Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to have a lot of villains, and while it may seem like most of them will be one-off minor antagonists, one of them is far more important than you may think. Brand New Day‘s first trailer hints that the film will feature a mix of returning and new villains, with characters like Boomerang and Tarantula making their MCU debuts. However, one of these Brand New Day antagonists may be one of the most important forces in the MCU going forward.
After the cliffhanger ending of No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will finally feature Peter Parker’s return in the MCU. This time, however, Peter won’t have the friends and allies that defined the previous trilogy, as nobody remembers who he is. Because of this, Spidey will finally be a street-level vigilante, with him losing his Avengers support system. This comes at a bad time, as it looks like Spidey will be facing more villains than ever before.
The Hand ninja clan is returning in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and they could end up changing the MCU forever. The Hand made their debut in Netflix’s Daredevil series, with them working alongside Kingpin to smuggle drugs in Hell’s Kitchen. However, later shows in the Defenders universe revealed that the Hand has a much bigger plan, delving into the mystical side of their comic book story. The Hand was defeated in The Defenders, but this wasn’t for good, as they have already appeared in Brand New Day‘s trailer.
This time, the Hand are sporting a much more comic-accurate look, with the undead ninjas wearing bright red robes. It isn’t known why Spider-Man will be fighting them, or how they’re even back. No matter what, though, the Hand’s return will have a massive impact on the franchise. This is because the Hand is notable for resurrecting dead characters in Marvel Comics, something that could return in Brand New Day. After all, the MCU’s Hand already brought Elektra back from the dead in The Defenders, meaning that this ability is canon to the MCU.
The dialogue in the Brand New Day trailer refers to death and rebirth, meaning that these will likely be themes explored throughout the film. So, it makes perfect sense for a ninja clan that can defy death to be a major part of the story. There are plenty of ways that the Hand can play a big role in Brand New Day beyond their fighting abilities, and the most obvious direction has to do with Aunt May.
May’s death in No Way Home had a massive impact on Peter, with it almost acting as the MCU’s version of Uncle Ben’s death. The death sent Peter down a dark path, and this may have contributed to the isolation he feels in Brand New Day. With the Hand around, Peter could learn that he has an opportunity to bring May back. This temptation could play into Peter’s arc in the film, making the Hand play a much larger part in the story than the trailers are letting on.
It is doubtful that the Hand will disappear after Brand New Day, especially because of rumors that the ninjas will return in Daredevil: Born Again season 3. If the Hand is running around the MCU, then their resurrection ability could bring back basically any dead Marvel character. Tony Stark or Steve Rogers could return, as could any of the dead villains from throughout Marvel’s previous phases. However, these returns are unlikely due to how impactful they would be, especially because many fans of Iron Man and Captain America aren’t familiar with the Hand.
The more likely option is that the Hand could bring back some Daredevil-related characters. If they are in season 3, the Hand could bring back Elektra again, continuing her story from The Defenders. They could also bring back Foggy Nelson, as his death has haunted Born Again since the show’s pilot. Any other deceased character from the Defenders universe has the opportunity to come back now, as they are all linked to the Hand in their original Netflix shows.
The Hand has the power to end death as a concept in the MCU, turning it into a franchise where no one is ever really gone. While this could create a stakes problem for the MCU, it is undoubtedly one of the biggest impacts that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will have on the franchise.
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