With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

• Core Identity: In one bolded sentence, this phrase represents the foundational moral principle of Spider-Man and serves as a philosophical cornerstone for the concept of heroism throughout the entire Marvel Universe.
• Key Takeaways:
• A Moral Compass: It is the ethical imperative that obligates individuals with extraordinary abilities—be they superpowers, intellect, or influence—to use them for the greater good, not for personal gain. Its meaning is inextricably linked to the personal sacrifices and immense burdens of being a hero.
• An Evolving Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the phrase was not originally spoken by Uncle Ben in the comics. It first appeared as a narrative caption in Spider-Man's debut story. Over decades, it was retconned into dialogue attributed to Ben Parker, a change that adaptations like the Sam Raimi films and the Ultimate Spider-Man comics cemented in the public consciousness.
• Cinematic Reinterpretation: The Marvel Cinematic Universe significantly altered this tradition. The phrase, or a close variation, is ultimately delivered by Aunt May to Peter Parker in a moment of profound tragedy in Spider-Man: No Way Home, completing his foundational heroic origin within that continuity.

The immortal words, “With great power comes great responsibility,” made their debut in the final panel of Spider-Man's origin story in Amazing Fantasy #15, published in August 1962. This seminal issue, crafted by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, introduced the world to Peter Parker, a shy, bookish high school student from Queens who gains incredible abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. The context of its first appearance is critical and often misremembered by the general public. Throughout the 11-page story, Peter first uses his newfound powers for selfish pursuits: becoming a television star and earning money. In a pivotal moment of arrogance, he allows a burglar to escape, callously reasoning that it is not his problem. Days later, that same burglar murders his beloved Uncle Ben. A grief-stricken and vengeful Peter, now dressed as Spider-Man, easily captures the killer, only to realize with horror that it was the same man he could have stopped earlier. The story concludes with a somber, solitary Spider-Man absorbing this devastating lesson. The final narrative box, written by Stan Lee, delivers the iconic aphorism not as dialogue from a character, but as a concluding, omniscient thematic statement:

And a lean, silent figure slowly fades into the gathering darkness, aware at last that in this world, with great power there must also come – great responsibility!

This original phrasing, “with great power there must also come – great responsibility,” has been slightly truncated over the years to its more common form. Its placement as a narrative caption, rather than a piece of advice from a dying father figure, framed it as a universal law of the Marvel Universe, a profound truth Peter learns through tragic, personal failure. It was the universe itself, through the hand of its creators, passing judgment and defining the path of its newest hero.

The source of the phrase within the narrative has evolved significantly over time, creating a distinct divergence between the original comic canon and its later interpretations, which have now become the dominant understanding for most fans.

For nearly two decades following his debut, Peter Parker's guiding principle was understood to be a lesson he learned from the consequences of his own inaction. The phrase was his realization, the painful summary of his failure to save Uncle Ben. It was the aural ghost of his guilt, a mantra he forged in the crucible of his greatest mistake. However, as writers explored Peter's past in more detail, the phrase began to be retroactively associated with Ben Parker's teachings. While early flashbacks to Ben's life showed him to be a kind, moral man who instilled a strong sense of right and wrong in Peter, he was not explicitly quoted as saying the famous line. The transition began subtly. Writers would have Peter recall Uncle Ben's “lectures” about responsibility in general terms. The explicit retcon, where Ben is credited with saying the line to Peter before his death, was gradually solidified through numerous flashback sequences and retellings of the origin story in the 1980s and beyond. A key, often cited instance occurred in Spider-Man versus Wolverine #1 (1987), where Peter reflects, “My Uncle Ben told me that with great power comes great responsibility.” By the 1990s and 2000s, this retcon had become so deeply embedded in the lore that nearly every modern retelling of Spider-Man's origin in the Earth-616 continuity depicts Ben Parker saying the words (or a close variant) to Peter, often during a heart-to-heart conversation shortly before his tragic murder. This change served to deepen the emotional weight of Ben's death, transforming the phrase from a lesson learned into a sacred piece of wisdom ignored, thereby amplifying Peter's guilt and his subsequent dedication to heroism.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, specifically under the creative direction of Kevin Feige, made a conscious decision to avoid a direct retelling of Spider-Man's origin. When Tom Holland's Peter Parker was introduced in Captain America: Civil War, he was already an active, albeit inexperienced, hero. The films Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home deliberately danced around the phrase and the specifics of Uncle Ben's death. Instead, they focused on Peter learning lessons about responsibility through his relationship with his new mentor, Tony Stark. Stark's own arc, from a self-serving industrialist to a self-sacrificing hero, mirrored the theme. Lines like “If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it,” served as a proxy for the classic mantra. The definitive moment was saved for the conclusion of Peter's first trilogy, in the emotionally devastating Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). After Peter's attempt to use magic to protect his secret identity goes awry, leading to multiversal villains entering his world, Aunt May (portrayed by Marisa Tomei) counsels him. She is the one who champions the idea of curing the villains rather than simply sending them back to their fates. When the Green Goblin's malevolent persona re-emerges, he mortally wounds May. As she is dying in Peter's arms, she imparts the wisdom that defines his future, stating:

