Before Spider-Man: Far from Home, a brief recap of Homecoming and how it ties into upcoming Marvel film

“Oh, we are using our made-up names? Um…I’m Spider-Man then.” In the aftermath of _Avengers Endgame_ , a few long-standing Avengers bid their final goodbyes as the superhero story jumps forward in time. However, Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t finished with Endgame yet and its upcoming instalment is tasked with keeping that momentum going. Spider-Man: Far From Home, which releases on 4 July, serves as a direct followup to Endgame, and will also conclude Phase 3 of MCU . The plot will focus on Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) grief over the death of his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and will pick up where it left off in Homecoming with Peter’s family and friends, including Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Ned (Jacob Batalon), and Michelle, a.k.a. MJ (Zendaya). _**(Also Read: Post Avengers: Endgame, Marvel needs to sidestep superhero fatigue and breathe new life into Phase 4)**_ As it’s been two years since the last standalone Spider-Man movie was released, here is a brief recap on events that took place in Spider-Man: Homecoming .

After making a debut in Captain America: Civil War, and fighting alongside Avengers,  Peter Parker begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging superhero. Thrilled by his experiences, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May, trying to fall back into his routine of a regular school boy. Distracted by the thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly-neighbourhood superhero, Peter is itching to go back into battlefield, only to learn the hard way about its repercussions In the wake of Sokovia Accords and all the mess in Civil War, Tony Stark is keeping a paternal eye on Peter Parker. Following the Battle of New York, Tony and the federal government had ordered the United States Department of Damage Control to clean the aftermath of the battle, driving salvage company owner Adrian Toomes out of business. However, Toomes convinces his crew to not surrender the Chitauri technology rummaged from the battle and begins using it to further a criminal agenda. The crew begins making weapons, which later gives Toomes a winged harness that gives him the ability to fly. This eventually leads to the birth of the sinister villain Vulture. While at his high-school crush’s party, Peter spots the alien weapons being used, he goes to investigate, and engages with the men selling the tech to street criminals (associates of Toomes). Here, Peter comes face to face with the main antagonist, the Vulture, who dumps him in a lake, nearly killing him but he is saved due to the intervention of Tony. Retrieving a Chitauri weapon left behind by one of the associates, Parker works with his friend Ned to remove the core power. While in Washington, DC on a school trip, he tries to stop Toomes from stealing weapons from a Damage Control truck but ends up being overpowered and trapped inside the truck. When he discovers that the Chitauri Energy Core is unstable, Parker tracks Ned to the  Washington Monument, arriving just as the core explodes. Thankfully, Peter manages to save Ned and his fellow classmates, including his crush Liz. Returning to New York, Peter makes a blockheaded decision to confront Toomes and his associates at the Staten Island Ferry. This botches an FBI operation who were attempting to arrest everyone involved in the weapon sales. Toomes thwarts Parker’s attempts to shut down a malfunctioning weapon and it causes it to overload and tear the ferry in half. Tony, who had arranged for the FBI to apprehend Toomes, helps Parker save the passengers.

Furious at Peter’s irresponsibility, Tony demands him to return the Spidey suit that Stark Industries designed for him. Peter is devastated, both because he feels he’s “nothing without the suit,” and because he’s just lost his shot at being an Avenger. On the night of the Homecoming dance, Peter goes to Liz’s house to pick her up only to get the shock of his life when he learns that Liz’s father is none other than Toomes. Peter tries maintaining his composure, even though Toomes easily deduces Peter is Spider-Man. During the dance, Peter learns of Toomes’ plan to hijack the Stark Cargo Plane transporting weaponry from the Avengers Tower to the team’s new headquarters. Although uncertain if he can defeat Toomes without Stark’s advanced tech, Peter realises he cannot abandon his duties and leaves the dance, dons his homemade Spider-Man suit and races to Toomes’ lair to confront him. During the confrontation, Vulture’s wings blow up, grounding and nearly killing him. However, Peter saves him and hands him over to the police. The first post-credits scene shows an imprisoned Toomes speaking with a fellow inmate, Mac Gargan (Michael Mando). When he explains that several criminals are banding together to exact vengeance against Spider-Man, Toomes denies any knowledge of knowing Spider-Man’s identity.

Later, Stark offers Parker an even more advanced suit and an invitation to join the Avengers. But Peter declines it and chooses to remain a ‘friendly neighborhood’ Spider-Man. What to expect in Spider-Man: Far From Home? Tony’s love for Peter was the central motive for Avengers: Endgame. Although Tony was reluctant to risk losing his family, he realised he had a shot at bringing Spider-Man back, and he took it. Although the world mourns a superhero, Peter is grieving for someone he knew as a mentor and a surrogate father. Spider-Man Far from Home trailer introduces us to a new character — Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) who’s comes from another timeline. With his purple cape and giant fishbowl helmet, Mysterio is known to be one of Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes in the comics. While Zendaya’s Michelle isn’t Peter’s love interest in Homecoming, it looks like Far From Home will change the dynamic between MJ and Peter.  Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige had hinted in an interview with Den of Geek: “Giving her the initials that remind you of that [romantic] dynamic certainly is intriguing about what could go forward.” Feige was obviously referring to Michelle’s nickname, which is meant to remind you of Peter’s frequent comics love interest, Mary Jane Watson. In conclusion, Spider-Man Far from Home is a befitting end to MCU’s Phase 3 which will give some closure to the hero that started it all and his protégé. Even if Stark wasn’t the reason Parker became Spider-Man, he is kinda responsible for helping him evolve into the hero who will likely anchor the next phase of the MCU. We can thus expect there to be some message or story or piece of technology that Stark left behind for Parker to become the hero that New York City — nay, the universe — deserves.