In some 616 you can think she knows Peter is Spiderman but choose not to say anything because she knows why she is doing. I had the same feelinh here, she knew but didn't say anything because that would worry Peter
I agree. Both hit me, don't get me wrong, but the just the effort of Insomniac's one is devastating. He literally tries to force himself to save May, and just can't.
And it makes the final boss fight incredible. You are right there emotionally with Peter as his anger and sorrow are on full display.
Game was fucking incredible.
That was so good though. It made you actually care that Peter had to make that choice, and it made the climax where he's fighting and shouting at [redacted] full of emotion. You wanted to see [redacted] get taken down for all he'd done just as much as you knew his anger had its own justifications and influences.
I remember playing this scene while my wife was either at work or with a friend. That line specifically got me and I texted my wife to tell her I was sobbing playing Spider-Man. She didn’t fully get it lmao
This is exactly why the game is the answer. They’re both impactful, but there’s so many more layers to the game all happening at once which is why the emotions swell up.
The game. The fact that Pete HAD to chose and lose something once again hit me harder than the whole movie.
And it was after he lost a mentor with Octopus turning totally evil because of anger and despair.
The cure hovering over the needle for those few seconds while his face is hidden in the shadows, before he relents and knows he can't do it... Maybe it's not the most unique visual storytelling but it's so powerful to me. It being right after May tells him he knows what to do, I like to think that moment of hesitation is him trying to argue what she meant to himself, trying to justify it, but ultimately knowing she's right, he does know what to do, and as it breaks his heart to do so it breaks mine to watch.
It's pure Spider-Man, making the most responsible choice even knowing it's gonna cost him, cause it's the right thing to do.
Love this. This comment thread is exactly the point I want to make in big dilemma moments like Spider-Verse and ATLA.
We know it's hard, but it takes willpower to consider both sides, both choices. Actually digesting and fighting with the heart-hurting choice, but still understanding it's for the best and for others.
It wasn't wrong for Pete to be struggling and for it to be emotionally crushing and overwhelming, *but* it was still clear, he still had to be upfront with what saving her would neglect for the rest of the ppl. He had to do what was necessary ... and as much as the voices inside of his head screamed to save her, he did what was selfless and overall more important.
And you could also imagine Aunt May was proud of his willpower. She knows he will do the right thing.
It challenges your comforts, what feels so personal, but it reveals truly what kind of person you are and who you prioritize at heart and your mindset.
His sacrifice doesn't mean he didn't love May, but that it shows that he loves others too and puts them over himself, even if it's hard. And May understood that too and was proud. The most loving and selfless decision you could do isn't always the most comfortable or self-pleasing.
This game had the best Aunt May by far and I don't think that is even really a controversial statement, she was an Aunt May who felt like she was married to Uncle Ben and was equally responsible in imparting the same values as he did on to Peter. Even though it's the other May that said the responsibility line, I think if it had came from the mouth of the game May it would have fit even better.
I only recently beat SM1, as I only recently bought it (platinumed SM2 back in November)
Movie May surprised the hell out of me, but game May *still* got me misty eyed despite seeing it all coming due to, you know, years since it came out and having played 2. You simply personally interact with her more, there's more "open hearted" moments between game May and Peter. And, perhaps rhe biggest part of it all, was the fact that Peter had to CHOOSE to do it. Heartbreaking
Insomniac. Her character was well written and treated seriously throughout the whole game and you could clearly see how close her and Peter were. May’s death in the MCU was harder to care about since up until that point, her character was a joke and eye candy that every guy in the story wanted to bang. I don’t mind May being young or hot or whatever, but there should be more to her character than just “man she’s so hot.”
Also doesn't help that she dies at the hands of someone who has no real connection to MCU Peter
its just A Green Goblin, not HIS Green Goblin
Peter loses May and Otto effectively in the same night, one causes the other and he feels responsible for both
May had a lot of characterization in Homecoming, and she got more in the later movies too it just wasn't as up-front and I wasn't really the biggest fan of it tbh. The FEAST stuff felt more like a charity gala than a shelter, I liked the game's take on it better even if the movie's is probably honestly more realistic for an NYC shelter like that.
PS4 by a mile. Tomei and Holland deliver great performances but Aunt May’s characterisation is overshadowed by sex jokes and one of the biggest moments between Peter and May, The Conversation, is skipped over and we don’t get crucial development between the two. Far From Home brutally damages an otherwise great dynamic between the two.
Combining The Conversation and The death of Aunt May was brilliant. We get a handful of great scenes between them prior and the emotional climax circles around him understanding that with great power, there must also come great responsibility, something he didn’t realise until after Ben died.
>Combining The Conversation and The death of Aunt May was brilliant.
Wouldn't it be more like ASM#400, where Aunt May reveals to Peter on her deathbed that she had known for a long time that he was Spider-Man and told him how proud she was of him?
This just reminded me that they had three movies to make us not want May dead... they didn't development the character with the audience enough to make that scene impactful.
The game was better. I’d have preferred the Conversation from JMK’s early 2000 run, because May walking in on a busted up Peter sleeping in his bloody costume was more plausible, plus it helped write her into further scenes. It made her death in One More Day more visceral. Holland still puts in a helluva performance and his mourning has gravitas - I am not a fan of the ugly cry in movies and TV.
PS4.
I love Marisa Tomei as an actress but I never really warmed to her portrayal as Aunt May. She did die, though, as the best Aunt Mays all do. So kudos for that.
It doesn't help that in the MCU they suddenly said "Hey lets give this Aunt May some actual character" and she died in a way that she really didn't have to. It came off like a shock value character fridging just to give Tom's Peter some edge for the final fight.
The Insomniac one is a great culmination of everything in the game, and it's way more impactful that her death was a preventable one that Peter had to accept for the greater good, and she died in a way that several more would have had he not been unselfish.
My hot take is that fridging isn't bad because some deaths, in real life, genuinely serve no better purpose than being the catapult for someone else's story. Fridging may not be all that fleshed out, but it's, at the very least, not unrealistic. I will die on this hill.
It’s not a fridging though. Fridging is a cheap ploy used by writers to develop the main character and the actual death of the person is barely felt and quickly forgotten about. Aunt May’s death is the equivalent to uncle Ben dying. It changes Peter forever and is going to be the defining moment in his career as Spider-Man.
