Spider-Man: No Way Home Writers Address That Confusing Peter Parker Plot Hole

"Spider-Man: No Way Home," starring Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch, has been making a splash with audiences and in theaters since its release in late 2021. Although it has endured an Oscar snub, the latest action-packed Spider-Man outing has been smashing box office records — proof that fans are ready to see what happens when the multiverse opens up on the big screen. "No Way Home" is also the latest addition to the long line of action-packed films in Sony's Marvel universe and takes audiences along for an exhilarating and emotional ride while allowing them the opportunity to see their favorite young hero in a new light.

"No Way Home" has details from previous Spider-Man films weaved in throughout the entire two-and-a-half-hour experience, including the appearance of Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire, both of whom have played Spider-Man in their respective franchises of days gone by. This Spider-Man storyline takes a darker turn when Peter Parker (Holland) must make his most sacrifice for the good of humankind. When the world learns his true identity, the young web-slinger (along with his loved ones) becomes a public target. His decision to have Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) erase any knowledge of him takes a catastrophic turn, with Strange's spell opening their world to the multiverse and allowing villains from the respective worlds of Garfield's and Maguire's Spider-Men to come through.

While the movie certainly lived up to fan expectations, there is one major plot hole in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" that's been on the minds of audiences ever since its release — and it's finally being addressed.

At the end of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," Doctor Strange casts a spell that erases all memories of Tom Holland's Peter Parker from the world, leaving the young man to pick up the pieces of his new life in solitude. One fan pointed out during the recent IGN Fan Fest that there could still be physical evidence of Peter's existence despite the fact he's been erased from people's minds. Does Peter simply fade out of all images and every physical representation of his existence altogether? Do the more tangible connections to Holland's character remain?

"No Way Home" co-writers Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna addressed this issue while speaking to IGN during the IGN Fan Fest even this weekend. Well, sort of. The writers revealed there is an explanation for what happened to the physical evidence of Spider-Man. However, McKenna followed it up by saying that "answering those questions by the end of the movie, [it] felt like it would be almost too much to have to explain that." He went on to tease, "But we have thoughts and answers." So, maybe Peter did just fade out of existence? Or, perhaps there's a much larger explanation for exactly how Strange's spell impacts Peter's life-changing decision.

While this explanation might not clear things up for fans of Spider-Man, we can rest assured that the writers know exactly what's going on in the multiverse and that every detail is undoubtedly accounted for. McKenna assures viewers that what appears to be a plot hole does, in fact, have an explanation. "Believe me, we have answers to it ... We're not allowed to divulge that. But we have answers." Ultimately, there may never be a definitive answer to how exactly Peter gets away with being erased from the world's memory.