Spider-Man Fans Still Mourn His Saddest Movie Death

The Impact of Loss on Spider-Man’s Character Development

While Peter Parker gains his powers from a radioactive spider bite, one of the most compelling aspects of the character is his youth. This gives him a unique perspective compared to older heroes, but it also reminds audiences that there’s a downside: Peter has some growing up to do. And what better way to drive character development than through grief?

Spider-Man is no stranger to loss, with each of the three different "Spider-Man" film series highlighting the inevitability of such experiences. When we first meet Tobey Maguire’s Peter in Sam Raimi’s "Spider-Man," he’s already an orphan living with his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). The loss of his uncle propels him into becoming the hero he is destined to be. Later, he loses his best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), in "Spider-Man 3."

Andrew Garfield’s Peter faces similar challenges with his uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) in "The Amazing Spider-Man" and later loses his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." As for Tom Holland’s Peter, we don’t know if he ever had an uncle Ben, but he loses his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), in "Avengers: Endgame" followed by his aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

All of these losses have significantly shaped Peter into the hero he is today, but they also remain deeply devastating. In fact, fans are still grieving what many consider the saddest death in all the movies.

Fans on Reddit Consider the Death of Gwen Stacy to Be the Saddest

On a Reddit thread discussing the saddest fictional deaths, many "Spider-Man" fans came together to honor Gwen Stacy. Though Gwen doesn’t appear until "The Amazing Spider-Man," she felt like a natural partner for Andrew Garfield’s Peter, much like Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) did for Tobey Maguire’s Peter in the previous film series.

Her relationship with Peter was strengthened by the undeniable chemistry between Garfield and Emma Stone, even dating off-screen, which made it agonizing to watch Gwen fall as Peter fights Harry Osborn, aka the New Goblin (Dane DeHaan). Although Spider-Man shoots a web to catch her, it’s all for naught.

"I love hate it. I hate because [I] want her to live, [I] want [S]pider[-M]an to save the day… but [I] loved that they had the balls to kill her," wrote u/kingfischer48. Other fans were left speechless. "I remember that moment in the theater. Dead silence," shared u/piquantsqueakant. Some had an audible reaction. "The entire theater gasped," recounted u/leftie85.

A Happy Parallel in 2021’s "Spider-Man: No Way Home"

Thankfully, fans were blessed with a happy parallel in 2021’s "Spider-Man: No Way Home." In an effort to undo the damage caused by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) revealing Peter’s identity in the previous film, "Spider-Man: Far from Home," Tom Holland’s Peter seeks help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). However, the spell Strange casts to make the world forget Peter is Spider-Man goes awry, resulting in Spider-Mans from other universes, including Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s iterations, entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Near the film’s end, the three webheads, along with Strange, MJ (Zendaya), and Ned (Jacob Batalon), engage in a battle atop the Statue of Liberty. A sudden explosion prompts the structure to collapse, and MJ falls. Although Holland’s Peter jumps for her, the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) slams into him, sending him in another direction. Wasting no time, Garfield’s Peter plummets after her, catching her.

This act is incredibly pivotal for Garfield’s Peter, who wasn’t given the chance to redeem himself after Gwen’s death due to "The Amazing Spider-Man 3" being abruptly canceled. Here, Peter receives closure and healing because while he couldn’t save Gwen, he saves MJ, and therefore Holland’s Peter, from the same fate.