@punyparker: The only thing I can add to your argument is that Captain Stacy didn't inspire him to become a hero. That's a common misconstruction that people have because they don't pay attention to the movie, and the things people say.
See what really happened is Captain Stacy made Peter realize that he isn't being a hero he thinks he is, and he isn't understanding what Uncle Ben said.
He believed that if you could do good things for other people you had a moral obligation to do those things.That's what's at stake here,not choice, responsibility.
Peter took this as it was his responsibility to avenge Uncle Ben, it's his responsibility to make up for what he did. He thought by doing this he was protecting people, and making everything safe. This why he was confused when Stacy said he is assaulting people.
He's hunting down a bunch of criminals that all look the same, like he's got some sort of personal vendetta. But he's not protecting innocent people, Mr. Parker.
This is my favorite line in the movie because its what makes him realize that he is think of it all wrong. That's why he goes to the bridge, to prove he is a hero that is protecting people. Now my favorite scene follows when he reunites the little boy with his father. This is the moment when he becomes Spider-Man, he now understands that he has to protect people. The father and son are a symbol to Peter because he has been able to help continue a father son relationship, that he not only lost with his own father, but Uncle Ben as well.
You and I see that scene WAAAYYY differently. Peter isn't trying to be a hero when he goes to catch the killer. He just wants to catch the killer. Though that was kind of obvious, especially since he doesn't even bother to bring a number of the people he catches to the police but rather just leaves them at large. You can pick them out if you rewatch the scenes. So no, it's not out of some misguided sense of heroism. It's petty revenge. The dude killed his uncle and he wants to make him pay. That's it. As for the Stacy scene, he's making excuses. It's like when your parents catch you doing something wrong and you go "But...." and make up some excuse. That's exactly what's happening here. He's not confused that Stacy thinks he's assaulting people. He KNOWS he's assaulting people, but he doesn't want to admit he's wrong. That's why he's so adamant about being right. Like your pal PunyParker said, he's a kid. Stacy chews him out and he starts thinking about how he should stop thinking about only himself and start thinking of others. Then he chooses to save the kid over stopping Lizard in the bridge scene, one of the few scenes I like wholeheartedly. But the fact that Stacy's speech is the one that makes him choose to save people while Ben's death just made him go on a rampage means that it is in fact Stacy that convinces him to be a hero. And that's all wrong.
I agree in some areas and others I don't.
Peter isn't trying to be a hero when he goes to catch the killer. He just wants to catch the killer. Though that was kind of obvious, especially since he doesn't even bother to bring a number of the people he catches to the police but rather just leaves them at large. You can pick them out if you re-watch the scenes. So no, it's not out of some misguided sense of heroism. It's petty revenge.
You are completely right with most of this, it's not him trying to be hero, it's him wanting revenge.
That's it. As for the Stacy scene, he's making excuses. It's like when your parents catch you doing something wrong and you go "But...." and make up some excuse. That's exactly what's happening here. He's not confused that Stacy thinks he's assaulting people. He KNOWS he's assaulting people, but he doesn't want to admit he's wrong. That's why he's so adamant about being right.
Edit: My original argument was different. I went back to re-watch the scene, and realized the conversation is strictly on the car thief scene. So I still stand by him being confused and not thinking of it as assaulting people, I sure wouldn't not sure if you would. Now in both heads they think they're right. But in reality we know Peter is wrong so we have to side with Stacy on the argument. So I guess, me and you look at it from Peter's side differently, which is okay, as we all do. To me, I look at it as Peter thinks he is doing the right thing by taking him down.
Then he chooses to save the kid over stopping Lizard in the bridge scene, one of the few scenes I like wholeheartedly. But the fact that Stacy's speech is the one that makes him choose to save people while Ben's death just made him go on a rampage means that it is in fact Stacy that convinces him to be a hero. And that's all wrong.
I look at that as the saving as what inspires him to be a hero. He didn't have to save the kid, he was leaving the rest of them dangling. Though I do agree, the bridge scene is one of the best in the movie.
I do agree wholeheartedly with you on the subject of responsibility and and Gwen's death. They should have had Captain Stacy tell him the protect Gwen.
Anyway, if you would like to continue this discussion, feel free PM me, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the rest of the movie(as long as we can keep it civil) I don't want to derail this tread.
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