One of the many surprises in Homecoming, the MCU's Ned Leeds was quickly established as Peter Parker's best friend and Spider-Man's "man in the chair." As well as acting as a sort-of sidekick to Holland's Spider-Man, Ned has contributed to the trilogy's success, with the pair's friendship being a key aspect of the hero's story in the MCU so far.
One of No Way Home's revelations was that Ned Leeds has magical powers. While the character was already substantially different from his comic book counterpart, the introduction of his MCU powers moved him even further away from his namesake in the comics. Ned has established himself as one of the MCU's most lovable ing characters, though, making this potential set-up as a hero (or villain) an exciting choice from the studio.
With each new release, it has become clear that Marvel is more than willing to shake things up to keep the MCU fresh, making Ned's MCU future all the more interesting. This is compounded by the fact that his character is already so different from the comic book character he's named for, as it highlights that there's no established canon for the MCU to make him follow. With Spider-Man: No Way Home's ending hinting that Ned may not act as Spider-Man's sidekick in Phase 4, is the MCU setting him up as a sorcerer?
Ned's Powers & History In Marvel Comics
The MCU's Ned Leeds was already a far cry from the comic book version, and that was before his magical powers were revealed. In the comics, Ned Leeds is Peter Parker's Daily Bugle colleague and his rival for the affections of Betty Brant, who he later marries. Ned is then brainwashed and forced to act as the Hobgoblin, and while he doesn't possess the character's usual superhuman strength or healing factor, he makes use of the Hobgoblin's glider and equipment.
While Spider-Man 3 included Hobgoblin's mask, Ned Leeds had never made a live-action appearance until Spider-Man: Homecoming. The character is a long-standing part of the Spider-Man comics' ing cast, though, and given that he's the successor to the fan-favorite Green Goblin, his inclusion in a Spider-Man film somewhere down the line seems likely. The character of Hobgoblin shares many of his powers with the Green Goblin, with the most obvious difference between the two being Hobgoblin's Halloween-themed weapons and gadgets.
Ned's Family History Explained
Where Ned Leeds in the Spider-Man comics is a reporter that marries Betty Brant, the MCU's version is a different character altogether. Something of a mash-up of Harry Osborn and Genke Lee (Miles Morales' best friend in the comics), the MCU's Ned is Peter's most trusted friend. Spider-Man: Homecoming introduces Ned Leeds as Peter's well-intentioned best friend and confidant, and No Way Home briefly introduces Ned's grandmother in a scene that sees him first accessing his magical abilities.
Ned's parents have been referenced numerous times, but haven't yet been shown on-screen in the MCU, which actually leaves Ned's family history somewhat ambiguous. While speaking to Doctor Strange in No Way Home, Ned mentions that magic runs in his family, and while he's initially dismissed by Strange, this is later proven true. In addition, Ned's grandmother seems relatively unfazed by the portals he casts in her home, hinting that there are others gifted in the magical arts within his family.
What Ned's Magic Means For MCU's Hobgoblin
Ned's magic could prove problematic for the MCU to introduce Hobgoblin. There are a few small hints dropped in No Way Home that maybe Ned and Peter will one day find themselves at odds with each other, although that doesn't necessarily mean that Ned will become Hobgoblin. In fact, Ned's magical powers theoretically make it less likely that he'll assume the mantle of the Hobgoblin.
With Doctor Strange expressing an interest in his talent, and the character's sweet and helpful disposition, it's unlikely that Marvel will turn him into a supervillain. It's far more likely that Ned will be taken under the wing of Strange and Wong, and that he'll learn to control his abilities. It was even theorized at one point that Ned would even feature in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but this proved not to be the case.
Most importantly, a mystic arts narrative would take Ned even further away from his comic book counterpart, probably establishing him as a hero. This is far more in line with the character as he's been depicted since Spider-Man: Homecoming. Some have theorized that given the MCU's Multiverse narrative, it's entirely possible that a Ned Leeds variant could become the MCU's Hobgoblin. However, after the character's development in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it doesn't seem that this is likely to come to fruition any time soon.
The MCU Is Making Sorcery More Accessible In The Multiverse Saga
Since Ned first made use of a sling ring in No Way Home, the MCU has continued to lessen the secrecy surrounding the mystic arts, and more and more characters are starting to participate, for better or for worse. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw America Chavez begin studying at Kamar Taj as a student, which is fitting given her close connection with Strange. But the Kamar Taj training camp was in the first Doctor Strange, it's interesting that the mystic arts have now become more commonplace in the MCU. There's even a precedent for categorizing them within the American legal system now.
In light of all this, it seems very likely indeed that Ned Leeds' sorcery will continue to be important wherever his MCU arc takes him. With the next Spider-Man trilogy still unannounced, it's uncertain where Ned could appear next. But when he does, the powers he displayed in Spider-Man: No Way Home will almost certainly return as well.
