Why losing Spider-Man would be bad for the MCU

Spider-Man’s departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be a serious blow for the film franchise.

The news that the agreement between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios/ The Walt Disney Company supposedly fell apart upset many comic book fans. If the partnership is truly over, Spidey’s time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe might be over, Though various outlets are reporting that the negotiations between the two companies are ongoing, let’s explore how Spider-Man’s potential exit impacts the MCU.

No heir apparent

Since Peter Parker became an important player in Captain America: Civil War, the MCU has set the stage for Parker to become the next big thing. With Tony Stark as his mentor, Peter was clearly being groomed as a future pillar of the Avengers. This likelihood became especially obvious in the fallout of Avengers: Endgame.

After Tony’s death and Steve Rogers’ decision to live life with Peggy Carter, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes need a leader more than ever before. Sure, there are some obvious replacements for the short-term. Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and even Doctor Strange seem like some of the most likely candidates. But in the long run, the team needs someone to guide them into the future, and Peter is the ideal candidate. Tony has taught Peter almost everything the Web-Slinger knows about being a hero. Spider-Man may still be one of the more inexperienced members of the Avengers roster, but these lessons are invaluable. Thanks to Tony,  Peter doesn’t just have the potential to be the next Iron Man; he could be even better.

But if Spidey leaves the MCU, the ramifications reach further than the future of the in-universe Avengers.

Less Mainstream Appeal

Before Iron Man and the other heroes’ solo films, these characters weren’t pop culture icons the way they are today. Marvel has clearly demonstrated an impressive ability to make their characters appealing to casual fans and hardcore Marvelites alike. But let’s face it, the majority of the current Avengers roster lacks mainstream appeal and losing Spider-Man further depletes the team’s pop culture presence.

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To be fair, in recent years, Captain Marvel and Black Panther have become icons in their own right. Thor is more popular than ever, and he’s slated for at least one more film, Thor: Love and Thunder.  But losing Spider-Man would leave a gaping hole in the MCU. The character is, in many ways, synonymous with Marvel Comics. Though the MCU was well underway by the time he showed up in Civil War, Spidey has quickly become an instrumental part of these movies. Of all the current members of the Avengers, Spider-Man has arguably the easiest to identify with; he’s just a regular (superpowered) teenager, and that’s appealing to casual fans. Again, all of these heroes have attributes that make them sympathetic characters, but few, if any of them, fill the “everyman” role like Peter.

It’s easy to hit the panic button and declare that the MCU is in danger without Spider-Man. Yes, losing Spidey would hurt. But we have 23 films to use as evidence that Marvel knows what they’re doing. These characters are in good hands. Maybe this reaction is all for naught; Marvel will likely do their best to make sure that Spidey stays home. But in the event that he does leave, the MCU will weather the storm.