Why do people consider Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker to be a jerk?

[SpideyZERO]

He didnt want his best friend to end up like Connors.

Who then ended up like Connors anyway, part of it thanks to Peter not helping driving Harry to be much more desperate.

My issue with this scene is that the Peter I knew would have done more much more to help Harry. In this movie, helping Harry is pretty much at the bottom of the Peter's priorities. Gwen took all the top spots. I mean, at least some scene of Peter examining his blood or trying to do something to help Harry would be nice, but he pretty much abandoned Harry to his fate without any afterthoughts. It's no wonder that Harry's pissed at Peter. I would too.

Peter had also totally forgotten about Electro. He knew he was just some normal dude and he was confused, but after the Time Square fight or even finding out about Max from Gwen, Peter didn't do any follow up or trying to help Max in anyway.

[Batmankoff]

My issue with this scene is that the Peter I knew would have done more much more to help Harry. In this movie, helping Harry is pretty much at the bottom of the Peter's priorities. Gwen took all the top spots. I mean, at least some scene of Peter examining his blood or trying to do something to help Harry would be nice, but he pretty much abandoned Harry to his fate without any afterthoughts. It's no wonder that Harry's pissed at Peter. I would too.

Shortly after he meets with Harry as Spider-Man, Peter goes into the subway and finds out what happened to his dad. This is when he finds out that the spider venom is only compatible with his father's bloodline. I think Peter took this as confirmation that Harry's plan wasn't going to work and didn't see the need to do any further testing himself.

Peter had also totally forgotten about Electro. He knew he was just some normal dude and he was confused, but after the Time Square fight or even finding out about Max from Gwen, Peter didn't do any follow up or trying to help Max in anyway

He had no reason to suspect that Ravencroft was totally corrupt and that some super-weird German dude was going to torture Max. As far as Peter knew, Max was in a mental health facility getting help. Also, since Max didn't know that Peter was Spider-Man, his only option would be to see Max in costume. I'm guessing Spider-Man isn't allowed to just waltz into Ravencroft.

[SpideyZERO]

Shortly after he meets with Harry as Spider-Man, Peter goes into the subway and finds out what happened to his dad. This is when he finds out that the spider venom is only compatible with his father's bloodline. I think Peter took this as confirmation that Harry's plan wasn't going to work and didn't see the need to do any further testing himself.

So basically he just abandoned Harry?

BTW, why didn't Peter give the blood to Harry in the first place? That was before he found out the truth about his blood right? I don't think ASM1 has ever established that his blood is poisonous or can cause some mutation. Connors turned into Lizard because some flaw with the formula, which, as far as I know, has no relation with Peter's blood.

[Batmankoff]

So basically he just abandoned Harry?

BTW, why didn't Peter give the blood to Harry in the first place? That was before he found out the truth about his blood right? I don't think ASM1 has ever established that his blood is poisonous or can cause some mutation. Connors turned into Lizard because some flaw with the formula, which, as far as I know, has no relation with Peter's blood.

Peter doesn't give him the blood because he doesn't know the effects and wants more time to make sure it's not dangerous. Harry flips out right after Peter tells him he can't have the blood. This is when Felicia tells him about the venom and he finds out that the Oscorp executives have been doing all kinds of Special Projects stuff behind his back. This is happening at the same time that Peter is finding out what happened to his dad. It's not so much that Peter abandoned Harry. It's more like the chain of events that led to Harry becoming the Goblin happened almost immediately after Peter told him he couldn't have the blood.

[Chris S.]

I need scans of this!

You need to drop everything and go find reprints of some of those early FF books. Some of the best Marvel work out there.

[StoneGold]

I totally meant the Chris Evans Cap, not the 616 version.

Then you're saying the pawn of SHIELD is the guy who literally destroyed it? You still make no sense. The guy who is on the ground level working with the cops and saving waitresses? Who sneaks into his own museum and gives a little kid the thrill of his young life? Don't buy anything you're saying.

[jgprime]

Then you're saying the pawn of SHIELD is the guy who literally destroyed it? You still make no sense. The guy who is on the ground level working with the cops and saving waitresses? Who sneaks into his own museum and gives a little kid the thrill of his young life? Don't buy anything you're saying.

I'm only supporting the argument of Peter being the most altruistic hero. It's emphasised in ASM2 that more so than using his abilities to fight villains he uses his abilities to protect people. He patrols in search of people in need and stops at every situation, no matter how small (the kid getting bullied) or big (stopping Electro). He does this of his own accord (or his very inflated sense of responsibility).

