Spider-Man and Phase 4: A Peak into the Multiverse

ALERT: MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR “Spider-Man: No Way Home”

The new Spider-Man movie was packed with action and emotional scenes, but in all the chaos, what could an average viewer miss?  

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is something completely different for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The movie is doing its own thing and does not follow the comics.

There are easter eggs, references and plot connections to other stories, often outside the MCU. 

Even though the story is quite different, “No Way Home” can be compared to the 4-part comic storyline, “One More Day.” 

Sophomore Laney Paulk is a comic enthusiast.

“Long story short, Aunt May is dying, and Peter makes a deal with a demon to erase his marriage to MJ to save May,” Paulk said.“It’s fairly obvious that ‘No Way Home’ draws heavy inspiration from this story, expanding on some of the central elements.”

As Peter Parker gets thrown into the multiverse, he comes into contact with a large cast of Marvel characters.

There are subtle nods to the audience, like when Jamie Foxx’s Electro mentions that there must be a black Spider-Man- Miles Morales. 

At other times, the crossovers are integrated into the plot, like Matt Murdock or Daredevil becoming Peter’s lawyer.

Senior Logan Raimondi, a fan of the movie, reflects on that moment. 

 “I didn’t catch it at first, but I did realize later on that the lawyer in the beginning was Daredevil,” Raimondi said.

Daredevil isn’t the only TV character making their way into the MCU. 

With his appearance in “Hawkeye,” Kingpin or Wilson Fisk is also getting integrated into the multiverse.

Anything is possible with this new phase. 

In a way, Peter Parker is being used as an introduction to what multiversal madness can be. Future movies can promise new and old villains and even more cinematic crossover. 

Believe it or not, this isn’t uncommon.

Within the comic book community, the lines of reality are often bent. 

“Characters have been rebooted and changed to suit the needs of the writer,” Paulk said. “Multiple versions of characters have existed in separate comics at the same time, and some have just been flat-out erased from the universe.” 

This is exactly what “Spider-Man: No Way Home” does, especially with its connection to the Disney+ series “Loki.”

If you are familiar with the ending, you know that Sylvie kills He Who Remains or Natheniel Richards, starting the Multiversal War.

This catastrophic event breaks the fabric of reality and may be the reason Doctor Strange’s spell backfires.

Now more than ever, Marvel is gaining popularity, and the fourth phase offers so much potential, like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”

Fans are flocking to get a look at new content which becomes lucrative for the company.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” has already grossed $1.53 billion, and with profits like that, it’s hard to see the MCU stopping anytime soon.

“Considering it grossed a lot of income very fast in the box office… I think a lot of companies are gonna jump onto that bandwagon,” Raimondi said. 

In all honesty, the movie is solid and not many people have complaints. 

On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 93 percent, and IMDb gave it a rating of 8.7/10.

The film has a lot of memorable moments that define it.

Andrew Warren, a history teacher and an avid moviegoer, recalls a defining scene. 

“I think Tom Holland is someone who has succeeded in growing into the role,” Warren said. “[A memorable scene to me is the] closing scene; in which he’s living on his own in a bad apartment creating his own costume and swinging through time square. That is what I think of when I think of Spider-Man.”