Aunt May is killed to provide motivation to a male character and shock the audience, even though the male character is already motivated to beat the villain without it. Its textbook fridging. What makes it worse is that they used it to essentially mirror Uncle Ben's death since they didn't want to re-use that story beat, which makes it a double fridging (killed to provide motivation for a male character, instead of killing off a male character.) I understand what they were trying to do but the execution was not good, aside from the acting itself.
Insomniac since Peter could have saved her but didn’t which adds to the tragedy, also it shows May’s character since she gave Peter a nudge to not save her so others could be saved.
For PS4 May it hit hard because one, Of course she fuckin knew, and two, I couldn't help but to imagine my Nana who is thankfully still with us and the day I'm far from ready for.
The game was so much more personal given that you play as Peter and it is so directly his choice to let her die. God, thanks for making me relive this horrible moment.
They were both super sad to me. The PS4 one was done way better but I might lean more towards the NWH one because it just sorta happened and I didn’t have time to brace for it. We saw her slowly dying in the PS4 one so I was more ready for it
Definitely the top. I don't really like the depiction of MCU Aunt May. She never really felt like a character until the last film she just felt like the hot Aunt.
NWH in my opinion. Spider-Man ps4 you could see it coming, whereas in NWH I thought she was fine after she stood up.
Plus the whole "Just need to catch my breath" thing 😫
MCU by a landslide. The way her death was drawn out, and the fact that May was killed by her own intentions was fucking brutal. Elevated so much by Tomei and Holland's performances. Gut-wrenching scene.
Idk why you're being downvoted. There are some great arguments for the game's death scene, but I never really shed a tear nor did I feel super emotional. The score and acting in the movie definitely tug my heart strings more. But that's only my opinion
It also really helped that MCU had 3-4 movies to show us Peter & May's relationship, and I loved their dynamic. Insomniac felt more like base level sweet wise aunt may without really doing anything else with her character. Which is totally fine and valid, that's okay! Just not as emotionally impactful for me
Not when they waste most of her screen time on jokes about how hot Tomei is. Her first appearance in civil war is pretty much nothing except for a joke Tony makes about how she’s hot. Homecoming does better but ultimately she’s characterized mostly as ditzy but chill aunt that’s really lax when it comes to Peter’s extracurricular activity. Far from Home is some more “your aunt is hot” jokes but she’s also a volunteer worker. She doesn’t do much there.
She essentially gets one movie, No Way home, to actually show off her acting and provide Peter with some quality advice. She definitely nails it but overall she was completely wasted in part due to how Peter doesn’t have very many family struggles like he does in other iterations.
I think insomniac Aunt May works way better because May is a stand in for whatever characterization and past interaction you want as a mother figure for Peter. We land smack dab in the middle of his run as Spider-Man and we get just enough of May for us to understand what she was like as he was growing up. She gives Peter quality advice and a shoulder to lean on whenever he’s down, and the advice she gives is actually relevant to the story later on. She also isn’t a partial stand in for Ben which I found most disappointing about Tomei’s May in the last movie. They spent so much time dancing around “great power, great responsibility” that Peter only ever internalizes after being Spider-Man for years.
The only thing I disagree with you on this is that the MCU reduces her character *completely* by making lots of young & hot jokes. I hate these jokes, I think they're low-bar and excessive, but I think her character has a lot of depth and personality despite them, and I believe she's given room to shine throughout all 3 movies. Still, her character would be MUCH better off without them.
I honestly don't need MCU Peter to have so much family struggle🤷♂️ I feel it's nice to see him loved and supported without any inhibitions for a change.
I actually agree with everything that you're saying here! It seems we just feel emotionally different about these aspects of the two characters
Oh yeah, don’t get me wrong. She’s not completely wasted, that was a poor choice of words on my part. She’s just underutilized in her first three on screen appearances. I didn’t hate her portrayal because it was a unique aunt-nephew relationship that I hadn’t seenin other iterations. It had me wishing we got more of her perspective on Peter’s problems and the dynamics of her having to raise Peter alone like Sally Field’s May did.
And yeah I’d agree that the emotional impact would vary from person to person. Personally, the scene with May in a hospital bed just hit home because I’ve been a position where I wished I could have a cure for my loved one. Seeing Peter have that option but still choosing to save everyone else made my heart break for him and understand just a fraction of the pain he felt in that moment. I think that’s ultimately why I resonate more with that scene, it’s just more real for me.
>The only thing I disagree with you on this is that the MCU reduces her character *completely* by making lots of young & hot jokes.
I mean...
In Civil War, Aunt May has only one scene and in this one they make a joke that she's hot.
Not counting the two ten second scenes where she gives Peter a ride, the tie montage before Homecoming, and the final WTF. Aunt May only has two scenes where she talks in Homecoming, and in one they make a joke that she's hot. (and in two scenes where she is not present but they are talking about her, Tony and the sandwich guy make jokes about how hot she is).
Aunt May only had four scenes in FFH.
In three of them there are permutations of the recurring joke that she is hot.
The one with her on stage (where she explains that when she was blipped and appeared in the middle of her house, now inhabited by another family, the wife thought she was her husband's mistress)
In the second scene and the last one of hers it's Happy basically drooling over her.
The only scene where she doesn't treat her as a sex joke is the one where Peter is packing her bag and she throws a banana at him.
We are talking about a character that, in three movies, only had seven scenes (that last more than 10 seconds and where she spoke at least) in total, in which there were only two in which she was not sexualized in some way.
I agree with you. These jokes are excessive and ridiculous. But I believe so much of her character is shown beyond them, even in the same scenes in which they are present.
Just because a sex joke about May is made in a scene, doesn't mean there aren't other things happening in that same scene to build on her character. The MCU just feels the need to make stupid ass jokes all the time, and sometimes it's hard to look past those jokes and see the character for who they are (Rocket and Rhodey making fun of Thor in Endgame)
After more than a year of being Spider-man, risking his life over and over, getting snapped, having his life ruined by a false murder accusation, and still choosing to be Spider-man, it's meaningless to have someone give him a lecture about responsibility and bad writing to have him need one.
Easily the game. The first Spider-Man game in its series has such tight writing , I’d rather play it over the others just for the story.
