Plot Holes (and Continuity Errors) in the Spider-Man Sagas

Since his big-screen debut in 2002, Spider-Man has been through several iconic incarnations: Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi's trilogy, Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man films, and more recently Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each of these sagas left its mark on fans, but they are also regularly criticised for their plot holes, for the liberties they take with the comics and for their breaks in internal logic. Through a close look at these films, let's revisit the main errors, oversights and contradictions that have left viewers puzzled, whether they are casual fans or devoted Marvel readers. Because even the most iconic heroes can trip over the webbing of their own universe.

The most notable errors in Sam Raimi's trilogy

Sam Raimi's trilogy (2002–2007) is often seen as a major turning point for superhero cinema — and we explain why Sam Raimi's trilogy became a cult classic. But for all its impact, it rests on several questionable writing decisions. One of the most glaring is surely the choice to give Peter Parker organic webs instead of the traditional mechanical web-shooters built by the character himself. That detail changes the hero's whole dynamic, stripping away part of the scientific genius that is central to the comics — a debate we pick apart in our full comparison of the web-shooters, from Tobey to Tom Holland.

Another example turns up in Spider-Man 3, where the story of Uncle Ben's death is rewritten to make Sandman the real culprit. That twist weakens the entire emotional structure built by the first two films: Peter's founding guilt rested precisely on his indirect responsibility for the tragedy, as our account of Uncle Ben's death reminds us. The retcon even does a disservice to Flint Marko, whose comics counterpart is far more nuanced — see our analysis of Sandman, a villain more complex than he looks. As for Peter's erratic behaviour under the influence of the black suit — the infamous 'Emo Peter' sequence — it was widely mocked and read as a break in tone, whereas the relationship between Spider-Man and the symbiote is handled in the comics as a genuinely dark psychological descent. The film still divides opinion, and our feature Spider-Man 3: failure or misunderstood? puts that verdict back into perspective.

Finally, some supporting characters vanish without explanation. Professor Connors, introduced in the first two instalments, seemed destined to become the Lizard just as he does in the comics — the transformation we recount in Spider-Man vs the Lizard, between science and monstrosity. But the storyline was left hanging, for want of a fourth film.

The era that started it all

Classic Sam Raimi Spider-Man Figure

The legendary suit from the Raimi trilogy as a collector's figure. Plot holes or not, this is the silhouette that turned Spider-Man into a screen legend.

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The Amazing Spider-Man: storylines launched but never finished

Marc Webb's reboot, carried by Andrew Garfield, set out to offer a more realistic, more emotional Peter Parker. But for all its early promise, the saga suffered from a string of narrative inconsistencies and a glaring lack of continuity. In the first film, the origin of Spider-Man's powers is tied to genetic engineering involving Oscorp and the research of Peter's father. That intriguing thread is all but abandoned in the second instalment, of which we offer a full analysis of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, an ambitious and tragic film. The story of Peter's parents, set up as the through-line, is never finished.

Worse still: several announced arcs would never see the light of day. The credits openly teased the arrival of the Sinister Six — the cult team whose history we trace in who the Sinister Six are — but the project collapsed with the cancellation of the third film, an extraordinary behind-the-scenes saga we tell in why Amazing Spider-Man 3 never happened. The character of Felicia Hardy — alias Black Cat in the comics, whose electric relationship with Spider-Man we explore — is briefly introduced in the second film… and then serves absolutely no purpose in the plot. That unfulfilled teasing frustrated fans, all the more so because it was setting up an extended universe that never existed.

Add to that an unbalanced pace, an overload of villains and touches like the Rhino armour that appears out of nowhere in the closing minutes. All of it gives an impression of improvisation rather than of a coherent vision.

The MCU's Spider-Man: modernisation… and deeper inconsistencies

With the arrival of Tom Holland, Marvel Studios brought Spider-Man back into its shared universe. The aim was clear: a young hero in tune with his generation and folded into the Avengers. On paper the idea works — and the gamble on a fresh start largely pays off, as we explain in our feature on Homecoming, Spider-Man's fresh start. But several storytelling choices surprised, and even disappointed, part of the audience loyal to the original character.

Tony Stark's central role upends the hero's self-reliant identity: upgraded suit, built-in artificial intelligence, mission briefings… Peter gets everything from Iron Man. That sits awkwardly with the idea of a self-taught teenager fighting crime alone in his own neighbourhood. Many feel this Spider-Man depends too much on others to exist — a fundamental debate we tackle head-on in does Spider-Man need the MCU to exist?. On top of that, the character never goes through the classic formative moments: no Uncle Ben on screen, no reflection on responsibility, no real founding trauma before No Way Home. That missing dramatic foundation creates a lasting gap with the expectations set by the comics and by the previous sagas.

No Way Home: the multiverse in the service of fan service… but at what cost?

Spider-Man: No Way Home marked a turning point by bringing the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield versions back to the screen — an upheaval whose full consequences we measure in our analysis of why No Way Home changed everything. While the film was praised for its tribute to the past sagas, it is not free of major inconsistencies, particularly in its handling of the multiverse, which we detail in No Way Home: the multiverse comes to the MCU.

For example, some villains — the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus — remember their own deaths perfectly… even though they are supposed to have been pulled out of their universes before those deaths happened. Others, such as Electro, change appearance and personality with no explanation. The very logic of Doctor Strange's spell stays vague: why are some characters affected and others not? And the final spell meant to erase Peter Parker from everyone's memory raises dizzying questions: what about the photos, the videos, the social media accounts, the databases or the contracts signed with Stark Industries? That grey area feeds one of the liveliest fan debates around, which we explore in does MJ remember Peter at the end of No Way Home?. For all that, the film remains a stirring tribute, and its popularity shows even in the merchandise, from Spider-Man posters to multiverse T-shirts.

