Peter Parker (Earth-96283)

"Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: 'With great power comes great responsibility.' This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man."

- Peter Parker

Peter Benjamin Parker is a young photographer for the Daily Bugle who was bitten by a genetically-modified spider during a high school excursion, which granted him superhuman abilities and spider-like attributes. Hence, he became the costumed superhero known as Spider-Man.

Early Life
Peter Parker's parents died when he was still very young and he was left in the loving care of his wise Uncle Ben, and his caring Aunt May. In grade school, Peter developed a crush on the girl next door, Mary Jane Watson, which continued throughout his high school years. Growing up, he was considered a nerd, someone who never was in with the in-crowd. Sometime in his life, he became best friends with Harry Osborn, who looked after and defended him throughout his life.

Spider-Man
"Who am I? Are you sure you want to know? If someone told you I was just your average ordinary guy without a care in the world, somebody lied."

- Peter Parker

Peter Parker, Harry Osborn, and Peter's secret crush Mary Jane Watson visit a genetics laboratory with their high school class. While taking photos in the laboratory, Peter is bitten on the hand by a genetically engineered "super spider", and arrives home, passing out with the bite wound considerably swollen. The next morning, Peter finds that his previously impaired vision has improved and that his body has metamorphosized into a more muscular physique. When Peter goes to school, he finds himself producing webbing and having the quick reflexes to avoid being injured in a fight with Flash Thompson. Peter escapes from the school and realizes that he has acquired spider-like abilities from the spider bite. He quickly learns to scale walls, long jump across building rooftops and swing via webs from his wrists.

Lying to his aunt and uncle about where he is going, Peter decides to enter a wrestling tournament to get money to buy a car and impress Mary Jane. During an argument, Uncle Ben advises Peter, "With great power comes great responsibility." Peter lashes out at his uncle and leaves for the tournament. Peter wins, but is cheated out of the contest money. In retaliation, he allows a thief to escape with the promoter's gate money. Afterward, Peter finds out his uncle has been carjacked and killed. Peter tracks down the carjacker only to find out it was the same thief he allowed to escape earlier. During the struggle, the carjacker falls out of a window and dies. Upon graduating, Peter decides to use his abilities to fight injustice, and dons a new costume and the persona of Spider-Man. Peter is hired as a freelance photographer when he arrives in newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson's office with the only clear images of Spider-Man.

The Green Goblin offers Spider-Man a place at his side, but Spider-Man refuses, knowing that it is the right thing to do. At the Osborn and Parkers' Thanksgiving dinner, Norman Osborn, unknown to Peter, discovers Spider-Man's true identity; the Green Goblin subsequently attacks Aunt May. While Aunt May recovers in the hospital, Mary Jane admits she has a crush on Spider-Man, who rescued her on numerous occasions, and asks Peter whether he ever asked about her. Peter reflects on his own feelings, during which Harry enters. Feeling betrayed by his girlfriend and best friend, Harry tells his father whom Peter loves the most, unintentionally revealing Spider-Man's biggest weakness.

The Green Goblin holds Mary Jane and a tram car full of children hostage on top the Queensboro Bridge where Spider-Man arrives. The Green Goblin forces Spider-Man to choose who he wants to save, and drops Mary Jane and the children. Spider-Man manages to save both Mary Jane and the tram car, while the Green Goblin is pelted by civilians showing loyalty to Spider-Man. The Green Goblin then grabs Spider-Man and throws him into an abandoned building where he begins to beat and torture him. The tables turn as the Green Goblin boasts of how he will later kill Mary Jane, and an enraged Spider-Man dominates over him, forcing the Green Goblin into being unmasked. Norman begs for forgiveness, but his Goblin persona attempts to remote-control his glider to impale Spider-Man. The superhero evades the attack, causing the glider to impale Norman instead, and he dies asking Peter not to reveal his secret to Harry. At Norman’s funeral, Harry swears vengeance toward Spider-Man, who he believes is responsible for killing his father, and asserts that Peter is all he has left. Mary Jane confesses to Peter that she’s in love with him, but Peter, feeling that he must protect her from the unwanted attentions of Spider-Man's enemies, hides his true feelings. As Peter leaves the funeral, he recalls Uncle Ben's words about responsibility, and accepts his new life as Spider-Man.