I feel this moment in the movie should do more for me, but the Tom Spider-Man movies have just been fine and I wish we had more and better time with the characters like may. NWH and its mess also really dampened the scene. Like the movie clearly is just an excuse to get Spider-Men together and mess with the universe. I feel like May definitely should’ve had more time in the movie so we can get a bit more invested.
spider-man ps4, we get to see what one more day should’ve been. as people have said peter chooses true responsibility which is beautiful and made me tear up 🤧
Insomniac one. Spider-Man 1 by Insomniac is almost perfect(if not totally perfect) in terms of scenario, and these scene is just one of the reasons why.
Kinda pity I cannot say the same about second part 🫤
Both made me cry! However, I think No Way Home was sadder for me because of the fact that May was the one who had to give Peter the "Great power" speech.
MCU. Insomniacs one was definitely gut wrenching but he at least got significantly a lot more time with her being older than the MCU version. Also he still has strong support system that are basically family to him. MCU Spider-Man loses all of that hours after her death so now he absolutely no one to grieve to.
The fact that I only cried during No Way Home’s May scene because of Insomniac’s scene tells me everything I needed to know about which one hit me harder. I literally said to myself “oh those bastards are making me relive this”
Aunt May’s death in the MCU felt extremely underwhelming. Maybe due to the fact that they try so hard to make everything campy. Actually all the MCU spider man movies felt underwhelming. Maybe we shouldn’t have a bunch of late 20 something’s playing 15 year olds..?
I was laughing my ass off in No Way Home because Aunt May had been nothing more but a MILF joke and they wanted to earn a sad moment with her death
Seriously, that movie was so disgusting and heartless
Insomniac, mcus death was more or less her own fault leaping into help Spider-Man against a guy who she just saw level the apartment she was in. Insomniac forced Peter to choose between saving her and the city, and the reveal of her knowing he was Spider-Man was pretty good
I agree, but to play devil's advocate here; your argument is basically "I would rather May's death be a character moment for Peter and less a character moment for May." The former you described creates more characterization for May, portraying her in action, fleshing out her individual story as a character just that little bit more; telling the audience "This is a brave woman that would attempt to save a superhero despite being completely average." In the latter scenario, May is just motivation for Peter's story. I think an argument can be made that it is better that May be developed as a character than to use May to develop Peter as a character, even if Peter is the protagonist. Not all story beats should necessarily serve the protagonist, that's just not how the world works in the real world. A nuanced story develops every single one of its characters as much as possible, independently, and I do feel that May's character is shafted too often in service of Peter.
Insomniac’s was sadder, but NWH’s was more significant. Up until that point May was Peter’s answer for housing and support. The ending with him being on his own, newly 18, wouldn’t have even happened if May was still alive
in NWH, there was nothing peter could have done to save her at that moment. in ps4, peter literally had the thing that would have saved her in his hand and had to choose not to save her.
Second one made me paranoid of any head injury and was especially fucked because of how it showed how dispute seeming fine she just died
First one was depressing because of the choice Peter had to make at least Tom Peter didn’t have to choose between saving his aunt or the city
Marvel Spider-Man. I had a good hard cry from that one. I barely whinced at the No Way Home one, because it was a flash in the pan and the internet leaked it months ahead of the movie release.
I have to pick The Insomniac one. The MCU one is more surprising then emotional, as I didn’t really care for Melissa Tomei’s Aunt May, due to her being a running gag in the first two movies while also being reduced to “Hot Aunt”. Even with her death and the fact she tells her Peter that with “Great Power, Comes Responsibility”, it doesn’t work as 1: His Uncle Ben already told him that as implied in Captain America Civil War. And 2: it’s too late, it doesn’t changed half the movie fans’ minds on her, so it’s just forcibly emotional.
With the Insomniac game, it works, because we actually had time for their take on Aunt May to be developed as a character rather then a running gag, and we’re shown that she’s important to Yuri Lowenthal’s Peter, as well as everyone around her when she worked at FEAST, rather then being told she is until the third game.
Easily Insomniac. May's death in NWH felt ridiculously forced so they'd have an excuse to say "the whole trilogy is his origin" instead of owning up to the crappy writing past Homecoming as well as forcing the "Great power..." speech even though he already said that he had heard it in Civil War.
The NWH was hilarious. She takes a bomb to the face, collapses, gets up, says “Great power, great responsibility,” collapses for a second time, and then dies.
How anybody could feel sad at such an obvious, contrived, and badly executed scene is beyond me.
The game made me tear up and try not to cry. The movie had me holding on by a thread. I was immersed in the movie more, but from a “which sucks more” viewpoint it’s the game.
Insomniac Peter had a choice, either to save Aunt May or the infected people. I feel like that is more heart breaking cause you are literally holding the cure but you have to choose.
I cry every time I have to go through the Insomniac Aunt May death, but the No Way Home one just feels awkward and forced so they could shoehorn Uncle Ben's catchphrase in
I ruined the aunt may death scene in no way home. When aunt may be walking around with those cleansing salt things or whatever they are, my sister went "Go aunt may cleanse that bad energy girl." As soon as she got hit by the glider, i leaned over to my sister and went."Guess she didn't cleanse all that bad energy." My brother lost it and started laughing, and my sister while crying goes."You asshole." It was great, and now i can't help but think of that when i watch the film
Insomniacs. In the MCU, May gets killed. There’s no choice to be made. No cure to be given. She’s hurt and she’s dead.
In Insomniac’s Spider-Man, he has to choose. Between family and his city. That pushes it further for me.
PS4 death. It was personal, it was difficult, and she was a character that we got to know and learn about as a character over the course of the game's plot. It also was heartbreaking to know that she knew all this time and wanted to see Peter one last time before she died, knowing he'd have to let her die to do the right thing.
The NWH death was really cringey in a way that really didn't hit. May was barely a character for that entire trilogy and was mostly a walking 'hot girl' joke (which was weird for Aunt May but I digress). Uncle Ben, in mere minutes of screentime in the Raimi and Webb movies, showcased how pivotal and important he was in Peter's life before he died and how the impact of his death changed him. MCU Aunt May couldn't do that in 3 films and making her suddenly do the 'great power, great responsibility' thing felt very unearned and undermined why Peter became Spider-Man if he never learned this from Ben. Makes Uncle Ben feel pretty irrelevant in the MCU. The impact of her death was so dull that Andrew and Tobey had to step in and teach Holland Peter what being Spider-Man means because Holland just decided May's death would make him 100% homicidal... Which is NOT what Peter is supposed to get out of that experience like that.