I'm just saying that Cap's superhero actions are generally pretty detached from the average people-in-need situation, and UP UNTIL RECENTLY were often not in Cap's interest but in the interest of people who were up to no good (Fury/SHIELD/HYDRA). Cap is every bit the hero (he jumps in front of a grenade, sacrifices himself in the ice, saves waitresses) but in my opinion his following Big Brother-like organisations (SHIELD) detracted a bit from his hero status.

[Alan2099]

and in my opinion, him swearing he'll stay away from Gwen to her dying father and then following her and watching her everyday to the point where he's memorized all her favorite restaurants, and not trying to help his buddy Harry who looks like he'll drop dead in a week takes away from peter's heroic status.

[jgprime]

and in my opinion, him swearing he'll stay away from Gwen to her dying father and then following her and watching her everyday to the point where he's memorized all her favorite restaurants, and not trying to help his buddy Harry who looks like he'll drop dead in a week takes away from peter's heroic status.

Doesn't Peter meet Harry some time after he breaks up with Gwen and after he fights Electro for the first time, though?

And doesn't Harry hold all info about his disease from Peter until he realises that Spider-Man's blood could help him?

[Kevinroc]

and in my opinion, him swearing he'll stay away from Gwen to her dying father and then following her and watching her everyday to the point where he's memorized all her favorite restaurants, and not trying to help his buddy Harry who looks like he'll drop dead in a week takes away from peter's heroic status.

I'm not sure why they said Harry looked like he had one foot in the grave after a few days when Norman was still kicking for decades after he contracted the disease.

[jgprime]

I'm not sure why they said Harry looked like he had one foot in the grave after a few days when Norman was still kicking for decades after he contracted the disease.

He probably panicked because Norman only gave him an information-cube-thing with his research (which Harry didn't know how to use) before "dying", and gave Harry no details about the treatment. So Harry probably just jumped at the chance of getting rid of the disease forever by using Spidey's blood. He literally thought the spider venom was the sole cure.

[Batmankoff]

He probably panicked because Norman only gave him an information-cube-thing with his research (which Harry didn't know how to use) before "dying", and gave Harry no details about the treatment. So Harry probably just jumped at the chance of getting rid of the disease forever by using Spidey's blood. He literally thought the spider venom was the sole cure.

Also, if the whole plan to use the Lizard serum on patients at the veterans hospital is any indication, Norman had no issue resorting to unethical measures to stay alive. It's not a stretch to imagine that Norman had tried to do stuff like that in the past and got away with it.

Harry had no knowledge of what Norman did to stay alive and definitely didn't have the clout at Oscorp necessary to go to the same lengths that Norman did.

[Alan2099]

I'm not sure why they said Harry looked like he had one foot in the grave after a few days when Norman was still kicking for decades after he contracted the disease.

What they really needed there was a single line of dialogue where a doctor tells Harry that they've never seen anyone with his condition develop so fast.

[StoneGold]

I'm only supporting the argument of Peter being the most altruistic hero. It's emphasised in ASM2 that more so than using his abilities to fight villains he uses his abilities to protect people. He patrols in search of people in need and stops at every situation, no matter how small (the kid getting bullied) or big (stopping Electro). He does this of his own accord (or his very inflated sense of responsibility).

I'm just saying that Cap's superhero actions are generally pretty detached from the average people-in-need situation, and UP UNTIL RECENTLY were often not in Cap's interest but in the interest of people who were up to no good (Fury/SHIELD/HYDRA). Cap is every bit the hero (he jumps in front of a grenade, sacrifices himself in the ice, saves waitresses) but in my opinion his following Big Brother-like organisations (SHIELD) detracted a bit from his hero status.

I think that's my disconnect -- you keep saying up until recently. He's been in three movies. It's all been recently. He only really worked for SHIELD in the last one, the one where he dismantled SHIELD.

[One]

I found him unrealistic because his supporting cast was unrealistic. Flash beats him up (don't like that scene) and then goes to being buddies at the end without any characterisation. Gwen falls in love with him when he's this creepy loner than keeps pictures on her. There was no build up either, I didn't feel like they had any connection and it feels like he's trying to show off that he's Spider-Man when he reveals his identity.

Then his actions are insanely out of character as well. He shows no humility or fear when he's throwing balls too hard and compromising his identity and it's silly to think nobody questions him. He's an absolute jerk to the car thief and we're supposed to think of it as funny (in the comics Peter always bounces off of the villains. It just comes across as petty and angry if it's one sided.) and on the subway he takes off that woman's dress (hate that scene) and it's played for laughs. I think I mostly found the writing was extremely flawed rather than the core of the character.