Marvel’s new animatedYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manseries takes place in an alternate universe, but has included some huge events that have occurred in the mainMCUtimeline, and more could be referenced in the show’s upcoming episodes.What If…?‘sHudson Thames voices avariant of Peter Parker inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, one who has a very different journey to Tom Holland’s live-action wall-crawler.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’sPeter Parker hasn’t joined the Avengers, but the MCU’s superhero team has still been seen in the new animated series.
Several notable MCU heroes have been referenced inYour FriendlyNeighborhood Spider-Man, including Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Captain America. Episode 4, “Hitting the Big Time,” took this one step further, as theAvengers’ airport battle and the establishment of the Sokovia Accordsfrom 2016’sCaptain America: Civil Warwas directly referenced. SinceYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’stimeline is heading on a similar trajectory to the MCU’s main continuity, more major events from the MCU could be seen in the animated series' upcoming episodes and future seasons.
10The Vulture Could Emerge While Avengers Tower Is Sold
The Vulture Tried To Steal Avengers Tech In 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming
In the MCU’s timeline,the events of 2017’sSpider-Man: Homecomingunfolded only weeks afterCivil War, which means the Vulture could be the next big bad that Peter Parker facesinYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.HomecomingsawMichael Keaton’s Adrian Toomeswork out Spider-Man’s secret identity and make an attempt to steal technology from the Avengers during the selling of Avengers Tower. Even without Spider-Man’s attachment to the Avengers, this storyline could still be explored inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes curiously moved into Sony’s Spider-Man Universe in 2022’sMorbius, and this has never actually been explained on-screen. There have been calls for Marvel Studios to retcon this storyline, particularly after the ending of the SSU followingKraven the Hunter.
Presumably, the Battle of New York happened inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manjust as it did in the MCU’s Phase 1, which means Adrian Toomes' vendetta againstTony Stark and the Avengerswould have also begun the same. Four years later (not eight),Toomes could be operating as the Vulture, and without Spider-Man’s involvement, he may be successful in stealing tech from the Avengers. This could birth an even more powerful Vulture inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which is a dangerous prospect for the young Peter Parker.
9Thanos Snaps His Fingers
Thanos Snapped His Fingers In 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War
BetweenSpider-Man: HomecomingandAvengers: Infinity War, there wasn’t really a major Earth-bound event thatYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould easily focus on. This suggests thatthe next world-changing event that could be seen in the series is the arrival of the Mad Titan, Thanos, equipped with the six Infinity Stones. It would be amazing to seeThanos' snap depicted inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, especially since this could lead to Peter Parker’s own demise at the Mad Titan’s hands, just like in the live-action MCU.
I Still Can’t Believe Marvel Almost Robbed Us Of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Death Scene In Avengers: Infinity War
Audiences had a tough time recovering from Spider-Man’s death in Avengers: Infinity War, but he was almost replaced with a different character.
While this moment could form a fantastic final scene forYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manseason 1, re-adaptingAvengers: Infinity War’sstory would also see Spider-Man assume a very different role. Instead of fighting Cull Obsidian and Ebony Maw alongside Iron Man and Doctor Strange, he perhaps wouldn’t join the fight in New York, and therefore wouldn’t travel into space.Spider-Man could find himself completely left out of theInfinity Warstoryline, which would make his sudden death even more shocking.
8The Avengers Reverse The Snap & Fight During The Battle Of Earth
The Avengers Won The Battle Of Earth In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame
Since he doesn’t have any affiliation with the Avengers, and perhaps wouldn’t join in their fight against Thanos across the cosmos,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’sPeter Parker also wouldn’t join the Battle of Earth when the Avengers reverse the snap.If Peter Parker meets his demise, however, this major MCU event will also need to be depicted to bring him back and allowYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manto continue. Peter Parker would be experiencing these world-changing events from the outside, however.
This would also mean that Tony Stark’s sacrifice, if the Battle of Earth still ends that way, would have little emotional impact on Peter Parker as it does in the MCU’s main timeline. Spider-Man becomes a more put-together, independent and hardened hero in the wake ofIron Man’s death in live-action, butnot experiencing this loss would have a very different effect on Peter Parker inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. This would be seriously interesting to see explored in the animated series, further diverting this Spider-Man from his MCU counterpart.
