Why You Should Watch Spider-Man: Far From Home Before the Next MCU Phase

Honestly, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) feels like a giant jigsaw puzzle where someone keeps swapping the box art on you. If you’re trying to figure out where the heart of the "Infinity Saga" actually stopped and where the "Multiverse" mess really began, you have to look at Peter Parker. A lot of people treat this movie like a breezy vacation flick. They're wrong. When you sit down to watch Spider-Man: Far From Home, you aren't just seeing a kid on a school trip to Europe. You’re witnessing the precise moment the MCU lost its anchor—Tony Stark—and tried to find a new one in a fifteen-year-old from Queens.

It’s heavy stuff.

Peter is grieving. The world is grieving. This isn't just a superhero movie; it's a study on post-traumatic stress disguised as a teen comedy. We see the "Blip" handled with a bit of humor at first, sure. The Midtown High news broadcast is classic high school cringe. But underneath the jokes about kids growing facial hair while their classmates stayed the same age, there’s this crushing weight. Peter just wants to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and give a black dahlia necklace to MJ. Instead, he gets Nick Fury—or at least, the guy we think is Nick Fury—hijacking his summer.

📖 Related: Carrie Underwood My Savior Songs: What Most People Get Wrong

The Mysterio Deception is More Relevant Today Than Ever

Quentin Beck is the best villain the MCU has produced since Thanos, and I’ll fight anyone on that. Jake Gyllenhaal plays him with this terrifying, manic energy that feels way too real in 2026. He isn't some purple alien wanting to snap half of life away. He’s a disgruntled ex-employee with a high-tech projector and a massive ego. He’s the king of "fake news."

When you watch Spider-Man: Far From Home, pay attention to Beck’s speech in the bar. He explicitly says that people will believe anything nowadays. It’s a cynical, sharp commentary on our current digital landscape. He uses BARF technology—the Augmented Reality system Tony Stark introduced in Civil War—to create "Elemental" threats. It's brilliant. It’s a guy using special effects to manufacture a crisis so he can be the hero who "solves" it.

The visuals during the illusion sequences are still some of the most trippy, inventive pieces of cinema Marvel has ever put out. That scene where Peter is falling through a graveyard of Iron Man suits? Nightmare fuel. It perfectly captures the psychological warfare Beck is waging. He isn't trying to punch Peter; he's trying to break his mind. He knows Peter’s greatest weakness is his desire for a father figure. Beck fills that Tony-shaped hole just long enough to steal the keys to the kingdom—literally, the EDITH glasses.

Why the European Setting Actually Matters

Most Marvel movies happen in New York or some generic CGI wasteland. This one feels different because it breathes. We go from the canals of Venice to the streets of Prague and finally to the Tower Bridge in London.

Each location serves a purpose. Venice is the "meet-cute" phase. It’s bright, sunny, and romantic until a giant water monster ruins the vibe. Prague is where the stakes get real; it's dark, atmospheric, and where the "Night Monkey" makes his debut. By the time we hit London, the scales have fallen from Peter's eyes. The contrast between the old-world history of these cities and the hyper-modern drone tech Mysterio uses creates a jarring, effective visual language.

👉 See also: Why Unbelievable by Owl City is Actually the Ultimate 90s Nostalgia Trip

The Tony Stark Legacy Problem

There’s a valid criticism that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is too tied to Iron Man. People call him "Iron Boy Jr." It’s a common complaint on Reddit and in film circles. But looking back, that’s kind of the point of this specific movie. Peter is struggling with the "Next Iron Man" headlines appearing on every corner.

The scene on the Stark jet where Happy Hogan plays AC/DC’s "Back in Black"—which Peter mistakes for Led Zeppelin—is a masterclass in bittersweet storytelling. Peter is building his new suit using Stark’s tech, mimicking Tony’s holographic gestures perfectly. It shows that he has the genius, but he hasn't quite found his own identity yet. He’s still trying to be what everyone else expects him to be. It’s only when he uses his "Peter Tingle" (Spider-Sense) to defeat the drones in the finale that he finally stops relying on tech and starts relying on himself.

That shift is subtle. If you blink, you miss it. But it’s the bridge between being a sidekick and being a leader.

The Ending That Changed Everything

We have to talk about that mid-credits scene. Most Marvel stingers are just teasers for the next movie, but this one was a nuclear bomb. J. Jonah Jameson—played by the legendary J.K. Simmons, returning to the role that he owns—revealing Peter’s identity to the entire world? It changed the trajectory of the MCU’s street-level heroics forever.

It recontextualized everything we knew about Spider-Man. Usually, the "secret identity" is a trope that gets tired after a while. Here, its loss feels devastating because Peter just finally got the girl and found his footing. Suddenly, he’s Public Enemy Number One. It sets the stage for No Way Home, but on its own, it stands as a massive "oh crap" moment that holds up even on a fifth viewing.

📖 Related: 1985 Paul McCartney and Wings: What Really Happened

Practical Steps for Your Next Rewatch

If you’re planning to watch Spider-Man: Far From Home tonight, do yourself a favor and keep a few things in mind to get the most out of the experience:

1. Watch the "Peter’s To-Do List" short film first. It was originally cut from the movie but is available on most streaming platforms and physical releases. It shows him getting his passport and selling his toys to buy the necklace for MJ. It adds so much heart to the beginning of the trip.
2. Look for the Skrull clues. On a second or third watch, pay close attention to Nick Fury’s behavior. He seems... off. He’s annoyed by things the real Fury wouldn't care about, and he’s surprisingly easily fooled by Beck. Knowing that he’s actually Talos (revealed in the post-credits) makes his interactions with Peter hilarious in hindsight.
3. Analyze the "Blinking" Drones. In the final battle, the drones often flicker. This represents the cracks in Mysterio’s "reality." It’s a cool detail that shows how much effort the VFX team put into making the illusions feel like they were being maintained by hardware.
4. Listen to the score. Michael Giacchino’s work here is underrated. The way he twists the heroic Spider-Man theme into something more frantic during the illusion scenes is brilliant. He also gives Mysterio a theme that sounds heroic at first but becomes increasingly discordant as the movie progresses.

This movie isn't just a placeholder between Endgame and the Multiverse. It’s the definitive ending to the Infinity Saga’s emotional arc. It deals with the fallout of losing a mentor and the terrifying realization that the adults in the room don't always have the answers. Sometimes, the hero is just a kid who’s tired and wants to go home, but chooses to stay and fight anyway because it’s the right thing to do. That's the essence of Spider-Man.