No theories are too out there when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). With secret dimensions, multiverses and just general storytelling mayhem, it can be hard to keep track of a character’s arc, much less their potentially changing origin story. Case in point: There’s a Spider-Man: No Way Home theory that’s pretty out there, but also would make sense, in a way?
A YouTuber who goes by @Jensun dropped the crazy theory recently and regardless of truth it’s actually kind of plausible. The word plausible has a different connotation in Marvel, sure, but there could be something to this!
Basically, Jensun references that Norman Osborne, played by Willem Dafoe in No Way Home, mentions that Oscorp didn’t exist in the reality of the MCU Spider-Man. If that’s the case, where did the radioactive spider come from?
It’s a good question, and fortunately Jensun takes that as a premise and follows it to a natural conclusion. That conclusion? Stark Industries.
“Tony knew everything about Peter,” Jensun said. “From where he lived to the fact that he is Spider-Man.”
There’s also a scene where it shows how Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., has been “closely monitoring Peters vitals and capabilities.” Another wrinkle? “Peter has been going to Stark Expos ever since he was a kid.”
If Oscorp wasn’t there to radiate the spider, then that means it’s very possible Stark Industries “manufactured the spider” and it “could’ve escaped at an expo and bitten Peter.”
Of course this would have huge implications but could also explain “why Tony feels so much responsibility for Peters safety.” So to summarize: Stark Industries accidentally created Spider-Man in the MCU. It’s out there, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
For the record, Jensun isn’t the first person to land on this theory. Back in February of last year, ScreenGeek espoused the same exact theory in a piece aptly titled “MCU Theory Says Tony Stark Created Spider That Bit Peter Parker.”
Their argument is pretty similar with a few key details that Jensun touched on but mostly glanced over.
“Peter Parker was a kid when he’d visit Stark Expo. This was retroactively confirmed when the kid in Iron Man 2, who wore an Iron Man helmet, was revealed to have been young Peter Parker all along. So now it becomes even more likely that on one of these Stark Expo visits, he was bitten by the legendary spider which gave him his superpowers.”
Man. This is getting harder and harder to debunk. Marvel has not confirmed anything regarding Spider-Man’s MCU origin, so pretty much everything is still up in the air. At the very least, it’s possible.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is streaming on Disney Plus if you want to check it out for yourself.