Spider-Man may be one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes, but there are many things that no fan wants to acknowledge about the MCU version of the hero.

The MCU’s take on Spider-Man might well be a high-profile hero, but there are also several things that no fan of the franchise seems willing to admit about the character. Spider-Man is by far one of Marvel’s most iconic characters of all time, so it’s no surprise that the hero has been featured in multiple movies in the MCU. The version of the character that appears in the MCU is a little different from the more traditional takes on Spider-Man, changing many aspects of his backstory to help him better fit into the franchise.

Though the creative liberties the MCU has taken with Spider-Man have helped keep his story fresh and exciting, there are issues with the franchise’s version of the character that are often overlooked. Throughout Spider-Man’s MCU timeline, a number of unfortunate or ill-advised choices have gone largely unnoticed, with many fans neglecting to mention some of the weaker elements of the hero’s MCU story. Although Spider-Man has been an undeniable success in the MCU, there are still many things that no MCU fan is willing to admit about Spider-Man.

10. Spider-Man’s MCU Backstory Wastes A Great Character

Uncle Ben Should Be A Part Of Spider-Man’s Origin Story

Though many Spider-Man movie characters returned in No Way Home, Uncle Ben was not among them and was, in fact, markedly absent from Peter Parker’s MCU backstory. The MCU’s innovative take on Spider-Man’s origins and Aunt May’s role makes him a more tragic figure than ever, but it also wastes a great character in Peter’s Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben has proved a vital role as an inspirational figure and role model to Spider-Man, and passing that role to Aunt May effectively removed any need for Uncle Ben’s presence in the MCU’s Spider-Man story.

9. Spider-Man’s Early Reliance On Iron Man Felt Forced

Tying Spider-Man’s Story To Iron Man Was Unnecessary

The MCU’s Peter Parker may have been missing his most well-known father figure, but the franchise found him an unlikely replacement in Tony Stark. Entangling Iron Man’s MCU story with Spider-Man’s was actually one that undermined the young hero’s character in many ways. By forcing such a direct connection to the Avengers and the wider MCU, making Stark Spider-Man’s mentor felt somewhat forced in order to highlight Spidey’s place in the MCU. It may have been a novel way to link the hero to the broader universe, but it ultimately hurt Spider-Man’s MCU story.

8. Spider-Man Shouldn’t Have Been Drafted Into The MCU’s Avengers

The MCU Bringing Spider-Man Into The Hero Team Was Premature

One of the strangest elements of Spider-Man’s introduction into the MCU is also one of the most overlooked, as many fans fail to acknowledge that Spider-Man was made an Avenger far too soon. In canon, Peter Parker was only 14 when Tony Stark first involved him in the superhero team, introducing him as an Avenger before he’d ever been a hero in his own right. It would have made far more sense to introduce Spider-Man as a street-level hero and gradually induct him into the Avengers, and so it seems as though the MCU rushed his Avengers arc.

7. The MCU’s First Spider-Man Arc Might Undermine His Future

Making Spider-Man Too Important Too Soon Could Hurt His Next MCU Chapter

Spider-Man’s early introduction into the Avengers and subsequent stories might actually have damaging implications for his MCU future. The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 will show Spider-Man fighting crime on a more local level after the events of No Way Home. However, after having spent his earlier days in the franchise fighting alongside the Avengers and traveling through space, then fighting to protect the entire Multiverse from a reality-shattering spell, street-level heroics will undoubtedly seem like something of a downgrade for Spider-Man. By making the hero too important too soon, the MCU may well have undermined the character’s future.

6. Spider-Man Has Been Criminally Underused

The MCU Has Wasted Its Spider-Man (So Far)

In terms of wider pop culture, Spider-Man has long been Marvel’s most popular and successful hero. His time in the MCU so far simply doesn’t reflect his status in Marvel’s pantheon, as he’s yet to break into the franchise’s group of core heroes. Having made six appearances in the MCU to date, Spider-Man has only had three solo movies, all of which see him share focus with other MCU figures such as Iron Man, Nick Fury, and Doctor Strange. By failing to capitalize on Spider-Man’s massive popularity, it simply seems that the MCU has so far wasted the character.

5. The MCU Has Made Spider-Man Dependent On More Powerful Heroes

Spider-Man’s Solo Movies Are Too Connected To Other MCU Heroes

As Spider-Man was one of the very few Marvel heroes to have appeared in previous non-MCU movies, it follows that the franchise should embrace his place within the shared universe. However, the MCU’s approach to this idea has subtly undermined his status as a hero in his own right by making him reliant on other heroes. Both Homecoming and Far From Home’s stories are driven by Tony Stark and Stark technology, and No Way Home’s entire narrative stems from one of Doctor Strange’s spells gone wrong, making it seem as though the MCU’s Spider-Man is largely a secondary figure.

4. Spider-Man Has Barely Fought Any Crime In The MCU

Spidey’s True Calling Has Been Neglected

Considering that Spider-Man is largely a street-level crimefighter in the majority of his stories, the MCU’s iteration of the hero has fought an incredibly small amount of crime. In fact, it’s only Spider-Man: Homecoming that sees the hero directly fight crime in the traditional sense, as in every other appearance he’s primarily concerned with Avengers-level threats or Multiverse-breaking magic. This often-overlooked flaw in the MCU’s approach to Spider-Man is actually a failing of the essence of the character, and one that the franchise is seemingly seeking to fix with Spider-Man 4.

3. Homecoming’s Miles Morales Tease Came Too Early

The MCU Was Hinting At Replacing Peter Parker In His First Movie

In Spider-Man’s second MCU appearance and first solo movie, the franchise hinted at the existence of Miles Morales. It may be a fun Easter egg, but it also acknowledges Peter Parker’s successor in a very real way, teasing the hero’s eventual passing of the torch. Despite Miles Morales being a fan-favorite character, laying the foundations for Peter Parker’s Spider-Man successor came so early in his MCU story that it’s almost insulting to the character, and it’s all too often overlooked by those fans desperate to see Morales in live-action.

2. All Of The MCU’s Best Spider-Man Villains Are Gone

The MCU Isn’t Building Spider-Man A Rogues’ Gallery

Spider-Man possesses what is widely considered Marvel’s best roster of villains, but the MCU has so far failed these characters. Though the Spider-Man villains who have appeared in the MCU to date have been excellent, it seems that none are able to return. Vulture has moved over to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, Mysterio is dead, and No Way Home’s villains were returned to their own realities. By killing off or removing Spider-Man’s villains from the continuity, the MCU is bungling another important aspect of the hero.

1. The MCU’s Approach To Spider-Man Has Been Disappointing

The Franchise Hasn’t Done Spider-Man Justice

Overall, the MCU is failing its iteration of Spider-Man. Despite having the brilliantly-cast Tom Holland and a wealth of Marvel characters to have the hero interact with, the MCU has all but reduced Spider-Man to a sidekick (or, at least, a lesser hero). The franchise has also used up intriguing stories too soon or ignored them altogether, making for a very different, and in some ways disappointing, take on the character. Though it seems the MCU is moving forward in the right direction, the franchise has many Spider-Man mistakes still to fix.