The 3 Superheroes Spider-Man Will Develop Bonds With in the MCU Moving Forward
Until Tony Stark’s bittersweet sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame — and the conclusion of his arc from selfish egotist to selfless savior — he and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker boasted a father-son dynamic in the MCU. The man with the heart of an arc reactor preserved a small space, right next to Pepper Potts, for the geeky web-slinger. Fans loved the on-screen chemistry between Spider-Man and Stark, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Peter faded into the abyss in Infinity War.
With the introduction of Phase 4 on the horizon — and new superheroes set to join the MCU — new character dynamics will come to define the landscape. As the original saviors take their final bows, new heroes will join existing members and form the saga’s new deep-seated relationships. However, who will Spider-Man grow close to? Following Tony Stark’s death, who will Parker come to trust, come to confide in, come to protect? Based on what we know so far, he will likely develop strong relationships with the three characters below.
1. Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel)
With a Disney+ series dedicated to Ms. Marvel on the way, Kevin Feige and Co. are bound to find a way to transfer the comic book relationship between Spidey and Ms. Marvel to the silver screen. In the comics, Kamala Khan (who goes by the name Ms. Marvel) looks up to Captain Marvel, and is a young heroine — new to savior school. Yet, she also functions as Peter Parker’s successor (of sorts).
Ms. Marvel, in certain comic book iterations, is depicted as another teen hero for readers to fall in love with. Introduced after Spidey, she boasts unique powers and a personality all her own, yet fills a similar space in the comic book realm. It’s likely that the MCU would choose to turn Peter Parker into a mentor, possibly setting the character up to lead the Young Avengers via Ms. Marvel. While this relationship may not come to fruition in Phase 4, it’s likely that the Disney+ show will cement the foundation necessary to build such a plotline.
2. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic)
According to Marvel Insider, Mikey Sutton — a source whose leaks have been credible in the past — Marvel plans to introduce Reed Richards as a new mentor to Spidey.
The character will not replace Tony Stark, but rather boast a professor-pupil dynamic with a like-minded scientist, as opposed to a father-son dynamic with an inexperienced superhero.
Parker and Richards will likely boast a relationship fueled by mutual respect, in which Spider-Man learns from Richards. And, maybe, just maybe, the two will fight side-by-side in future mash-ups, as the comic books feature more than one story in which Spidey teams up with the Fantastic Four.
3. Wade Wilson (Deadpool: will be new to the MCU)
In the comics, Deadpool and Spider-Man have a love-hate relationship. One is an antihero and the other is a goody two shoes; one does as he pleases while cursing up a storm, and the other is home in time for dinner.
After some bickering and some physical confrontations, the two come to respect and defend one another. Deadpool will be there for Spider-Man when need be, and then likely pretend that he just so happened to have the spare time with nothing better to do. The MCU can easily explore this dynamic, as it would fit within the landscape’s comedy-action shtick. Not to mention, breaking the fourth wall for jokes about Deadpool’s resemblance to Spidey (since his costume was inspired by Parker’s) would be priceless.
