Marvel’s Spider-Man has evolved immensely over its franchise course. Starting with the main antagonist, the Green Goblin, Spider-Man has since run into even more characters like Doctor Octopus and Venom all while spinning his web to save the world one spidey sense at a time. Though Peter Parker wasn’t born with his spider-like capabilities, he inherited them through a steatoda spider bite while on a field trip.
Peter Parker may have been facing battles before his spider bite as the detached, unnoticeable geek, but when he began growing spider-like traits, he was quick to put his abilities to use. Not only could he now defend himself, he could see bad before it happened and save people in harm’s way. With accuracy and courage, Spider-Man worked to save hundreds of innocent lives across the nine franchise films.
Fans have seen a multitude of stories, perspectives, characters, and moments that have shone in each respective franchise. Sam Raimi’s original Trilogy and Marc Webb’s Amazing duology left their impact on audiences, while the MCU and animated versions continue to adapt new stories and engage new audiences. The Spider-Manfranchise is so beloved precisely because of its ability to touch movie-goers everywhere. One of the ways it does this is through its memorable and quotable lines from every Spider-Man film.
Updated on July 31st, 2023 by Jack Deegan: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
20 “We are who we choose to be. Now choose!”
Spider-Man (2002)
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Nothing is scarier than an antihero trying to kill you multiple times. When the Green Goblin attempts to take Mary Jane’s life in Spider-Man, he heckles his way under her skin, causing a near-death experience for the love interest of Peter Parker.
As the Green Goblin attempts to intimidate by striking words at the two, Spider-Man is cheered on by the people of the city while saving MJ’s life, yet again. Green Goblin implores Spider-Man to join his side so they can rule over the city together. However, Spider-Man will always choose to save people instead of ruling over them, highlighting the main differences between the characters.
19 “Everywhere I go, I see his face.”
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
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After Tony Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame, as his apprentice and someone who heavily relied on his guidance, Peter Parker was forced to deal with an immense loss at a young age. Spider-Man: Far From Home served as a tool to pull Peter through the grief and encourage him to make a name for himself outside Stark Industries.
The “Everywhere I go, I see his face” quote was also included in the trailer to set the tone Far From Home was going to take. Its importance lies in the heavy burden Peter was left with to live up to the public as they expected him to become the next Iron Man, while he only wanted to live a normal teenage life.
18 “If you expect disappointment, then you’ll never get disappointed.”
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Everyone’s probably familiar with MJ’s cynical thinking, and many probably even relate to her. The whole of Spider-Man: No Way Home carries itself in the vibe of: “If you expect disappointment, then you’ll never get disappointed.” It starts with Peter, MJ, and Ned’s dreams of getting into MIT as a team, living together, and having a normal life. Their plans take a U-turn when they don’t get accepted.
On top of that, Peter accidentally messes up the Multiverse and has to deal with multidimensional villains. MJ was right to expect disappointment given how they don’t even get a happy ending when everyone’s memories of Peter get erased.
17 “I was in the neighborhood.”
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man is so nonchalant about his ability to save the world with one web that he comes across as a laid-back gentleman — both with and without his suit. When Mary Jane begins to fall for her hero, Spider-Man starts to woo her with his words, as his identity had to continue to stay unknown.
He finds freedom in saving the people he knew as well as those he didn’t, just as long as those in danger remain unharmed under his watchful eye. The iconic quote also touches on his comic catchline, as most fans know him as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
16 “Anyone can wear the mask.”
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
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“Anyone can wear the mask. You can wear the mask. If you didn’t know that before, I hope you do now. Cuz I’m Spider-Man.” This is a quote that basically explains the whole premise of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Miles Morales becomes the new Spider-Man after the death of Peter Parker.
He joins other Spider-People from parallel universes to save the world from Kingpin. There are seven different Spideys in the storyline, each one of them very different from the others. This line drives home that anyone can be Spider-Man, no matter their race, gender, or sexual identity.
15 “I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s something I never felt before.”
Spider-Man (2002)
Parker couldn’t have answered better when MJ asked him, “What do you see coming for you?” This dialogue in the first Spider-Man takes a look into Peter Parker preparing for what’s to come. He felt safe in the eyes of MJ, who would grow to love him.
