The Real Reason Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man Became A Hero

Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker has a classic origin story in Spider-Man, but there's a subtle clue to why he truly became a hero. Maguire's run as Peter Parker in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films in the 2000s is perhaps the definitive Spidey performance. While several actors have played Spider-Man in both live-action and animated projects since then, Maguire was the first to swing onto the big screen in a big-budgeted Marvel film. The actor starred in three Spider-Man movies altogether, and a fourth was a possibility for years. However, 2007's Spider-Man 3 marked Maguire's last performance as the web-slinger before his incredible reappearance in Marvel's Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Maguire's appearance in the MCU has renewed interest in his superhero performance as Spider-Man in Raimi's trilogy. With his return to his Spider-Man role in the film alongside Tom Holland's and Andrew Garfield's versions of the character as an older version of Raimi's Parker, the nostalgia was dialed up massively. Even pre-release set leaks, interesting Spider-Man Easter eggs in the No Way Home trailer, and other characters from Raimi's movies couldn't dampen the impact when he appeared.

Though Maguire's Spider-Man has a typical origin story, some details may reveal how his version of the character became a hero. According to a theory (via Reddit), Maguire's Parker became a superhero because he liked comic books, which initially put the idea in his head. The theory has several pieces of evidence, including Parker saying DC superhero catchphrases, such as "Shazam," while learning how to shoot his webbing. Later, Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) tells him, "You're not Superman, you know?" Spider-Man 2 adds to the theory, having Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man ask Aunt May where his comic books went as she clears her house, showing he had a collection.

Peter Parker aiming his web in Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man's comic book knowledge could easily factor into his superhero origin story, particularly as No Way Home reveals that superheroes are a rarity in Raimi's universe. From the lines in the movie, it's clear DC's comic books exist in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man universe, and Parker was a comic book nerd. With stories of superpowered humans fighting crime filling his head, it's understandable that Spider-Man would follow suit. Additionally, Maguire's Peter Parker makes drawings of his superhero costume, which look like they're right out of a comic book. From the catchphrases to his costume design, comic books seem to have some influence over the character.

While the death of Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) drove Spider-Man to become a hero, his love of comics could've provided the slight nudge he needed. Uncle Ben's words, "With great power comes great responsibility," serve as a direct inspiration for Spider-Man's heroic turn in the 2002 film. Aunt May also helps Spider-Man in his hero's journey, saying that his Uncle Ben knew he was meant for "great things." Still, there's a big jump between "great things" and fighting a bloodthirsty Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) with pumpkin bombs. However, comic books could've given Parker a last push in the right direction. After all, before going out to fight crime in Spider-Man, he does take one last look at the comic-book-looking drawing of his superhero outfit. Great things clearly require a great comic book costume.

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