Far From Home The Uncle Ben Problem

[Stringer]

Spoiler

I mean, I guess Ned is the solid good friend, though he's more an MCU amalgamation type character, no? Still... Even the character that's supposed to be his love interest, a version of MJ, which I will note, I have zero problems with the changes, the race bending, even the change up in characterization... Still... What is that relationship and character all about exactly? In HC she's almost this strange background character and then there's the MJ reveal and it's supposed to mean something to us as fans cuz of the initials but then here in FFH... We don't really get any more out of the character than what we got in HC. She's the designated love interest. Okay... AND? We don't even get why either is actually infatuated with the other really. I mean in HC Peter was actually much more interested in ANOTHER girl for the whole film's run time. Now we start off FFH with him planning out a romantic moment with MJ because he developed this crush for her in the gap between HC/IW and the return to life in EG/the start of FFH. Which we saw ZERO of. It's cool and all that she becomes part of the plot to foil the villain but even then... Eh... it's just happenstance. The projector fell near her. Then, like all good love interests she gets targeted by the bad guys. It's all very rote and boilerplate and does nothing really to expand on the character. She's a sarcastic cypher at the end of FFH just as she was when she showed up in HC the first time only now she's the love interest, cuz... Well cuz the writers say so because Peter Parker's love interest is always MJ. But they haven't given me any reasons why or why I should care and frankly... I don't feel this palpable chemistry between them either.

Spoiler

And Ned didn't have much to do in this movie either. Seems like the thread on that character is already running out, and if they haven't said so it needs to be said that he was gone 5 years as well since he looks every bit of 30 years old in the movie. 100 on MJ being happenstance. She somehow is the one that finds the key piece of evidence which contains Quinton almost comically snitching on himself leaving no doubt he's up to no good. But again neither character or Aunt May contribute to his development in the story. Happy is the one that gives him the big pep talk before picking himself up.

 

[Zarex]

I started reading the Spider-Man comics in the early 60's. Read them up to the late 80's (circumstances caused me to give up all comics for many years).....occasionally still read some back issues. I'm sure my memory isn't perfect....but as far as I remember....Uncle Ben was NOT the main focus of every single issue of the series. He is mentioned now and then....he is credited with helping to form Peter's personality....but the books do not constantly talk about him. When I was younger....I expected a movie or TV adaptation of a comic book to be exact and perfect. Now I just hope they give it a good try to be similar. I accept that there will be differences. It doesn't mean I won't be disappointed in some things....but I don't lose sleep over them.

Your memory's fine. I've been doing a re-read of the Lee/Ditko run recently and there are very few mentions of Ben. I started reading Spidey about a decade after you and there was a lot more mourning over Gwen than there ever was for Ben.

When Feige and his team decided to skip Ben's death in the MCU, the poor fella's fate was sealed. It doesn't make a lick of sense to dredge up a character the audience has never met, especially with all the time that has elapsed and everything that's happened to Pete since his uncle's untimely demise.

 

[Another_Fool]

Ok folks let's not get all revisionist history now. Yes it's true that Ben doesn't get name dropped multiple times in the Lee / Ditko era but the impact of his death hovers over like a spectre. You know how? With the phrase that was born out of the guilt Peter felt over his death: "With great power comes great responsibility". They mention that phrase A LOT; practically every issue early in the run. Add to that, Peter's constant concern for May, his wish for her to never find out he's Spider-Man because how can she cope after everything she's been through implying Ben's death.

I agree that I don't need Ben's death to be mentioned but I can't say that it doesn't bug me they replaced it with Tony.

 

[spider-neil]

With regards to Uncle Ben, I was really hoping we would see 'The Boy who Collects Comics' on the big screen

Spoiler

but that isn't possible now because Spidey identity is out

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Ok folks let's not get all revisionist history now. Yes it's true that Ben doesn't get name dropped multiple times in the Lee / Ditko era but the impact of his death hovers over like a spectre. You know how? With the phrase that was born out of the guilt Peter felt over his death: "With great power comes great responsibility". They mention that phrase A LOT; practically every issue early in the run. Add to that, Peter's constant concern for May, his wish for her to never find out he's Spider-Man because how can she cope after everything she's been through implying Ben's death.

I agree that I don't need Ben's death to be mentioned but I can't say that it doesn't bug me they replaced it with Tony.

