Spider-Man’s Instant Kill Mode Isn’t A Plot-Hole (It Fits Iron Man’s Arc)

While it might contradict Peter Parker’s idea of heroism, the instant-kill feature built into his first Spider-Man suit from Tony Stark does not create a plot hole: it fitted creator Iron Man’s character arc at that point. When it comes to the MCU’s iteration of the beloved web-slinger, Tom Holland’s character was heavily connected to Tony through the setup in Captain America: Civil War. Even though Spider-Man, especially during his teenage years, was more on his own in the comics, the MCU established a father/son-like dynamic with Iron Man which carried into Holland’s ongoing franchise. Spider-Man: Homecoming explored Peter trying to win Tony’s approval while also discovering how to be his own hero.

Both before and after Tony’s death in Avengers: Endgame, much of Peter’s Spider-Man arsenal was given to him by the fallen Avenger through Stark Industries. Even in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as Peter’s still grieving the loss of his mentor, the web-crawler is dependent on Tony’s resources. It’s one of the common criticisms of MCU’s depiction of Spider-Man as being executed more as an Iron Man successor than getting to be the iconic friendly neighborhood hero Peter’s known to be. One critical MCU moment that is still remembered is from the first Spider-Man installment where Peter discovered just how much Tony had packed into his suit’s capabilities.

During the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter got to a point where he was frustrated about Tony having installed the Training Wheels Protocol in the suit. Determined to prove that he doesn’t need it, Spider-Man and Ned Leeds end up disabling it, allowing Spider-Man to access all its features. One of the things Tony had installed, much to Peter’s surprise, was an instant-kill mode that formed part of the enhanced-combat program. While it gets close, Peter stops F.R.I.D.A.Y. from activating it and avoids any casualties. Despite the lack of questioning from Peter, it’s understandable why that specific function came off as an initial plot-hole, given its contradiction with the MCU Spider-Man’s heroic ideals. Instead, it’s actually one of the more symbolic points in the MCU as it pertains to Iron Man’s arc at the time.

When Peter received the suit, it was in the midst of Captain America: Civil War’s most intense story points as the Avengers were facing off in two opposing factions. But after everything that he went through in Phases 1 and 2, Tony wasn’t the same superhero that he became in 2008. At the start of Phase 3, Iron Man is more paranoid, suspicious, hesitant, and guarded. His concept of how to be a superhero had evolved. Tony had become an Avenger who was completely driven by fear and having a superhero suit intended to be worn by a teenager installed with a kill-mode feature, speaks volumes to that.

It may have been one of Tony’s more irresponsible actions in the MCU, but it goes to show how much he cared for Peter’s safety. He knows both that Spider-Man will have to face unknown threats and that Peter is not one to back away from doing the right thing, even when faced with death. The instant-kill mode gave an added layer of strength and protection to Peter Parker, which reflects Tony Stark’s changed mindset at the time, and also his desperation to protect those he cares about even after his death. The scene was one that probably should have happened on screen between Iron Man and Spider-Man where it could have been addressed more directly. Despite the fact that this was one of Tony’s bizarre ways of showing he cares, it’s still a manifestation of where he was mentally at that point in the MCU. That’s why it’s more crucial for Peter in Spider-Man: No Way Home and beyond to become less dependent on Iron Man‘s legacy and resources as he continues to evolve as Spider-Man.

About The Author

Andy Behbakht
(1040 Articles Published)

Andy is a senior writer at Screen Rant as he has covered the world of entertainment journalism since 2010, including superhero/comic book media. In addition to his work as a reporter, Andy co-hosts The Flash Podcast while running and producing the entire DC TV Podcasts network. He is also the founder/editor-in-chief of The Marvel Report since Fall 2015. Andy has previously written for sites such as FanSided, KSiteTV, TV Fanatic, It’s Just Movies, Heroic Hollywood, TV Overmind, and more.

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