Why Peter Didn't Keep His Promise To MJ In No Way Home's Ending
John Castro Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter making a major decision about a promise he'd made to MJ, and there are a few factors that explain why he does.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter Parker (Tom Holland) make a major decision about a promise he'd made to MJ (Zendaya) and Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon). Combining elements of One More Day and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, No Way Home sends Holland's Web-Slinger on some of his biggest challenges as both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, his identity now known to the world. The lead-up to No Way Home's arrival would also position it as the ultimate Spider-Man movie, bringing in numerous characters from past Spider-Man films.
Doctor Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) botched memory wiping spell ends up bringing over numerous villains from other universes like the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), among others. With the help of a duo of Spider-Men from other universes also transported through, played by past Spidey's Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, Peter is able to depower the villains and prepares to send them all home, but learns from Strange that the Multiverse has been cracked open with everyone who knows Spider-Man's identity coming over. The only way to stop it is a new spell that will completely erase the world's memory of Peter Parker.
After saying his goodbyes to the other Spider-Men, Peter promises the tearful MJ and Ned that he'll find them both and restore their knowledge of who he is to them, before Strange finally casts the spell. Later, Peter arrives at the coffee shop MJ works at as Ned walks in, but just as he's about to read a prepared speech to reveal everything to them again, Peter decides to keep everything a secret. While Peter never states why he decides on this course of action, his reasoning is intrinsic to who Holland's Spider-Man is, in that he wants what's best for those dearest to him.
Just by their connection to Peter and knowledge that he was Spider-Man before his identity was revealed to the world, MJ and Ned's lives were thrown into complete upheaval. With the help of his attorney Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), Peter was able to get the criminal charges of killing Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) that he was framed for dropped, but he, MJ, and Ned all found themselves under the world's constant scrutiny. This also wreaked havoc on their college applications, with all three being declined from their dream school of MIT.
When Peter sees MJ and Ned at the coffee shop, both are elated to have been admitted to MIT and have very bright futures ahead of them. From the subtle expressions on Peter's face, this is clearly another case of Spider-Man falling on the sword for people he cares about. During Strange's initial Multiverse-opening spell, Peter wanted to maintain MJ and Ned's knowledge of his identity, along with others, including Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). After Strange's new spell, Peter recognizes how knowing his secret directly impacted both MJ and Ned, and ended up costing Aunt May her life in his battle with Norman Osborn. Spider-Man: No Way Home ends with Peter's future on a huge question mark with the world's memory of him now gone, but his decision to go this route stems from the fact that, as he always does, Peter Parker is putting his friends ahead of himself.
