A new fan theory may explain Electro’s yellow lightning in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

I’m part of the minority that liked The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It’s not perfect, but I enjoyed the playful atmosphere and thought Jamie Foxx’s Electro was a fun villain. His first confrontation with Spidey in Times Square and their final showdown at a power station are both awesome, and I particularly liked the way his powers were incorporated into the score.

All of this meant I was very pleased when Marvel Studios confirmed that Jamie Foxx was reprising the role for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

We’re now two trailers and many TV spots deep and have a good idea how Peter’s wish brings in characters from other Spider-Man movies. But one question yet to be answered is how Electro’s powers have changed.

In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, his lightning bolts are blue – as is he. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, he’s switched up the design to yellow. Additionally, he appears to have recovered from his energy form and retained a more human look. So, what gives?

One theory is that he’s utilizing Stark tech to contain his energy output, as signified by an arc reactor on his chest. Another doing the rounds on Reddit is that his final moments in his last appearance saw him overloaded with yellow lightning. Perhaps this inadvertently upgraded his powers, upping the wattage he can generate.

Or, as another poster points out, we don’t have confirmation that these villains are the exact ones from their respective films. Loki revealed that there’s an infinite number of variant universes out there, so maybe this Electro is simply a variant from a universe in which he received slightly different powers.

With all the villains lined up for Spider-Man: No Way Home I’m hoping Electro gets some decent screentime, as I want to see what Jamie Foxx can do with his second chance in the Spider-Verse.