Yet he uttered this quote in a tone of voice that revealed he had decided to not run away from the changes that he couldn’t stop from happening. Though Parker was facing an ability that could cause terror and death, he embraced his abilities with courage, all from the very beginning.
14 “I didn’t want to join a band, so I started my own.”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2018)
In the Spider-Verse movies, Gwen Stacy is a character who cut herself off from making new friends. After the death of her best friend, her universe’s Peter Parker, she put all of her energy into being Spider-Woman and swore off friendships. It wasn’t until meeting Miles Morales in Into the Spider-Verse that she started opening herself up to that idea again.
That’s why at the end of Across the Spider-Verse it’s such a powerful moment when Gwen says this line. She left her old band, The Mary Janes, at the start of the film because she wasn’t prepared to open up to them. It all comes full circle at the end of the movie when she says this, finally coming around to making friends and starting her own “band” of them.
13 “Everyone has a part of themselves they hide.”
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2, starring Andrew Garfield, heavily focuses on Peter’s obsession to find out information about his parents while dealing with the grief of losing Uncle Ben. He realizes the responsibility to protect his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, as well as deal with the supervillain Electro and his best friend Harry Osborn, who was after his irradiated blood.
The pressure forces him to withdraw from Aunt May, who eventually confronts him. She knows the pain Peter must be feeling in not knowing his parents’ secrets, so she tells him: “Everyone has a part of themselves they hide. Even from the people they love.” It does help for a little while.
12 “You’ve found my weakness! It’s small knives.”
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Now, onto one of the more light-hearted quotes on our list. When Peter in The Amazing Spider-Man realizes his potential to help the police to catch criminals after his Uncle Ben got killed, we can see his playfully quirky side come out. Peter enjoys helping the public (although the police don’t appreciate his efforts at first).
When he gets a firm hold on his powers, we see him making fun of the criminals, such as in the quote: “You’ve found my weakness! It’s small knives.” It helps establish the slightly different characteristics that Garfield’s Spider-Man possesses and is accurate to the snarky character fans love in Marvel Comics.
11 “The cunning warrior attacks neither body nor mind. First, we attack his heart!”
Spider-Man (2002)
If you want to send Peter Parker into savage mode, the Green Goblin knows just what to do. After realizing Parker is Spider-Man during a Thanksgiving meal with his Aunt May, the Green Goblin attacks the elderly woman later that night as she is praying in her bedroom.
The Goblin then focuses on the ones that Parker loves, as he knows that Parker’s heart is what drives him most. With Peter’s Aunt May in the hospital, Goblin kidnaps MJ as well in an attempt to further push Spider-Man past his limits so that he would ultimately join him or die.
10 “Nah, I’mma do my own thing”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
In the most important line of the film, Miles says this to Miguel when he’s trying to tell him how his story is supposed to go. This moment completes Miles’ character arc in the movie where he makes his choice to do things his own way.
The Spider Society insists that he has to follow the canon and let his father die, as it’s something important that happens to every spider person. He won’t let the canon dictate how his life is supposed to go, and venom strikes Miguel away to save his dad.
9 “You know who I am, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!”
Spider-Man (2002)
And that you are! Spider-Man accepts his responsibility with respect to normative culture. He doesn’t grow with ego but with a yield to the young souls who look up to him. He cares for the people of the city he looks after and brings integrity to his name in all regards by being mysteriously kind.
Not only does this quote bring a classic catchphrase from the comics to the big screen, but it also teased the ongoing dynamic between Spider-Man and Mary Jane. Every fiber of his being wants to tell her that he is Spider-Man, but he knows he has to keep it a secret to protect her. However, he still has fun teasing her slightly with little quips and almost reveals.
8 “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Peter’s desperation to become an official member of the Avengers takes a turn for the worse when he starts lying to Tony about his actions and whereabouts in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Peter wants to catch the new villain Vulture on his own to prove to Stark that he’s worthy of attention. However, when his plans don’t go as he hoped, Stark decides to take back the Spider-Man suit he designed for him.
