×
Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Most Memorable Spider-Man Quotes In The MCU

Back in 2016, "Captain America: Civil War" blew the doors off the MCU with the arrival of a new version of Spider-Man. This iteration of the already popular Marvel Comics superhero was an instant fan-favorite, and audiences loved the bashful youthfulness Tom Holland brought to the character as a teenage Peter Parker.

Over the next six years, the MCU's Spider-Man was the highlight of every crossover and solo movie he appeared in. Unlike previous versions of the character, MCU Spidey was a novice hero who looked up to the Avengers as sources of inspiration in a world where powerful villains gambled with the fate of the universe itself. 

With 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home," the webbed wall-crawler blew the doors off the MCU once again with the full-on introduction of the Marvel Multiverse, which means fans actually got to see Holland's Peter working alongside Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's versions of the character. It's been an incredible journey in the MCU for Spider-Man. Let's take a look at some of the best lines spoken by the character over the years.

I've got homework

When Spider-Man was first introduced in the MCU, it was in his Peter Parker persona. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) was looking for new recruits to help him bring the fight to Captain America (Chris Evans). Tony noticed that the internet was filled with tales of the exploits of a local web-swinging, wall-sticking, car-catching superhero, and came down to Queens to investigate. 

What Tony found was a fresh-faced high-school student named Peter, who did not want anyone to know he was Spider-Man. Tony, being Tony, came to Peter's house with a plan in motion already, which involved flying the teen hero to Germany to take confront Captain America's team of renegade Avengers. Naturally, Peter's reaction to Tony's plan was complete disbelief. He protested that he would not be able to go to Germany. 

When Tony asked why, all Peter could think of to respond with was, "I've got ... homework." It was the perfect introduction to the character's personality, a young kid whose biggest priorities at the time were doing well in school and helping out his neighborhood. Of course, Tony was having none of it, and he soon whisked the wide-eyed youngster off on a whirlwind journey towards becoming an Avenger.    

When you can do the things that I can ...

Many have pointed out, with good reason, that it was irresponsible of Tony Stark to bring a teenager to fight the most powerful beings on the planet. But the thing is, Tony had been watching videos of Peter doing incredible things in his Spider-Man persona for some time, and he knew the kid had amazing potential if given the right direction. 

A bigger question that Tony needed the answer to was whether Peter truly was a hero, and not just someone who happened to have powers. To this end, during their very first meeting, Tony asked Peter point blank why he dressed up in a mask and tights to swing around the city trying to stop crime and save people. In a traditional "Spider-Man" story, this would be the place for Uncle Ben's iconic line, "with great power comes great responsibility." 

In the absence of Ben's character, what we got was Peter explaining to Tony, "When you can do the things that I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you." It's more of a mouthful than the "great power" bit, but what really helps sell the scene is Tom Holland. Until then, his take on Peter had been acting flustered about meeting Tony. But in that moment there is no hesitation in the way Peter delivers his line, only a complete sincerity that manages to impress Tony.    

Hey everyone

If Spider-Man's first scene in the MCU perfectly encapsulated the character of Peter Parker, the first appearance of the costumed Spider-Man himself did the same for his superhero alter-ego. Iron Man arrived at an airport with his team to stop Captain America's group from stealing an aircraft and escaping. 

At first Tony, tried to talk sense to Steve. Once it became clear the latter was not in the mood to listen, Tony deployed his secret weapon with the code word, "Underoos!" The next moment, a single web line shot out to grab Captain America's shield. Before anyone could react, Spider-Man had somersaulted into the middle of the showdown, and the shield was in his possession. Despite such an epic entrance, the webbed hero immediately showed his young age and inexperience with his next words. 

From thanking Tony for the new suit, to telling Captain America he was a big fan, to awkwardly saying "Hey everyone," to the rest of the Avengers, who were moments away fighting each other, Peter expertly punctured the gravity of the moment with his naivety. He was only brought back to his senses when Iron Man personally shushed him with, "Yeah, we don't really need to start a conversation."

You have a metal arm?

For the rest of the superheroes, the airport fight in "Captain America: Civil War" was deadly serious business where former allies were forced to square off against each other because of what they believed in. But for Spider-Man, the reasons behind the fight were mostly a mystery, and he was only there because Iron Man had personally invited him. 

So for Spidey, the top priorities were impressing Tony Stark and trying to make friends with the iconic Avengers team members, even if they were doing their best to take him out. Thanks to his "spider-sense," Peter acquitted himself very well in the battle despite harboring no ill will towards any of his opponents. The most perfect showcase for Peter's good-natured fighting style occurs when Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) swings his vibranium arm at the wall-crawler with full force. 

