‘Spider-Man 3’: Fans Want to See Peter Parker Finally Step Out of Tony Stark’s Shadow
Since Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was introduced into the MCU, he’s had Tony Stark by his side to help guide him along the way.
Save for the last film, Spider-Man: Far From Home, which took place in the immediate aftermath of Tony’s death in Endgame, Parker has always had Stark guide him as he grasps with being a superhuman. However, as Stark’s death gets further into the past, some fans finally want to see Peter Parker step out of his shadow and become his own man.
Tony and Peter find friendship
Since Peter Parker’s first MCU appearance in Captain America: Civil War, he’s been in a student/mentor relationship with Stark. After finding out about Parker’s unique spider abilities, he took him under his wing under the guise of mentorship, and a relationship grew from there.
When Spidey finally got his solo movie, it was Stark who came in to make sure that he wasn’t in over his head when fighting off the evil vulture.
This relationship bled over to Infinity War when Stark and Parker found themselves in an intergalactic search for the all-powerful Thanos.
After Parker stowed away on the spaceship that Stark was protecting the earth against, the two found themselves galaxies away, with the film ending on a sad note when Peter Parker faded into dust along with several other allies in the film’s shocking finale.
However, when they finally reunited at the end of Endgame, Stark made the ultimate sacrifice by snapping everything Thanos did away and taking his own life with it. In Far From Home, people see the fallout from this.
Parker no longer has Stark to guide him toward the right path, and he’s forced to reckon with his powers on his own.
Stepping out of Tony’s shadow
Fans on Reddit started discussing what Far From Home’s events will do for the MCU going forward. As of the end of 2020, it is the last MCU appearance we got after multiple delays.
However, since the previous film introduced a multiverse which, depending on who you ask, may or may not exist inside the MCU, people are wondering if it’s time to step out of Tony Stark’s shadow and do things on his terms.
Several users, like u/yitzike, want to see Parker’s story become more independent of Stark’s.
“We need a good Peter Parker story to complete his arc of stepping out of the shadows of Tony. Once this arc is complete, then maybe Multiverse.”
Some, like u/fictionfantom, see introducing a Multiverse as a hindrance that could rush an arc that should get some time to grow before entering such a complicated phase.
“This is probably the end of an arc and the start of a new one, just like Thor. I think this is the one where he completely steps out of Tony’s shadow and becomes his own man. After this one, no nano suits, no Happy, just back to being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”
The next chapter
With Sony on the verge of announcing some future projects at CCXP, whatever they say about the Spider-Man universe is sure to cause more buzz. They’re already creating a buzz with interesting casting choices from previous Spider-Man franchises and a lengthy void in new content thanks to the pandemic.
Now, fans of the franchise and the greater Marvel universe will have to wait to see where Spider-Man and the rest of the Avengers grow from here.
If the MCU has Tony Stark to blame for where it’s gotten, the upcoming slate of movies will dive deeper into what a world without its savior is like. Many see Spider-Man as this heir apparent. However, if there’s one thing that we know with MCU films, it’s impossible to predict precisely where it will go in the future.
