Spider-Man spoilers explained
How does Spider-Man end?
Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) defeats the Green Goblin in a brutal final battle on a bridge. Norman Osborn dies when his own glider impales him after he tries to kill Peter from behind. Before dying, Norman begs his son Harry to avenge him, blaming Spider-Man for his death. Peter chooses to conceal the truth from Harry to protect him, and he also rejects Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) after she confesses her love, believing the life of a hero is too dangerous. The film ends with Peter standing at Mary Jane's doorstep, rain falling around him, as he says "I'm Spider-Man" and walks away into the night, accepting his responsibility.
What is the main twist in Spider-Man?
The Green Goblin is revealed to be Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), the father of Peter Parker's best friend Harry Osborn. Norman, driven insane by the super-soldier formula, murders the board members of Oscorp and later attempts to kill Peter's Aunt May as a test, but Peter discovers his identity during a fight where Norman accidentally unmasks himself.
What happens in Spider-Man?
The film opens with Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), a high school student in Queens, New York. He is a shy, bespectacled science enthusiast living with his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). Peter has a crush on his neighbor Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) but is too awkward to express his feelings. His best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) is the son of brilliant but demanding scientist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), the CEO of Oscorp.
During a class field trip to Columbia University, Peter is bitten by a genetically engineered "super spider" that alters his DNA. He develops enhanced strength, agility, and the ability to cling to walls. Initially disoriented, Peter uses his powers selfishly. He enters an underground wrestling match to win money to buy a car to impress Mary Jane. At the match, he adopts the red-and-blue costume and the name "Spider-Man."
After the match, Peter allows a robber to escape past him, feeling no responsibility to stop him. Shortly after, Peter finds his Uncle Ben shot dead in a stolen car. In a warehouse, he corners the car thief and discovers it is the same robber he let go. The man dies in an accidental fall, and Peter learns the lesson: "With great power comes great responsibility." He decides to use his powers to fight crime.
Meanwhile, Norman Osborn is competing for a lucrative military contract with Oscorp's rival, Quest Aerospace. Under pressure, Norman tests an unstable performance-enhancing formula on himself. The formula drives him insane, giving him superhuman strength and a split personality. He dons a green costume and a mask, becoming the Green Goblin, and sabotages Quest's demonstration, killing several people.
Peter works as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle under J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), who publishes articles villainizing Spider-Man. Peter's photos of Spider-Man become his only income.
The Green Goblin attacks a parade celebrating the World Unity Festival, but Spider-Man intervenes. The Goblin later reveals himself to Peter and offers an alliance. When Peter refuses, the Goblin targets Mary Jane. Peter saves her from a gang of thugs on the street, but the Goblin kidnaps her and dangling her from a bridge, as well as a Roosevelt Island tram car full of children. Spider-Man chooses to save the tram, allowing Mary Jane to fall, but he catches her with his web at the last moment.
The next day, Norman Osborn visits Aunt May in the hospital (she was injured earlier). As Norman leaves, Peter realizes the Goblin's identity when he sees Norman's missing green glove. At the Osborn penthouse, Norman admits the truth. Peter attacks him, and Norman knocks him out.
The final battle occurs in an abandoned building. Peter and Norman fight brutally, with Norman's glider attacking Peter. Peter beats Norman down. Norman removes his mask and pleads with Peter, then, from behind, launches his glider at Peter. Peter flips out of the way, and the glider impales Norman instead. Norman dies, but not before telling Peter, "Don't let Harry know." Peter takes his body back to the Osborn penthouse. Harry arrives and finds his father dead. Peter hides, and Harry sees Spider-Man's reflection in the window and believes Spider-Man killed his father.
At the funeral, Peter and Mary Jane share a kiss. Mary Jane confesses her love for Peter, but Peter, feeling the weight of his responsibility and the danger he brings, tells her they can only be friends. He walks away in the rain, and she remains heartbroken. The final shot is Peter standing on the rooftop, looking over the city, embracing his role as Spider-Man.
Quick, non-spoiler context
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.
Sources and methodology
Title, release, genre, artwork, and rating metadata come from The Movie Database (TMDB). The spoiler explanation is AI-assisted, checked by automated consistency and completeness rules, and may contain errors. See our AI transparency note and report a correction.
