Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third highest-grossing film of all time. It not only broke box office records and became the most wildly successful and popular Marvel Studios movies. The film also completely broke fans’ hearts with its brutal ending and had some of the wildest audience reactions of any movie. Spider-Man: No Way Home not only expanded Marvel’s stakes but perfected the character of Peter Parker without losing sight of his (spidey) sense of humor, heart, and the struggle of trying to live two separate lives. Since it has been a year since the initial release, let’s rewind back to December of 2021 and reminisce of the greatest scenes to come out of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The AMAZING star-studded cast full of three different Spider-Man trilogy actors includes Tom Holland (Peter Parker 1/Spider-Man), Zendaya (Michelle Jones “MJ” Watson), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Stephen Strange), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Jon Favreau (“Happy” Hogan), Jamie Foxx (Electro), Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin), Alfred Molina (Doctor Octopus “Doc Ock”), Thomas Haden Church (Sandman), Rhys Ifans (Lizard), Benedict Wong (Wong), Tony Revolori (“Flash” Thompson), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May Parker), and JK Simmons (J.Jonah Jameson). With surprise cameos by Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock), Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock/Venom), Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker 3/Amazing Spider-Man), and Tobey Maguire out of retirement to reprise his role as the original Peter Parker 2/Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!!

This article is part three of the Spider-Man: No Way Home one year reflection. Before proceeding to read this article, please read the part one, “‘Hello, Peter’ Spider-Man: No Way Home Reflection”. This article includes such scenes as Matt Murdock Is a “Really Good Lawyer”, Strange Magic “That Feels Weird But I’ll Allow It”, and the Bridge Fight (Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock) “Hello, Peter”. 

https://talonnews.org/2180/entertainment/hello-peter-spider-man-no-way-home-reflection-pt-1/

Also check out part two, “‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’ Spider-Man: No Way Home Reflection Pt. 2”, which includes such scenes as the Condo Fight (Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin), Aunt May’s daunting final words being “with great power comes great responsibility”, and finally, the Aftermath… Tragedy because “everything Spider-Man touches comes to ruin.” 

https://talonnews.org/2333/entertainment/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-spider-man-no-way-home-reflection-pt-2/

(Garfield’s Entrance) The Amazing Spider-Man’s Return “I Have the Tingle Thing Just Not For Bread” 

Aunt May’s death was one of the most tragic scenes in all No Way Home and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man trilogy. But what makes it so pivotal in Peter’s arc, is the aftermath. The most eye pleasing but heart wrenching scene is when J. Jonah Jameson sends out a message about Spider-Man, with Peter watching, “Everything Spider-Man touches comes to ruin.” This is the moment of realization for Peter that he has lost the one person he had left because of Spider-Man. 

While this is happening to Peter, the scene pans to Ned and MJ anxiously waiting at Ned’s Lola’s house. Since neither of them have heard from Peter and have heard about the condo attack on the news (fans can see it broadcasted on the TV behind Ned and MJ), MJ with the “Machina de Kadavus” (the magical box with Strange’s spell trapped inside) is tempted to press the button that would send all the villains, and anyone who was brought to their universe, home. However, Ned, who has Strange’s “Sling Ring”, says out loud he wishes he can see Peter. As he says this, the rings set off sparks. Desperate to find Peter, Ned says once more, “I just wish we can see Peter.” Magical Ned, opens a portal to an alleyway, which reveals a long and lengthy masked Spider-Man (fans must pay close attention to the detailing of each Spider-Man’s suit as each differs from one another… Garfield’s is most distinctive from the enlarged eyes on the mask). Ned is just excited that he could actually open a portal, “Woah. I am magic.” MJ, who is still focused on the masked man in the portal whispers, “Is that him?” Ned replies, “Yeah. Yeah. It has to be him.” Together they both begin to yell for Peter. Spider-Man jumps through the portal as Ned’s Lola begins to scream at the masked intruder in her house. Spider-Man tries to reassure her, “Hi. Hi. No, no, no. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay, I’m a nice guy.” He pulls his mask off, revealing Andrew Garfield back as “The Amazing Spider-Man”. MJ and Ned, highly confused as to why a man in a Spider-Man suit isn’t their Peter, start to question him. “I’m Peter Parker. I am Spider-Man. In my world. But then, yesterday?? I was just here.” Ned points out that this has to be because of Strange’s uncontrolled spell that brought every person who knows that Peter Parker is Spider-Man to their universe. MJ, weary on who this so-called Peter Parker is, asks, “Prove it.” “Prove what??” “That you’re Peter Parker.” Peter says, “I don’t carry an ID with me. You know?? It kind of defeats the whole anonymous superhero thing.” He barely gets to finish his sentence when MJ throws a piece of bread at him. “Why’d you do that??” “I was trying to see if you have the tingle thing.” Peter hilariously says, “I have the tingle thing just not for bread… Can you not throw the bread again?? You’re a deeply mistrusting person and I respect it.” Just as he finishes saying jumps to hang on the ceiling with one hand, the other gripping his mask. MJ, not satisfied, asks him to crawl around. “Crawl around?? Why do I need to crawl around??” MJ says this isn’t enough to prove anything, but, then, why is he sticking to the ceiling?? She throws another piece of bread at him and grabs another as she is about to chuck one yet again at him. Ned Lola’s asks if he (Peter) can clean the cobwebs off of the ceiling in the corner. Peter, being Peter, puts his mask in his mouth, climbs the ceiling and cleans it. “We good??” Proving to MJ and Ned that he is in fact Peter Parker and Spider-Man. “So, I opened the wrong portal to the wrong Peter Parker??” “I guess you just keep doing it until we find the real one.” 