Peter begs him to not do it, claiming he’s nothing without the suit. And well, who better to tell him, “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it,” than Tony, who has had to go through something very similar. The suit shouldn’t define who you are as a superhero.
7 “We have to be greater than what we suffer.”
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
After Gwen’s death, Peter blamed himself for not being able to save her. This sent him into a depression and because of that, he stopped being Spider-Man. Despite seeing crimes taking place on the news, that fear of failure and grief kept him from using his great power to fulfill his great responsibility.
It isn’t until he watched a clip of Gwen’s graduation speech that he realized what he had to do. Gwen inspires Peter with her words and embodies what the character is supposed to be in one line. No matter how much Spider-Man suffers, he always has to be greater.
6 “I believe there’s a hero in all of us.”
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
We don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 excels at having honest and humane moments with inspirational dialogue. When Peter struggles with his identity as Spider-Man and often wants to quit, Aunt May pulls through and shows him the truth.
The “I believe there’s a hero in all of us” speech that she gives to Peter turns out to be exactly what he needed all along. It also shows just how kind and forgiving May’s character is in the movie, and teases that Aunt May might know his secret identity after all.
5 “Everybody needs help sometimes, Peter. Even Spider-Man.”
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
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As we all know, Peter goes off the rails in Spider-Man 3. The fame and power get into his head once the Venom symbiote possesses his body. He completely disregards Mary Jane even though he plans to propose her, he kisses other girls, and so much more. Mary Jane (the great Kirsten Dunst) is rightfully so tired of his behavior and tries many times to have a heart-to-heart.
She reaches the limits of her patience when Peter’s self-centered behavior doesn’t give her a chance to share that she’s been fired from her job. And then, she hits him with a powerful quote “Everybody needs help sometimes, Peter. Even Spider-Man,” before she leaves him.
4 “Come on, Peter. Come on, Spider-Man!”
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
If Peter was nothing without the suit, then this was the moment that he proved he didn’t need it to be Spider-Man. Trapped under a pile of rubble in a collapsing building by the Vulture, Peter has no choice but to power out of it.
After seeing half of his reflection cut with half of his own homemade mask, he finds the strength to free himself. It not only echoes a moment from the comics but proves that with or without a fancy suit, Peter Parker is always Spider-Man.
3 “Who am I? You sure you wanna know?”
Spider-Man (2002)
“Who am I? You sure you wanna know? The story of my life is not for the faint of heart. If somebody said it was a happy little tale, if somebody told you I was just your average guy, not a care in the world — somebody lied.”
Peter Parker’s opening quote in the first Spider-Man exemplifies the energy he would be bringing forth to honor his heroic character. His explanation projects confidence and a readiness to save all, never second-guessing what his destiny would become after having been bitten by a spider.
2 This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I’m Spider-Man.”
Spider-Man (2002)
The original Spider-Man‘s ending still remains one of the greatest comic book movie endings of all time. After Norman Osborn’s funeral, Peter visits Uncle Ben’s gravestone. He’s comforted by Mary Jane who reveals his feelings for him.
Despite wanting to end up with her, Peter rejects her offer, knowing that being with MJ will just put her in danger. The gift of being Spider-Man is a double-edged sword and is a curse as he can never truly be happy. This one line sums up exactly what it means to be Spider-Man.
1 “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Spider-Man (2002)
Last but not least, the most powerful quote of them all, which has become the signature of the Spider-Man movies: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Twice said by Uncle Ben in Raimi’s and Garfield’s Spider-Man movies, and once by Aunt May in Spider-Man: No Way Home. All three of them say it before their unfortunate deaths. Although it’s a saying that’s been mentioned in many different media, what makes it important for Spider-Man is that it serves as a turning point.
It helps them realize that they simply can’t just enjoy the power on its own; they are morally responsible to choose what good to do with it. Spider-Man represents courage, strength, balance, dignity, and pride. The first chance he got to avenge his Uncle’s murder, he did it with the utmost devotion both physically, mentally, and even emotionally. Throughout the Spider-Man franchise, you’ll see him flying from building to building, hanging from bridges, saving beautiful women, honoring his family, and many more heroic acts, all because of one quote that changed his life forever.