Spider-Man 2
"There are bigger things happening here than me and you."

- Peter Parker

Two years later, Peter Parker is finding his double life increasingly difficult. Precariously struggling to balance his crime-fighting duties with the demands of his normal life, Peter often finds his personal life taking a back seat. He loses a job, faces financial difficulties, and struggles to maintain his physics studies. Moreover, he has become estranged from both love interest Mary Jane and best friend Harry Osborn, and Aunt May is threatened with foreclosure. Doc Ock attempts to rob a bank where Peter Parker and his Aunt May happen to be present. After a short glitch in his powers, Spider-Man manages to take back most of the stolen money, but Doc Ock takes Aunt May as a hostage. When Spider-Man rescues her, she revises her former opinion of him and realizes that he is a hero.

During a party, Peter learns that M.J. is planning to marry John Jameson, and Harry lashes out at him in a drunken rage due to his loyalty to Spider-Man; shortly afterwards he loses his powers while web-slinging across town. Meanwhile, Doc Ock rebuilds his experimental reactor. Peter questions if he could ever have what he "needs," a life as Peter Parker, which involves a vision of Uncle Ben, and resolves to give up being Spider-Man. Back home, after visiting Uncle Ben's grave, Aunt May is distressed by Peter's confession that he was somewhat responsible for his Uncle Ben's death. Aunt May and Peter reconcile, and she tells Peter of the hope that Spider-Man brings to others, in spite of what dreams he may have to sacrifice. Peter attempts to re-connect with Mary Jane, but she informs him it is too late. In the meantime, Doc Ock has completed rebuilding his reactor, and needs one final item: the tritium which fuels the reactor. He goes to Harry Osborn for it, dangling him over the edge of the Osborn mansion balcony when he refuses. Harry agrees to give Ock what he needs in exchange for capturing Spider-Man. Mary Jane meets Peter in a coffee shop to ask if he still loves her, but Peter tells her that he does not. Amidst this exchange, the two are ambushed by Doctor Octopus, who abducts Mary Jane in a ploy to lure Spider-Man into a trap. Peter's powers return, and he dons his costume and engages Doc Ock in battle, culminating with the insane scientist forcing Spider-Man to rescue a runaway subway train.

Spider-Man manages to stop the train before it can plunge over the end of the track, but at great physical exertion. Weak, he is captured by Doctor Octopus and delivered to Harry Osborn. Harry unmasks Spider-Man and is stunned to discover that his sworn enemy is also his best friend. Peter awakens and convinces Harry to reveal Octavius' whereabouts so he can rescue Mary Jane. Spider-Man finds Doctor Octavius in an abandoned warehouse on a waterfront pier, where he's restarted his fusion experiment. After battling with Doc Ock, Spider-Man manages to stun the villain with an electric shock. Peter then reveals his true identity to Octavius and pleads with him to stop the machine. Returned to his senses and determined to end his doomsday experiment before it causes more harm, Octavius uses his mechanical arms to collapse the floor of the building, successfully drowning the device at the cost of his own life. Mary Jane sees Peter without his mask on, but Peter tells her they can never be together, as he will always have enemies. Mary Jane, meanwhile, leaves her wedding and tells Peter she wants to be with him despite the risk. After they kiss, the police sirens are heard and Mary Jane encourages Peter to go fight for justice.

Spider-Man 3
"It's me! Peter Parker! Your friendly neighborhood... You know."

- Peter Parker

By the events of the third film, Peter has just begun to feel secure in his life and plans to propose to Mary Jane. Peter attends Mary Jane's new broadway show. As he is leaving the show, he sees Harry and runs up to him, trying to tell him his side of the story. Harry, however, refuses to hear him out.

Peter goes backstage to catch up with Mary Jane before they go on a date in a park. Peter spins a hammock made of spider webs and the couple lie on it while star-gazing. As they lean in for a kiss, behind them is a metorite that crashes nearby. Unknown to them, the meteorite was carrying an alien symbiote, which oozes out and attaches itself to Peter's moped as the couple drive off.