It's a punch that could overturn a car, and which even Captain America could not block. Spidey not only easily catches the punch with one hand, but he even has time to pay his opponent a heartfelt compliment by saying, "You have a metal arm? That is awesome, dude!" The look of disbelief on Bucky's face is priceless. In his decades of work as an assassin, this must have been the first time one of Bucky's victims not only stopped his punch so casually, but was acting curious and excited instead of terrified in his presence.     

You have the right to remain silent

Unlike previous versions of the character, Tom Holland's Spider-Man had grown up with the Avengers serving as a massive source of inspiration. Even after he became a superhero, Peter never really considered himself on the same level as Captain America, Iron Man, and the other heroes who saved the planet on a regular basis. 

So when Tony Stark rolled into town asking Peter to join Iron Man's team on a secret mission, it was like a high-school football player being inducted into the NFL in a single day. Peter was overwhelmed and in way over his head, but he knew he had to try his very best to impress Tony and prove he was capable of hanging with the big boys. 

To that end, Peter's giddiness over meeting the other Avengers during the airport fight was tempered by moments where he tried to appear more serious and professional. Like when Spider-Man got blindsided by the Falcon (Anthony Mackie), and confusedly shouted out, "You have the right to remain silent!" You can imagine Peter cringing hard beneath his mask at saying such a nonsensical line, and hoping Tony didn't hear him over the communicator.    

That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all

One major aspect of Peter Parker's personality that the movies tend to gloss over is his genius intellect. Not only is Peter a straight-A student, but he is also a prodigious inventor who came up with the tech for his web shooters in his bedroom. Even Tony Stark recognized that Peter was smart enough to handle his super-secret armory after his death. 

In that vein, we get a memorable moment during the airport battle scene when Spider-Man comes face-to-face with the living legend, Captain America himself. Despite Cap's maturity and combat experience being far greater than Spidey's, the younger hero handles himself quite well thanks to his amazing reflexes and agility. That is, until Cap's shield flies in out of nowhere and slices through Spider-Man's web on the rebound.

This leads Peter to loudly complain with regards to the shield, "That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all." It is a hilarious bit of meta-commentary. There's no way Cap's shield would be able to twist and turn and rebound in mid-air in the real world the way it does in the movies. But the mechanics of the shield get a pass because of how awesome it looks in action. Leave it to nerdy little Peter to be the only one to take issue with that bit of artistic license.

You ever see that really old movie?

One major reason why Spider-Man felt like such a breath of fresh air in the MCU was the fact that he was decades younger than all the other heroes in the franchise at that time. The older heroes were being all tortured and conflicted as they fought each other in the airport, making dramatic proclamations about loyalty and betrayal and principles.

Meanwhile, Spidey was swinging jauntily around just happy to be included in the fight, and that too on the personal request of Tony Stark himself. Peter was too young and out-of-the-loop to get the true gravity of the situation, and he was almost treating the whole thing like a game where his job was to web everyone up before the timer ran out. 

The other Avengers got a bit of a shock when they realized just how young Spidey actually was. While fighting Ant-Man, Peter shouted to his teammates, "Hey guys, you ever see that really old movie, 'Empire Strikes Back?'" to signal a plan of attack. This prompted War Machine (Don Cheadle) to ask, "Jesus, Tony, how old is this guy?" Perhaps this exchange finally woke Tony up to the fact that he had bought a teenager to a grown-up fight, because almost immediately afterward he told Peter to stop fighting and return home. 

I'm nothing without this suit

"Captain America: Civil War" was a great primer on what to expect from the MCU's take on Spider-Man. But it was 2017's "Spider-Man: Homecoming" that finally treated fans to a full-length story about Holland's wall crawler. The movie takes place a few months after Spidey helped Iron Man take on Captain America's team at the airport.

After the battle, Tony Stark sent Peter back home and allowed him to keep the new superhero suit that Stark industries had manufactured for Spider-Man. The suit greatly enhanced Peter's natural abilities, and also came with a slew of upgrades the young hero could never have dreamed of, including his own personal AI named "Karen." After a very public mishap by Peter that almost cost many innocent civilians their lives, Tony decided Peter had betrayed his trust and asked him to return the Spider-Man suit. 

