'Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man' Just Recreated One of the Best Scenes From 'Captain America: Civil War'

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.’Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a refreshing update to a familiar character in multiple ways. Not only does the series feature a unique animation style modeled directly off the Spider-Man comics, but the latest Marvel series to hit Disney+ thankfully shrugs off the burden of MCU canon in order to deliver yet another new spin on the superhero’s well-traveled origins. The show’s deviations from the MCU’s pre-established narrative are the highlight of the series’ two-episode premiere, treating fans to a classic depiction of Doctor Strange (Robin Atkin Downes) and a fresh cast of new faces. At the same time, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man also distinguishes itself by adapting familiar events in a new timeline, with the premiere’s most recognizable moment lifted directly from one of the most exciting scenes in Captain America: Civil War.

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s Premiere Puts a Twist on Spider-Man’s ‘Civil War’ Recruitment

It doesn’t take long for Marvel’s latest webslinger to be set on a far different path than his MCU counterpart. While this Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) is initially set to begin orientation at the same Midtown High School attended by Tom Holland‘s iteration of the character, Doctor Strange’s interdimensional battle with an invading symbiote causes so much damage that Peter is forced to enroll in Rockford T. Bales instead. This switch results in him making new friends like Nico Minoru (Grace Song) and a surprisingly kind Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd) before saving bystanders like Harry Osborne (Zeno Robinson) in his early days as Spider-Man. Yet, while Your Friendly Neighborhood‘s Spider-Man doesn’t get to build a Lego Death Star with Jacob Batalon‘s Ned Leeds, the series reveals not everything has changed when Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo) shows up at Peter’s apartment in Queens, just as Tony Stark does during Captain America: Civil War.

While Osborn doesn’t immediately jettison Peter off to Germany, the character occupies a similar role in Peter’s narrative, offering him an Oscorp internship in lieu of a Stark Industries grant, but what’s really impressive is just how completely the series emulates the original scene. Not only do both moments open with alt-J’s “Left Hand Free,” but Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man proceeds to mimic Peter Parker’s MCU debut shot by shot, tracking Peter into his apartment before revealing the show’s version of Osborn sitting next to Aunt May (Kari Wahlgren). The series’ first episode also pays homage to the Civil War moment in more subtle ways. Peter catching a van escaping into traffic halfway through the episode is a direct recreation of the video Tony shows Peter in the film, and the show’s first episode also depicts Peter’s penchant for missing his train and his dumpster diving for a retro DVD player, both of which are referenced in the meeting with Tony.

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ Lands a Nearly Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score Despite Controversy

“If you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s ‘Civil War’ Update Sets Peter Up With a Different Mentor

This recreation is cathartic for a couple of reasons, not in the least because the moment feels all the more awe-inspiring from Peter’s perspective, but Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man‘s alterations also carry larger implications for the future of the series. As Episode 2 makes clear, Norman’s replacement of Tony has already set the life of this Peter on a vastly different trajectory, and this contrast is not necessarily a good thing. While Norman has not yet revealed his true colors in a series set to include an impressive rogues’ gallery, the character’s green suit is a dark reminder of his villainous legacy, and Nico’s warning about the corruption of successful business magnates may foreshadow darker revelations to come. Regardless of whether this prediction is true, however, with Norman discovering Peter’s alter-ego at the end of Episode 2, Spider-Man’s fate is now intrinsically tied to a man who is traditionally his worst enemy.

Given that Norman recruited Peter immediately after Spider-Man saved Harry, it’s likely that Norman already suspected his new protégé’s identity, but this nod to an earlier MCU movie remains an important cornerstone of the series premiere. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has already hit the ground running with countless Easter eggs and deep-cut references to the extensive history of its resident wall-crawler, but the series’ connections to the MCU serve as a reminder of the show’s unique premise. Rather than existing as a standalone story like previous Spider-Man animated adaptations, Marvel’s latest series is establishing itself as a refreshing variation to the MCU’s pre-existing canon, essentially acting as an extended What If scenario. With two more seasons already greenlit, this unique approach therefore promises to deliver an added layer of enjoyment for MCU fans as even more familiar events get twisted in upcoming episodes.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.