“With great power, there must also come great responsibility.”

This was a groundbreaking and controversial adaptation. By placing the line in May's mouth, the MCU solidified her role as Peter's primary moral anchor in this continuity. The phrase is no longer a memory of a lesson ignored, but the final gift from the most important person in his life, delivered at the moment of her death which was a direct consequence of his actions. This event strips Peter of his support system, his anonymity, and his youthful naivete, forcing him to finally and fully embrace the weight of his power and the solitude of his responsibility. It serves as the true “birth” of the classic Spider-Man in the MCU, forged not by the death of an uncle he lost before we met him, but by the death of the aunt we came to love.

At its core, the phrase is a profound ethical statement on the nature of capability and duty. It can be deconstructed into two key components:

• Great Power: This is often interpreted simply as superhuman abilities—strength, speed, “spider-sense.” However, within the Marvel Universe, its meaning is far broader. “Power” encompasses:
  • Intellectual Power: The genius-level intellects of figures like Reed Richards, Tony Stark, or Peter Parker himself, which can be used to create world-saving technology or weapons of mass destruction.
  • Political and Financial Power: The influence wielded by characters like King T'Challa of Wakanda or Namor the Sub-Mariner of Atlantis. Their decisions carry the weight of entire nations.
  • Mystical Power: The immense magical capabilities of the Sorcerer Supreme, like Doctor Strange, who holds the responsibility of protecting reality itself from extradimensional threats.
  • Moral Power: The inspirational authority of a figure like Captain America (Steve Rogers), whose unwavering integrity can rally heroes and inspire hope in the public.
• Great Responsibility: This is the inescapable consequence of possessing such power. It is not a choice but an inherent obligation. This responsibility manifests as:
  • The Duty to Act: The knowledge that one can intervene places a moral burden to do so. This is the core of Peter's guilt; he could have stopped the burglar but chose not to.
  • The Burden of Consequences: Every action taken has repercussions. For a hero, this means being accountable not only for their successes but for their failures, collateral damage, and the unintended negative outcomes of their well-intentioned acts.
  • Personal Sacrifice: The responsibility to the world often comes at the expense of personal happiness. For Peter Parker, this means a perpetually strained social life, financial instability, and the constant danger faced by his loved ones.

For Peter Parker, the phrase is not an uplifting mantra; it is the central source of his lifelong guilt and neurotic self-examination. It is both his guiding star and his heaviest cross to bear.

