Of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe's approaching properties, a fan may struggle to keep track of everything coming to the MCU. Amongst Thor: Love and Thunder, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk, they may have missed that Spider-Man: Freshman Year is on the horizon as well.
This animated Spider-Man series will air on Disney Plus and takes place in the years before Captain America: Civil War. This means, despite possibly starring a different actor, the series shares the same continuity as Tom Holland's Peter Parker. As its releases draws near, there are stories fans hope to see and questions they want answered.
10 Was There Ever An Uncle Ben?
Arguably one of the most iconic Spider-Man characters of all time, Uncle Ben's absence from the MCU has certainly been felt by longtime fans. Commonly, he's the first loss Peter Parker experiences as Spider-Man, teaching him the defining lesson: "with great power comes great responsibility."
In the MCU, these words are uttered by Aunt May, who dies by the the Green Goblin's hands. This may mean there's no need for an Uncle Ben at all, but it will still be interesting to see how the series address this question.
9 His Relationship With Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy is one of comics' most important characters, and has long been a central figure in the Spider-Man mythos. Even though the two are college sweethearts in the comics, Gwen has commonly come to identify with Peter Parker's high school days thanks to The Spectacular Spider-Man TV show and The Amazing Spider-Man films.
In the MCU, Liz Allen becomes more of a focus in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Peter's friendship with MJ doesn't start until sometime between that film and Far From Home. This means Gwen may make an appearance, giving Peter someone to interact with aside from Ned.
8 Learning How To Use His Powers
One of the most relatable parts of superhero films, including Spider-Man films, is watching the hero learn how to control their cool newfound abilities. After he's bitten by the radioactive spider, Peter Parker discovers he has a vast array of new and intriguing abilities.
Watching the MCU's Peter Parker cope with each of his newfound powers would be incredibly endearing. The storyline could go even further, detailing his early escapades as a rookie crime-fighter and revealing why Peter ultimately decides to put his life on the line for his community.
7 The Superior Foes Of Spider-Man
Fans of the Superior Spider-Man comic likely remember this specific cadre of supervillains as something of a comedic spin on the Sinister Six. These empathetic and often hapless foes have unique, specialized abilities and personalities that seldom mix well with one another.
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man have entertaining powers and personalities perfect for the young Spider-Man to face. Their struggles to coordinate can mirror Peter's adjustments to battle scenarios. As Spider-Man and his foes increase their skills and efficiency, the stakes will keep getting higher.
6 Inventing Web-Fluid and Web-Shooters
Something that's always set Peter apart from other teen heroes is his innate genius, exhibited in his ability to invent high-tech gadgets like web-fluid and web-shooters. In Civil War, Parker has already integrated both of these inventions into his suit.
The process of inventing web-shooters must've been interesting. From finding the supplies to research to trial and error experiments, there can be an entire episode dedicated to Peter trying to perfect them. Given they're such an iconic part of his costume, it's likely the show will cover this in some capacity.
5 Trying To Fit In At A New School
One thing almost every fan can relate to is the struggle of trying to fit in at a new school. From making friends to just getting to class on time, it can be one of the most anxiety-inducing aspects of growing up. As a freshman, Peter will probably be the new kid at his school, leading to him experience many of these same struggles.
In the comics and most Spider-Man media, Peter is ostracized merely because of his brains. However, everyone appears to be some kind of genius in the MCU's Midtown High. If creators want to capture Peter's iconic and adorable awkwardness, they'll have to dig a little deeper.
4 Trying To Hide His Secret Identity From Ned
One of Peter's strongest relationships in the Homecoming trilogy is his friendship with Ned Leeds. In the comics, Leeds eventually becomes the villain Hobgoblin, however it's doubtful the films, or the TV show, will take Ned in that direction. Besides, there's a more human story to tell here.
Knowing Peter has very few friends by the time Homecoming rolls around, it's likely Leeds becomes his first friend. Aside from how fun it will be seeing the two meet for the first time, Peter will likely have to employ all sorts of shenanigans to protect his identity hidden from his well-meaning but loudmouthed friend.
3 Fighting His First Villain
The choice of who Spider-Man's first bad guy will be is as tough as it is important. While teaching Spider-Man a crucial personal lesson, the villain can't dwarf coming foes like Mysterio and the Vulture. It's also important to remember the key roles both villains played in their movies.
While Mysterio pushes Spider-Man to exit Tony Stark's shadow, Vulture shows Peter how dangerous crime fighting can be and how careful he needs to become. Freshman Year's villain needs to lead into these lessons, rather than supersede them.
2 The Story Behind "The Bad Things"
In Captain America: Civil War, the creative team likely shied away from the phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" to avoid immediate comparisons with the previous Spider-Man franchises and to preserve the line for a solo-film. Instead, Peter explained his outlook through a cryptic quote about "bad things" happening when he doesn't use his powers.
Many fans believed Peter's statement was an allusion to Uncle Ben's tragic death. However, an Uncle Ben has yet to make an appearance in the MCU. If Uncle Ben does exist, he doesn't seem to have played the same role in Peter's life as his comic counterpart had. What or who the quote refers to remains a mystery.
1 Getting Bit By The Spider
Of course, the most iconic moment in all Spider-Man canon is the bite he receives from the radioactive spider. This defining moment is depicted in Sam Raimi's films as well as Marc Webb's Amazing films. In both entries, the spider is created in a lab, with the Amazing films attributing the spider to Oscorp.
Interestingly enough, No Way Home indicates that there is no Oscorp in the MCU, at least not yet. It's possible the spider will come from a random lab once more, but its more likely Spider-Man: Freshman Year will get more creative with the Web-Slinger's origin.