Why Tom Holland Is My Favorite Spider-Man

[u/SHERlockedNloaded]

I grew up on Andrew's Spider-Man and I absolutely loved him. I remember watching his first film and immediately pretending to be a webslinging hero afterwards on the monkey bars. So obviously I was genuinely distraught when I learned that they were doing another Spider-Man reboot and replacing him.

And then I watched Spider-Man: Homecoming, and I immediately changed my mind. I LOVE Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, but there was always this disconnect because he didn't really feel like a teenager to me--especially when I actually became one.

I grew up alongside Tom Holland's Peter, and I understood him because he was more relatable to me. Nowadays we have a world of resources at our fingertips, and I think it would be plain stupid not to explore that in this universe. So all the "Iron Man Jr." stuff is ridiculous to me. I like that they explore new suits and all that tech, because they do remind us, "Hey, yeah these are really flashy and cool. But they aren't what make Spider-Man." Like that's one of the central themes in the first film; "If you're nothing without this suit, then you shouldn't have it."

Spider-Man was originally self-made. Tom made a sweet first Spidey suit and webs and was out on his own before Tony recruited him. Then he got the new suit, got a taste of being an avenger, and wanted to join. Who wouldn't? Those are his HEROES. He grew up idolizing them. And then he learns that maybe his place is with the little guy (I do wish we got more of Tom and New York interacting. I personally don't love the Tobey Maguire films, but his relationship with the citizens of New York was one of my favorite aspects of it). Anyway, he learns he doesn't need the suit or Stark's help.

In FFH, he thinks that because his mentor died, there needs to be a replacement. The responsibility (which is a huge aspect of Spider-Man's character) threatens to strangle him because how on Earth can he be like his idol? He barely even knew the guy. He finds a new Idol in Mysterio (kids are taught to trust their elders and role models) and is betrayed (adults aren't perfect and can hurt you). Peter learns to trust himself (seen with the learned Spidey-sense) and his intuition instead of what people say and what he sees. He learns to trust himself and be himself as well.

And then his identity gets exposed. Poor Peter; kid just can't catch a break.

Suddenly, his family and friends are being hurt just because they know him. Their opportunities are being withheld, people are throwing rocks through his window, etc etc. Peter goes to Dr. Strange for help (the, like, one superhero mentor he has left) because what's wrong with asking for help? Kids are supposed to have a support system--too bad the universe has it out for Peter. The spell is botched (which btw, why the heck did Dr. Strange not completely debrief Peter on the entire spell and its consequences, etc.? Though I will say, I think Peter should've just kept his mouth shut and retold Aunt May & Co.), bringing in villains, some of whom are going to die. Peter is hesitant because he doesn't think it's his responsibility, but Aunt May convinces him otherwise. At first I was like, "Shut UP Aunt May. They're villains and they honestly kind of deserved it. Their deaths were their fault." But these aren't the Joker (who should definitely be put down, because he's irredeemable). They have actual factors that are making them the way they are and second chances are important. So they try to make cures, things fall apart, and Aunt May and Peter pay the price. After all, "No good deed goes unpunished."

Peter wants to give up the responsibility. He just lost the last living relative, a fifth parent (if you consider Tony a near parent, and if Uncle Ben was an actual person in this universe). But the other Peters, who have suffered too, who have lived different but similar lives and have advice and help to give, step in to help cure their villains because they get a second chance too. Tobey's Peter gets to save Doc Ock and Sandman (and plays a big help in saving Green Goblin), and Andrew gets to save MJ like he couldn't save Gwen, and also save his respective villains (though he did help Curtis Conners already, he played a big part in Electro's fate).

And Peter pays for his small act of selfishness regarding the spell by having the only people he has left in his support system completely forget who he is. They've helped him, supported him, loved him--and they've all been hurt by him. Just because they know him.

So he decides the best course of action is to be totally independent. Everyone who helps him gets hurt. So no more. He's completely on his own, with no support, no records (as far as we can tell), and an entirely clean slate.

A second chance.

You can see the "Never give up" theme shine clearly in the end of the last film. Peter's lost everything. But he still has that glimmer of hope in his eyes when he's looking at his new shoddy apartment. He makes his own suit using the sewing machine from May, combining the suits from the other two Peter's.

We started out with a high school kid given powers in a world where superheroes are prevalent and have been for a while. We skip past the origin story because we already had it twice, why do it again? ((Though eventually, I would really like to know how it was, since there's no Oscorp and there's no actual confirmation that Uncle Ben existed, other than the suitcase in FFH that has his initials)). Peter's youth is excellently explored, and now he's at a spot where the Spider-Man we're more familiar with--the one with more experience, quips, loneliness, independence, and badassery. Plus, now he has a perfectly good reason to withhold his identity (if they choose to go down that route), since he learned that everyone who knows him gets hurt. Though maybe the next lesson in the 4th movie--if there is one--will be that letting people in is important and we don't have always control over bad things that happen.

Anyway, those are my (somewhat jumbled) thoughts on Tom Holland's Spider-Man, and why he's ultimately my favorite in live action.

[u/usernamalreadytaken0]

I appreciate your analysis on who often seems like a more underrated character in the MCU, but is nonetheless also one of my favorites.

Take the upvote.

[u/SHERlockedNloaded → u/usernamalreadytaken0]

thanks, man!