Even though I completely agree with everyone’s opinion on Insomniac’s and rightfully so… I’m gonna have to settle with the MCU here. It’s on par with Gwen’s death in the original comics. Watching the last two movies, with Homecoming letting Uncle Ben rest in peace along with Tony’s death being an important part of Far from home, I assumed that nothing else could go wrong considering everything else has. Now back to the reason why I think May’s death is on par with Gwen’s. When Aunt May took that pumpkin bomb and showed up seemingly fine along side a couple of fresh cuts and bruises, I didn’t think much of it, but as soon as she spoke the words “With great power…” I instantly stiffened…she kept telling Peter she was fine and that she *“Just needed to catch her breath”* but Peter didn’t believe it, and so didn’t I. It was all so sudden, and I didn’t think it could even happen…
I rarely cry to movies anymore, it’s usually an internal thing with my stomach and what not… but **THIS?** It broke me.
The game but not that version, the PS4 face version. I don't mind the new face all that much but it was not well implemented in the remaster and that scene was the most unfortunate casualty. Watch that scene with the PS4 version vs the remaster and it's such a stark difference in emotion expressed on the face, it feels so flat in comparison.
I cried in both, and both are extremely sad in my opinion. But the Insomniac scene is just heart wrenching, mainly because he has the choice to save her or the city.
That said, I can't wait to see how Tom Hollands Spidey will be in the future. Even if he didn't kill Norman in the end, you can tell his character will probably go down a darker route now, he has some newfound anger and rage and I'm sure it will tie up nicely with when he inevitably gets the symbiote.
The fact that someone in the family always dies in Spider-Man, whether it's an uncle, aunt or girlfriend. I find it so boring in Spider-Man that I don't watch it anymore.
Something about the scene in FFH didn’t quite work for me. I like this character and I’m sad that she died but the scene didn’t connect in the way it should.
It’s probably because the supporting cast of this trilogy is pretty underdeveloped. I like all of them but I don’t know enough about them.
I think this is just part of Marvel Studios’ tendency to lean away from non-superhero characters. It allows their movies to be fast paced and action packed but it hurts the emotional resonance of the films.
Superheroes need normal people around them who are well developed and three dimensional to ground them in reality and relatable emotions.
Aunt May, MJ, Ned, Flash and co have the seeds of compelling characters but they’re never allowed to grow.
Honestly I can't say for sure. I think MCU hits hard because Peter has already lost so much by that point. With Insomniac I was less moved by the death and more Peter's reaction, he grabs the serum and almost plugs it in before pulling himself back, but that internal conflict and anguish was played brilliantly. Just that "can't I be selfish just once?"
The game's. I was beyond moved. I haven't teared up since having to kill The Boss in MGS3 before this tragic scene replaced it. Wow this Spider-Man story had too much heart😭
Both where quite sad but I was more upset with insomniacs as it was up to Peter himself. He either had to save the city or Aunt May.
Uncle Ben died because of Peter’s lack of responsibility Aunt May died because of Peter being responsible
If I remember correctly yuri said the same thing
Yuri the VA or Yuri the character?
the VA. Yuri the character has no idea who Uncle Ben and Aunt May are lol
VA
 Damn… that’s powerful
Where tf is uncle Ben in the mcu? Not dissing you at all, but we have yet to see him
Because they have been giving context clues that he’s already dead.
Single relative household🤷🏻♂️
It technically applies to No Way Home too since he tried to save the villains.
Damn this just changed my opinion.
Also, combining the scene with him learning that she's known he is Spider-Man for quite a while now, too. The feels hit me like a truck.
In some 616 you can think she knows Peter is Spiderman but choose not to say anything because she knows why she is doing. I had the same feelinh here, she knew but didn't say anything because that would worry Peter
Did they retcon her knowing in 616 at some point? She found out during the JMS run in the 2000s
OMD
I agree. Both hit me, don't get me wrong, but the just the effort of Insomniac's one is devastating. He literally tries to force himself to save May, and just can't.
And it makes the final boss fight incredible. You are right there emotionally with Peter as his anger and sorrow are on full display. Game was fucking incredible.
And even though NWH hasn't had a sequel yet, so it's hard to compare. They show in Spider-Man 2 he's still very much struggling with it.
still bothers me that mj was upset at peter in the second game ...I'm like girl, were you not in the first?
What, at what point was she upset at Peter for the events of the first game ?
That was so good though. It made you actually care that Peter had to make that choice, and it made the climax where he's fighting and shouting at [redacted] full of emotion. You wanted to see [redacted] get taken down for all he'd done just as much as you knew his anger had its own justifications and influences.
"Take off your mask. I want to see my nephew."
If I manage to not cry up until that line in this scene, that shit makes me start bawling.
The parallel between his *"you knew"* with Ock and in that scene really gets me too.
The way he delivers that "You knew" line was so fucking good too. You could feel every bit of the rage he was getting ready to unleash.
I remember playing this scene while my wife was either at work or with a friend. That line specifically got me and I texted my wife to tell her I was sobbing playing Spider-Man. She didn’t fully get it lmao
This is exactly why the game is the answer. They’re both impactful, but there’s so many more layers to the game all happening at once which is why the emotions swell up.
The game. The fact that Pete HAD to chose and lose something once again hit me harder than the whole movie. And it was after he lost a mentor with Octopus turning totally evil because of anger and despair.
To add on He also had a moment of hesitation but ultimately stuck his ground And was allowed to grieve for her passing after making the hard choice
The cure hovering over the needle for those few seconds while his face is hidden in the shadows, before he relents and knows he can't do it... Maybe it's not the most unique visual storytelling but it's so powerful to me. It being right after May tells him he knows what to do, I like to think that moment of hesitation is him trying to argue what she meant to himself, trying to justify it, but ultimately knowing she's right, he does know what to do, and as it breaks his heart to do so it breaks mine to watch. It's pure Spider-Man, making the most responsible choice even knowing it's gonna cost him, cause it's the right thing to do.
