Why The MCU Mocks Spider-Man’s Powers (And Insults His Fans)

The trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home continues a trend in Spider-Man films, which mocks the concept of spider-based powers, a passing insult to fans of the comics. In the trailer, it’s mentioned that some people are theorizing that Spider-Man may have the ability to “hypnotize females“; possibly a reference to the research of Canadian scientist Dr. Catherine Scott, who observed pheromone abilities in funnel-weaving spiders. While an interesting piece of trivia, it speaks to a repeated and teasing attitude regarding Spider-Man’s powers, and how they may not be consistent with doing “whatever a spider can”.

This variably gentle mockery is an odd tack to take but isn’t new. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man was embarrassed by references to his “Peter Tingle“, a less brand-conscious name for the more famous Spidey-Sense. Although Spider-Man’s origin hasn’t yet been retread in the MCU, his powers have; with Peter Parker influenced by Tony Stark in the MCU, Spider-Man’s growth has seemed more self-aware and cynical. Where this becomes a problem is when conceits of the comics – like the Spidey-Sense or Spider-Man’s other dubiously spider-based powers – are subject to ridicule. Why do the films mock the powers and conceits of a fan-favorite character?

It’s fair to joke about some of the Spider-Man tropes, especially allowing for cultural shifts from the 1960s, when the character was first conceived. It’s a narrow tightrope to walk, however; as an extremely popular Marvel hero over the years, with several film adaptations, fans and audiences going into the film are familiar with Spider-Man and are willing to suspend their disbelief to enjoy the film. A bit of self-effacing humor is a part of the MCU’s style, but No Way Home is both a comics adaptation and is invoking previous well-received films. It shouldn’t be entirely serious, but audiences aren’t going to the theatre to be told that their expectations or favorite bits of movie and comic lore are silly.

Adaptation is unquestionably difficult. Many facets of comic history, especially taken out of context, can be weird or absurd, an issue that the MCU might itself begin to experience as the storylines that it explores grow more interrelated and cross multiple styles of media. Acknowledging that this can seem strange is fine; making fun of favorite powers, tropes, or conceits is something best done in moderation. In the real world, after all, brightly colored costumes aren’t all that sensible – keeping them in the films, however, makes for iconic scenes and moments. The various Spider-Man films in the MCU take place in a complex timeline, and No Way Home is no exception, of interrelated films. Pulling too hard on any of the tropes could bring the whole shared universe crashing down in a cynical joke.

Fans of the Spider-Man movies are in for a treat since No Way Home seems intent on bringing back some favorite characters and villains from previous film iterations. Like in those previous movies though, the filmmakers will have to remember that fans are seeing the film because they genuinely like the characters, and enjoy the tropes. A little teasing is fine, but they shouldn’t insult the audience for wanting to see a Spider-Man film. If they can thread that needle, Spider-Man: No Way Home could be a great next step forward for the character, and another great installment in the MCU.