Since arriving in the Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man has arguably become the franchise's most popular superhero. Audiences all over the world consider this take on the character to arguably be the best to ever grace the big screen.
A huge reason for Peter Parker's popularity is how likable he is. He's also helped in his two solo movies by the fantastic ing cast of characters around him. Not including the two great villains he's faced off against, the solo films have been boosted by some of the most likable characters in the entire MCU.
Flash Thompson
On the surface, Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) is not likable. He's a bully to Peter Parker and relishes any opportunity to diss him while making him look bad at every turn. However, there are a few things that make him a bit easier to like.
For starters, he's not as ruthless as Flash in other depictions. He's kind of a nerd himself and seems insecure, which is why he targets Peter rather than simply because he's a bad person. It was also clear that he doesn't get the attention and love he desires from his parents, making him sympathetic.
Nick Fury
Making his first appearance in the series in 2019's Captain Marvel or any of The Avengers entries.
For this sequel though, something was a bit off about Fury. He was less fun and felt meaner than the typical mentor figure who shows up to help Peter. The revelation that it was actually a Skrull disguised as Fury in the post-credits scene might explain these issues.
Liz
There was a bit of a surprise in 2017's the intelligent senior girl who was out of Peter's league.
Of course, she ultimately returned Peter's crush. Liz proved to be a good person with a lot of smarts and her caring side showed when she was often worried about Peter's constant disappearances. While her father turned out to be the Vulture, there wasn't a mean bone in Liz's body.
Mr. Harrington
Roger Harrington (Martin Starr) has one of the more interesting stories when it comes to characters in the MCU. His most famous appearances have been as Peter Parker's teacher and academic decathlon coach Mr. Harrington in the Spider-Man movies.
The truth is that he actually debuted nearly a decade prior. Harrington had a small role in The Incredible Hulk but is much more prominent here. He's a constant source of deadpan comedy and he genuinely seems to care for all of the kids who are under his watch, especially when they're in Europe together.
Tony Stark
One of the biggest selling points of Spider-Man: Homecoming was that Peter Parker would be ed by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Their relationship first was showcased in Captain America: Civil War, and it spilled over into this solo Spidey film in engaging ways.
Tony acted as a father figure for Peter as even though he wasn't always near the young superhero, he kept tabs on him and was his mentor. Tony's limited screen time was expertly utilized to have the biggest impact possible. He gave Peter the tough love and guidance that he needed, while always being entertaining.
Happy Hogan
The bond between Peter and Tony was more important than the one between Peter and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) but it's not in both movies. Happy is a big part of each installment, first acting as a middle man between Peter and Tony and then assisting Spider-Man in his battle against Mysterio.
While Happy is irritated by Peter at first, you can tell that he cares about the kid. His scenes are funny and when he shows up in the sequel, he's a serious help to the hero. Plus, his budding romance with Peter's aunt is one of the more fun aspects of these films.
Aunt May
There have been many iterations of Aunt May across movies, TV shows, and video games but the MCU possibly has the best. Marisa Tomei brings a different feel to it as instead of being a wise old motherly figure with sage advice, she actually feels like the kind of cool aunt that Peter would want to hang out with.
May delivers the goods in almost every scene. It's adorable to watch her help Peter with his tie for the homecoming dance, it's hilariously awkward to see her flirt with Happy, and it's appreciated how she accepts Peter's superhero life while also having his back.
MJ
It seemed like the series was missing a Mary Jane for most of the first film until Peter's friend Michelle revealed that people call her MJ (Zendaya). In that first entry, MJ mostly just showed up to say a funny line or dish out some sharp wit. It worked to make her one of the funniest characters.
Her role expanded in the sequel as she shared a romantic interest with Peter and their scenes together were almost too cute for words. MJ is smart as seen by her academic decathlon spot and her figuring out Peter's secret but she's also independent, tough, and hilarious.
Ned Leeds
If there's one thing that seemed to be missing from previous Spider-Man movies, it was a best friend/sidekick for Peter Parker. His buddies in the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield films mostly became villains and weren't really sidekicks. That's not the case with Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon).
As soon as he found out about Peter's secret identity, Ned wanted to be the "guy in the chair." His wish came true at the end of the film and that has remained his role. He's always there to help Peter, in or out of costume, and is basically the ideal best friend within the MCU.
Peter Parker
As noted, a huge reason why this version of Spider-Man has worked so well is just how likable Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is. He has an energy about him that is infectious and the audience hangs on to everything he says or does. He's funny, awkward, heroic, and a really good person.
This Peter is the first who honestly comes across as a realistic teenager in everything from his actions to his dialogue. He cares about the people closest to him and though he makes plenty of mistakes like most teens do, he's always willing to learn from them and grow as a person and as a hero.
