Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Shocking Final Scene Leaves Fans Stunned and Talking

Contains spoilers for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”

Marvel Cinematic Universe stories sometimes weave in unexpected parallels, particularly when it comes to rekindling lost romances. A curious parallel exists between Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), though Peter’s predicament unfolds uniquely. In the aftermath of Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) memory-altering spell, which wrapped up “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” both MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) appear to have forgotten Peter entirely. This amnesia persists, at least until a surprising twist in the final scene of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

The film’s conclusion finds Peter crossing paths with Ned at a local bodega. To Ned’s disbelief, Peter performs their secret handshake flawlessly, triggering a startled reaction. This moment hints at an instinctive response, perhaps a remnant of their previous bond seeping through the effects of the spell. When Peter introduces himself by name, Ned seems to recognize it, suggesting a deeper memory may be surfacing.

Fans have speculated various meanings behind this encounter. During an earlier scene, MJ refers to Spider-Man as “Peter,” a moment caught by Ned. Could Ned’s recognition stem from piecing together Spider-Man’s identity? Or is there more at play? Jacob Batalon, portraying Ned, shares his insights into these lingering questions.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Batalon delved into potential interpretations of this concluding scene. As “Brand New Day” garners critical acclaim, Batalon reflects on the symbolic handshake and its emotional resonance.

“First and foremost, does Ned actually remember him, though?” Batalon replied when asked about the handshake. “It seems a little open-ended. What if it’s just muscle memory? What if he just remembers that handshake but nothing else about Peter? What if he just repeats Peter because that’s what Peter says his name is in that moment?”

Admittedly, Batalon could be right. This could just be a nice moment at the end of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” showing that the body still remembers a good friend even after magical amnesia wipes them from the brain. It’s sweet either way, and it’s pretty obvious from their chemistry in “Brand New Day” that Peter and Ned will quickly be close friends again, regardless.

That said, Batalon left things open. “I feel like it’s really up to interpretation for everyone,” he told THR. “For me, I think it’s a really cool little nod, so hopefully things happen from there.” The door, in other words, is cracked, and perhaps Ned can push past the spell and walk through it. And if Ned could potentially reclaim his old memories with Peter, there’s a second, arguably larger question (not to discredit the value of pure friendship, of course): Could MJ start to remember Peter too?

For a brief moment in the middle of “Brand New Day,” the film tricks you into thinking maybe MJ could remember Peter. After rushing to save her from a body-hopping Jean Grey (Sadie Sink) and swinging to what he thinks is safety, Spider-Man is surprised to hear MJ ask the very question he’d hoped to hear: “We knew each other, didn’t we?”

It’s a powerful moment, culminating in a right-side-up recreation of the iconic mask kiss from the first Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire “Spider-Man,” only for the rug-pull reveal that this is all Jean using her powers to mess with Peter’s head. The real MJ, even after later finding Peter’s old letter to her and believing his story about their past, doesn’t remember him at all.

But seeing Ned’s potential spark of remembrance after the handshake begs the question: If MJ kissed Peter, or just spent enough time with him, could it jostle something loose? It’s just as likely that Marvel will push for a “second chance” storyline, with MJ falling in love with Peter all over again as an adult (the real-world parallels with Tom Holland and Zendaya make it too compelling to pass up). Fans would certainly like all those onscreen memories between the two characters to be restored, one way or another. Maybe, just maybe, the handshake scene leaves that possibility on the table.