Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third installment in the Spider-Man series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Directed by Jon Watts, the film explores the consequences of Peter’s secret identity being revealed and introduces multiverse crossovers, bringing together characters from previous Spider-Man film series.
Peter’s Identity Crisis
The movie picks up immediately after the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), where Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) revealed Peter Parker’s identity as Spider-Man to the world. Peter’s life is thrown into chaos as he is swarmed by the media, law enforcement, and public backlash. Along with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), Peter struggles to adjust to his life being public.
With his personal life and the lives of his loved ones in jeopardy, Peter turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help.
The Spell Gone Wrong
Peter seeks out Doctor Strange in the hopes of erasing everyone’s memory of him being Spider-Man. Strange agrees to cast a spell to make the world forget Peter’s identity. However, Peter keeps interrupting Strange during the spell, asking for exceptions (like keeping his loved ones’ memories intact). This disrupts the spell, causing a dangerous break in the multiverse, allowing villains from other dimensions to enter Peter’s reality.
The Multiverse Villains Arrive
Villains from previous Spider-Man movies begin appearing in the MCU, including:
Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) from Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) from Spider-Man (2002)
Electro (Jamie Foxx) from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) from Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Lizard (Rhys Ifans) from The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Each of these villains is pulled from their respective universes just before they died in battles with their versions of Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus is the first to encounter MCU Peter Parker, and after a brief battle, Peter captures him using Stark technology. Peter and Doctor Strange work together to capture the other villains, but Peter soon realizes that they were all destined to die fighting Spider-Man.
Peter’s Moral Dilemma
Peter, driven by his desire to help rather than harm, decides to find a way to cure the villains of their powers and give them a second chance, instead of sending them back to their universes to face their fates. This decision puts him at odds with Doctor Strange, who believes they must follow the original plan and return them to their own worlds.
In a thrilling chase, Peter steals the artifact holding the spell and traps Doctor Strange in the Mirror Dimension. Peter, with the help of Aunt May, begins working to rehabilitate the villains.
The Death of Aunt May
While Peter tries to cure the villains, Green Goblin’s alter ego, Norman Osborn, manipulates the situation, and chaos ensues. In a heart-wrenching scene, Norman (as Green Goblin) attacks Aunt May, leading to her death. Before she dies, Aunt May tells Peter the iconic line: “With great power, there must also come great responsibility,” echoing the core lesson of Spider-Man.
Her death leaves Peter devastated, filled with guilt and rage, pushing him to reconsider his decision to help the villains.
The Other Spider-Men Appear
Meanwhile, Ned discovers that he can open portals using Doctor Strange’s sling ring. While attempting to find their Peter, Ned and MJ accidentally summon alternate versions of Spider-Man—Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man from Sam Raimi’s trilogy and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man from Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man series.
The two alternate Spider-Men share their experiences with loss and responsibility, helping MCU Peter come to terms with Aunt May’s death. The three Spider-Men join forces to find and cure the remaining villains.
The Final Battle: Statue of Liberty Showdown
The final battle takes place at the newly renovated Statue of Liberty, where the three Spider-Men face off against the villains. The teamwork and camaraderie between the Spider-Men lead to a thrilling and nostalgic series of events as they cure Sandman, Lizard, and Electro.
However, Green Goblin sabotages the spell once again, causing the multiverse to fracture further. In a climactic moment, MCU Peter nearly kills Green Goblin in his rage, but Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man steps in, preventing him from making the same mistake he once did. Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man redeems himself by saving MJ in a parallel to the moment where he lost Gwen Stacy.
The Ultimate Sacrifice: Peter’s Choice
Doctor Strange manages to regain control of the spell, but the multiverse cracks are getting worse. The only way to stop the universe from falling apart is for everyone to forget Peter Parker completely—making the world forget not only that Peter is Spider-Man but that Peter Parker ever existed.
Peter makes the heartbreaking decision to let Strange cast the spell, erasing all memories of him. He says his goodbyes to MJ and Ned, promising to find them again, but knowing they won’t remember him.
The Epilogue:
In the aftermath, Peter visits MJ and Ned, but seeing how happy and safe they are without him, he decides not to reveal his identity. He moves into a small apartment and creates a new Spider-Man suit, taking on the role of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man once again, this time with no one knowing who he is.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a thrilling, emotional rollercoaster that celebrates the legacy of the Spider-Man character by uniting three generations of Spider-Man films. With stunning action, heartfelt moments, and a powerful message about responsibility and sacrifice, the film stands as one of the most memorable entries in the MCU, leaving fans eager for what’s next in Peter Parker’s journey.