Something that really threw fans off is, the Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) who got the worst reviews, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, got the loudest applause during his entrance in No Way Home. Garfield was arguably the best Spider-Man in No Way Home just by the way he delivered his lines. I personally have never experienced a movie like I did when I saw No Way Home the night before the initial release, to say the crowd went wild during this scene is an understatement. When I say wild, I mean like the audience reactions seen on YouTube, you couldn’t even hear what they were saying between the amount of screaming, laughing, cheering, and crying filling the theater which was packed full. I can truthfully say that the crowd cheered the loudest when Ned opened the portal to a long and lengthy masked Spider-Man, of course everyone knew it was Garfield before he even took off his mask just by his suit. This scene as well as Maguire’s entrance were truly the main highlights of No Way Home, which is arguably one of not only the greatest Marvel movies but possibly film that’s been released in awhile. 

(Maguire’s Entrance) The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s Return “I Just Have This Sense That He Needs My Help” “Our Help”

In the search for the “real” Peter Parker, MJ and Ned try once again with the “Sling Ring” to portal their Peter to them. “Find Peter Parker. Find Peter Parker. Find Peter Parker!!” A portal opens behind Ned, a man’s body can be seen on the other side of the portal, with his face covered. The man then steps from the portal into where Ned and MJ are to reveal the original Peter Parker, Tobey Maguire, back after almost fifteen years. As most audiences couldn’t hold back their excitement, cheering, screaming, and crying during Maguire’s return, Ned hilariously says, “Great, it’s just some random guy.” Well, as most fans know that “random guy” is one of the reasons Spider-Man is as popular of a character he is today and why Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland also got their own solo films. Maguire’s first words in the MCU are, “Hello”, while  awkwardly waving (this is one of the main reasons why he stole fans hearts back in 2002, because he truly showed the awkward side Peter Parker). “Um, hope it’s okay, I just came through this uh, oh, it just closed.” MJ puts two and two together, “You’re Peter Parker.” “Yeah. Peter Parker…” As Maguire waves to Ned’s lola, he stands directly across from an unmasked Spider-Man (Garfield), “Wait, He’s not your friend!?” Maguire and Garfield in a standoff both shoot their webs at each other, as they both flip on opposite sides of the room, but Maguire being the top Spider-Man, shoots the final shot, blocking Garfield’s web shoots with his web. Still confused at the whole multiverse concept, Ned asks, “Wait, so you’re Spider-Man too?? Why didn’t you just say that??” “I, uh, generally don’t go around advertising it. Kind of defeats the whole anonymous superhero thing.” Garfield and MJ say in sync, “I just said that-” “-That’s what he just said.” Maguire being the oldest and wisest Spider-Man, uses his spidey senses to tell something is wrong. “Uh, this might seem kind of weird but I’ve been trying to find your friend ever since I got here. I just have this sense that he needs my help.” Garfield chimes in, “Our help.” MJ says, “He does.” After the condo fight, May’s confirmed death, and J. Jonah Jameson’s public announcement, they haven’t heard from Peter. “We don’t know where he is”, Ned announces. MJ sadly puts in perspective that right now, they’re all he has left. “Well, uh, is there some place that he might go that has some meaning to him. Like a place where he would go to just-” Garfield being the same person as Maguire and Holland, understands, “-Get away from everything??” For Maguire it was the top of the Chrysler Building where for Garfield it was the Empire State, it just had a better view. Maguire even agrees it has a pretty sweet view. The rooftop of Mid-Town comes to mind, as seen at the beginning of the film where Holland says, “Can we just stay up here all day?? It is so crazy down there.” (One of the things that makes Spider-Man comics and movies so special as well as the character is how most projects highlight the best spots in New York, and even some not so known ones). 