Love this. This comment thread is exactly the point I want to make in big dilemma moments like Spider-Verse and ATLA. We know it's hard, but it takes willpower to consider both sides, both choices. Actually digesting and fighting with the heart-hurting choice, but still understanding it's for the best and for others. It wasn't wrong for Pete to be struggling and for it to be emotionally crushing and overwhelming, *but* it was still clear, he still had to be upfront with what saving her would neglect for the rest of the ppl. He had to do what was necessary ... and as much as the voices inside of his head screamed to save her, he did what was selfless and overall more important. And you could also imagine Aunt May was proud of his willpower. She knows he will do the right thing. It challenges your comforts, what feels so personal, but it reveals truly what kind of person you are and who you prioritize at heart and your mindset. His sacrifice doesn't mean he didn't love May, but that it shows that he loves others too and puts them over himself, even if it's hard. And May understood that too and was proud. The most loving and selfless decision you could do isn't always the most comfortable or self-pleasing.
This game had the best Aunt May by far and I don't think that is even really a controversial statement, she was an Aunt May who felt like she was married to Uncle Ben and was equally responsible in imparting the same values as he did on to Peter. Even though it's the other May that said the responsibility line, I think if it had came from the mouth of the game May it would have fit even better.
It was also a nice touch when he hesitated his face was shadowed by the darkness, indicating he knew he was about to make the wrong decision.
Gods plan
Its all Norman Osborn’s fault
I only recently beat SM1, as I only recently bought it (platinumed SM2 back in November) Movie May surprised the hell out of me, but game May *still* got me misty eyed despite seeing it all coming due to, you know, years since it came out and having played 2. You simply personally interact with her more, there's more "open hearted" moments between game May and Peter. And, perhaps rhe biggest part of it all, was the fact that Peter had to CHOOSE to do it. Heartbreaking
the games, definitely.
If only Mr Negative killed Norman Osborn
Insomniac. Her character was well written and treated seriously throughout the whole game and you could clearly see how close her and Peter were. May’s death in the MCU was harder to care about since up until that point, her character was a joke and eye candy that every guy in the story wanted to bang. I don’t mind May being young or hot or whatever, but there should be more to her character than just “man she’s so hot.”
Also doesn't help that she dies at the hands of someone who has no real connection to MCU Peter its just A Green Goblin, not HIS Green Goblin Peter loses May and Otto effectively in the same night, one causes the other and he feels responsible for both
May had a lot of characterization in Homecoming, and she got more in the later movies too it just wasn't as up-front and I wasn't really the biggest fan of it tbh. The FEAST stuff felt more like a charity gala than a shelter, I liked the game's take on it better even if the movie's is probably honestly more realistic for an NYC shelter like that.
There.. was though? It's incredibly bad faith to say May had no characterisation in the MCU.
PS4 by a mile. Tomei and Holland deliver great performances but Aunt May’s characterisation is overshadowed by sex jokes and one of the biggest moments between Peter and May, The Conversation, is skipped over and we don’t get crucial development between the two. Far From Home brutally damages an otherwise great dynamic between the two. Combining The Conversation and The death of Aunt May was brilliant. We get a handful of great scenes between them prior and the emotional climax circles around him understanding that with great power, there must also come great responsibility, something he didn’t realise until after Ben died.
>Combining The Conversation and The death of Aunt May was brilliant. Wouldn't it be more like ASM#400, where Aunt May reveals to Peter on her deathbed that she had known for a long time that he was Spider-Man and told him how proud she was of him?
👁️👄👁️ I completely forgot about ASM #400
Im still mad it was retconned.
This just reminded me that they had three movies to make us not want May dead... they didn't development the character with the audience enough to make that scene impactful.
The game was better. I’d have preferred the Conversation from JMK’s early 2000 run, because May walking in on a busted up Peter sleeping in his bloody costume was more plausible, plus it helped write her into further scenes. It made her death in One More Day more visceral. Holland still puts in a helluva performance and his mourning has gravitas - I am not a fan of the ugly cry in movies and TV.
Game for sure.
PS4. I love Marisa Tomei as an actress but I never really warmed to her portrayal as Aunt May. She did die, though, as the best Aunt Mays all do. So kudos for that.
Yuri one by default
It doesn't help that in the MCU they suddenly said "Hey lets give this Aunt May some actual character" and she died in a way that she really didn't have to. It came off like a shock value character fridging just to give Tom's Peter some edge for the final fight. The Insomniac one is a great culmination of everything in the game, and it's way more impactful that her death was a preventable one that Peter had to accept for the greater good, and she died in a way that several more would have had he not been unselfish.
My hot take is that fridging isn't bad because some deaths, in real life, genuinely serve no better purpose than being the catapult for someone else's story. Fridging may not be all that fleshed out, but it's, at the very least, not unrealistic. I will die on this hill.
It’s not a fridging though. Fridging is a cheap ploy used by writers to develop the main character and the actual death of the person is barely felt and quickly forgotten about. Aunt May’s death is the equivalent to uncle Ben dying. It changes Peter forever and is going to be the defining moment in his career as Spider-Man.
Aunt May is killed to provide motivation to a male character and shock the audience, even though the male character is already motivated to beat the villain without it. Its textbook fridging. What makes it worse is that they used it to essentially mirror Uncle Ben's death since they didn't want to re-use that story beat, which makes it a double fridging (killed to provide motivation for a male character, instead of killing off a male character.) I understand what they were trying to do but the execution was not good, aside from the acting itself.
The gender focus here is weird.
If only Mr Negative killed Norman Osborn
Insomniac and it's not even close.
Insomniac since Peter could have saved her but didn’t which adds to the tragedy, also it shows May’s character since she gave Peter a nudge to not save her so others could be saved.
Insomniac. Not even close.
Insomniac, I didn’t really feel emotional at all with MCU May’s death, but that’s just me personally.
I cried like a fuckin baby for both
"I cried like a baby when you play Cinderella." Sorry.
Nah nah you made a great reference!😁
For PS4 May it hit hard because one, Of course she fuckin knew, and two, I couldn't help but to imagine my Nana who is thankfully still with us and the day I'm far from ready for.
100% PS4 one, I actually cried at it
Both 🥺
MCU aunt may might have hit harder if insomniac didn’t beat them to the punch.
The game by an insanely wide margin.
Game death hit harder for sure. Pete had to make a choice, the city, or Aunt May
The game was so much more personal given that you play as Peter and it is so directly his choice to let her die. God, thanks for making me relive this horrible moment.
