11 Legit Tearjerker Moments From The Spider-Man Movies
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"I believe there's a hero in all of us."
On a good day, Spider-Man's life is full of small indignities, humiliations, and insults. He rarely gets the cool action pose or the sweeping, epic hero moment; if he's lucky, he gets a smart quip, and that's about it. He's always in over his head; it seems like he's devising strategies in real time, as fiery chaos erupts around him.
And it's this reason why Spider-Man has endured for so long. His powers do not give him confidence; in fact, they have the opposite effect. They make him nervous and anxious, and he's constantly burdened by the responsibility they bestow upon him.
As audience members, we identify with Spider-Man's vulnerability and his impulsive urge to always do the thing, even if it hurts him.
Here are the 11 most emotional moments from the Spider-Man movies, starting with Sam Raimi's 2002 classic and up to the brand new Spider-Man: Far From Home.
11. I Just Really Miss Him
Movie: Spider-Man: Far From Home
Tony Stark serves mainly as subtext for the majority of the movie. You see a mural of him on a wall, a candlelit shrine in an alleyway, and a poster at an airport. But the implication is clear: Stark's absence haunts Peter, and burdens him with expectations that he's too young to bear. Because Peter, in addition to losing a mentor, lost a father figure, before that father could help him become a man.
At Peter's lowest moment, he says what both he and the audience have been thinking since Endgame: "I just really miss him." And Happy Hogan, who lost his best friend, commiserates and takes on the vacant father figure role in Peter's life. He's perfect for it.
10. You Mess With All Of Us
Movie: Spider-Man
It's a little hokey when viewed through modern eyes. But context is all-important; this movie came out after 9/11. In fact, the World Trade Center had to be edited out of Spider-Man's final cut. The moment where New Yorkers banded together to protect one of their own and fight for their city hit hard in the hearts of viewers. This was flag-waving done right.
9. The Birth of Sandman
Movie: Spider-Man 3
The third Raimi film might be the most critically divided, but it does have a single, incredible, emotional scene. It's when Sandman first takes form, and he struggles to hold himself together. He collapses a few times, but finally approximates a human shape. And that's when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees a locket picture of his daughter, who's dying of cancer. He tries to grab it, but the locket slips through his sandy fingers. All that effort, all that crime, to save her life, and he couldn't even hold her picture for comfort in his worst moment.
8. Escaping The Rubble
Movie: Spider-Man: Homecoming
It's the key moment in the film, where Vulture buries Peter under rubble, expecting him to suffocate or get crushed to death. But after sobbing and pitying himself for a couple of minutes, he lifts the rubble off of himself and continues his pursuit. Tony Stark lectured his mentee earlier in the film: "If you're nothing without this suit, then you shouldn't have it." In this scene, with nothing but himself and his own grit, he avoids a grisly fate.
7. So Where's My Dad?
Movie: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Uncle Ben moment in the "Amazing" movies shows the complexity of Peter and Ben's relationship, and it is a raw depiction of the resentment and abandonment that Peter felt toward his father. No one is completely right in this scenario; they both crossed unspoken lines to make their points. And unfortunately, it would soon be too late for either of them to take it back.
6. Keeping The Secret
Movie: Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man saved an out-of-control New York subway from careening off the tracks. And after some pretty heavy-handed Christ imagery (see above), the passengers he saved are touched and shocked by how young he is. And despite seeing his face, they promise to keep his identity safe.
One thing Raimi did in all three of his Spidey films was to feature average New Yorkers, who were wholly supportive of their hometown hero. There's a refreshing optimism and hopefulness to the Raimi films that was lacking in the "Amazing" films that came afterward.
5. In Memoriam
Movie: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Into the Spiderverse showed true guts when, to close out Act I, Kingpin killed Peter Parker, as Miles Morales looked on in horror. But the tearjerking part came a few minutes later, when the world found out about his death and collectively mourned. M.J. gave a beautiful eulogy at his funeral. And even Stan Lee used one of his last cameos to pay tribute to his favorite creation:
Stan: I'm going to miss him.
Miles: Yeah.
Stan: We were friends, you know.
Miles Morales : Can I return [the costume] if it doesn't fit?
Stan: It always fits. Eventually.
4. The Death of Peter Parker
Movie: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
This is only tearjerking in retrospect. But upon second and third viewings, the precious minutes that Peter and Miles share together become even more tragic. Peter wanted to mentor Miles, and give him the direction and guidance he never had himself. To watch these scenes, knowing it's all going to be ripped away, is heartbreaking.
3. The Death of Uncle Ben
Movie: Spider-Man
The first Uncle Ben death was the worst one, because the line of responsibility between Peter and his uncle's demise couldn't be clearer and more direct. Given the chance to stop a thief, Peter steps aside, since the victim had previously cheated him out of money. And when that same thief carjacked, shot, and killed Uncle Ben, it changed Peter's life forever. With great power comes great responsibility, and Peter learned that there are more important worthy causes than his hurt feelings. He could no longer afford to be petty, and he had to pursue a higher moral calling.
2. The Death of Gwen Stacy
Movie: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
What makes this moment especially gut-wrenching is how close it comes to being a happy ending. We've seen Spidey pull this move hundreds of times before, where an innocent person is falling to his or her death, and Spidey manages to web-sling them to safety at the last minute. But this time, it didn't go well, and Peter is left sobbing on the floor, cradling the love of his life in his arms.
1. A Hero In All Of Us
Movie: Spider-Man 2
The great Rosemary Harris played Aunt May for the three Raimi films, and although Marisa Tomei is a fun reimagining of the character, Harris's depiction is iconic. Classically trained for theater, Harris delivered a monologue about heroes and their importance during the film's emotional climax:
"Kids like Henry need a hero, courageous, self-sacrificing people setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most--even our dreams."