Warning: Spoilers for The Amazing Spider-Man #70!One of the most infamous moments in Spider-Man 3 from 2007 saw Spidey undergo a major personality change due to the Venom symbiote, and fans quickly dubbed him Emo Peter Parker as he basically embraced the black suit by being an abusive jerk with terrible dance moves.

Now, Peter didn’t go that far in the comics, but the 8 Deaths of Spider-Man story saw him become frustratingly moody and hard to deal with. After breaking out of his funk in The Amazing Spider-Man #70 by Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness, Black Cat finally confronts him about it.

Black Cat proclaims that “no one likes Emo Peter,” asking him to try to keep that part of his personality to himself. If it wasn’t clear that this is also a not-so-subtle jab at Spider-Man 3, she even disparages his unfortunate dancing abilities.

Marvel Comics References Spider-Man 3 to Finally Make Peter Parker Stop Being So Emo

The Amazing Spider-Man #70 by Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, Alex Sinclair, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna

Despite his evil persona in Spider-Man 3 being truly awful in the movie itself, Emo Peter Parker has become an iconic part of the character’s legacy, but Marvel Comics is confirming that it's a part of his history that the publisher is hoping to leave behind. There are many funny moments that have been endlessly meme'd from the movie’s emo take on the character, but he was also violent, abrasive, and just not the Spider-Man that fans know and love. While he hasn’t really gone that far in recent Amazing Spider-Man issues, his personality did take a negative turn.

Peter wasn’t under the influence of an alien symbiote during 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, but he was emotionally wrecked by going up against the Scions of Cyttorak. Spider-Man was forced to witness immense tragedy, watching the deaths of all his loved ones play out before his eyes. After being put through this terrible trial, Peter felt totally hopeless and even quit being Spider-Man for a few issues. The Amazing Spider-Man #70 saw him finally accept that, even though he won’t be able to save everyone in the end, he can’t let himself be bogged down by these pessimistic and defeatist emotions.

Emo Spider-Man Goes Against the Values That Make Him One of Marvel’s Greatest Heroes

Peter Parker Should Stay Optimistic and Inspirational

Whether it’s Spider-Man 3’s Emo Peter Parker being a guy with a temper who is trying too hard to be cool, or The Amazing Spider-Man’s depressed Peter who gives up on basically everything, it’s tough to see Spider-Man being so toxic and unlike himself. He has an excuse for both shifts in his persona, with aliens and extradimensional demons making things difficult, but Peter’s ability to overcome this emotional turmoil and use his powers for good makes him a hero. Spider-Man is a superhero who inspires hope, so losing hope himself could send the entire Marvel Universe into disarray.

Peter’s life is far from easy, and it makes sense for him to have his optimism tested by the many challenges he faces in both his personal life and as a superhero. However, it’s pushed a little too far when these challenges end up changing his personality for the worse, making him treat people poorly. Nobody is asking the character to be happy-go-lucky and so positive that he stops throwing out his classic insults, but Peter should be able to regulate his emotions enough to avoid losing the parts of himself that made him Spider-Man in the first place.

Peter Parker Will Have a Fresh Outlook Going into Spider-Man's Relaunch

The Amazing Spider-Man Goes Back to #1 This April

The Amazing Spider-Man #70 was the last chapter in this volume of Peter Parker’s story, with the series set to relaunch with a new #1 just two weeks after this issue’s release. By giving Peter a talking-to about his occasional Emo tendencies, Black Cat is helping Spider-Man enter his bold new era with a new perspective. Peter quitting as Spider-Man and being stuck in a depressive rut may have been a brief yet unwelcome change for the character, but he seems to have learned his lesson and will continue being a positive force, inspiring optimism in the Marvel Universe moving forward.

Emo Peter Parker, or "Bully Maguire," stands the test of time as one of the most unlikable versions of the character to ever exist.

Emo Peter Parker, or "Bully Maguire," stands the test of time as one of the most unlikable versions of the character to ever exist. Even though The Amazing Spider-Man’s version of the hero wasn’t that bad - and had a pretty fair reason for being emotional - his descent into hopelessness also wasn’t appreciated by readers. Luckily, with Black Cat keeping him in check, Peter comes out of the 8 Deaths of Spider-Man arc as an improved superhero. Out of character and difficult to root for, it’s true that nobody likes Emo Spider-Man, as hilarious as the Spider-Man 3 memes are, and Marvel Comics is thankfully indicating that he won’t come back.

The Amazing Spider-Man #70 is available now from Marvel Comics.