world. But what does that mean for Peter Parker? And more importantly, what does that mean for the future of the MCU? Well, it means he’s alone. The most alone he’s ever been.
Peter’s mentor, Tony Stark, is dead. His Aunt May is dead. MJ and Ned have no memories or knowledge of who he is. Even Happy Hogan, the one man he counted on for guidance following the death of Tony, has forgotten him. It’s a dark time in the life of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Initially, it seems that Peter is going to tell MJ and Ned who he is. Tell them how they know each other and all about the crazy adventures they’ve had. But he stops when he sees that they’re safer and better off (in his mind at least) without him. They’ve both been accepted to MIT. A school that had previously rejected them due to their affiliation with Spider-Man. And Peter takes notice of a bandage on MJ’s head. An injury she’d incurred while fighting along his side.
Ultimately Peter decides to let them live their lives and to go live his own. Not because he wants to, but because with great power, comes great responsibility. A phrase told to him by Aunt May just prior to her death. Filling in for the role of Uncle Ben from the previous Spider-Man films. The story ends as Peter moves into his own apartment. It’s cheap, small, and closely resembles Peter’s apartment in the Tobey Maguire films. The one with a broken door and the pestering landlord. He’s entering a new phase in his life. No longer a kid with an adult to look after him.
In the following film, we’ll likely see Peter begin working at the Daily Bugle. A job he’s had in the comics and previous films as Spider-Man’s photographer. But if you stay and watch through the credits (which of course you did) you saw that a piece of the symbiote from Sony’s Venom now exists in the MCU. This is the perfect opportunity for Spider-Man to encounter the symbiote and don the black suit. Just as he did in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. Peter will be at his lowest. The symbiote will feed on this and make him feel powerful once again, paving the way for a new Venom to be born into the MCU.
One thing that seems certain is that we’ll be seeing more of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. No Way Home saw record pre-sale numbers, with some fans even scalping their tickets online for ridiculous prices. The demand is there. Spider-Man is among Marvel’s most popular heroes. And No Way Home certainly sets up another adventure for the wall-crawler.
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