The MCU changed Spider-Man - and the biggest Marvel problem since Avengers: Endgame proves it

After the blockbuster finale of the Infinity saga, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) goes full throttle. In addition to big budget series on Disney + and new ones Cinema hero: inside like Shang-Chi and the Eternals The entire MCU now rests on the shoulders of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The trailers and initial reactions make you want to go new multiverse with old adversariesBut Tom Holland’s latest adventure is representative of a big problem that Marvel’s money printing machine has had since the last two Avengers films – and that is slowly but surely making Spider-Man in particular a different character.

The biggest question about Avengers: Endgame is still unresolved

Avengers 3: Infinity War and Avengers 4: Endgame have only wiped out half the film universe (Thanos’ flick). Then the remaining Avengers and the rest of humanity spent five years trying to come to terms with it (Captain America’s support group). And then the flicked-away universe suddenly reappeared after five years (Hulks Schnippser).

Yves is really enthusiastic about Spider-Man: No Way Home – and surprised himself

Spider-Man: No Way Home is REALLY good | Review

–

—–

Since then, MCU films and series have been changing a central question: What happened to those who were left in the five years? Or more concretely: What does it do with relationships, with families, with all of humanity when they have to deal with such a trauma?

The Spider-Man films show that the MCU is hardly interested in deeper emotions

A very specific superhero in the MCU should be very familiar with such questions: Peter Parker. Then Spider-Man’s genesis is shaped by trauma, grief and processing. Peter Parker knows how difficult it is to move on after losing a loved one. Therefore, his solo stories would actually be ideal to bring us closer to this aspect of the big film world. But since Spider-Man has swung through the MCU, the dark aspects of its history have remained in the background.

–

Spider-Man: Far From Home prefers action in Europe instead of coping with trauma

–

Instead it works ostensibly about the Avengersto Peter’s longing to join the superhero team and his relationship with his surrogate uncle Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Trauma, grief, processing? Out of place in the Spider-Man films with Tom Holland. This is particularly evident in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The film continues after the traumatic events of Avengers: Endgame one. Peter and his friends: inside are back after the heroic journey through time of the Avengers. But the film makes little of this premise.

The most traumatic experience in Marvel history seems to be forgotten in the MCU with the snap of a finger

Instead, we get a recap of what happened on Midtown High News, an amateur newscast from students from Peter’s school. In doing so, we learn: No time has passed for those who have been cut back, while the rest of them have aged five years. Younger siblings are suddenly older than their actually bigger brothers and sisters. And the school year had to be started all over again, which annoys everyone, but apparently does not trigger deeper feelings. Endgame showed us a quick hug between Peter Parker and his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon)!

As a reminder, Avengers 4: Endgame marked the MCU’s previous action overkill

The Infinity Saga – Trailer (English) HD

–

—–

Spider-Man: Far From Home, on the other hand, takes no time for such sentimentality and jumps straight into the action after the brief flashback. Yes, Tony Stark is dead, So there can still be a little sadness, but actually everyone wants to look ahead and open the next chapter. The big picture seems more important than any single character’s personal story or that collective trauma of the world population by Thanos. But why actually?

The Spider-Man films with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield showed very different sides of the Marvel hero

It has long been apparent that the MCU has problems telling personal moments and instead tends to subordinate everything to the big meta-story. The infamous post-credit scene from Black Widow is the best evidence of this. The big Thanos question may be just one example of many where Marvel leaves big moments behind all too quickly. But it represents something that is since Spider-Man’s admission to the MCU generally can be observed.

–

Tobey Maguire als Spider-Man

–

Unlike many other Marvel superheroes: Inside, Spider-Man is not only a superhero, but has always been human. The friendly spider from the neighborhood always remained approachable despite her superpowers. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy has Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a likeable normal that the radioactive spider bite caused more personal problems than it could solve with spider webs. In addition to the traumatic death of his uncle, these were mainly down-to-earth problems such as the balancing act between job and relationship, to which the dual role as Spider-Man was added.

Even the two The Amazing Spider-Man films were not stingy with internal conflicts that Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) had to endure in their relationship.

The MCU can’t forget what makes Spider-Man special

At the MCU, Peter Parker wasn’t just snapped out of life and back again. In addition to his uncle, he also lost his greatest idol and mentor, Tony Stark. The MCU Spider-Man has seen, experienced and dealt with more than any other film version before him. But he is not allowed to. At least not really. Because it does not fit into the large MCU plan.

If you have to shoulder the next chapter of the great meta-narrative, at the same time compete against a multiverse of super villains and presumably have to open a whole Spider-Verse, you probably don’t have time to feel, mourn and come to terms with it.

Spider-Man: No Way Home could usher in an urgently needed turnaround here. Even if the world population seems to snap into the afterlife situation finally ticked off. Then Peter Parker deserves morethan just being the funny guy with the carefree nature – and so are we.

Podcast: Is Spider Man: No Way Home the best Marvel movie of the year?

Three Marvel experts from our colleagues from FILMSTARTS discuss the most anticipated Marvel film of the year, Spider-Man: No Way Home. Spoilers only come after a clear warning, don’t worry.

The MCU changed Spider-Man – and the biggest Marvel problem since Avengers: Endgame proves it