“I’m back!! I’m back… oh my back… my back…” Fans have been longing for Tobey Maguire to come back to the Spider-Man scene for years now. Sony was planning on a fourth installment with Tobey Maguire, titled Spider-Man 4, in 2007. But due to harsh feedback from critics from Spider-Man 3, it was initially canceled. What really upset many was footage of an interview with Tobey Maguire talking about making Spider-Man 4, days before it got canceled… It breaks my spirits. Also the ending of Spider-Man 3 perfectly ties into No Way Home, which gives fans some satisfaction. Personally, Tobey Maguire as well as Sam Raimi’s trilogy were always my favorites as they were as true to the comics as they could be. Raimi’s films were so fresh and new for the time, the CGI still holds up but more importantly a majority of the film was practical which just made the story feel more real. Growing up with the 2000s Marvel films (Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, DareDevil, Ghost Rider, and The Punisher). For Maguire and Garfield to swing back into the web headed role is huge because it can pave the way for previous Marvel actors to return. 

Peter Meets the Other Spider-Men “I’m Really Sorry I Dragged You Into This But You Have To Go Home Now.”  

The first shot we see of Tom Holland’s Peter, is him sitting defeated on the rooftop of Mid-Town soon after the death of Aunt May. MJ and Ned find him there and console him after hearing about May on the news. “Peter there’s, um, there’s some people here…” Peter angrily gets up to see two silhouettes standing atop of the building. Maguire and Garfield jump down, as they both express how sorry they are about May. After the death of May, Peter (Holland) is mournful, rageful, bitter. Garfield tries to calm him down by saying he has some understanding of what he’s going through. Peter is having none of this, “Please don’t tell me you know what I’m going through… She’s gone. It’s all my fault. She died for nothing. So, I’m going to do what I should’ve done in the first place.” He goes to reach for the “Machina de Kadavus”, but MJ thinks he should hear Peter(s) out. “Please, don’t. You don’t belong here, either of you, so I’m sending you home. Those other guys are from your worlds, right?? So, you deal with it. If they die- if you kill them- that’s on you. It’s not my problem. I don’t care anymore. I’m done. I’m really sorry that I dragged you into this, but you have to go home now. Good luck.” 

The Amazing Spider-Man’s Rage

“I lost… I lost Gwen, my, um, she was my MJ.” 

Maguire and Garfield have an understanding of what he’s going through because they are him. You can’t be Spider-Man without losing someone close to you, it’s just part of the character arc. Maguire begins to recall, “My Uncle Ben was killed. It was my fault.” This was seen at the beginning of Spider-Man (2002). But the most heart wrenching callback is when Garfield begins to say, “I lost… I lost Gwen, my, um, she was my MJ. I couldn’t save her. I’m never gonna be able to forgive myself for that. But I carried on – I tried to, tried to keep going, tried to be the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man because I know that’s what she would have wanted. But, at some point I just, I stopped pulling my punches. I got rageful. I got bitter. I just don’t want you to end up like… like me.” Though The Amazing Spider-Man movies weren’t as successful as expected and don’t get the recognition they deserve, Gwen’s death is one of the greatest Spider-Man scenes in cinematic history. Gwen Stacy’s death was one of the biggest tragedies in comic book history, the comic cover itself was pivotal, having Spider-Man swinging with the faces of everyone he loves surrounding him, with his saying, “Someone CLOSE to me is about to DIE!! But who?? WHO??” When The Amazing Spider-Man 2 released, many fans suspected that Sony would take this route but it was still a bit too much to handle. This scene was perfectly translated into a live action setting which was highly comic accurate and had some great attention to detail (Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy was wearing the exact outfit she wore in the comics when she died). What really got fans was during the final fight between Spider-Man and Harry Osborn, as Green Goblin, causes the clock tower to fall with Gwen Stacey atop of it, leaving her to plunge to her death. In an attempt to catch her and in a panic Peter shoots a thin web, with a close-up shot showing it looks like a hand, catching her a bit too late. This move accidentally snaps her neck and her body sadly hits the pavement breaking her back in the process… This scene is the turning point for Garfield’s story, even though The Amazing Spider-Man 3 was never made, for Marvel Studios to mention this was key and to see how he is still struggling with it. 