For some context:

https://www.cbr.com/when-we-first-met-when-did-uncle-ben-first-say-with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility/

 

[Schlosser85]

Spoiler

And Ned didn't have much to do in this movie either. Seems like the thread on that character is already running out, and if they haven't said so it needs to be said that he was gone 5 years as well since he looks every bit of 30 years old in the movie. 100 on MJ being happenstance. She somehow is the one that finds the key piece of evidence which contains Quinton almost comically snitching on himself leaving no doubt he's up to no good. But again neither character or Aunt May contribute to his development in the story. Happy is the one that gives him the big pep talk before picking himself up.

Ned looks thirty? Jacob Batalon is 22, a year younger than Tom Holland, so ouch, lol.

 

[spiderman2]

lol I dont think Ned looks 30 at all that sounds crazy to me. He looks like 18 or something.

 

[spider-neil]

For the record, in AF 15 'With great power comes great responsibility' is delivered by the comic narrator and not Uncle Ben.

 

[spider-neil]

lol I dont think Ned looks 30 at all that sounds crazy to me. He looks like 18 or something.

He definitely looks like a kid. I don't get the comments that he looks old.

 

[spiderman2]

He definitely looks like a kid. I don't get the comments that he looks old.

Yeah first I have heard someone say that. I am 30 and if he looks 30 I dont want to known how old I look lol.

 

[spider-neil]

Yeah first I have heard someone say that. I am 30 and if he looks 30 I dont want to known how old I look lol.

The only kids I thought looked old is Brad, but that's by design. And Liz from the first movie, she looked young but she doesn't look like a 'kid'.

 

[spiderman2]

The only kids I thought looked old is Brad, but that's by design. And Liz from the first movie, she looked young but she doesn't look like a 'kid'.

Yeah and in real life the actress that does play Liz is a little bit older than the other kids at 29. Most people at 29 dont look like a highschool kid maybe early 20's but 29 and looking like 14-18 or something most are not going to.

 

[spider-neil]

Yeah and in real life the actress that does play Liz is a little bit older than the other kids at 29. Most people at 29 dont look like a highschool kid maybe early 20's but 29 and looking like 14-18 or something most are not going to.

They should have cast younger. She is a good actress (KKKlansman) but she didn't bring anything to Liz role that couldn't have also been brought by someone younger.

 

[WhoMani]

It's true, actually. The MCU characters (Tony, Happy, Fury) mean much more to Peter's development than the "normal" loved ones in his life.

You forgot Ned too as he's the character that helps keep Peter Parker down to earth and grounded. It is interesting that in the MCU that Tony, Happy, Ned and even Fury all have a major influence on PP than Uncle Ben does.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

The way I see it Peter was already influenced by his uncle Ben, helped mold him into the good kid he already was. But we arent just influenced by one person in life, especially with him being a teenager with no father figure he still has growing up to do and life left to experience. Uncle Ben could never teach Peter how to be a better hero, only how to be a good person and do the right thing in the first place. Peter is still in the parts of his life where he could be impressionable and still needs guidance, being a teenager is about finding identity. Its realistic for him to influence by different people who can teach him different things because Ben died before he could finish raising Peter and passing down his life experience.
But uncle Ben's influence already set the stage for this Peter, we got all the evidence we need in civil war. To think at 16 Peter learned everything that he needed to learn from uncle Ben to completely function in the world today is a flawed logic. I'm 26 and I'm still learning things from my father.

 

[terry78]

I doubt we'll ever get a blatant reference to Ben unless it's like down the line when Holland has gotten older and he's playing Spidey as like a 30 year old.

 

[samsnee]

In FFH he used Bens old suitcase. The monogram on it says BFP.

 

[Another_Fool]

For some context:

https://www.cbr.com/when-we-first-met-when-did-uncle-ben-first-say-with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility/

This is a good article but I'm not sure if you're replying to me with this because you think I'm saying/implying Uncle Ben or even Peter say the phrase. If not, please disregard my reply. But if so, I never said that was either of their quotes because I know that in the early run Uncle Ben never says it and I don't think Peter even says it for a long time. I said the phrase was born out of his guilt over Ben's death, meaning narration form.