7Sam Wilson Becomes Captain America & Saves GRC Members
Sam Wilson Became Captain America In 2021’s The Falcon & The Winter Soldier
In the wake of the five-year-long Blip inAvengers: Endgameand the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow, and theretirement of Steve Rogers as Captain America, the landscape of the MCU changed dramatically.2021’sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldiersaw former-fugitive Sam Wilson assume the role of Captain America, making his grand debut as the Star-Spangled-Man when saving the Global Repatriation Council members from the Flag Smashers. This event is certainly big enough to be seen inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Sam Wilson makes his feature film debut as Captain America inCaptain America: Brave New World, which pits him against the Leader, the Red Hulk and Sidewinder and the Serpent Society.
Referencing Sam Wilson’s evolution inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manwould further cement him as theMCU’s new Captain America, helping to quell unnecessary criticisms aimed at this storyline.Sam Wilson becoming Captain America wouldn’t have much impact on the narrative ofYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, especially if Spider-Man continues to have no association with the Avengers. However, Sam Wilson becoming Cap is a great milestone moment that would help to remind audiences that the animated series takes place in an alternate reality in the MCU’s multiverse.
6Mysterio Attacks Europe
Mysterio Attacked Europe In 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home
Even thoughSpider-Man: Far From Homewas released prior toThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier,Spider-Man’s battle against Quentin Beck’s Mysterioactually happened months after Sam Wilson became Captain America in the MCU’s official timeline.Despite Peter Parker not being associated with the other superheroes of Earth inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, he could still come face-to-face with Mysterio. It’s likely his school will still have a trip to Europe, so his class could find itself at the center of Mysterio’s Elemental attacks.
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Marvel Studios has confirmed the designation for the MCU, dubbing it “616”, and has finally cleared up confusion concerning one Spider-Man villain.
In fact, having Peter Parker operate as Spider-Man secretly in Europe in a fight against Mysterio and his Elementals would be a great way to introduce this version of the wall-crawler to other heroes, including Nick Fury and Maria Hill.Mysterio is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic and recognizable villains in Marvel Comics and in the MCU, so it would be great to see him recreated forYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Peter Parker must get involved in this fight, or else Mysterio’s attacks could end in tragedy for countless innocent people.
5The Celestial Tiamut Emerges From The Ocean
The Celestial Tiamut Emerged In 2021’s Eternals
Thankfully,Captain America: Brave New Worldaddresses this monumental event from 2021’sEternals, which had seemingly gone unnoticed in the MCU for a number of years.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancan do the same. Spider-Man had nothing to do with theemergence of the Celestial Tiamutor his demise inEternals, soYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’sPeter Parker likely wouldn’t either. However,Parker could see this event unfold in news reports, further cementingYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manas an adjacent reality to the MCU’s 616-Universe.
Captain America: Brave New Worldreveals that the Celestial Tiamut’s body is now a source of adamantium in the MCU, which sets up key X-Men-centric storylines for the franchise’s future.
The Eternals recently played a key role inWhat If…?season 3, episode 2, “What If… Agatha Went to Hollywood?,” so it would be great to see them return, albeit briefly, inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.The Eternals haven’t been seen in live-action since their 2021 debut, so it’s good that their story is being developed in Marvel’s animated projects, and could continue to be ifYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manaddresses their existence. Hopefully the Eternals are successful in stopping the emergence in this new universe, too.
4T’Challa Passes Away & Shuri Becomes The Black Panther
Shuri Became The New Black Panther In 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
A photo of Norman Osborn with the Wakandan King T’Chaka hangs in the Oscorp building, implying that T’Challa also exists inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’suniverse. It’s possibleT’Challa’s Black Pantherwas involved in the Avengers' Civil War, which was seen inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manepisode 4, but his appearance in the series could ultimately lead to his tragic demise. In the MCU,in response to the sudden passing of the late Chadwick Boseman, T’Challa succumbed to a mysterious illness inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the same could occur in the animated series.
