The most iconic Spider-Man line has a strange history in the MCU. When comic book fans think of Peter Parker, there’s one quote in particular that always comes to mind. “With great power, there must also be great responsibility,” was a sentiment first shared in a narrative caption in Marvel Comics’ Amazing fantasy in 1962. The phrase became popular after Uncle Ben said it as a life lesson to Peter, advising his nephew to make sure he wasn’t abusing his power and to use it to help others.
Since the line was introduced in the comics, it’s been a consistent lesson across multiple live-action films. Spider-Man films. Uncle Ben says this to Tobey Maguire’s Peter in Spider-Manas Richard Parker says this to his son in an extra scene from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. There was a lot of anticipation about how the MCU timeline would interpret the line, and the franchise took a somewhat unique approach. However, the line’s exact history in the MCU has become more confusing since the canonical confirmation of another Marvel hero.
The Defenders Becoming MCU Canon Means Jessica Jones Beats Spider-Man in His Most Iconic Line
The phrase was said in the 2nd season of Jessica Jones
When the Netflix Marvel shows debuted, many assumed the projects would remain contained within their own universe. Speculation began to grow about the Defenders Saga’s canon status when the shows were added to Disney+, until it was finally confirmed that they were canon to the MCU. Marvel Studios’ head of streaming Brad Winderbaum confirmed the fact, saying that the development of Daredevil: Born Again encouraged the studio to make things official. The development of the Defenders Saga becoming MCU canon is exciting, but it complicates Spider-Man’s MCU timeline.
In Jessica Jones Season 2, Jessica says the iconic phrase attributed to Spider-Man’s story. It’s not in the same context as it is for Peter, with Jessica telling someone, “If you say ‘with great power comes responsibility’ I swear I’m going to vomit on you.” The line felt like Marvel meta humor, perhaps poking fun at the fact that so many people use the phrase as a life lesson and that Jessica was probably tired of hearing it. It could have been a throwaway reference, but the Defenders’ MCU canon status makes things confusing.
Jessica Jones’ “Great Responsibility” line, which comes before it is said in the MCU’s Spider-Man story, is more confusing
The phrase wasn’t said in the MCU until Spider-Man: No Way Home
The MCU’s iteration of Spider-Man doesn’t hear the “great responsibility” line until Spider-Man: No way home. Since Uncle Ben was cut entirely from Peter’s story in the MCU, it made sense that the person who would end up saying a version of the famous line would be Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May. Shortly before her death, she tells Peter that “with great power, there must be great responsibility.”Fans have waited for three films to finally hear the MCU talk, and while the build-up has been worth it within the trilogy, there is some confusion when taking the MCU’s larger timeline into consideration.
Spider-Man: No Way Home takes place in 2024, but the phrase was first said in Jessica Jones Season 2, which takes place in 2017. It’s strange to consider that Jessica’s version of the iconic phrase predates Spider-Man’s actual use of it in the MCU. Especially in the context in which the line was said on the show, it was clearly intended to sound like a meta-joke. Although viewers may be aware of the past context Spider-Man films, the fact that this phrase hasn’t yet been said in the MCU doesn’t make the reference so effective.
Spider-Man: Homecoming gave Peter Parker his own MCU version of the great power lesson before Jessica Jones
Tony Stark gave Peter a similar lesson
Even if fans haven’t heard the iconic MCU phrase Spider-Man trilogy through the third film, Peter got his own version of the “great power” lesson in 2017. The entire Spider-Man: Homecoming it was about Peter adapting to his new status as a superhero, with Iron Man as his mentor. When Peter began abusing his powers beyond what he could bear, Tony told him that “If you are nothing without the costume, then you shouldn’t have it.” Although “great power” was not mentioned directly, It was essentially the same lesson..
Since Return home takes place in 2017, Peter’s “great power” lesson would likely have happened sooner Jessica Jones season 2. This helps Jessica’s “great power” reference a bit, as fans could have assumed that Tony’s guidance was how the MCU would interpret the line. Hearing it fully referenced in Spider-Man: No Way Home It’s weird to know that Jessica Jones beat them, all that really matters is that the MCU Spider-Man got his valuable lesson in the end.