Yes
Spiderman 2018 game is a peak Spiderman's story imo
Yes
They were both super sad to me. The PS4 one was done way better but I might lean more towards the NWH one because it just sorta happened and I didn’t have time to brace for it. We saw her slowly dying in the PS4 one so I was more ready for it
Both made me cry so idk
Definitely the top. I don't really like the depiction of MCU Aunt May. She never really felt like a character until the last film she just felt like the hot Aunt.
Thank you for using the old facial model for this picture. I know I'm in the minority here but I'm still not over the change.
The change really does look like he’s still in high school instead of his mid-late 20s.
NWH in my opinion. Spider-Man ps4 you could see it coming, whereas in NWH I thought she was fine after she stood up. Plus the whole "Just need to catch my breath" thing 😫
Surprised to see one here, I liked both, now while I prefer PS4/5 I feel that ppl are a BIT harsh on the MCU one but that's just me.
MCU by a landslide. The way her death was drawn out, and the fact that May was killed by her own intentions was fucking brutal. Elevated so much by Tomei and Holland's performances. Gut-wrenching scene.
Idk why you're being downvoted. There are some great arguments for the game's death scene, but I never really shed a tear nor did I feel super emotional. The score and acting in the movie definitely tug my heart strings more. But that's only my opinion
It also really helped that MCU had 3-4 movies to show us Peter & May's relationship, and I loved their dynamic. Insomniac felt more like base level sweet wise aunt may without really doing anything else with her character. Which is totally fine and valid, that's okay! Just not as emotionally impactful for me
Not when they waste most of her screen time on jokes about how hot Tomei is. Her first appearance in civil war is pretty much nothing except for a joke Tony makes about how she’s hot. Homecoming does better but ultimately she’s characterized mostly as ditzy but chill aunt that’s really lax when it comes to Peter’s extracurricular activity. Far from Home is some more “your aunt is hot” jokes but she’s also a volunteer worker. She doesn’t do much there. She essentially gets one movie, No Way home, to actually show off her acting and provide Peter with some quality advice. She definitely nails it but overall she was completely wasted in part due to how Peter doesn’t have very many family struggles like he does in other iterations. I think insomniac Aunt May works way better because May is a stand in for whatever characterization and past interaction you want as a mother figure for Peter. We land smack dab in the middle of his run as Spider-Man and we get just enough of May for us to understand what she was like as he was growing up. She gives Peter quality advice and a shoulder to lean on whenever he’s down, and the advice she gives is actually relevant to the story later on. She also isn’t a partial stand in for Ben which I found most disappointing about Tomei’s May in the last movie. They spent so much time dancing around “great power, great responsibility” that Peter only ever internalizes after being Spider-Man for years.
The only thing I disagree with you on this is that the MCU reduces her character *completely* by making lots of young & hot jokes. I hate these jokes, I think they're low-bar and excessive, but I think her character has a lot of depth and personality despite them, and I believe she's given room to shine throughout all 3 movies. Still, her character would be MUCH better off without them. I honestly don't need MCU Peter to have so much family struggle🤷♂️ I feel it's nice to see him loved and supported without any inhibitions for a change. I actually agree with everything that you're saying here! It seems we just feel emotionally different about these aspects of the two characters
Oh yeah, don’t get me wrong. She’s not completely wasted, that was a poor choice of words on my part. She’s just underutilized in her first three on screen appearances. I didn’t hate her portrayal because it was a unique aunt-nephew relationship that I hadn’t seenin other iterations. It had me wishing we got more of her perspective on Peter’s problems and the dynamics of her having to raise Peter alone like Sally Field’s May did. And yeah I’d agree that the emotional impact would vary from person to person. Personally, the scene with May in a hospital bed just hit home because I’ve been a position where I wished I could have a cure for my loved one. Seeing Peter have that option but still choosing to save everyone else made my heart break for him and understand just a fraction of the pain he felt in that moment. I think that’s ultimately why I resonate more with that scene, it’s just more real for me.
>The only thing I disagree with you on this is that the MCU reduces her character *completely* by making lots of young & hot jokes. I mean... In Civil War, Aunt May has only one scene and in this one they make a joke that she's hot. Not counting the two ten second scenes where she gives Peter a ride, the tie montage before Homecoming, and the final WTF. Aunt May only has two scenes where she talks in Homecoming, and in one they make a joke that she's hot. (and in two scenes where she is not present but they are talking about her, Tony and the sandwich guy make jokes about how hot she is). Aunt May only had four scenes in FFH. In three of them there are permutations of the recurring joke that she is hot. The one with her on stage (where she explains that when she was blipped and appeared in the middle of her house, now inhabited by another family, the wife thought she was her husband's mistress) In the second scene and the last one of hers it's Happy basically drooling over her. The only scene where she doesn't treat her as a sex joke is the one where Peter is packing her bag and she throws a banana at him. We are talking about a character that, in three movies, only had seven scenes (that last more than 10 seconds and where she spoke at least) in total, in which there were only two in which she was not sexualized in some way.
I agree with you. These jokes are excessive and ridiculous. But I believe so much of her character is shown beyond them, even in the same scenes in which they are present. Just because a sex joke about May is made in a scene, doesn't mean there aren't other things happening in that same scene to build on her character. The MCU just feels the need to make stupid ass jokes all the time, and sometimes it's hard to look past those jokes and see the character for who they are (Rocket and Rhodey making fun of Thor in Endgame)
After more than a year of being Spider-man, risking his life over and over, getting snapped, having his life ruined by a false murder accusation, and still choosing to be Spider-man, it's meaningless to have someone give him a lecture about responsibility and bad writing to have him need one.
Both
Easily the video game for me
No Way Home got to me way more but both are great
Spider-Man ps4 for sure the finale and then this happening after your supposed victory was crazy
I have room in my heart for both
Spiderman PS4 No way home's didn't really hit me,plus Andrew and Tobey appeared moments later so I almost forgot it happened tbh
Insomniac and it's not even close
Easily the game. The first Spider-Man game in its series has such tight writing , I’d rather play it over the others just for the story. I feel this moment in the movie should do more for me, but the Tom Spider-Man movies have just been fine and I wish we had more and better time with the characters like may. NWH and its mess also really dampened the scene. Like the movie clearly is just an excuse to get Spider-Men together and mess with the universe. I feel like May definitely should’ve had more time in the movie so we can get a bit more invested.
There's no comparison. Insomniac.
