r/SpidermanBrandNewDay

This is my first post on reddit, because I can’t keep this idea to myself and just want to discuss it. I’ve just came back from seeing Brand New Day at my local cinema, and i’m in awe of how good the script is and how tightly connected the characters are, but there is one point in the plot, that really scratched my mind. It’s the Damage Control CEO actions and motivations.

>!TLDR: I think there’s a way to interpret Sarah’s death that gives Metzger’s entire storyline much more sense. !<

>!So, what bothers me is that Metzger get his hands on an extremely valuable asset Sara, and yet instead of containing her or getting her to cooperate, he destroys her with reckless experiments. He doesn’t show any regret about that. Moreover, I can’t believe he could preserve his position after that failure, as he has authorities above him. In short, he behaves like a narrow-minded and headstrong villain, especially given his position as the head of DC. So after some reflection on this, I came up with a solution to it:!<

>!Instead of Metzger simply experimenting on Sara until he accidentally kills his most valuable asset, what if Sara deliberately used Metzger's augmentation device to transfer her powers to Jean, knowing the process could kill her?!<

>!Sara doesn't want to become a weapon, and she refuses to help Damage Control create one. So when she realizes the device can transfer her abilities, she chooses Jean over herself.!<

>!That would explain several things:!<

• >!Metzger didn't actually murder Sara, so he can genuinely be devastated by her death and even offer Jean his condolences.!<
• >!He can keep his position because Sara's death was the tragic result of an experiment, not an intentional killing, which is confirmed by the surveillance cams!<
• >!Metzger can still believe the research is incredibly important and want to continue it, despite what happened.!<
• >!Sara's death becomes an intentional sacrifice rather than Metzger randomly destroying an extremely valuable asset.!<
• >!It also explains why Jean ends up with Sara's powers and gives Sara a much stronger role in the story.!<

>!I think this would make Metzger much more interesting too. He doesn't have to be a cartoonishly evil scientist. He can genuinely regret Sara's death while still believing that his research is too important to stop. He could be very frightening if he offers condolences to Jean for her loss but is still driven by his institutional logic.!<

>!TLDR: Metzger didn't destroy his most valuable asset. Sara outsmarted him and chose to give it to Jean instead.!<

So I would like to hear your opinions about this idea

I heard friend say that she hated how MJ couldn't remember and that it upset her when MJ said she didn't love Peter back after reading the letter. I was telling her it's not that simple. And it brought me to a conclusion that I realize breaks my heart even more. This is how I interpret it all: When Jean takes over MJ's mind, she already pokes a hole in the idea of true love's kiss. Love transcending everything. In Peter's world, a world of monsters, mutants, aliens, and wizards, True love's kiss doesn't break the spell, and MJ saying "I don't love you" hurts. We see that small glimmer of hope that Peter has before MJ says it, and his heart shattering afterwards. All those pop culture movies he's seen, where love conquers all, where love finds a way, doesn't exist here. Doesn't exist for him, and he has to live with that. And we can see that MJ sits alone on the roof, and wants to love him back, but it's not there. MJ's body language wants to love him back even though she doesn't, and Ned's body remembers the handshake, but neither will remember how much he meant to them. The spell did it's job, and it's devestating. They're friends again by the end, but it's not going to be the same as it was. Who knows? Maybe this bond their second time around is a lot stronger

I've been thinking about the end of the movie where Ned (at least appears to) remember peter through the handshake. Jean says when she takes over MJ that there is nothing about Peter in her mind. Theoretically this would be the same for Ned. However, he remembers. I think this is due to him using magic in No Way Home. He is connected to the same magic that Doctor Strange used to erase everyone's memory of Peter. Therefore, he is able to remember Peter. This could even connect to why the handshake worked, with him using the hand to perform sorcery.