‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Must Resolve 1 Major MCU Mystery

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The upcoming Spider-Man movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to resolve some lingering questions before moving forward. While Spider-Man: No Way Home finished Tom Holland’s initial trilogy with a powerful and moving ending that completely changed Peter Parker’s life, it also left a few plot points unanswered. Spider-Man 4 will need to address these mysteries to connect the previous films with the future of the story.

One of the biggest unanswered questions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes from the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home. When Peter Parker asked Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to make people forget he was Spider-Man, Strange cast a spell that seemed to wipe Peter from everyone’s memory. But it’s unclear exactly what the spell did. Did it just change people’s recollections, or did it go further and actually erase all evidence of Peter Parker’s life – things like photos, files, and official records?

Fortunately, screenwriters Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna revealed in 2021 that the ambiguity was intentional. They called it a sort of “magical redaction,” meaning it was deliberately left unclear.

Sommers also mentioned they intended to address any remaining questions in a future film. Luckily, the writers have returned for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, suggesting this storyline will be explained directly to viewers.

In No Way Home, the movie quickly establishes how the memory-altering spell functions – it affects people based on their relationships with Peter Parker. After Mysterio revealed Spider-Man’s identity at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, no one recognized him. This is clearly shown when Peter tries to talk to MJ and Ned at a coffee shop, and they don’t remember him. The spell even impacts those closest to him – even Happy Hogan doesn’t recognize Peter when visiting Aunt May’s grave.

The spell was complex, and changing people’s memories of Peter Parker could have been confusing for those who knew him. However, it definitely succeeded. No villain in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day storyline (and there were many) seemed to know Peter was Spider-Man, as evidenced by Adrian Toomes keeping that secret from Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Homecoming. It remains to be seen if the Hulk will remember Peter’s identity in Spider-Man 4, and some believe the Hulk’s split personality could make remembering difficult.

How Strange’s Spell Will Be Addressed in Spider-Man 4

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I’m really curious about how Doctor Strange’s spell will affect things going forward in Brand New Day. Completely erasing it would feel wrong, especially since No Way Home felt like such a solid conclusion to that part of Peter’s story. But now that Ned and MJ remember everything, it opens up a lot of questions that Marvel has to address. It’s exciting and a little nerve-wracking to think about where they’ll take it!

Both Ned and MJ will return in Brand New Day, and photos from the set show they’ve been attending MIT for college. If they have a significant role and reunite with Peter, the movie will need to explain how and why their paths cross again.

Practically speaking, No Way Home didn’t explain how the world adjusted after everyone forgot Peter Parker. For example, did photos and videos automatically remove him? What about official records like IDs, school transcripts, or Social Security information – did those disappear too? It seemed even his school records were gone, considering he was last studying for his GED.

The show could quickly resolve this misunderstanding by visually demonstrating Peter’s changed identity – maybe by showing him essentially starting over, or realizing he’s no longer visible in past pictures.

As a huge MCU fan, I’m still reeling from the implications of that spell! It’s not just about Peter’s personal life, but what it means for the future of the Avengers. If everyone forgets Peter Parker, but Spider-Man still exists, how will he ever team up with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes again in projects like Doomsday or Secret Wars? It’s a massive loose end, and honestly, I think Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the perfect chance to finally explain all this magical fallout and give us some much-needed answers.

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2026-01-02 00:05