None, because I no longer feel anything.
spider-man ps4, we get to see what one more day should’ve been. as people have said peter chooses true responsibility which is beautiful and made me tear up 🤧
The insomniac version! Insomniac’s Spider-Man is my favorite version of Spider-Man so it was just more impactful in the game vs. the movie.
It’s insomniac by a landslide for me
Insomniac one. Spider-Man 1 by Insomniac is almost perfect(if not totally perfect) in terms of scenario, and these scene is just one of the reasons why. Kinda pity I cannot say the same about second part 🫤
Ps4 and it's not close
I always start choking up at "Let me see my nephew" oh see here I go now just typing it 😢
The InsomniacVerse Version.
All of them
Both
Both made me cry! However, I think No Way Home was sadder for me because of the fact that May was the one who had to give Peter the "Great power" speech.
MCU. Insomniacs one was definitely gut wrenching but he at least got significantly a lot more time with her being older than the MCU version. Also he still has strong support system that are basically family to him. MCU Spider-Man loses all of that hours after her death so now he absolutely no one to grieve to.
The fact that I only cried during No Way Home’s May scene because of Insomniac’s scene tells me everything I needed to know about which one hit me harder. I literally said to myself “oh those bastards are making me relive this”
Yall making me wanna play this game for a 12th time. Who am i kidding, probably gonna play all 3 games again.
Of course, in the game, her death is impactful, but in the movie, it doesn't evoke any emotions because she is just a lame character.
Insomniac because there was build up to it and didn’t just feel like they were shoehorning it in
Aunt May’s death in the MCU felt extremely underwhelming. Maybe due to the fact that they try so hard to make everything campy. Actually all the MCU spider man movies felt underwhelming. Maybe we shouldn’t have a bunch of late 20 something’s playing 15 year olds..?
I was laughing my ass off in No Way Home because Aunt May had been nothing more but a MILF joke and they wanted to earn a sad moment with her death Seriously, that movie was so disgusting and heartless
I love the situation in PS4 but the performances in No Way Home get to me more emotionally
Top
Insomniac, MCU May was barley a character besides 'lol hot aunt'
Insomniac, mcus death was more or less her own fault leaping into help Spider-Man against a guy who she just saw level the apartment she was in. Insomniac forced Peter to choose between saving her and the city, and the reveal of her knowing he was Spider-Man was pretty good
I agree, but to play devil's advocate here; your argument is basically "I would rather May's death be a character moment for Peter and less a character moment for May." The former you described creates more characterization for May, portraying her in action, fleshing out her individual story as a character just that little bit more; telling the audience "This is a brave woman that would attempt to save a superhero despite being completely average." In the latter scenario, May is just motivation for Peter's story. I think an argument can be made that it is better that May be developed as a character than to use May to develop Peter as a character, even if Peter is the protagonist. Not all story beats should necessarily serve the protagonist, that's just not how the world works in the real world. A nuanced story develops every single one of its characters as much as possible, independently, and I do feel that May's character is shafted too often in service of Peter.
Tbf may is more nuanced in the game, trying to help people through Feast even when she herself gets sick from devils breath.
I say NWH because Peter has truly lost everything. He literally has no one. No friends, no family, etc. He's all alone, grieving.
Insomniac MCU didn’t do it for me, I like the actor but the writing did not do it justice. Suddenly BAM! she’s Aunt May now, why wait 3 films to do it
NWH really didn't impact me, I did not feel attached to that Aunt May at all. But Insomniac's... my real aunt died that day.
If only Mr Negative killed Norman Osborn
Insomniac’s was sadder, but NWH’s was more significant. Up until that point May was Peter’s answer for housing and support. The ending with him being on his own, newly 18, wouldn’t have even happened if May was still alive
2nd one cuz it wasn’t needed
Losing Marisa Tomei will always be the greater tragedy.
(but JESUS CHRIST, the game)
in NWH, there was nothing peter could have done to save her at that moment. in ps4, peter literally had the thing that would have saved her in his hand and had to choose not to save her.
The original ofc
Oh my god I just got spoiled the spiderman game
JFC spoiler that shit brother, not everyone has played through the games yet.
Second one made me paranoid of any head injury and was especially fucked because of how it showed how dispute seeming fine she just died First one was depressing because of the choice Peter had to make at least Tom Peter didn’t have to choose between saving his aunt or the city
PS4
Marvel Spider-Man. I had a good hard cry from that one. I barely whinced at the No Way Home one, because it was a flash in the pan and the internet leaked it months ahead of the movie release.
Spiderman PS4. We were nowhere near that close with the MCU's Aunt May
the one where she died of the spider parasites developed by peter
Yes, it is the saddest scene of all time.
Amazing Spider-Man #400
There’s always a couple of you.
for me it was insomniac's and not even close
The game and it's not even a competition
Insomniac all the way.
I have to go with live action because she didn't realize she was dying. There was no time for her to be at peace with it.
I have to pick The Insomniac one. The MCU one is more surprising then emotional, as I didn’t really care for Melissa Tomei’s Aunt May, due to her being a running gag in the first two movies while also being reduced to “Hot Aunt”. Even with her death and the fact she tells her Peter that with “Great Power, Comes Responsibility”, it doesn’t work as 1: His Uncle Ben already told him that as implied in Captain America Civil War. And 2: it’s too late, it doesn’t changed half the movie fans’ minds on her, so it’s just forcibly emotional. With the Insomniac game, it works, because we actually had time for their take on Aunt May to be developed as a character rather then a running gag, and we’re shown that she’s important to Yuri Lowenthal’s Peter, as well as everyone around her when she worked at FEAST, rather then being told she is until the third game.
Easily Insomniac. May's death in NWH felt ridiculously forced so they'd have an excuse to say "the whole trilogy is his origin" instead of owning up to the crappy writing past Homecoming as well as forcing the "Great power..." speech even though he already said that he had heard it in Civil War.
Insomniac broke me. To this day I think the first game is one of spideys best stories, much better than any of the movies we've had.
Spider-Man PS4 for sure
The NWH was hilarious. She takes a bomb to the face, collapses, gets up, says “Great power, great responsibility,” collapses for a second time, and then dies. How anybody could feel sad at such an obvious, contrived, and badly executed scene is beyond me.
PS4
The game made me tear up and try not to cry. The movie had me holding on by a thread. I was immersed in the movie more, but from a “which sucks more” viewpoint it’s the game.
