Spider-Man: Brand New Day is finally here, and with international screenings and Prime Video previews well underway, we're taking a deep dive into the movie's ending and what it all means.
In the blockbuster, Peter Parker takes on a mysterious new threat capable of controlling people's minds and jumping between them. Meanwhile, he's also dealing with the evolution of his powers, including heightened senses, increased strength, and organic webbing, something he tries to keep under control with an inhibitor chip.
Eventually identifying Jean Grey as the person attempting to break into the Department of Damage Control, Spidey builds a chip to neutralise her powers. However, by the time he arrives at the DODC headquarters, Jean has already unleashed Professor Hulk on Bill Metzger, an apparent ally to the web-slinger. A fight with the Savage Hulk ensues, and Spidey successfully powers Jean down, who mentions "Sara" as she passes out.
Returning to MJ—whom he previously took to The Punisher's base of operations to protect her from Jean—Peter discovers that she's found the letter he wrote her in Spider-Man: No Way Home. MJ claims to have no memory of their past together, even after he unmasks, but later invites him into her apartment to spend time with Ned. It's there that he realises Bill lied when he said Sara was an old colleague, because MJ points out that she has no memory of when Jean controlled her mind.
Jean, meanwhile, learns that Sara died while the DODC were experimenting on her to try and replicate the psychic powers the sisters both have. Pushed to her limits, Jean's powers evolve, and she also becomes telekinetic and a far more powerful psychic.
She taunts Spider-Man as he battles The Hand, prompting him to remove his inhibitor chip and declare himself Peter Parker and Spider-Man. He stops Jean—who has frozen everyone within a 1km radius—by allowing her into his mind, where she experiences a tender moment with Aunt May discussing superpowers and being special. She decides not to murder Bill, but The Punisher, sniper rifle in hand, aims for the kill...and hits Spider-Man as he leaps in front of Jean.
A devastated Frank Castle takes Spidey to the hospital, where medics save him. Outside, New York rallies around the hero, and The Punisher explains that Jean used her new abilities to keep him alive. Frank dons Spidey's mask so Peter can make a quiet exit, though he's clearly overcome with emotion by seeing how much he's loved.
Jean is shown leaving New York on a bus, and we find MJ sitting atop Midtown High's roof, holding the necklace Peter once gave her. Peter, meanwhile, bumps into Ned, who obviously doesn't know him. They shake hands, and it becomes their signature handshake. With that, a flicker of recognition crosses Ned's face, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day ends with him smiling and saying, "Peter?"
What does this mean? For that, we need to go back to that fight with The Hulk. When the Green Goliath has completely overpowered the wall-crawler, Spider-Man pleads with him, saying, "It's me, Peter." The Hulk seems to have a glimmer of recognition and stops his attack, suggesting MJ was lying about having no memory of the man she loved.
Why else would she return to that rooftop, holding a necklace she should have no recollection of ever receiving from Peter? Similar to the comics, it seems that Spider-Man unmasking or revealing his secret identity is enough to restore what Doctor Strange's spell took from them.
Ultimately, Spider-Man: Brand New Day ends on an optimistic note, with the wall-crawler embracing his life as Peter Parker again and regaining his best friend in the process. Will MJ return to him? That very much remains to be seen. As for Jean, she's learned what it means to be special and is now destined to join the MCU's X-Men.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day is everything fans could want," we wrote in our review of the movie. "Emotional, hilarious, and heartfelt, it’s an action-packed love letter to the comics and one of Spidey’s best big-screen adventures. Spider-Man has never been more amazing."
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now playing in theaters.