• A Catalyst for Heroism: The memory of his failure drives him to don the mask every day. He is not motivated by glory or thrill, but by a desperate need to atone for a single moment of selfishness. Every person he saves is, in his mind, a small repayment on an unpayable debt to his Uncle Ben.
• A Source of Immense Guilt: Because he believes his power gives him an absolute responsibility, he feels personally culpable for every tragedy he fails to prevent. If someone is hurt while he is fighting a villain, or if he is forced to choose between saving two groups of people, he internalizes the loss as a personal failure. This is most evident in the aftermath of the death of Gwen Stacy, where he is forever haunted by the possibility that his own web-line, meant to save her, is what actually killed her.
• An Engine for Self-Sacrifice: The principle compels Peter to constantly place the needs of others—even total strangers—above his own. He has sacrificed relationships (most notably with Mary Jane Watson), career opportunities, and personal safety. The core tragedy of Spider-Man is that Peter Parker can almost never be happy, because Spider-Man's work is never done.

While the phrase is Spider-Man's own, the theme it represents is universal to Marvel's heroic pantheon.

• Captain America (Steve Rogers): His famous line, “I can't stand bullies; I don't care where they're from,” reflects the same principle. Given the power of the Super-Soldier Serum, he feels an absolute responsibility to stand up for the “little guy” and defend the ideals of freedom and justice.
• Doctor Strange: As the Sorcerer Supreme, he wields power beyond mortal comprehension. His responsibility is not just to the people of Earth, but to the fabric of reality itself. The burden is immense, isolating, and requires constant vigilance.
• Thor: His journey in his first MCU film is a direct lesson in this philosophy. He possesses great power but is arrogant and reckless. Odin strips him of his power, declaring him “unworthy.” Only when Thor learns humility and is willing to sacrifice himself for others does he become worthy of wielding Mjolnir again, having finally understood the responsibility that comes with his divine strength.

Over the decades and across various media, the phrase has been most closely associated with the figures who serve as Peter Parker's moral compass.

The original and purest source. As an omniscient narrative voice, it establishes the phrase as an objective, universal truth. It is not advice given, but a law of nature Peter has just discovered through tragedy. This framing elevates the concept beyond a simple family platitude into a core tenet of the Marvel Universe itself.

Despite the retcon, Ben Parker is unquestionably the character most famously associated with the line. In nearly every significant adaptation outside of the early comics, he is the one to deliver the message.

• Comic Book Retcon: In modern comics, Ben's delivery of the line transforms him from a simple, loving victim into Peter's eternal mentor. His words become the voice of Peter's conscience. His death makes the lesson profoundly personal and tragic, as it is advice Peter heard but did not heed until it was too late.
• Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002): The iconic performance by Cliff Robertson cemented this version in pop culture. In a heartfelt car scene, Ben tells a frustrated Peter, “Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.” The line is delivered with gentle, fatherly wisdom. Its direct connection to his subsequent death moments later made it the emotional core of the film and, for a generation of fans, the definitive origin of the phrase.

Marisa Tomei's Aunt May provides a radical but thematically resonant reinterpretation. Her version of the character is more proactive and worldly than many previous incarnations. She actively works at a community shelter (F.E.A.S.T.) and discovers Peter's identity early on, becoming his primary confidant. Her delivery of the line in Spider-Man: No Way Home is crucial because she says it after seeing the good Peter is capable of, encouraging his most noble and risky instincts—to cure the villains. Her death consecrates the words, making them a legacy of her own belief in Peter's goodness, not just a warning against his selfishness.

Ultimately, the phrase becomes Peter's own. He internalizes it so completely that it becomes his own voice. He is the one who must live by its code every day. In many storylines, particularly those involving younger heroes he mentors, Peter passes on the lesson. The most prominent example is his relationship with Miles Morales. Whether in the comics or in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Peter (or his alternate-universe counterparts) teaches Miles that the mask and the power represent a solemn vow to help others, thus ensuring the legacy of responsibility continues to the next generation of heroes.

Certain storylines have tested, deconstructed, and reaffirmed the “great power, great responsibility” mantra, becoming defining moments for Spider-Man.

