10 Most Wholesome Moments In Spider-Man Movies

Spider-Man stands out among Marvel’s heroes as a particularly wholesome, down-to-earth character, and his films have reflected that over the years. Usually more of a street-level character, getting down Peter Parker’s designation as a “Friendly Neighborhood” superhero that helps others just as much as he fights crime is an important endeavor for any Spider-Man story. The best on-screen versions of Spider-Man always make sure to represent this aspect of the character, injecting tender, heartfelt moments into their performances.

Spider-Man is also a very human hero, and the realistic depiction of what it would really be like to juggle the high-stress job as a web-slinger with a normal civilian life often takes center-stage in his stories. This results in many more instances in which Peter Parker (Or Miles Morales) is at a low point, only for his efforts to be given back to him, being picked up by the people in his life or even random appreciative citizens. There are many ways in which various franchises have captured the emotional core that makes the Marvel icon so lovable, with plenty of wholesome moments scattered throughout Spider-Man’s movies.

10 Peter Saves A Kid From Bullies And Fixes His Science Project

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is consistently ranked as one of the worst Spider-Man movies ever made, with a bloated plot riddled with questionable on-screen chemistry from Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker and Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. Still, the film has some bright spots, including a brief but touching scene in which Spider-Man scares away some bullies harassing a young child, taking the time to cheer him up, fix his broken school project, and even walk him home. It’s a brief moment, but it demonstrates a clear understanding of Parker’s character, as he makes time for more mundane crises in between the city-scale threats.

9 “Carefully, He’s A Hero”

Spider-Man 2

The people of New York City may be depicted as a little rough around the edges in many Spider-Man films, but at the end of the day, the citizens can always come together to show their appreciation for their web-slinging protector. This camaraderie between NYC citizens is shown off no better than Spider-Man 2, in which a train car full of bystanders gently take in an exhausted and injured Spider-Man, realizing that their hero is only a young boy. The group collectively swears to protect Peter’s identity in a heartwarming display of solidarity.

8 Miles Hugs His Dad

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Even though he may not be the original Spider-Man, Miles Morales proves over the course of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse that he has the same emotional core as a character as Peter Parker, the film emphasizing the humanity behind the mask. Towards the end of the film, Miles has a tear-jerking conversation on the phone with his Dad, unknowingly reconciling his issues with his son and Spider-Man at the same time. Miles rushing in to hug his confused, but receptive father is a great payoff to their feud ending, and his loving expression bleeding through Spider-Man’s mask is an adorable detail.

7 “Do A Flip!”

Spider-Man: Homecoming

One thing most incarnations of Spider-Man understand is that sometimes, it’s the little things that keep the public on your side as a masked vigilante. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker began his MCU story with this knowledge, humoring a fan request during a patrol to do a flip. It may seem like a silly inclusion, but it’s hard not to smile at the emotional importance of Spider-Man endearing himself to the people he’s protecting. The cheer of the random onlooker is also a reward in and of itself.

6 Toby Maguire Tells Andrew Garfield He’s Amazing

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home was a historic event in Spider-Man history, bringing together three actors that had played the Webhead together for the first time to share the screen as different versions of Peter Parker. The three Peters have excellent chemistry, as demonstrated when Toby Maguire gives Andrew Garfield a confidence boost after hearing his self-deprecating dismay at having never fought an alien. Maguire directly telling Garfield “You are amazing” is a tender sentiment in and out of character, the movie recognizing Andrew Garfield’s strength at playing Peter Parker, even if his movies weren’t the strongest final products.

5 Spider-Man And Doc Ock Catch Up

Spider-Man: No Way Home

No Way Home emphasized the importance of helping many of Spider-Man’s villains, sometimes being just as much victims of their circumstances as the innocent people who got caught in the crossfire. The insistence on curing the dimension-hopping baddies rather than simply defeating them is paid off when Toby Maguire’s Spider-Man and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock get to catch up, Otto being freed from the influence of his arms. Maguire’s line “Trying to do better” hearkens back to their first on-screen meeting, bringing the two excellent performances full-circle nearly 20 years later.

4 Peter B. Parker Gets Miles To Hold Mayday

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

When the entire society of Spider-Men turn against Miles, only a single familiar face can get him to listen — His mentor, Peter B. Parker. Demonstrating how far he’s come thanks to Miles’ influence, Peter B. Parker confesses that Miles gave him the courage to have a kid, with the hope that she could turn out to be just like him. Parker’s heartfelt words alongside the hilarious image of Miles awkwardly holding Mayday make this scene an emotional high point, making the gut punch that comes afterward that the Spider Society was tracking Parker’s location to close in on Miles hurt all the more.

3 “You’re Not A Nobody, You’re A Somebody!”

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 saw the genesis of Jamie Foxx’s Electro, who feels betrayed by Spider-Man after he isn’t recognizable following his electric transformation. However, when looked at in a vacuum, Spider-Man’s first meeting with Max Dillon is surprisingly sweet, the hero telling Max that he matters and fixing his hair and glasses after saving him. These words are all the more poignant to Max in particular, having gone most of his life without recognition or even friends to call his own.

2 Stan Lee Tells Spider-Man He’s Making A Difference

Spider-Man 3

Stan Lee has had tons of cameos in Marvel movies over the years, but his appearance in Spider-Man 3 stands out as a particularly heartwarming moment as he shares the screen with his creation. In Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man trilogy, Peter often doubts if he is doing the right thing as Spider-Man, frequently grappling with the idea of giving up the superhero game. But there’s harder praise to come by than being told by Stan Lee himself that he’s doing the right thing, Lee’s character astonished that one person could make such a difference. This little moment of reassurance for Peter is a deliciously wholesome pick-me-up that proves to Spider-Man he’s doing good after all.

1 Happy Hogan Gives Peter A Pep Talk

Spider-Man: Far From Home

At his lowest point in Spider-Man: Far From Home, an injured and rattled Spider-Man is picked up by Happy Hogan, resulting in a surprisingly moving reunion between the two friends as Happy stitches up Peter’s wounds. After Peter vents his frustrations about his failures and feeling like he can’t live up to Tony Stark, Happy takes the time to reassure him, getting Peter back on his feet and ready to spring into action. The scene is punctuated by Happy contentedly watching Spider-Man prepare for action, clearly seeing the spark of Tony Stark in the young hero.