After dropping off Mary Jane, Peter goes to his Aunt May's apartment and tells her of his plan to propose to Mary Jane. Aunt May teaches Peter that he needs to put Mary Jane before himself, and Peter convinces himself he can do it. Aunt May then tells Peter the story of how his Uncle Ben proposed to her and tells him to make his proposal very special to Mary Jane. She hands Peter her wedding ring as a gift to Mary Jane.

While driving back to his apartment, Peter is whisked off his moped by a masked figure on a hoverboard. The masked figure knocks Peter into a wall and reveals himself as Harry, or the New Goblin. A fight between the two ensues through the streets of New York, with Peter nearly losing the ring in the process. In the end, Harry is knocked out in an alleyway and Peter brings him to a hospital. Peter then watches as doctors try to revive Harry.

The next day, Peter is told that Harry will be okay and is led to Harry's ward. Peter finds out that Harry had lost his memory and the two are able to get along just like the old days. Later, Mary Jane arrives, but she and Peter are soon asked to leave. Harry then tells Peter that he would give his life for him and Mary Jane.

Peter returns to his apartment and admires the ring he is going to give Mary Jane. Just then, Mary Jane knocks on the door. Peter welcomes her in and she enters, quite flustered. She then reads out a negative review on her performance. Peter tries to use his experiences as Spider-Man to comfort her, but he just makes her even more upset.

Peter's illegal police band monitor goes off, reporting an out-of-control crane in midtown. Peter gives Mary Jane a sympathetic look, quickly changes into his costume and swings off. Spider-Man arrives just in time to save Gwen Stacy from falling to her death. Eddie Brock, Gwen's alleged boyfriend, approaches Spider-Man and tells him that he is the new photographer of Spider-Man. Spider-Man, annoyed with Brock, swings off to deliver photos to the editor of the Daily Bugle.

When he arrives, he sees Brock has arrived first and J. Jonah Jameson choses Brock's photos over Peter's. Jameson then tells the two of them that he will offer them a staff job if they get pictures of Spider-Man commiting a crime. Peter tells Brock that he dosen't have a chance of getting that kind of photo and goes to Times Square.

At TImes Square, Peter sees a sign saying Spider-Man is to receive the Key to the City. Peter then goes to pick up Harry and bring him to his penthouse apartment, where they hang out for a while. Peter gives Harry his old basketball and throws it to him in the living room, knocking over a vase. Harry effortlessly catches both the ball and the vase, causing Peter to worry that Harry will regain his memory. Spider-Man swings over to Mary Jane's theatre and receives a round of applause by townspeople. However, unknown to him causes a recently fired Mary Jane to storm off, frustrated and upset.

The next day, during a festival honoring Spider-Man for saving Gwen Stacy's life, Peter bumps into Mary Jane who encourages him. Spider-Man then swings in and does a few small stunts on stage. He drops down and suspends himself at head level with Gwen Stacy, upside down. He tells her to kiss him and the pair do, in nearly the same way Spider-Man and Mary Jane did before.

Suddenly, a cloud of sand flies in, disrupting the ceremony and Spider-Man goes to investigate. Spider-Man then sees the cloud of dust form Sandman who attempts to rob an armored car. Spider-Man goes in the car and tries to punch Sandman, but his hand goes straight through his stomach. Sandman punches him out of the car, but Spider-Man swings back to continue the fight. Sandman retreats and Spider-Man find out that the armored car is about to crash into a large vehicle. Spider-Man quickly saves the two drivers and jumps out. However, Sandman is nowhere to be seen.

Captain Stacy later informs Peter and Aunt May that Marko is the one who killed Uncle Ben, and a vengeful Peter waits for Marko to strike again. The symbiote bonds with his costume while he is asleep; Peter discovers that not only has his costume changed, but his powers have been enhanced as well. The black suit also alters Peter's personality, making him more violent and spiteful, exemplified by a near lethal attack on Sandman during a battle underground.

The shift in Peter's personality alienates Mary Jane, whose stage career is floundering, and she finds solace with Harry. Harry recovers from his amnesia from his dead father who wants Harry to avenge him and wants him to attack Peter's heart by forcing MJ to break up with Peter. After Mary Jane leaves Peter, stating she is in love with another man, Harry meets him at a restaurant and claims to be the other man. Later, Peter finds him at the Osborn mansion. With the help of the black suit, Peter is victorious in a brutal fight, which leaves Harry's face disfigured. Influenced by the suit, Peter exposes and humiliates Eddie Brock, Jr., a rival freelance photographer, who has sold fake pictures to the Daily Bugle supposedly showing Spider-Man to be a criminal.

