Now that you’re here, I want to let you know that despite my adoration for Jake Gyllenhaal and his go as Mysterio, I don’t agree with the idea behind this ComicBook.com article.
What it suggests is that despite everything we know about the MCU, Quentin Beck’s the true hero of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and not our friendly, neighborhood web-head. A peculiar position indeed, and therefore one worth discussing.
Mind you, this’ll obviously contain Far From Home spoilers, so consider yourself warned.
The first thing to point out is that author Chase Magnett isn’t calling Peter Parker the film’s villain, nor is he saying that Mysterio’s plan to obtain and control E.D.I.T.H. makes him heroic. What he lays out instead is that the “villains” are the handful of individuals who account for “the continual destruction of the globe” that “could not be held accountable for their actions.”
Unfortunately, no direct examples are provided, but the qualms of the masked vigilante have been explored a lot in other recent comic book films, including the MCU’s own Captain America: Civil War. While Peter does eventually save the day from Mysterio’s destructive-drone illusions, he operates underneath a mask, and that, according to Magnett, excuses him from true accountability.
“If Spider-Man is to continue to possess such tremendous power, then he has a responsibility to be transparent and accountable for its use,” Magnett argues. “That can only be accomplished when government agencies, journalists, and an entire democratic population have the knowledge of who is doing what.”
But here’s the thing. Remember what Mysterio’s final act was? That’s right, with his dying breath, he told the world who Spider-Man really was. While I think this is more heroic because of the anticipation it builds for the MCU’s third Spidey venture, Magnett believes that having Peter Parker’s name out there’s a good thing in the big picture.
“While Mysterio’s final message will certainly wreak havoc on Spider-Man’s life, it makes the world a much safer place by finally making sure that the super-powered security state will be overseen by the people it has threatened for years, instead of any one person.”
Please, feel free to check out the whole article for yourself via the link below. While I may disagree with it, a whole lot of thought’s obviously been put into it. With that in mind, we’d like to know your impressions. Do you agree? Could Mysterio possibly be the hero of Spider-Man: Far From Home? Or is this a bunch of rubbish? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