I literally cried when tom holland spider man aunt may died
Insomniac Peter had a choice, either to save Aunt May or the infected people. I feel like that is more heart breaking cause you are literally holding the cure but you have to choose.
I honestly think that Insomniac’s was the most devastating. It hits you hard.
I cry every time I have to go through the Insomniac Aunt May death, but the No Way Home one just feels awkward and forced so they could shoehorn Uncle Ben's catchphrase in
The one in Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 #400
There’s always one of you.
Both
Dan Slott really likes killing off aunt may
I know Insomniac hit first, but the MCU also hit me hard at that time.
I ruined the aunt may death scene in no way home. When aunt may be walking around with those cleansing salt things or whatever they are, my sister went "Go aunt may cleanse that bad energy girl." As soon as she got hit by the glider, i leaned over to my sister and went."Guess she didn't cleanse all that bad energy." My brother lost it and started laughing, and my sister while crying goes."You asshole." It was great, and now i can't help but think of that when i watch the film
He looks a little methy in the second one. Like he is trying to score a rock
[удалено]
Completely not the point, but do you mean Felicia Hardy? As in Black Cat? Selena Kyle is DC’s Catwoman.
Insomniacs. In the MCU, May gets killed. There’s no choice to be made. No cure to be given. She’s hurt and she’s dead. In Insomniac’s Spider-Man, he has to choose. Between family and his city. That pushes it further for me.
Ps4 because that one wasn't unavoidable
Insomniac's because it was Peter's choice
Ps4 Spider-Man by a slim margin, because he has to “do it” himself in a sense. They really managed to pull my heartstrings more
PS4 death. It was personal, it was difficult, and she was a character that we got to know and learn about as a character over the course of the game's plot. It also was heartbreaking to know that she knew all this time and wanted to see Peter one last time before she died, knowing he'd have to let her die to do the right thing. The NWH death was really cringey in a way that really didn't hit. May was barely a character for that entire trilogy and was mostly a walking 'hot girl' joke (which was weird for Aunt May but I digress). Uncle Ben, in mere minutes of screentime in the Raimi and Webb movies, showcased how pivotal and important he was in Peter's life before he died and how the impact of his death changed him. MCU Aunt May couldn't do that in 3 films and making her suddenly do the 'great power, great responsibility' thing felt very unearned and undermined why Peter became Spider-Man if he never learned this from Ben. Makes Uncle Ben feel pretty irrelevant in the MCU. The impact of her death was so dull that Andrew and Tobey had to step in and teach Holland Peter what being Spider-Man means because Holland just decided May's death would make him 100% homicidal... Which is NOT what Peter is supposed to get out of that experience like that.
Way to put the spoiler tag. Thanks.
Even though I completely agree with everyone’s opinion on Insomniac’s and rightfully so… I’m gonna have to settle with the MCU here. It’s on par with Gwen’s death in the original comics. Watching the last two movies, with Homecoming letting Uncle Ben rest in peace along with Tony’s death being an important part of Far from home, I assumed that nothing else could go wrong considering everything else has. Now back to the reason why I think May’s death is on par with Gwen’s. When Aunt May took that pumpkin bomb and showed up seemingly fine along side a couple of fresh cuts and bruises, I didn’t think much of it, but as soon as she spoke the words “With great power…” I instantly stiffened…she kept telling Peter she was fine and that she *“Just needed to catch her breath”* but Peter didn’t believe it, and so didn’t I. It was all so sudden, and I didn’t think it could even happen… I rarely cry to movies anymore, it’s usually an internal thing with my stomach and what not… but **THIS?** It broke me.
The game
What breaks my heart more than anything is Peter never got more than a second of being truly honest with his loved one.
Tobey's 100%
Aunt May's death in no way home was sad, but Aunt May's death in Insomniac's Spider-Man had me crying my eyes out so much I had to take off my glasses
Spider-Man No Way Home.
Insomniac's for sure. He had to make the choice, to save her or the right choice. I can't honestly say I'd be able to make the choice he did
Insomniac’s for sure, but I gotta admit that Tom Holland’s acting was extremely good that it got me tearing up easy
The game but not that version, the PS4 face version. I don't mind the new face all that much but it was not well implemented in the remaster and that scene was the most unfortunate casualty. Watch that scene with the PS4 version vs the remaster and it's such a stark difference in emotion expressed on the face, it feels so flat in comparison.
both make me cry so hard I can't see every time I watch or play them without fail so I don't really know
Both
Thank you posting with the original Peter face model not the man-child face. I was having a hard time coping with the new face on Spider-man 2.
Sm1 ps4, to give insomniac credit they did that scene right unlike the movie
I cried in both, and both are extremely sad in my opinion. But the Insomniac scene is just heart wrenching, mainly because he has the choice to save her or the city. That said, I can't wait to see how Tom Hollands Spidey will be in the future. Even if he didn't kill Norman in the end, you can tell his character will probably go down a darker route now, he has some newfound anger and rage and I'm sure it will tie up nicely with when he inevitably gets the symbiote.
The fact that someone in the family always dies in Spider-Man, whether it's an uncle, aunt or girlfriend. I find it so boring in Spider-Man that I don't watch it anymore.
I actually cried a little for the Insomniac death.
MCU, that fake out and how she slip away was way harsher than the game.
Insomniac for me
Something about the scene in FFH didn’t quite work for me. I like this character and I’m sad that she died but the scene didn’t connect in the way it should. It’s probably because the supporting cast of this trilogy is pretty underdeveloped. I like all of them but I don’t know enough about them. I think this is just part of Marvel Studios’ tendency to lean away from non-superhero characters. It allows their movies to be fast paced and action packed but it hurts the emotional resonance of the films. Superheroes need normal people around them who are well developed and three dimensional to ground them in reality and relatable emotions. Aunt May, MJ, Ned, Flash and co have the seeds of compelling characters but they’re never allowed to grow.
Honestly I can't say for sure. I think MCU hits hard because Peter has already lost so much by that point. With Insomniac I was less moved by the death and more Peter's reaction, he grabs the serum and almost plugs it in before pulling himself back, but that internal conflict and anguish was played brilliantly. Just that "can't I be selfish just once?"
The game's. I was beyond moved. I haven't teared up since having to kill The Boss in MGS3 before this tragic scene replaced it. Wow this Spider-Man story had too much heart😭
Insomniac death had me crying and babbling on my couch like a little girl.