Spider-Man: No Way Home Sets Stage for Ned as Hobgoblin

By Adam Barnhardt

We're going full spoilers on Spider-Man: No Way Home for this one, folks. Proceed with caution if you've yet to see the movie! Despite some coy teasers ahead of the feature, Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) doesn't turn into Hobgoblin in No Way Home, becoming the sixth member of the Sinister Six or something of that nature. Instead, the movie laid the groundwork for Peter's friend to become the villain someday...potentially.

After speaking with the two other Peter Parkers involved in the film—played by none other than Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield—Ned has a period of self-reflection. Maguire's version of the web-slinger recalls the story of how Harry Osborn (James Franco) tried to kill him in Spider-Man 3 and instead, died within Peter's arms.

Since Ned and Tom Holland's Peter Parker are best friends, the character had a feeling it might be a plot thread that could be replicated across the multiverse. So much so, he even apologized in advance should something happen between the two.

Many Spider-Man fans have long been behind the idea of Leeds becoming Hobgoblin within the universe. Like many other villains, the Hobgoblin mantle has been passed around several times in the Marvel source material, with Leeds wearing it briefly. Despite being called Hobgoblin, Leeds was actually brainwashed into thinking he was the villain, unwillingly stepping into the villain's role one a few occasions.

The cast of No Way Home even had a fun moment during the press for the feature, where Batalon and Holland joked about the heel turn, before Zendaya quickly moved them along.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is now in theaters.

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