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T’Challa’s passing in the MCU began a chain of events that culminated in his sister, Letitia Wright’s Shuri, becoming the MCU’s new Black Panther. This same story could unfold in the background of Marvel’s animatedSpider-Manshow, especially since the WakandanAsha has already debuted inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.Shuri’s Black Panther hasn’t appeared since 2022’sWakanda Forever, so it would be great to see her return to the MCU, even if only in a multiversal animated series.
3The Skrull Rebellion Begins Its Secret Invasion
The Skrull Rebellion Began In 2023’s Secret Invasion
2023’sSecret Invasionbecame one of the MCU’s lowest-rated and most-criticized projects following its release, as it failed to capture the story of the iconic Marvel Comics event, and featured some confusing and controversial moments. Now, however,Marvel Studios has the perfect opportunity to redeem theSecret Invasionstoryline, asYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould explore a more comic-accurate Skrull invasion. This could be even more dramatic asYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manhas debutedColman Domingo as Norman Osborn, who plays a huge role in Marvel Comics’Secret Invasion.
Why Norman Osborn Isn’t In The MCU’s Spider-Man Movies Despite His MCU Debut
Norman Osborn just made his MCU debut in Your Friendly Neighborhood, despite not being in any of Marvel Studios and Sony’s Spider-Man movies.
Norman Osborn ends the Skrulls' invasion of Earth in Marvel Comics by killing the Skrull Queen Veranke, which leads to him being placed in charge of SHIELD’s replacement organization, HAMMER, giving him the influence to form the sinister Cabal. It’s easy to imagine the charismatic Norman Osborn inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manpulling off this feat and shifting into this position of great power.It would also be great to see a full-on Skrull invasion of Earth in the animated series, helping to move on from themistakes of the live-actionSecret Invasion series.
2Dar-Benn Almost Steals Earth’s Sun
Dar-Benn Attacked Earth In 2023’s The Marvels
In the wake ofSecret Invasion’sdisappointing performance and 2023’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes,The Marvelsalso didn’t fare so well, despite being a fun sequel forBrie Larson’s Captain Marveland her new superhero team. Even thoughThe Marvelsdidn’t perform very well, it still included some hugely important events that could change the MCU forever.Monica Rambeau found herself stuck in another reality, andYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould reference the events leading up to this moment, including Dar-Benn’s attack on the Earth’s sun.
Monica Rambeau still hasn’t been seen since becoming trapped in another reality inThe Marvels.
Zawe Ashton’s Kree villain, Dar-Benn, sought to harvest resources from planets close to Carol Danvers' heart inThe Marvels, hoping to bring life back to the Kree homeworld of Hala, which Danvers had inadvertently wrecked by destroying the Supreme Intelligence.After stealing the atmosphere from Tarnax and the water from Aladna, Dar-Benn travels to Earth to siphon the energy from the sun to restart Hala’s own star.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould explore the impact this event had on the ground, and perhaps tease Spider-Man’s jump from animation to a live-action universe.
1Kingpin Becomes Mayor Of New York City
Wilson Fisk Becomes Mayor Of New York City In 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again
While this event technically hasn’t yet taken place in the MCU,2025’s upcomingDaredevil: Born Againseriesis expected to mark Wilson Fisk’s rise to power as the new Mayor of New York City, soYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould also explore this storyline. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk had the idea to become Mayor at the end of 2024’sEcho, andBorn Againwill develop this story, perhaps setting up an adaptation of Marvel Comics’Devil’s Reign.This storyline would also impact Spider-Man, so it would be perfect forYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, too.
InMarvel Comics’Devil’s Reignevent, Mayor Wilson Fisk outlawed vigilantism in New York City, affecting the superhero careers of the the likes of Daredevil, Captain America, the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man.As well as being Daredevil’s archenemy in Marvel Comics, Kingpin is also an iconic Spider-Man villain, so it would be fantastic to see him appear inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and see him elected into a position of huge power and influence. This would present some huge problems for the animated Spider-Man, just as it will for the live-action MCU.
