Tom Holland’s performance as Peter Parker-Man throughout the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe put him at the top of the list in terms of the most popular Spider-Man portrayals in history. While the action set pieces are memorable, it is Holland’s work and the writing teams that really made the character shine.
The MCU’s Peter Parker is given some of the funniest quotes in the franchise as well as some of the most heartfelt. That’s a line the character often walks and both sides help define who he is and the kind of hero he aspires to be.
“When You Can Do The Things That I Can, But You Don’t…They Happen Because Of You.”
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The first scene to feature Peter Parker in the MCU sees him have a heart-to-heart with Tony Stark about being a superhero. Right from the start, it’s evident that Peter understands what it means to be a hero even though he’s still just a kid. He knows that he has been given great power and he comprehends the value of using it.
This line shows that Peter puts a great deal of pressure on himself. He feels that standing idly by on the sidelines as bad things happen, when you have the ability to prevent them, makes those bad things his fault. It’s telling of how pure at heart Peter is.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Although he thinks of the deep, important meanings behind certain things, Peter Parker is still just a kid at heart. He is a fan of the Avengers and is not shy about making that known. His first fight sees him catch a punch thrown by Bucky’s metal arm and this is his response.
Peter stops in his tracks to point out how cool the arm is. This shows the playful nature that makes Peter such a special and unique character in the MCU. More often than not, his reaction to the awesome things around him allows him to speak for the audience.
“I Just Wanted To Be Like You.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Each solo Spider-Man movie in the MCU sees him work with a mentor figure and none loomed larger or meant more to him than Tony Stark. The bond between Peter and Tony remains one of the strongest in the franchise even after Tony’s death in Avengers: Endgame. During Spider-Man: Homecoming, Tony has to scold Peter for his rash decisions about trying to be a hero.
This is Peter’s response and Tony fires back with, “And I wanted you to be better.” This shows how they both see their relationship. Tony believes he can help mold Peter into the kind of hero even he couldn’t be while Peter wants to be just like this person who he’s always looked up to.
“Come On, Peter. Come On, Spider-Man.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
On its own, this doesn’t seem like the kind of line that anyone would consider important. It’s all about the situation though as it comes when Peter is trapped under rubble and things look dire for him. He manages to free himself by pumping himself up verbally with these words.
The moment is big for Peter as he comes to realize that he isn’t “nothing without the suit.” He and Spider-Man are one and the same and he can be a great hero whether he has the special costume Tony designed for him or not. Without this moment, it’s likely that Peter never becomes the kind of hero he eventually is.
“I’m Not Iron Man.”
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Following the death of Tony Stark, the world starts searching for a new hero to lead the way. Many people look towards Spider-Man, especially given the suit Peter wears looks a lot like the one Iron Man wears. When this happens in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the world doesn’t know that the guy under the suit is just a teenager.
That is far too much pressure even for Peter Parker, who breaks down about it when talking with Happy. He knows everyone needs a new Iron Man but that isn’t who he is. He’s not ready to lead the Avengers and he doesn’t want to. Peter just wants to be a normal teen for a while yet that isn’t what’s in the cards for him.
“Come On, Peter Tingle.”
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
As is the case when he survives the rubble in Homecoming, Peter is big on self-talk. Everyone around him believes or needs so much from him, yet he often has to be the one to give himself the pep talk needed to get through everything. That happens again when he’s battling Mysterio in the climax of Far From Home.
Throughout the film, the “Peter Tingle,” better known as the Spidey-Sense, isn’t working. It doesn’t come out when Peter needs it and has the potential to lead to his death if he doesn’t get it right against the drones he’s facing. Peter takes a deep breath and motivates himself to get it to work, which results in his survival.
“Ever Since I Got Bit By That Spider, I’ve Only Had One Week Where My Life Has Felt Normal.”
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Regardless of his time as a superhero, Peter remains grounded by the people closest to him outside of the suit. His aunt May, his best friend Ned, and his girlfriend MJ. By the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter and MJ have been an item for a short but important period of time.
While talking on the phone, Peter explains what the bond with MJ means to him. On top of the romantic feelings he has for her, she also makes him feel calm and at peace. His life has been hectic since gaining his superpowers and the world is almost always in peril but being with MJ makes him feel better.
“What’s Cooler Than Magic? Math.”
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
At his heart, Peter Parker is a nerd. He loves things like Star Wars and idolizes the Avengers but he’s also brilliant when it comes to academics. There’s also the fact that he often tries to act cool yet misses the mark and sometimes says things that are actually corny.
All of that comes together in No Way Home when he manages to best Dr. Strange in the Mirror Dimension. Peter figures out the math that can get him past Strange and he delivers this cheesy line when he succeeds. It’s perfectly in line with who Peter is.
“I Don’t Want To Brag But I Will, I Was In The Avengers.”
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Although the obvious similarities are there between the three versions of Peter Parker in No Way Home, there’s one key experience that the MCU’s Peter has that the others don’t. He has worked as part of a team thanks to his time with the Avengers.
Peter relays that information to his fellow Peter Parkers who don’t quite understand it. However, it makes total sense that this is something Peter would bring up. He was excited about becoming a member and he’s proud of what he did with them.
