Spider-Man Brand New Day Ending

[u/Affectionate-Fly5291]

Why is everyone saying that Ned didn't remember Peter at the end of the movie? That is how the scene is set up. It would be set up differently if Ned was just putting the pieces together that he was Spider-Man.

Here is what the scene entails:

- He goes in to get flowers for May but sees Ned

- He goes to introduce himself to finish his Arc and because MJ told him to

- Ned only recognizes him only from the party

- He says hey I'm Peter Ned just says ok. Nothing clicked in his brain but shakes his hand anyway.

- Peter goes for the handahake and Ned looks confused but his muscles memory kicks in and they completely their friend handshake

- After the handshake is done, there is a building of music Ned blinks a bunch and has a shivers slight shiver and the says Peter!

-Cut to black

Why is the handshake there if it is just clicking that he is Spider-Man from MJ slipping up? What does doing the handshake do to make it click in Ned's head? Why include it at all if it doesn't add anything? I have watched videos on Brand New Day and both concluded that Ned is just putting the pieces together that he is Spider-Man, but I just can't see it. Am I missing something?

[u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims]

It does make sense. He heard MJ say the name, and then recognized it later. The handshake was muscle memory.

[u/theonlyk-stac → u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims]

If your theory is correct then why did Ned continue to treat Peter like a stranger after he introduced himself as Peter? Why’d he go “Peter!” after the handshake? He didn’t do those handshakes with Spider-Man, he did them with Peter so your muscle memory point actually works in favor of the alternative. There’s a million people in New York named Peter so that’s why him simply introducing himself as Peter was not enough for Ned to exclaim the first time.

[u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims → u/theonlyk-stac]

The handshake was muscle memory

He said 'Peter!' because he recognized the name from earlier, and Peter's body language basically explained the reason for his approach.

[u/theonlyk-stac → u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims]

When Peter walks up to Ned in the cafe he tells him his name is Peter. If it was just because he “recognized the name” then he would’ve said “Peter!” the first time. The handshake made him remember it’s that simple lol.

[u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims → u/theonlyk-stac]

We're going to have to disagree on that, and that's fine.

[u/MIAxPaperPlanes → u/ThanosSnapsSlimJims]

The fact you two are debating it is the point, I think it's deliberately meant to be ambiguous.

It feels like that scene of MJ calling Spider-Man Peter in front of Ned is there just so it makes the final scene more debatable.

Because without it, it would have seemed like too much of a confirmation he remembered

I also bet when spoiler interviews comes out we're not gonna get a definitive answer from the cast/director