The Multiverse Dilemma: Will Peter Parker and Doctor Strange Forget Being Spider-Man?
Spider-Man: No Way Home introduced a twist that has left many fans contemplating. After the botched spell, the way to undeniably fix the multiverse was to erase the memory of Peter Parker as Spider-Man. However, the complexities of Doctor Strange's actions and the very nature of the film prompt a deeper question: Will Doctor Strange and Peter Parker forget their identities?
History of the Spell
At the climax of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange casts a spell to protect the multiverse from an unprecedented number of villains from various dimensions. This spell inadvertently creates a magical beacon, drawing in multiversal beings who know Peter Parker's secret identity.
The only way to counter this disruption is to eliminate the beacon by making everyone forget Peter Parker as Spider-Man. This idea aligns with the original intention of the spell, which was to prevent memory leaks and maintain the integrity of the multiverse.
Achieving the Goal
The seemingly straightforward solution would be to make every person, every creature, forget the existence of Spider-Man. This approach would eliminate the need for Peter to constantly prove his identity and would allow him to rebuild his life without the weight of his secret identity weighing him down.
Given the complexity of the multiverse and the nature of Spider-Man as a character, this option could have been the most logical path. Peter, as a hero, could have adapted and started anew, establishing a new identity as a regular person.
In-Character Sacrifice
However, Spider-Man is not just a character, but a superhero. The essence of his role is to protect and serve others, often at a great personal cost. Witnessing this personal sacrifice, Doctor Strange, in the scene, states, "Nice knowing you, Spider-Man." This implies that Strange will forget about both Peter and Spider-Man.
Many fans argue that this is indeed what happens. When Strange departs, his final lines could be interpreted as the end of his memories of both identities. And indeed, this is what the movie suggests by its conclusion. However, the specifics of memory erasure and multiversal connections remain ambiguous in the narrative context.
Understanding the Multiverse
The concept of the multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home introduces another layer of complexity. The question here is not just about erasing a memory but about the nature of these different dimensions and their connections. Why would villains from other universes suddenly appear if everyone forgets Peter's identity?
Not all villains from parallel universes were aware of Tom Holland's Peter Parker, just as they didn't know about other Spider-Men before. Garfield's, Maguire's, and Tobey Maguire's villains would not be aware of Tom Holland’s PC.
Given these points, the idea that just erasing Peter's memory would reset the multiverse is underpinned by unexplained multiversal mechanics. The appearance of villains as the multiverse breaks down suggests a more intricate interaction beyond simple memory erasure.
Thus, while the movie may suggest that Doctor Strange and Peter Parker will forget their identities, the broader implications and multiversal mechanics within the story remain unclear and open to interpretation. The enigma of memory erasure in the multiverse continues to intrigue fans and researchers alike.