The point I was making is that for the first few issues Peter is either grappling with the loss in some form or always feeling nothing goes right for him as Spider-Man. As the reader, sure he's not grieving every issue, but if the reader reads Amazing Fantasy and Amazing Spider-Man #1, whenever he complains about the misfortune of being Spidey or worrying about May, then the context and factor of the death of his uncle is inescapable.

I do need to correct myself as I misspoke when I said the phrase shows up multiple times. I meant the mantra shows up in that Peter will occasionally in that early run have to remind himself that he needs to be more responsible.

Like I said, I agree that we don't need an Uncle Ben to always be mentioned or referenced in a Spider-Man film but let's not revise the context of the early run of the comics to fit that point either.

 

[fan4stic]

The way I see it Peter was already influenced by his uncle Ben, helped mold him into the good kid he already was. But we arent just influenced by one person in life, especially with him being a teenager with no father figure he still has growing up to do and life left to experience. Uncle Ben could never teach Peter how to be a better hero, only how to be a good person and do the right thing in the first place. Peter is still in the parts of his life where he could be impressionable and still needs guidance, being a teenager is about finding identity. Its realistic for him to influence by different people who can teach him different things because Ben died before he could finish raising Peter and passing down his life experience.
But uncle Ben's influence already set the stage for this Peter, we got all the evidence we need in civil war. To think at 16 Peter learned everything that he needed to learn from uncle Ben to completely function in the world today is a flawed logic. I'm 26 and I'm still learning things from my father.

I think Ben's influence isn't a developed concept. If they did develop it, that doesn't mean it has to be the sole influence presented on him or that Peter has to be shown as someone who has his life figured out. I think both of these things can be done. I think MCU Spidey tries to avoid talking about the influence of Ben, aside from mainly lip service.

In FFH he used Bens old suitcase. The monogram on it says BFP.

I think that May could've bought that at thrift store for what I think is likely the developed importance of it for the character and Peter.

 

[Abudefduf]

I don't get why Marvel/Sony seem to be so desperate to erase Uncle Ben. Like, do they believe Peter or May simply mentioning his name would somehow damage this iteration of Spider-Man?

And now that a certain actor is officially back as a certain character, you can't even tell me it's because they want to avoid comparisons with the old movies. I just don't understand it, really.

 

[WhoMani]

I'm not saying that Peter constantly needs to mention Uncle Ben and I can see why in past movies they've only hinted to him as Feige feels that the general audience is aware of Peter's origin so I guess they didn't want to rehash the origin again. Its just a little weird that Peter in Far From Home never acknowledged that he lost a father figure before he met Stark. But whatever it didn't ruin the movie for me and I still enjoyed it.

 

[Stringer]

Ned looks thirty? Jacob Batalon is 22, a year younger than Tom Holland, so ouch, lol.

lol I dont think Ned looks 30 at all that sounds crazy to me. He looks like 18 or something.

I was being a bit facetious but he doesn't look like a 15-16 year old kid. He's much closer to his classmate Bruce(?) who is supposed to look older than his peers. Tom Holland is outgrowing the time period too. Definitely time to advance some years in the sequel.

 

[Invader Joker]

I was being a bit facetious but he doesn't look like a 15-16 year old kid. He's much closer to his classmate Bruce(?) who is supposed to look older than his peers. Tom Holland is outgrowing the time period too. Definitely time to advance some years in the sequel.

Nah. I'm 18 and I could totally buy either of them in a classroom next to me. They're ok. Peter was supposed to be closer to 17 in this movie anyway.

 

[Web-Head]

I wouldn't have a problem with no Uncle Ben if it wasn't so Tony centric. He can mourn Tony 8 months later, but not Ben?

Would a line like "I already lost Ben and then I lose Tony too?" been so bad? It could have easily been dropped in there during the heart to heart with Happy.

 

[Mistah K88]

I wouldn't have a problem with no Uncle Ben if it wasn't so Tony centric. He can mourn Tony 8 months later, but not Ben?

Would a line like "I already lost Ben and then I lose Tony too?" been so bad? It could have easily been dropped in there during the heart to heart with Happy.

Hmm, you know most adaptions that have Ben in it don't dwell on him for too long. Just the origin, and maybe a thought every now and then...However with Tony I DEFINITELY expect to be hearing about him in every MCU Spider-Man movie.