Warning! This article contains major SPOILERS for Daredevil: Born AgainDaredevil: Born Againjust confirmed a harsh reality: even theMCU’s Spider-Man isn’t safe. It’s fair to say that Tom Holland’s wall-crawler has encountered a far greater threat than his live-action predecessors after going toe-to-toe withthe MCU’s most formidable villainyet, Thanos, inAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. While this might suggest that he is more than qualified to take on cosmic threats capable of wiping out half of the universe, he was subsequently humbled by such tech-wielding street-level villains as Mysterio and Green Goblin inSpider-Man: Far From HomeandSpider-Man: No Way Home, respectively.
Spider-Man is due to returninSpider-Man 4in 2026. Its proximity toAvengers: Doomsdayhints that this won’t be the street-level adventure many had hoped for, though details about the story, including which villain Spidey will face, are still forthcoming. Whatever the case, there are several indications that Spider-Man is no Wolverine, and while his power-set places him amongthe MCU’s most powerful superheroes,Daredevil: Born Againhelps to prove how easy it would be to cut Spider-Man’s MCU career brutally short.
Daredevil: Born Again Just Confirmed How Vulnerable Superheroes Can Be
Most Superpowers Can’t Stop A Bullet To The Head
Daredevil: Born Againrevealed that there are even moreNew York-based vigilantes in the MCUto bolster the ranks of such mainstays as Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Doctor Strange. This has formed the basis for Wilson Fisk’s political career as he begins rallying against vigilantism, stoking public disdain for the practice. This culminated in a tragicend toDaredevil: Born Againepisode 3, wherethe noble vigilante veteran, White Tiger, was executed seemingly at Fisk’s behest. His murder was shockingly efficient, with a single gunshot to the head being all it took to permanently remove White Tiger from the picture.
White Tiger met a similar end in Marvel Comics, except he was shot on the steps of the courtroom after losing his trial and attempting to escape.
What’s more shocking, however, is thatDaredevil: Born Againwas sure to establish thatWhite Tiger has superpowersgranted to him by the amulet he was wearing. This sets a terrifying precedent, as the show reminds us thatnobody except the likes of Deadpool and Wolverine can survive a bullet to the head. Sure, Spidey’s “Peter tingle” is explicitly designed to shield him from such surprises, but with characters like Mysterio and Green Goblin proving that this doesn’t make him omniscient, it’s easier than ever to fathom the possibility of just one well-placed bullet writing him out of the MCU.
Spider-Man’s Secret Identity Is Even More Necessary After No Way Home
Green Goblin Proved That Villains Will Target People Spider-Man Cares About
Spider-Man: No Way Homealso ended tragically, as Peter Parker accepted complete anonymity after Doctor Strange unleashed the full force of the Runes of Kof-Kol. Despite promising MJ and Ned that he would remind them of his identity after the spell,reflecting on the danger his loved ones were placed in as a result of his identity being made public caused him to refrain. As heart-wrenching as this decision was, it was a wise move from Peter Parker and indicative of his maturity now that he is entering adulthood.
Why Peter Didn’t Keep His Promise To MJ In No Way Home’s Ending
Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter making a major decision about a promise he’d made to MJ, and there are a few factors that explain why he does.
Green Goblin aimed straight at the heart of Peter Parker’s vulnerability, Aunt May, after recognizing the depth of their bond - which is a move that plenty like him will be quick to replicate. This threat could also expand to an army of regular citizens, as Fisk is helping to prove by stirring up anti-vigilante sentiment. Even ifSpider-Man’s incredible powershelped to shield him from danger directly, those he cares about, like MJ and Ned, would not be so easily protected.
Sadly, Daredevil: Born Again Makes A Reverse Of No Way Home’s Spell Even Less Likely
New York Is An Even More Perilous Place For Vigilantes
The extrajudicial killing of White Tiger could encourage copycats. Fisk’s dogged campaign to vilify vigilantes in the public eye, meanwhile, makes the environment even less hospitable for Spider-Man to divulge his identity to anyone. Asthe end ofSpider-Man: No Way Homepainfully illustrated, Peter Parker has never been so alone, but any attempts to remedy his loneliness in the wake of his fateful decision would be extremely ill-advised.Now more than ever, Spider-Man should embrace his newfound anonymity.
It would be a somewhat refreshing about-face for the MCU to embrace superhero anonymity in the wake of Fisk’s rise to power and his anti-vigilante sentiment.
It would be a somewhat refreshing about-face for the MCU to embrace superhero anonymity in the wake of Fisk’s rise to power and his anti-vigilante sentiment. It would be a stark indication of howthe MCU is being turned on its head as vigilantes like Spider-Man re-embrace anonymity after the MCU began with Tony Stark’s self-exposureas Iron Man. Whatever the case, as the implications of Fisk’s rule continue to unfurl inDaredevil: Born Again, hope remains that Spider-Man can survive them should they affect his next appearance inSpider-Man 4.
Daredevil: Born Again
Cast
Daredevil: Born Again follows blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who uses his heightened abilities to pursue justice in New York. As he manages a bustling law firm, former mob boss Wilson Fisk navigates political ambitions, leading both men toward a confrontation as their pasts resurface.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the first sequel to the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity from the public’s memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.
