Warning: This list contains major plot spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home!
The MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home has finally swung into theaters after months of anticipation and rumors regarding the Webhead's third solo outing in the franchise. The film has been met with rave reviews from critics and fans alike, an enthusiasm that has carried over to the box office, making it a strong contender for the most successful superhero solo film of all time.
The film takes strong inspiration from the 2007 Spider-Man comics storyline "One More Day," which saw Peter Parker make an ill-advised deal with Mephisto to save the life of Aunt May. While this was a much-hated story among Spider-Man fans, No Way Home picks and chooses the elements to include, making a much more satisfying story for the cinematic adaptation.
Similarities
Aunt May Dies
Aunt May's death is one of the tear-jerking scenes of No Way Home. as she fills the shoes of Uncle Ben, even uttering the famous motto, "With Great Power Must Also Come Great Responsibility." Her death is a major driving force for Peter in the third act of the film and harkens back to the comic book source material that the movie is based upon.
Much of the plot of "One More Day" revolves around Peter Parker's desperate search for anything that could save his Aunt May from dying after she is stricken by a bullet intended for him. May's death comes part-way through the storyline, turning Peter's mission into supernatural territory as he tries to find a source powerful enough to resurrect her.
Doctor Strange Makes An Appearance
Peter Parker finds assistance in the form of Doctor Strange in No Way Home, asking the former Sorcerer Supreme to erase the world's memory of his being Spider-Man. While Strange takes a backseat halfway through the film, his role in the comic book storyline proves to be even smaller.
In "One More Day," Strange is one of the first people that Spider-Man approaches in search of help for his dying aunt. However, the powerful sorcerer is unable to help, advising Peter that he should accept May's fate before taking his desperate hunt too far. The Webslinger doesn't listen to this sage advice, however, and continues to seek out new options.
MJ And Peter Are Separated
The finale of No Way Home saw every memory of Peter Parker erased from the timeline, leaving him all alone in the world, with no friends or family. Most tragic among those whose memories were erased is Peter's girlfriend MJ, who declares her love to him shortly before the spell takes effect.
This separation between Peter and MJ is the ultimate resolution of the "One More Day" arc, which saw the two's long-lasting marriage erased in exchange for May's life and the return of Peter's secret identity. This conclusion ultimately leads to one of the saddest interactions in Spider-Man comics history.
Peter's Secret Identity Plays A Part
The third film in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy heavily deals with the fallout of Mysterio's plan in Far From Home, which ended in the public revelation that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. With his identity exposed, Peter loses any semblance of a normal life, becoming a public pariah and a target of tirades from the Daily Bugle's J. Jonah Jameson.
This comic book storyline takes place shortly after Marvel's "Civil War" line-wide crossover event, which saw Peter Parker reveal his identity to the world in a press conference. The fallout of this decision sees Peter and his family targetted by Spider-Man's worst enemies, leading to May being shot. As a part of the demonic deal conducted in the film chapter of the saga, Peter's anonymity as Spider-Man is restored.
A Universal Reset
No Way Home ends with a semi-reset of Spider-Man's world, with every character except for Peter having their memories of the trilogy's events wiped completely. This reset sets up plenty of new storylines for the future of the MCU's Spider-Man, leaving the slate totally clean for any upcoming installments.
Similarly, the "One More Day" storyline bled directly into what was labeled "Brand New Day," by Marvel Comics, an era of Spider-Man history wherein the story got off to a fresh start, history was rewritten, and previously deceased characters were resurrected once more.
Different
No Inclusion Of Mephisto
One character absent from No Way Home is Marvel's version of the devil himself, Mephisto. The character is central to the "One More Day" storyline, making a deal with Spider-Man to restore his aunt's life and his secret identity in exchange for the erasure of his marriage with MJ.
Mephisto's absence from the film version of the storyline is not the first time that the character has eluded fans' expectations. He was heavily rumored to be involved in the events surrounding WandaVision and Loki, yet never appeared in either series. Now that one of the character's most prominent storylines has come and gone, it is uncertain whether or not he will ever appear in the MCU.
Peter Makes A Selfish Deal
No Way Home sees Peter Parker make a decision to protect the multiverse by sacrificing his own life, or at least the memories of that life. The character's sacrifice is incredibly selfless, and perfectly in line with what fans already knew about his heroic nature.
Unlike the selfless sacrifice of the MCU's Parker, the comic book version of the character acted very selfishly in this storyline, trampling on the lives and memories of his closest friends and family in order to save a single life. Ultimately, the hero suffered most of all but still managed to get what he wanted, saving May's life.
The Multiverse Is Part Of The Movie
The latest Spider-Man film has made headlines since its release for including the two previous actors to portray Peter Parker in live-action, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. After months of speculation, the three Spider-Man actors were finally united on the big screen, thanks to some multiversal mayhem that dropped previous film characters into the MCU.
The "One More Day" storyline is much more grounded in its approach, however. The multiverse has very little, if anything, to do with the comic story, and there are certainly no cameos from other versions of Peter Parker. Instead, the four-part event focuses more on Peter mulling over the offer he receives from Mephisto.
A Brawl With Villains
No Way Home sees three versions of Peter Parker take on multiversal variants of classic enemies, including some of the very best villains from previous Spider-Man films, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, and the Lizard. This all culminates in a thrilling final battle on and around the new-and-improved Statue of Liberty.
Unlike most other comic book stories, "One More Day" does not culminate in an epic final battle. In fact, there isn't even a primary antagonist. Instead, the story concludes with Mephisto making good on his deal with Peter, rewriting history without any violence or villainy required.
The Movie Has A Satisfying Conclusion
Spider-Man: No Way Home has only just been released, but it has already been applauded for its emotional and compelling story, which culminates in a tragic yet satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. This is in stark contrast to the comic book source material, which is infamous for its unsatisfying ending that angers Spider-Man fans even to this day.
This difference is perhaps the result of the nature of these endings. The universal reset in the comics was the editorial mandate of the higher-ups at Marvel Comics rather than the logical conclusion to the ongoing story, making the ending feel out of the blue and disappointing. The film version, however, presents its ending as the inevitable conclusion to a tragic turn of events, one that could only be lessened by the selfless sacrifice of a burgeoning hero. This change casts Peter Parker in a better light and ultimately proves to be a more fitting end to this chapter of his story.