Hold Up! Spider-Man's Famous Line Was Said FIRST by Another Marvel Hero?!
The MCU's "Great Responsibility" Time Warp: Jessica Jones Beats Spider-Man!
“With great power there must also come great responsibility.” That iconic Spider-Man line, first appearing in Amazing Fantasy (1962), became a huge deal. It's repeated in every live-action Spider-Man movie, shaping the narrative's central themes and creating that long-lasting thematic importance. But the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) timeline is crazy. This entire story changes in bizarre ways! Why? Well, thanks to those ever-shifting canon status rules – something Marvel seems keen on!
The MCU Spider-Man trilogy only has Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) deliver a version of the line. Why? Uncle Ben got axed entirely from the MCU version of the character. So, it was Aunt May's version that delivers that important lesson right before her death – in No Way Home (2024). And it is hugely significant that this important theme remains largely consistent despite this unexpected turn; adding an intense and satisfying dramatic impact for fans who enjoyed these earlier movies!
Netflix's Defenders Enter the MCU Canon: A Timeline Twist!
This is when things get nutty. Those Netflix Marvel shows (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, etc.) were initially separate. But they joined the MCU canon, officially confirmed by Brad Winderbaum (Head of Streaming at Marvel Studios). That changes the whole timeline, making Jessica Jones' season 2 (set in 2017) extremely important!
Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) actually says the “great responsibility” line before Spider-Man! And she does so in such an incredibly sarcastic tone; it is a very pointed moment that might not otherwise get noticed without this context. Her context? This incredibly important, and hilarious rejection of that classic line; showing her absolute lack of desire to continue that kind of trite philosophical argument. The fact that this line came first in this completely unrelated show becomes immensely meaningful – this changes that “important lesson” into something less monumental and even funny. It adds significant and important layers that wouldn’t have made sense without these unexpected timeline details!
Spider-Man: Homecoming's "Great Power" Lesson
But wait, there’s more! Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) also gives Peter Parker (Tom Holland) that classic lesson: “If you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it.” This is Tony Stark’s version of “great power, great responsibility”. Since Homecoming is before Jessica Jones season 2; this implies Peter had learned this exact lesson in this exact time period; this completely alters that previously presented linear narrative and creates a vastly more complicated storyline! This doesn’t invalidate what Jessica did; this makes her earlier comment something deeper– another instance that wouldn't have existed without making Jessica Jones canon! Even a seemingly insignificant change in canon status could result in such complex narrative developments which add several significant plot and narrative developments and adds much-needed depth and weight to a largely accepted canon!
Conclusion: A Perfectly Messy Yet Satisfying MCU Timeline
The MCU timeline is a delightful mess! This seemingly insignificant event– bringing Netflix Marvel into canon—has these crazy, unforeseen consequences; making Spider-Man’s famous line way less monumental–it already got said, earlier! Jessica Jones beats Peter Parker! The line’s significance shifts too! It's a minor moment highlighting that a major moment does exist and is quite important: these narrative and timeline changes create another significant event showing how important such casual alterations in production details can easily, and completely change the perceived and accepted history of several important Marvel Cinematic Universe plot points!
