spider-man – My Geek Wisdom

“I’ve told this story so often, it might even be true.”

From: Larry King Live

Genre: Television and Comics

Who said it?: Stan Lee

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote is a unique one as it doesn’t come from any form of geek media. It does, however, come from one of the legends of the geek community, comic legend Stan Lee. It’s one of my favorite quotes from the man.

During a 2000 interview during Larry King Live, Stan Lee was asked about how he came to creating one of Marvel’s most popular characters, Spider-Man. Stan Lee starts out by saying how he’s created a whole lot of superheroes before and then sticks in the quote before continuing.

Geek wisdom: Our memories are a funny thing. While we think we have perfect recollection of a moment in our lives, it’s always clouded by our own perceptions of what we’re feeling at the time. Some events may be too good to be true while others may seem not so bad in reality.

“It always fits… eventually.”

From: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Genre: Movies and Cartoons

Who said it?: Stan Lee

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the 2018 animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The film takes place in a different “universe” and follows Miles Morales, a young pre-teen who is bitten by a genetically modified spider and gains spider-like powers. This universe’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man dies attempting to prevent the multiverse’s destruction and the cataclysm accidentally brings in different Spider-themed heroes into Miles’ universe.

The quote comes right after Spider-man’s/Peter Parker’s death. Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) buys a Spider-Man costume in tribute to the hero. He asks the store owner, who just so happens to be Stan Lee, if he can return it if the size is wrong. This is when Stan Lee delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Being great isn’t always instantaneous. You generally have to work on it.

“Don’t watch the mouth. Watch the hands.”

From: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Genre: Movies and Cartoons

Who said it?: Peter B. Parker and Miles Morales

The quote is said a couple of times during the film. The first time this happens is when Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) meets and captures Peter B. Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), a Spider-Man from a different universe. This Peter Parker distracts Miles by talking to him long enough to get free. This is when he delivers the quote.

The second time it’s said is near the climax of the film. Peter B. Parker says he’ll stay behind to stop the device as he has the item needed to deactivate it. It turns out Miles manages to pickpocket him and steal the item. This is when Miles says the quote to Peter B. Parker.

Geek wisdom: Always look at the entire picture and don’t get too distracted by the other things around us. Try to focus on the important things around you.

“If you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”

From: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Tony Stark/Iron Man

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Spider-Man: Homecoming. The film is essentially a reboot of the previous Spider-Man films and, although it was made by Sony Pictures, it was made by Marvel Studios in a licensing deal to allow the Wall Crawler to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oddly enough, it doesn’t come from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, though.

The quote comes fairly late in the movie. Spider-Man tries to foil an arms deal but something goes wrong and Tony Stark/Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr.) has to come in and save the day. Tony tells Peter Parker/Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) that he’s taking the Spider-Man suit back. Peter pleads to his mentor/idol that he needs the suit. This is when Tony delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: It shouldn’t be the suit that makes the man. It should be the man that makes the suit. It’s kind of fitting that it’s Tony Stark that tells Peter Parker this as, although he’s widely known as Iron Man, he doesn’t have to rely on that suit of armor to fight the good fight. A good person has to have a good heart, code of honor and the will to fight the good fight, not a fancy suit filled with gadgets.

“I believe there’s a hero in all of us…”

From: Spider-Man (specifically, Spider-Man 2)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Aunt May

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Spider-Man 2, the 2004 film starring Tobey Maguire as the Marvel superhero Spider-Man. The plot has Peter Parker giving up his role as Spider-Man as he has been having difficulty taking on his regular/normal life and balancing it out with his role as protector of New York.

The quote comes from the middle of the film. Aunt May (played by Rosemary Harris) is moving out of her house when Peter drops by to apologize for dropping a bombshell that he part of the reason why Uncle Ben was murdered. Aunt May forgives her nephew and comments that he was brave to do so.

The kid that was helping Aunt May pack recognizes Peter as the man who takes pictures of Spider-Man and asks Peter what happened to the superhero. Aunt May then comments that Spider-Man inspired the kid as well as herself. This is when she delivers the quote and that Spider-Man was an example for us to follow.

Geek wisdom: It may be cliche to say but you don’t need superpowers to be a hero. Heroism is doing the right thing and the brave thing, even when things look hopeless. Being a hero means that you have to keep on fighting when you know what you’re doing is righteous.

“We are who we choose to be!”

From: Spider-Man (2002)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Norman Osborn/Green Goblin

The story behind the quote: The Spider-Man film that was released in 2002 was both a critical and financial hit. And it came at a very opportune time since it was released at a time when superhero films were hitting a slump in terms of ticket sales.

The film tells the story of Peter Parker and how he was given the abilities of a spider, enabling him to become the superhero known as Spider-man. However, his best friend’s father, Norman Osborn, performs an experiment on himself and, while it does give him enhanced strength, speed and agility, it also drive Osborn mad and takes on the guise of the Green Goblin.

In his quest to destroy Spider-man, the Green Goblin kidnaps Peter’s girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson and a cable car full of children. The Green Goblin threatens to drop them both from the top of the Queensboro Bridge and says Spider-man must have to choose who to save. While Spider-man pleads for the villain to not go through with it, the Goblin delivers the quote and releases them.

(Sorry for the obviously poor quality of the clip; it was the only one I could find online.)

Geek wisdom: The quote is pretty ironic since this doesn’t only apply to Spider-man, but also to the Green Goblin. Norman Osborn actually had the choice to become a force for good but he decided to take the darker path. Spider-man, while he initially used his new powers selfishly, he changed his ways because of his Uncle Ben’s death… which he could have saved earlier.

Even though it may seem that fate might push us to do bad, we always have the choice to do the right thing.