This caused Peter great anguish as he declared "Please, I'm nothing without this suit!" In the end, the young hero had to go back to his homemade Spider-Man outfit to defeat his enemies and protect the city. This in turn made Peter realize the lesson Tony was trying to teach him: What ultimately makes a superhero is not fancy gadgets, but the heart of a warrior.

Come on, Spider-Man

A common complaint about MCU version of Spider-Man is that he is too reliant on Iron Man's technology and advice, instead of being an independent hero. But Peter's relationship with Tony Stark is an important part of his arc through the MCU.

Near the end of "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Peter had his super-advanced Spider-Man tech suit taken away by Tony. Meanwhile, the Vulture (Michael Keaton) was continuing with his nefarious plans. Peter, stuck with his homemade Spider-Man outfit, has no choice but to confront the villain. Having the technological advantage, the Vulture laid a trap for the young hero and succeeded in burying him under a collapsed building.

Surrounded by rubble and running out of air, Peter began to panic. In a heart-wrenching moment, the teen hero wept openly while crying out for help. Once it became clear that no help will be coming, Peter was filled with a fresh resolve. He muttered to himself, "Come on, Peter. Come on, Spider-Man," and braced himself. With a mighty effort, he succeeded in lifting the collapsed building off himself and escaping the death trap, mirroring one of the most iconic "Spider-Man" stories of all time from the comics. 

You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood

"Avengers: Infinity War" saw the world of the MCU in danger like never before. The Mad Titan Thanos was on a warpath to claim the power of the six Infinity Stones. Since two of those stones were located on Earth, the planet became a key target for Thanos' forces, and the Avengers became the universe's only hope for survival.

As the leader of the Avengers, it was naturally Tony Stark who got alerted about the danger heading their way first. He was able to combine forces with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Spider-Man to hold off Thanos' henchmen. When Strange got abducted aboard Thanos' ship, Iron Man arrived to rescue him, and was incensed to discover Spidey had also managed to sneak on board the ship.

Tony tried to order Peter to return to Earth and go back to protecting the people of his city. Usually one to blindly obey Iron Man's every command, this time Peter stood his ground and refused. As he pointed out to Tony, "You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood." With that single line, Peter signaled to Tony that he was no longer a fresh-faced novice whom Tony, but a selfless hero mature enough to make his own decisions.  

Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good

Befitting his status as the biggest big bad the MCU has ever known, the effects of Thanos' assault on the Avengers went far deeper than any other villain before him. With a single snap of his fingers, Thanos wiped out half of all life in the universe, including many of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Tony Stark was with Peter Parker on the planet Titan when Thanos snapped his fingers on Earth. Separated by untold light years, Tony knew something had gone horribly wrong when the heroes who had been standing next to him started to turn into dust one by one — including Star-Lord, Doctor Strange, Drax, and Mantis. And then Peter also stumbled, telling Tony, "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good."

Maybe it was his spider-sense that warned Peter of what was to come. In any case, he did not immediately turn to dust, but lay breathing heavily on the ground. All Tony could do was look on in horror while the frightened teenager cried out repeatedly, "I don't wanna die." Finally, the prone form of Peter Parker also turned to dust, and a stricken Tony was left to wrestle with his loss and an immense sense of guilt over the demise of his young protégé.  

Activate instant kill

With more than a decade of movies under its belt, the MCU has mastered the art of the "callback" to previous movies. No one film in the series was more chock full of callbacks than 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," befitting its status as the epic conclusion to the Infinity saga. 

From Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) remembering Hawkeye's real name, to Sam Wilson aka Falcon telling Steve Rogers "On your left," to Thor's excited "I knew it!" when Captain America finally lifted his hammer, fans had plenty of references to previous installments in the franchise to get excited about while watching "Endgame." One such callback for Spider-Man was the "Instant Kill" option that Peter first discovered Tony had installed in his suit in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." 

At the time, Peter was too freaked out to try out the option against his enemies. But at the end of "Endgame," being swarmed by Thanos' bloodthirsty foot-soldiers, Spidey had no choice but to shout, "Activate instant kill!" Immediately, a bunch of metal spider-legs grew out of his suit's back and started hacking and slashing away at the enemies. 

Come on, Peter Tingle

One aspect of Spider-Man's powers seldom mentioned in the MCU is his famous "spider-sense," which allows the arachnid superhero to detect danger moments before it befalls him. Until the "Infinity Gems" saga, the biggest scene involving spider-sense was when the hairs on Peter's hand stood on end to indicate the arrival of Thanos' spaceship on Earth.