In an effort to make MJ jealous, Peter brings Gwen to the nightclub where Mary Jane works. Peter gets into a fight with the club's bouncers and knocks MJ to the floor. Peter realizes the symbiote-suit is changing him for the worse. He runs out of the nightclub and goes to a church bell tower to get rid of it. Initially, he is unable to pull the suit off, but the sound of the church bell weakens the symbiote, enabling Peter to break free. Eddie Brock is at the same church praying for Peter's death when the symbiote falls from the tower and takes over his body. The newly-empowered Eddie finds Sandman and suggests that they join forces to destroy Spider-Man.

The pair use Mary Jane as bait to force Spider-Man to confront them. Peter approaches Harry for help, but is turned down. However, Harry learns the truth about his father's death from his butler Bernard, and arrives in time to rescue Peter, teaming up against Eddie and Sandman. As the fight progresses, Eddie attempts to impale Peter with the glider, but Harry sacrifices himself and is fatally wounded. Peter recalls how the church bell's toll weakened the symbiote, and frees Eddie from it by clanging several pipes together. Peter throws a pumpkin bomb at the symbiote just as Eddie attempts to rebond with it, killing him and destroying the symbiote.

After the battle, Marko tells Peter that he had no intention of killing Uncle Ben, and that it was an accident, born out of a desperate attempt to save his daughter's life. Peter forgives Marko, who dissipates and floats away. Peter and Harry forgive each other, before Harry dies with Mary Jane and Peter at his side.

Peter, along with Mary Jane, Aunt May and several others attend Harry's funeral. Later, Peter and Mary Jane begin to mend their relationship.

Character Information
Real Name: Peter Parker

Current Alias: Spider-Man

Aliases: Spider-Man

Age: 21 (Born: 1986)

Identity: Private (known by some dead villains, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, and Sandman)

Alignment: Good

Affiliation: None

Relatives: Benjamin Parker (uncle,deceased) May Parker (aunt) Richard & Mary Parker (parents,deceased)

Base of Operations: New York City

Gender: Male

Height: 5' 9" (175 cm)

Weight: 170 lbs (77 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Unusual Features: None

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: In a relationship with Mary Jane Watson

Occupation: Student/Hero

Place of Birth: New York City, NY

Relationships

 * Spider-Man - Alter-ego
 * Venom - Sentient suit turned enemy
 * Ben Parker - Uncle
 * May Parker - Aunt
 * Harry Osborn - Best friend; Later enemy; Finally reformed enemy turned friend and ally
 * J. Jonah Jameson - Boss; harsh critic of Spider-Man
 * Mary Jane Watson - Love interest; Later girlfriend
 * Gwen Stacy - Friend, classmate and brief love interest
 * Betty Brant - Co-worker and friend
 * Curt Connors - Professor and ally
 * Norman Osborn/Green Goblin - Friend turned enemy
 * Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus - Idol and mentor turned enemy (reformed before death)
 * Flint Marko/Sandman - Enemy (truce) and Uncle Ben's killer (forgiven by Peter)
 * Eddie Brock/Venom - Rival turned enemy

Behind the scenes

 * In the original comics, Spider-Man used mechanical web-shooters with artificial webbing he designed himself, unlike the Raimi Series Spider-Man who had the ability to shoot webbing. This change was due to Sam Raimi's decision of making it more realistic, since a high schooler could not have created something government scientists could not.
 * Unlike the comics version, Raimi's Spider-Man suit has a raised web pattern.

Trivia

 * After the film's release, the comics version of Spider-Man went through a change where he underwent a further mutation which also gave him the ability to shoot his own natural webbing where he no longer needed his web-shooters similar to the movie.
 * However, when the comic book writers decided to retcon his marriage to Mary Jane and restore the classic Spider-Man image, the events of this mutation were also retconned as well, restoring Spider-Man to his web-shooters.

Gallery
Images in chronological order of the film timeline: