Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s most recognizable superheroes. Since his debut in the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15, the character has become a worldwide icon, with his popularity spawning countless films, books and cartoons over the course of 59 years. And it's not hard to see why such a character has endured for this long, especially since he's arguably one of the most relatable superheroes in comics.

While he has superpowers, Peter Parker is not immune to having a ton of weaknesses, and oftentimes, fans are rooting for him to overcome them to save the day. It is often what drives the character to do what he does, and this translates to his growing catalog of films and cartoons, as well. However, due in large part to the character’s long shelf-life, not all of his weaknesses would translate well outside of the comics.

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Spider-Man struggles to break free of a web-line and gets sprayed by Ethyl Chloride

One particular weakness that probably won’t be addressed any time soon is one of Spider-Man’s lesser-known ones. As it turns out, Spider-Man, along with his other comic book variants, has an often understated weakness to ethyl chloride. It is something that has been referenced more than once in the comics, and it is so deadly to him that if he inhales too much of this particular chemical, it could kill him. While this might not sound unusual, considering ethyl chloride could hurt anyone if they inhale it, the absurdity comes from the fact that, in addition to it being fatal to him, it seems like it almost instantly drains him of his spider-like abilities for a brief time.

Furthermore, the reason behind this strangely specific weakness is equally as bizarre, as it may have been a nod to the fact that ethyl chloride can be found in certain pesticides. This is pretty much confirmed to be the case in Amazing Spider-Man #106, where this vulnerability was first introduced. Toward the end of the issue, Spider-Man is caught in a web created by a Spider-Slayer. He is then doused in “an ethyl chloride-type gas,” which he proclaims is “the type that can weaken a spider.” So, essentially, Spider-Man’s Achilles' heel is, of all things, bug spray.

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It’s an absurd, and kind of hilarious, implication that can leave readers with the question of why this weakness hasn't been more widely exploited by Spider-Man’s villains. This is especially bizarre when one considers that ethyl chloride can be found, not only in pesticides but also in certain topical medications. There is no lack of abundance of the chemical, and it would probably only take a simple trip to a pharmacy or hospital to procure it.

Although there is probably a reasonable explanation for why Spider-Man’s large roster of villains doesn't include the substance in their arsenal. For one, it does not seem to be common knowledge. Of course, that is not to say that there aren’t any villains who know about it. For instance, the Spider-Slayers, the deadly androids that introduced the concept of this weakness in the first place, almost always have this as a weapon. But it seems that those who are aware of it are few and far between.

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There is also the fact that, even though the chemical could supposedly kill him faster than anything else, he has yet to actually die from it. Villains have always succeeded in weakening him with ethyl chloride, but he conveniently manages to survive it by outsmarting them every time. After a while, it would probably seem easier to just battle him upfront than to spray him with the stuff.

Of course, the true explanation is probably far simpler. Spider-Man, after all, is as human as they come. Even with his superpowers, he is not invincible and therefore does not need a kryptonite-like weakness to bring him down. As a result, there are far fewer convoluted weaknesses for Spider-Man's writers to probably draw on, which may be why his weakness to the substance is one of his lesser-known qualities.

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