The Heart of A Hero

MCU Favorite Moments Countdown #3- Peter Digs Himself Out of Rubble, Spider-Man: Homecoming

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has proven that they can make movies about superheroes other than Spider-Man and get people to want to watch them. Even so, the MCU didn’t feel complete without Marvel’s poster-boy, so everyone was elated when the web-head made his debut in Captain America: Civil War. Then that elation doubled with his stand-alone film, tSpider-Man: Homecoming.

Near the film’s climax, Spider-Man confronts the movie’s villain, Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture. Despite his best efforts, Spidey fails to catch the bad guy and ends up trapped under several tons of rubble as Vulture escapes. Just when he’s ready to give up, he remembers what Tony Stark told him earlier and realizes that he’s still a hero even without a fancy suit. In an impressive display of strength and will, Spider-Man then manages to lift the rubble off of him and freeing himself.

There’s a reason why Spider-Man is considered to be Marvel’s greatest creation. He may not be the smartest or the most powerful of all the heroes, and he has to do with a lot of problems most heroes don’t, yet he’s Marvel’s greatest hero. Because few other heroes in fiction have his strength of heart.

The best part to this scene, though, is that it’s actually a callback to what many consider to be Spider-Man’s greatest moment. All the way back in the 60s, Spider-Man battled the evil Dr. Octopus in order to retrieve a medicine needed to save the life of his Aunt May, only to be trapped underneath rubble in the same manner. Despite the overwhelming pain from lifting the debris, Spider-Man’s desire to save his Aunt May let him do the impossible and free himself.

The best part is that this moment in film is a tribute to the man who came up with this legendary scene: Spider-Man Co-Creator Steve Dikto. This is one of my all time favorite moments in the MCU, and a worthy addition to my top five.