But in 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home," Peter's spider-sense was an important plot point. Only now it was called "Peter tingle." The movie starts with Peter actively trying to ignore what the "tingle" was telling him, causing his superpower to malfunction. This allowed Quentin Beck aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) to get close to Peter and fool him repeatedly with his illusions. At the end of the movie, we get one of the best action scenes in "Spider-Man" history. 

With a passageway full of illusions, Spidey takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and says, "Come on, Peter Tingle." He then launches himself into danger relying on nothing but his spider-sense to guide him. From being a kid who thought he couldn't win a fight without Tony Stark's technology helping him, to defeating his enemy with his eyes closed, the scene really helped illustrate how far Spidey had come on his solo superhero journey.    

The Multiverse is real

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" is the grand culmination of the story of not just one live-action Spider-Man, but three of them. And that is all thanks to an idea that the MCU has been patiently building ever since the conclusion of the Infinity saga: The idea that the MCU universe is only one in an infinity number of universes, collectively called the "Multiverse."

The multiverse was first teased in "Spider-Man: Far From Home," when Mysterio claimed to have come from a different part of the multiverse containing a separate Earth with its own heroes and villains. That story ultimately turned out to be a lie. "WandaVision" played with the same concept when it seemed like the Quicksilver (Evans Peters) of a different universe had been sucked into the MCU, only for the show to pull the rug out from under the feet of its viewers towards the end of the season.   

It was "The One Who Remains" (Jonathan Majors) from "Loki" who finally confirmed that the Multiverse is real, and more importantly, it is possible for all sorts of heroes and villains to make the jump from different universes into the MCU. Thus we come to "Spider-Man: No Way Home," where villains from past "Spider-Man" live-action movie universes have actually started invading the MCU, causing Peter Parker to utter the game-changing phrase, "The Multiverse is real!"

I was in the Avengers

Ever since the movie was first announced, fans were more excited about which characters were being rumored to show up in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" than the main characters who were actually confirmed to be in it. The excitement reached a fever pitch when fans' hopes were realized, and Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield joined Tom Holland's Spider-Man in the film. 

It meant a lot to fans to see three separate generations of live-action Spider-Man actors playing versions of the same iconic character on the big screen together. The chemistry between the three actors was electric, and through them, it was fascinating to see Peter Parker interacting with himself at different stages in his life.

As the youngest Spidey on the team, Tom Holland's Peter felt the need slightly to assert his position. To that end, he pointed out, "I have been in a team, okay? I don't wanna brag, but I will. I was in the Avengers." In any other scenario, this would be an awesome brag. But the other two Peters hilariously had no idea what Holland's character was talking about, since they were used to being lone wolves throughout their superhero careers.

Oh, my back

While Tom Holland is the latest Spider-Man, and Andrew Garfield is also a fan-favorite, the OG webbed wall-crawler will always be Tobey Maguire. The live-action Spider-Man movies that filmmaker Sam Raimi did with Maguire are still considered the gold standard for superhero movies — ones that combine colorful comic book fun with real-world stakes.

The Raimi-verse has spawned a host of memes. From "Bully Maguire" to Norman Osborn yelling "You know how much I've sacrificed?," Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy is the gift that keeps on giving more than a decade after the last film in the series came out. 

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" pays homage to that tradition by referencing one of the most popular memes — in which Maguire's Spider-Man falls from a great height, injures his back, and hobbles away wincing in pain. In "No Way Home," Maguire's Peter mentions his spinal troubles with, "Oh, my back. It's kinda stiff from all the swinging I guess." Fortunately, Garfield's Peter suffers from similar issues, and is able to lend a hand to his alternate-Earth counterpart. 

I love you guys

Critics are divided over whether "Spider-Man: No Way Home" offers too much fan service, or just enough. Whatever you might conclude, it is clear that the movie is a love letter to fans of the live-action "Spider-Man" franchise stretching all the way back to the start of the 2000s. 

It is incredibly heart-warming to see the Spider-Man actors from different generations interacting with each other in perfect harmony. It is doubly special to see that with Andrew Garfield, whose take on Spider-Man was considered a failure at the time of "The Amazing Spider-Man" movies, but who has been growing in popularity and earned new appreciation in recent years. 

Garfield himself is clearly relishing the chance to play Peter Parker again in "No Way Home." When he looks at the other two Peters before the big climactic fight and says, "I love you guys," you can feel the sincerity of the statement — not just from the character, but the actor as well, with the full weight and history of the "Spider-Man" franchise behind it.