Emotional inconsistencies: shifts that throw you off

Beyond the factual details, several films suffer from badly handled emotional shifts. In Spider-Man 3, Mary Jane's about-turn towards Peter feels sudden, as does her growing closeness to Harry Osborn. These swings of feeling without real justification undercut the characters' credibility — our retrospective on Spider-Man's love life, from Gwen Stacy to MJ shows just how much better these relationships deserve to be treated.

In the same way, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Gwen Stacy's death is one of the most affecting moments in the whole saga — the adaptation of a founding comics arc that we analyse in the death of Gwen Stacy, the arc that changed Spider-Man for ever. Yet Peter's grief is rushed through in a handful of scenes before the film moves straight on to a fight with Rhino, which blunts the emotional impact of the loss. A moment like that deserved longer, more introspective treatment, especially for a hero as defined by pain as Peter Parker.

The tribute to Gwen

Gwen Stacy Multiverse Zip Hoodie

The Spider-Gwen design straight out of the multiverse, on a comfortable zip-up hoodie. For wearing the Marvel universe every day, without going full costume.

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Supporting characters underused or poorly integrated

The Spider-Man sagas have introduced plenty of characters taken from the comics, but not all of them got the development they deserved. Felicia Hardy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a case in point: presented as Harry Osborn's assistant, never turned into Black Cat, introduced and then dropped. In the Raimi trilogy, Professor Connors is a similar case: mentioned twice, set up to become the Lizard, then left in limbo. These narrative threads cut short point to a lack of long-term planning and leave a taste of promises unkept.

The MCU is no exception. Ned Leeds, Peter's loyal friend, suddenly becomes able to open portals with a sling ring in No Way Home, with no training at all, purely 'by instinct'. The development is funny, granted, but it comes out of nowhere — and it is all the more puzzling given that the character's fate in the comics is radically different, as our portrait of Ned Leeds, loyal friend or overlooked traitor reveals.

A multiverse that sometimes simplifies continuity too far

The idea of the multiverse is thrilling, because it lets several versions of Spider-Man coexist and opens the door to fascinating variants such as Spider-Gwen and Miles Morales or Spider-Man 2099, the anti-hero from the future. But it also serves at times as an excuse for narrative shortcuts. In Into the Spider-Verse, the humour and the animation style fully embrace the dimensional chaos. In live action, viewers expect more rigour. And yet some questions go unanswered: why are only certain characters affected by the rifts? How do objects — suits, gadgets, substances — travel between worlds with no side effects? The multiverse, exciting as it is, becomes a risky tool when it is left unchecked. All that complexity makes a clear reading of the timeline even more valuable, and you will find one in our guide to the Spider-Man films: order, versions and universes.

A tone that swings between drama and comedy without real consistency

Another frequent criticism: the shift in tone from film to film. Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films take a serious, almost tragic approach, where every action Peter takes carries heavy consequences. The MCU films, by contrast, sit in a much lighter register, punctuated by constant jokes even in the middle of a dimensional crisis. That permanent swing can break the emotional build-up. In No Way Home, the death of Aunt May — a trauma whose comics equivalent is analysed in our feature on the death of Aunt May — is followed almost immediately by a reunion between Spider-Men full of banter and self-deprecation. That brutal contrast dulls the impact of a key event. Humour obviously has its place in the Spider-Man universe; it is the balance that sometimes goes missing, at the expense of the character's deeper identity, so well summed up in our full portrait of Peter Parker, the real face of Spider-Man.

When the inconsistencies become… iconic

It is only fair to admit that some of these missteps helped build the legend of Spider-Man on screen. The 'emo Peter Parker' dance in Spider-Man 3 is now one of the most popular memes on the web. The many 'Spider-Men pointing at each other' moments in No Way Home have become living tributes to a comics panel that went down in history. And fans love hunting down these little oddities — it has practically become a sport, as our collection of hidden details that 99% of fans have never spotted proves.

The phenomenon is not limited to the films, either: the comics have their own controversial retcons, starting with the most disputed bargain in the web-slinger's history, told in One More Day, the story that changed everything. Fans take these inconsistencies on board, twist them, argue about them… and in doing so keep Spider-Man at the centre of collective attention, generation after generation.

The meme turned collectible

Tobey Maguire in No Way Home Figure

The Raimi trilogy Spider-Man back in No Way Home, as a collector's figure. The perfect piece for fans who lived through the pointing scene in the cinema.

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Conclusion: the imperfection of a modern myth

No cinematic universe is perfect. When a franchise runs for more than twenty years, carried by several actors, writers and studios, inconsistencies are almost inevitable. What matters in the end is the emotional impact, the attachment to the characters and Spider-Man's ability to evolve while staying true to his values: courage, responsibility, resilience. Purists will go on debating which film is the most faithful to the comics and which is the best Spider-Man of all time — and that is exactly as it should be.

For all his flaws, Spider-Man remains one of the best-loved superheroes in the world. And it may be precisely his mistakes — human, narrative, technical — that make him feel so close to us. Because he falls, gets back up, improvises and keeps going. Just like the rest of us. To carry on exploring his different incarnations, the Spider-Man figures from every era and the Spider-Man gift selection bring together the best of the three sagas — imperfections not included.