Peter’s Rage “I Wanna Tear Him Apart” 

After the painstaking recollection of Gwen Stacy’s death, Maguire recalls his tragedies. “The night Ben died, I hunted down the man who I thought did it. I wanted him dead. I got what I wanted. It didn’t make it better. It took me a long time to learn to get through that darkness.” Something that made Spider-Man: No Way Home a perfect film was the inclusion of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Some may call this fan service, but the two Spider-Men weren’t brought into the film as useless cameos, they were a pivotal part of the storyline. Their characters were needed for the progression of the film. This scene just helps prove that Maguire and Garfield help try to guide Peter to help him learn from their mistakes and regrets. Garfield just said that after Gwen’s death he stopped pulling his punches. He got rageful. He got bitter. But Peter (Holland), still in mourning, is rageful that Norman killed May. “I wanna kill him. I wanna tear him apart.” 

“With Great Power… Comes Great Responsibility”

Peter says, “I can still hear her voice in my head. Even after she was hurt, she said to me that we did the right thing. She told me that with great power-” “-Comes great responsibility.’ “Wait? What? How do you know that?” “Uncle Ben said it.” “The day he died. Maybe she didn’t die for nothing, Peter.” As you may know, this is one of the most famous comic book quotes, spoken in almost every Spider-Man project. 

The Spider-Man Gig “Gotta Cure Them All, Right?!”

The three Spider-Men along with Ned and MJ gather at Mid-Town in one of the science labs to create some cures for the villains. While listing all the villains Peter (Holland) skips and stutters at the sight of Norman’s failed cure since it is still an open wound for him. He goes on to say he can repair the devices for Dillon (Electro) and Marko (Sandman) but is unsure about the others. Garfield’s Peter chimes in saying he already cured Connors before so he’ll just have to do it again, which is no big deal. Since Norman’s death from Spider-Man (2002) after being impaled by his own glider, Peter (Maguire) says, “I think I can make an anti-serum for Dr. Osborn. Been thinking about it a long time.” That is one of his regrets, leaving Norman there to die, because ultimately Harry thought Peter was the one who killed his father leading to the rise of the New Goblin but the death of Harry Osborn. While talking about the cure for Norman, Peter can be seen looking so resentful by just hearing about him. You can tell just by his facial expressions that he doesn’t want to cure Norman, he just said he’d rather tear him apart. Peter (Maguire) can sense this, “Gotta cure all of them, right?! That’s what we do.” 

Friends. How Many of Us Have Them? “So, Do You Have a Best Friend Too??” “I Did.” 

After seeing multiple variants of Peter, and finding out there are other versions of MJ out there, Ned is curious if there are any other Ned Leeds in Peters’ universe. So, he goes up to Maguire to ask, “So, do you have a best friend too??” He recalls Harry Osborn, “I did.” “You did??” He then goes on to explain the ending of Spider-Man 3, “He died in my arms. After he tried to kill me. It was heartbreaking.” Fans were definitely surprised at this moment especially since Garfield heard this conversation and a similar thing happened with him in his universe with his Harry in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. 

“3 is the Magic Number…”

When the diagnosis for the cure is complete Ned tries to tell Peter, well his Peter. When he calls for him, all three answer. In unison, they all say, “Yeah. Oh sorry. Did you mean??” “Peter, Peter.” “We’re all called Peter.” “Peter Parker??” “Same thing.” Marvel used this scene to their advantage to recreate the iconic Spider-Man pointing meme. This shot was also recreated during one of the first days on set while promotional photos were being taken. Apparently, Marvel was having trouble trying to figure out where to place the pointing meme in the movie and Andrew Garfield actually offered that thry do it during the scene mentioned above. 

Cool Youth Pastor Peter?!

Garfield questions Maguire’s street cloths, “So are you going to go into battle dressed as a cool youth pastor or you got your suit??” Maguire then pulls down the collar of his shirt revealing the red Spider-Man suit. Though this was one of the many quotable scenes from No Way Home, it also goes to show Peter never leaves the house without his suit. Similar to the old Superman trick. 

A Second Chance “A Place That Represents Second Chances” “The Statue of Liberty” 

“Truth is… this is all my fault. I accidentally bought all those dangerous people here. And if those people are watching, just know that I really did try to help you. I mean I could’ve killed you, at any given moment but I didn’t. ‘Cause my Aunt May taught me that everyone deserves a second chance and that’s why I’m here.” “And where is here exactly?” “A place that represents second chances” “The Statue of Liberty?! Good god folks, he’s about to destroy another national landmark.” “World if you’re watching? Wish me luck, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could really use some.”