Absurdities & Plot Holes in SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Spider-Man: No Way Home turned out to be a massive success. Not only did it become the highest-grossing film of the past year, but it was also the first movie of the pandemic era to surpass the $1 billion mark. Jon Watts’ spectacle rightfully amazes Spider-Man fans, though some elements of the script raise questions when analyzed critically. Below, we’ve gathered a few of them.

Let’s recall that in No Way Home, Peter Parker faces the consequences of the events at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Mysterio revealed his identity to the world. He seeks help from Doctor Strange, and through the multiverse, villains from previous Spider-Man films return. Alfred Molina reprises his role as Doctor Octopus, Willem Dafoe returns as Green Goblin, and Jamie Foxx as Electro. Some of the biggest questions stem from their appearances.

How Did Electro Know That Spider-Man Was Peter Parker?

When Electro is defeated in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he doesn’t know Spider-Man’s true identity. However, in No Way Home, only those who knew Peter’s identity were pulled into his universe. The film doesn’t explain how Electro acquired this knowledge, though some suggest that when he reached his peak power in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he connected to the grid and was able to discover his enemy’s identity.

How Did Venom Know That Spider-Man Was Peter Parker?

A similar issue arises with Venom. The symbiote and Eddie Brock were transported into the MCU in the post-credits scene of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, appearing confused. The same happens in No Way Home’s bonus scene, where they learn about events in the MCU, including the existence of Hulk and Thanos. So how did Venom know about Spider-Man? The film’s screenwriters later explained that Venom possesses knowledge of multiple universes, and somewhere deep in his mind, a connection to Peter Parker exists.

How Did Doctor Octopus Recognize Green Goblin as Norman Osborn?

When Green Goblin first appears on screen in No Way Home, Doctor Octopus immediately calls him by his real name and shares details about his death. The problem is that in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, this information was never publicly revealed. It’s unclear how Octopus would know it. One possibility is that he accessed records while working at Oscorp, the company first run by Norman and later by his son, Harry.

Why Didn’t Anyone Investigate Quentin Beck’s Past?

Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, falsely accused Peter Parker of murder, turning the world against him. Peter, along with Aunt May, Ned, and MJ, was subjected to questioning, yet no one seemed to consider that Mysterio might have been lying. Did no one check Beck’s past reputation or his dismissal from Tony Stark’s company? It’s possible that Matt Murdock, Peter’s lawyer, did, which led to Parker being cleared of charges, but the film doesn’t address this, and Murdock’s role is limited to a brief cameo.

Could Strange’s Spell Have Been Used Differently?

Strange’s botched spell caused people from other realities to enter Peter’s world and ultimately made everyone forget Peter Parker’s existence while still remembering Spider-Man. Wouldn’t it have been a better solution to make the world forget about Mysterio and his accusations instead? This might have allowed Peter to keep his secret identity without drastically altering his life. The spell also raises questions in relation to previous films—could it have been used to solve bigger problems, like making Thanos forget about his plan to wipe out half the universe?

What Were the Exact Effects of the Final Spell?

Fans wonder to what extent Peter Parker’s existence was erased. Did he lose his insurance? His legal documents? What happened to photos of him with his friends? Do MJ and Ned remember working with Spider-Man but not his identity? The film’s screenwriters admitted they focused more on the emotional impact of the ending and may address these questions in a future installment.

Why Didn’t Ned Summon More Spider-Men?

One of the film’s biggest highlights is the return of previous Spider-Man actors, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. They meet the No Way Home characters through portals accidentally created by Ned while searching for his Peter. Once they arrived, they went off to find Holland’s Spider-Man. But from a strategic standpoint, wouldn’t it have been wiser for Ned to try summoning more Spider-Men from other universes to increase their chances against the villains?

Did Everyone Forget About Peter 2 and Peter 3 as Well?

Since everyone was supposed to forget Peter Parker’s existence—even those from other dimensions—does this apply to Maguire’s and Garfield’s versions of Peter too? The film doesn’t address this, even though it seems like an important issue. If Holland’s decision erased their identities as well, it could have had devastating consequences for their lives, making the ending even darker.

Do you have any theories on how to explain these mysteries?