Why Andrew Garfield's Statue of Liberty Rescue in Spider-Man: No Way Home Is Perfect

Spider-Man: No Way Home built on two decades of the Sony Spider-verse to deliver one of the biggest comic book movie events ever, and seeing Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire share the screen with Tom Holland was something I never thought I would actually see happen. I hadn't felt hype like that since Jay-Z and Nas appeared on stage together during the I Declare War tour, and it is still something that gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.

What I think the film excelled at was giving Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker a much deserved redemption arc, and once you know everything that went on behind the scenes with him, it is hard not to feel sorry for the actor.

Andrew Garfield's Amazing Spider-Man Was Cut Short Before No Way Home

The Amazing Spider-Man released in 2012, just five years after Tobey Maguire's last outing in Spider-Man 3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 followed in 2014, and only two years after that Garfield was replaced by Tom Holland in a complete reboot. Garfield was reportedly due to announce The Amazing Spider-Man 3 at a Brazilian comic book event, but he called in sick and the project was scrapped. It was only after the Sony email hack that fans learned Amy Pascal had been in talks with Kevin Feige about rebooting the character in the MCU, effectively sweeping Garfield's version under the rug. Even so, there was a huge online community that kept supporting him, much like the movement that pushed for the Snyder Cut, and it is why seeing him back on screen alongside Tobey and Tom felt like it righted a real wrong.

I Think Garfield Is the Standout Live-Action Spider-Man

People have argued for a decade over who the best live-action Spider-Man is, and after watching all three together, I actually think Garfield is by far the standout. In my opinion, he swings circles around the other two, and it is easy to see why he has had such a big career outside this franchise.

The Film Also Redeems Garfield's Version of Peter Parker Himself

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended with Gwen Stacy falling to her death after Peter misused his webs and broke her neck, arguably one of the most tragic moments in any Spider-Man movie because it was caused so directly by him. No Way Home reveals that this broke the character, and he stopped pulling his punches afterward. As he puts it, "I lost Gwen, my um she was my MJ. Some point I just I stopped pulling my punches." That loss sent him down a darker, more vengeful path where he stopped giving villains the benefit of the doubt.

Responsibility Is the Theme That Ties All Three Peters Together

A major theme in No Way Home is responsibility, and the two older Peters act as a warning after May's death. Tobey's Peter recounts the night Uncle Ben died and admits that even though he stopped the man he believed was responsible, it did not make him feel better: "It didn't make it better. It took me a long time to learn to get through that darkness." Tom's Peter is about to repeat that mistake when the Green Goblin kills Aunt May, and in the final battle he starts beating the Goblin senseless. It is Tobey who stops him from shoving the glider into the Goblin, the very way his own version died in the original film, saving Tom's Peter from becoming vengeful and filled with anger.

Garfield's Save of MJ Mirrors Gwen Stacy's Death and Heals Both Peters

Andrew's way of saving Tom's soul is far more subtle. After Norman Osborn destroys the scaffolding at the Statue of Liberty, MJ falls, mirroring Gwen's fall, and the Goblin catches Tom's Peter midair to stop him from reaching her. It looks like history is repeating itself, made worse by the fact that Osborn also killed May. But Garfield's Peter leaps after her and breaks her fall, saving her life. He even refers to MJ as his Gwen. Rather than using a web to catch her, which is what went wrong before, he takes the impact himself, showing he has not repeated his own mistake. It is a genuinely powerful moment, and Garfield, in my view, acts his heart out in the exchange that follows: "Are you okay? Yeah, I'm okay. Are you okay?"

Why the Scene Still Lands Even Though the Trailers Spoiled It

Even though the second trailer telegraphed this moment and fans had watched it hundreds of times before release, it still hits hard, which shows the power of the performance and what it means for the character rather than just the surprise of it. The movie is about saving the villains throughout, but it is just as much about saving Peter himself from becoming the version his older selves wish they had not turned into.

What This Means for Garfield's Future as Spider-Man

For fans, Garfield no longer feels like he was robbed of playing the character he was obsessed with as a kid; instead he finally gets to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other actors who have played him. I really hope the rumblings about Garfield returning, whether in Venom 3 or his own spin-off movie, turn out to be true, because when he is given the right material I think he can be the perfect Peter Parker. His two solo films and No Way Home together bring his arc to a close, though we know he still has not found someone to fill the hole Gwen left in his life, and I think we all just want to see him happy. After rewatching the movie with everything this moment means for the character and the actor, I do not think it is anything other than perfect.

Do you agree that Andrew Garfield is the standout live-action Spider-Man, or does one of the other two take the crown for you?