A Big MCU Spider-Man Villain Plot Hole Has Finally Been Addressed 4 Years Later

Marvel Studios has finally addressed a glaring MCU plot hole concerning one villain from Spider-Man: Far From Home. Over the last decade-and-a-half, Marvel Studios has created the most expansive and successful superhero movie and TV franchise in history, yet this has come with its fair share of continuity errors and annoying plot holes. However, the 2023 release of the Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline book has cleared up, or at least addressed, many of these mistakes, helping to smooth out the timeline of the MCU. One of these mistakes dates back four years to Tom Holland’s second solo adventure in the MCU: Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Spider-Man: Far From Home took place in the wake of the emotional and intense Avengers: Endgame, where the world of the MCU was lacking three of its most high-profile superheroes. To fill their void, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck stepped up, claiming to be from an alternate reality. Unfortunately, Beck – dubbed Mysterio by Peter Parker’s classmates – eventually revealed himself to be a fraud. Beck was a former employee of Stark Industries who had previously designed the BARF technology from Captain America: Civil War. Mysterio revealing himself to be a fraud created a huge plot hole in the MCU, but the franchise’s Official Timeline book has finally ironed this out.

How Mysterio Knew The MCU Is Earth-616

During Spider-Man: Far From Home, Mysterio claimed to be from Earth-833, and noted that the world of the MCU was named Earth-616. This was the first spoken mention of the 616 designation in the MCU, and though this could have been chalked up to a Marvel Comics Easter egg (as the Marvel Universe in the comics is Earth-616), this designation was later confirmed by Earth-838’s Christine Palmer in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Since Mysterio wasn’t actually a multiversal traveler, however, it’s unclear exactly how he knew what the MCU’s primary reality was named, but Marvel Studios has finally solved this plot hole.

In the Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline book, Loki’s Miss Minutes pops up to address various mistakes, often blaming the incompetence of TVA staff for the inconsistencies. Miss Minutes notes that Mysterio likely got a hold of some of Dr. Erik Selvig’s notes regarding the Convergence in Thor: The Dark World, hence knew what universal designation belonged to the MCU’s primary reality. Back in 2013’s Thor sequel, Selvig had scribbled several notes on a chalkboard, including “616 universe,” which had been underlined several times. It seems Quentin Beck got a hold of Selvig’s notes, explaining exactly how he knew about Earth-616.

Miss Minutes speaking about Erik Selvig: Well hey there! Before being released from treatment on Nov. 11, 2013, a disoriented Dr. Erik Selvig scribbles the Convergence on a chalkboard and underlines the phrase “616 Universe.” Leave it to Doctor Selvig to be ahead of the curve.

Miss Minutes talking about the Mysterio plot hole: Hi y’all! How did con-man Quentin Beck know this dimension’s called “Earth-616” when the existence of the Multiverse hasn’t been proven? Good question, y’all! Maybe Beck picked up Selvig’s theories over a decade ago – but now I’m the one gettin’ ahead of things.

Why The MCU’s Earth-199999 Designation Is No Longer Canon

Until 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirmed that the MCU was dubbed Earth-616, audiences were under the impression the MCU was actually Earth-199999. While many still assumed the Earth-616 name would be dropped following Multiverse of Madness – which also led to a mention of Earth-199999 in Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – the Official Timeline book confirms that the MCU is Earth-616. This makes the previous Earth-199999 designation no longer canon, and suggests that Mysterio must have done his research in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as he seemed to know exactly what he was talking about.