Tom Holland’s Peter Parker – Tony Stark’s protege and the son he never had – has been intimately tied to the “billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” since first appearing in the MCU for Civil War. Spider-Man: Far From Home merely sealed their bond through absence, though grief.

Boasting a heartwarming and humorous father-son dynamic, the two tore our hearts out in Infinity War, as Parker faded into oblivion. Soon after, they broke down all our defenses, in Endgame, when Stark puts heroism before egotism – completing his narrative arc and sacrificing his own life for the good of humankind. Parker fell into despair, and we were right there beside him, as he lost his mentor and father figure. 

These two characters have been written in such a way that they remain connected despite Stark’s death. Their narratives will remain intertwined, as Parker develops into the hero Stark has groomed him to be – all while retaining his own personal flair. Thus, given the fallout of Spider-Man: Far From Home, it should come as no surprise that Parker is destined to fill Stark’s shoes in one very distinct way.

*’Spider-Man: Far From Home’ spoilers ahead*

How Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will follow in Stark’s footsteps in ‘Spider-Man 3’ 

At the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home – if you stuck around for the post-credits scenes – Peter Parker’s identity was revealed. J.K. Simmons reprised his role as Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Bugle, (J Jonah Jameson) and released Mysterio’s video – in which he states, “Spider-Man’s name is Peter Parker – to TheDailyBugle.Net. 

With Spider-Man’s identity revealed, as long as TheDailyBugle.Net strays from fake news territory, Parker will be the second to follow in Iron Man’s footsteps, as a hero whose identity is open to the public in the MCU.

Though Peter Parker did not choose to reveal his identity to the masses, as Tony Stark did in his second installment, the consequences will be synonymous. He will face similar hurdles, confront similar setbacks, and may often be forced to save and protect those he holds dear – MJ and Ned may be in trouble come the next Spider-Man movie. And this choice, for several reasons, was a marvelous decision on behalf of the writers. 

Revealing Spider-Man’s true identity in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ was a genius move: How Parker will become Tony 

Doesn’t it feel all too apropos, all too poignant – the man Parker will need most to handle this struggle will only be present in his heart? Parker will have to rely on what he already knows from Tony to work his way through leaked identity.

By choosing this as the narrative starting point for the last Spider-Man film, the writers will close out Parker’s story in such a way that he remains intimately connected to Stark. In this manner, he will transform into the next Tony – finding a way to balance heroism with exposure. Parker will make choices that align with his personality and disposition; however, the film will present opportunities for him to question, “what would Tony do?”

With Spider-Man and Tony Stark, the MCU continues to remind us of one integral facet to their success: they know how to balance heart with action. Those over at Marvel rarely veer into sentimentality, but they frequently expose humanity (even if it comes through superhumans).