This is arguably the most significant story in Spider-Man's history. The Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) kidnaps Gwen Stacy, Peter's first true love, and throws her from the top of the George Washington Bridge. Spider-Man shoots a web-line to save her, catching her ankle. The sudden stop, however, results in a whiplash effect that breaks her neck. The text explicitly notes a “snap” sound. This event is the ultimate, cruel test of his mantra. He had the power, he acted with the intent to fulfill his responsibility, but he still failed. It taught him the devastating lesson that even with all his power, he cannot save everyone, and that the consequences of his heroic life are horrifically real and personal. The guilt from this failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.

This classic 1967 storyline directly confronts the crushing burden of the phrase. Weighed down by public mistrust (fueled by J. Jonah Jameson's editorials), poor health, and the strain his dual life puts on his relationships, Peter Parker decides he has had enough. In an iconic panel, he throws his Spider-Man costume into a trash can in a rainy alley and walks away, determined to live a normal life. For a brief time, he is happy. However, when he witnesses a security guard being threatened by criminals and remembers his Uncle Ben, he realizes he cannot ignore his conscience. His power gives him a responsibility that he cannot abdicate, no matter the personal cost. His return to the costume is not a triumphant moment, but a somber acceptance of his fate.

The entire film is a crucible designed to burn this lesson into the MCU's Peter Parker. His initial action—seeking Doctor Strange's help to magically alter reality for his own personal convenience—is a misuse of the “power” he has access to via his connections. The catastrophic results force him to confront the consequences on a global, and then multiversal, scale. Urged on by Aunt May, he then embraces the ultimate responsibility: attempting to cure the villains. This act of profound empathy leads directly to May's death at the hands of the Green Goblin. The film's conclusion sees him make the ultimate personal sacrifice: he has Doctor Strange erase all memory of Peter Parker from the world to protect the multiverse. He gives up his friends, his future, and his very identity, fully embracing a solitary life of pure responsibility, finally understanding the true cost of his great power.

The interpretation of the phrase often varies in key adaptations, reflecting the tone and themes of that specific universe.

In Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Ultimate Spider-Man #4 (2000), the origin is reimagined for a modern audience. This version explicitly has Ben Parker sit Peter down for a serious talk after Peter gets into a fight at school. Ben tells him, “With great power comes great responsibility,” framing it as a direct, fatherly lesson about controlling his new strength and temper. Peter brushes it off with teenage annoyance. This change, which predates the first Raimi film, was highly influential. It removes the ambiguity of the original canon and makes Peter's subsequent failure to stop the burglar a direct and immediate defiance of his uncle's final piece of advice, making the guilt even more pointed and tangible.

As previously mentioned, the 2002 film is largely responsible for cementing the “Uncle Ben said it” version in the collective consciousness. The scene is pivotal, establishing the film's moral core. Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker, having just discovered his powers, is angry and isolated. Cliff Robertson's Ben Parker offers him gentle guidance, delivering the line not as a lecture, but as an appeal to Peter's better nature. The film's immense popularity made this specific portrayal the default for millions, often overriding knowledge of the comic book's original narrative caption.

This Oscar-winning animated film explores the theme on a multiversal scale. The core idea is that anyone can be a hero. The responsibility is not unique to Peter Parker. After the Peter Parker of Miles Morales's dimension is killed, Miles is thrust into the role. He is terrified and feels inadequate, a sentiment shared by some of the other Spider-People he meets, like the jaded, out-of-shape Peter B. Parker. The film's climax is a “leap of faith,” where Miles finally accepts the responsibility and makes the power his own. The film's closing monologue, delivered by Miles, rephrases the mantra for a new generation: “Anyone can wear the mask. You can wear the mask. If you didn't know that before, I hope you do now.” It universalizes the theme, suggesting that the potential for power and the accompanying responsibility exists in everyone.

• peter_parker
• spider-man
• ben_parker
• may_parker
• amazing_fantasy
• the_night_gwen_stacy_died

^{1) 2) 3) 4) 5)}