Spider-Man: No Way Home ending lifts a Marvel Comics twist that could pay off

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.]

Spider-Man, There’s No Way HomeThe film ends with an unexpected sacrifice. Many fans thought this might be the end of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, though it isn’t. It’s not. It isIn a way, he ends for Peter Parker.

As the multiverse threatens to come crashing down on the world as he knows it, Peter makes a choice: He asks Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will make everyone in every universe forget who the MCU’s Peter Parker is. Although Spider-Man is still remembered for his heroisms, the whole world doesn’t know the little boy behind the mask. It’s an act of true selflessness, one that leaves Peter alone in the world for the very first time.

Though it might have taken some viewers by surprise, there’s actually a pretty serious precedent for this in the comics. So if you want to know what could happen next, it’s time to dig into some of the most divisive comics of the 2000s.

Mephisto, first

The much-maligned Spider-Man: Spider-Man – One Day arc started by writer J. Michael Straczynski and essentially completed by writer-artist-editor Joe Quesada, Aunt May is at death’s door. She’s been hit with a bullet meant for her nephew, and because he’s broke, she’s about to be moved to a “charity ward.’’ Peter goes on a rampage, trying to come up with a plan to solve his woes — which all stem from revealing his identity at the behest of Tony Stark.

In a desperate moment, he goes to see Stephen Strange — sound familiar? — but while Stephen can’t help him, he sends Peter into a magical realm to see if he can find the answer for himself. Peter can’t find someone to help him so he returns to Stephen. He tells Peter to let go of May. Alas, before Peter can reach her he’s waylaid by a terrifying child who’s actually Mephisto (essentially the Satan of the Marvel Comics universe) in disguise. Was there anything Mephisto wanted in return for Aunt May being saved? Peter holds the most dearly Mary Jane, their love and their union.

If that sounds like a weird deal, it’s because it is and that’ll come into play later. But eventually after “one more day” together, Peter and MJ agree to sacrifice their love to save Aunt May.

Peter Parker got his secret identity back

Image: J. Michael Straczynski, Joe Quesada/Marvel COmics

As part of the deal MJ makes, Mephisto agrees to erase everyone’s memories of Peter as Spider-Man. So not only are they not in love any more, but Peter’s privacy is restored. The horrifying truth comes to the fore, though, as it’s revealed the spooky child Peter saw was his and Mary Jane’s daughter, who will now never exist thanks to the deal. Bleak.

The four issue story arc ends with a party for Harry Osborn, who’s returned from rehab AND the dead. Peter and Aunt May are happy. The issue ends with a cheer to a “Brand New Day,” announcing the name of the Amazing Spider-Man relaunch to follow. It’s there that readers really learn the fallout of the deal and its ramifications on Peter Parker.

Spider-Man has disappeared from the scene for months, and Peter uses his anonymity as a means to find a job. J. Jonah Jameson is disappointed at the absence of Spider-story-worthy stories. Spider-Man’s alter ego is no longer remembered by any of his heroic friends in the Avengers, Fantastic Four, or anyone else. But it’s revealed that he and MJ were in a relationship and were supposed to get married. They are now separated because that has never happened. The couple may appear to have a chance of reuniting for a time, but this never occurs. MJ is hiding her identity — at the behest of her new celebrity boyfriend — and so is the newly anonymous Spider-Man.

The reason he’s been keeping the Spider-Man identity under wraps is because he’s unregistered, following the events of Civil WarThe registration act for superheroes. It shows Peter returning to street-level living, with no romance entanglement and all his regular money worries. Although it might seem like a dramatic way to get what can be done with a divorce or Peter being unmasked it was exactly what Marvel Comics desired.

How did Spider-Man’s choice change the Marvel Universe?

Image: Dan Slott, Steve McNiven/Marvel Comics

J. Michael Straczynski (original writer) says the principal intention was to create a new world.Stay for another daywas never to separate Mary Jane Parker from Peter Parker. Marvel editorial, Joe Quesada, and Marvel editorial believed that Peter Parker was held back by his marriage. So they found a solution. It’s still a controversial choice and one that’s still being felt to this day. Peter and Mary Jane have never married again.

The choice made it easier for Marvel to align the comics with the Spider-Man movie canon, which featured an unmarried, will-they-won’t-they Peter and Mary Jane. This all came with an assumed freedom to tell far more simple villain of the week tales that didn’t have to deal with marriage troubles.

Although it’s all very convoluted, Marvel Comics’ editorial established rules about exactly how the forgetting worked — and those rules could potentially help explain some things about You can’t go home!. For example, most of the events that occurred before the Mephisto deal are still relevant. People just don’t remember Peter Parker being involved. And those who do remember seeing Spider-Man’s face can’t quite remember the face itself, and certainly not his name.

In the years since, some characters have rediscovered Spider-Man’s secret identity — including Aunt May, Doctor Octopus, and even J. Jonah Jameson himself. The genie has been put back in the bottle for most of the time. While Nick Spencer and Ryan Ottley’s recent Amazing Spider-ManRun teased with a resolution Stay for another dayPeter was still in denial about his agreement at the end. In a surprising twist, Mary Jane now does remember the deal she made with Mephisto, but won’t tell Peter.

It’s impossible to say how much of this will become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — after all we don’t even know when Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will appear again. Sony and Marvel Studios do not currently have plans for a Spider-Man movie starring him (but never say never). If Spider-Man does return, You can’t go home! has ensured one thing: It’ll be a brand new day.