Ben Reilly's Powers & Spider-Noir Origin Story Explained (How Different Are They?)
By Dan Bibby
June 6th, 2026
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Spider-Noir Season 1!
Spider-Noir Season 1 is the closest I've come in a while to watching every episode of a new show on the day of its release. It's just not how I watch TV, and part of me is annoyed at Amazon for dropping all eight episodes at once. Thankfully, I managed to avoid spoilers over the week or so I made Spider-Noir Season 1 last, and I loved the entire thing. One of my favorite parts of the whole show has been learning about how Nicolas Cage's Ben "The Spider" Riley got his powers.
It's also great to see how this multiversal variant of the iconic Marvel web-slinger differs from more traditional takes on the character. As it turns out, the differences are pretty significant. While the Spider never feels too far from the Spider-Man we all know and love, the Spider-Noir writers have knocked it out of the park by giving us a thoroughly refreshing spin on what was quickly becoming more predictable with each reboot. So, let's dive into Ben's history and explore what he's capable of and why.
It's also great to see how this multiversal variant of the iconic Marvel web-slinger differs from more traditional takes on the character. As it turns out, the differences are pretty significant. While the Spider never feels too far from the Spider-Man we all know and love, the Spider-Noir writers have knocked it out of the park by giving us a thoroughly refreshing spin on what was quickly becoming more predictable with each reboot. So, let's dive into Ben's history and explore what he's capable of and why.
The Spider's Powers Are Nothing We Haven't Seen Before In Live-Action
The biggest thing to talk about with the Spider's superpowers is the fact that he has organic webbing. This puts him in the same category as not only Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man, but now also Tom Holland's version of the character. Sorry, Andrew Garfield, you're the odd one out. However, Cage's webs are black rather than the traditional white. I'm not entirely sure why this was deemed necessary other than to fit the "noir" elements, but I guess it's different.
Other than that, it's business as usual for the Spider. He can stick to walls, his Spider-Sense serves as an early-warning system, and he's far stronger than the average human being. He's also very durable and agile. Ben is far older than most of the Spider-Men we've seen before, so his agility has diminished over the years. Still, it's far superior to that of you or me. The only notable divergence from other Spider-Men I noticed was that he took such a beating in Season 1's penultimate episode that his powers seemed to be knocked out for a little while. That was a cool twist, if not a little narratively convenient. I'd be interested to see if it happens again.
Other than that, it's business as usual for the Spider. He can stick to walls, his Spider-Sense serves as an early-warning system, and he's far stronger than the average human being. He's also very durable and agile. Ben is far older than most of the Spider-Men we've seen before, so his agility has diminished over the years. Still, it's far superior to that of you or me. The only notable divergence from other Spider-Men I noticed was that he took such a beating in Season 1's penultimate episode that his powers seemed to be knocked out for a little while. That was a cool twist, if not a little narratively convenient. I'd be interested to see if it happens again.
Ben Reilly Has Way More Of A Backstory Than Most Spider-Men
When we usually first meet a Spider-Man, they're a high school student living with their aunt and uncle. It's the struggles of balancing a burgeoning social life as well as a budding vigilante career that make the character so compelling. It's all about balance and new beginnings. Spider-Noir turns that entire formula on its head. Ben Reilly is a hard-boiled private detective who has already been through (and retired from) his vigilante era. Rather than the death of Ruby (Amanda Schull) catalyzing his superhero career, Ben hangs up his mask after blaming himself for failing to save her. It's not until the case in Season 1 that the Spider returns.
Oftentimes, a Spider-Man experiencing a loss like this (it's usually Uncle Ben, let's be honest) is what puts them on the path to vigilantism. As far as we can tell in Spider-Noir, Cage's character found that motivation from within, and losing Ruby sapped it from him. So, Ben Reilly has around 10 years of web-slinging escapades in his past, and then five years of grief in the wake of Ruby's death. It's a far more downbeat version of the character, but it perfectly reflects the genre that Spider-Noir is borrowing so heavily from.
Oftentimes, a Spider-Man experiencing a loss like this (it's usually Uncle Ben, let's be honest) is what puts them on the path to vigilantism. As far as we can tell in Spider-Noir, Cage's character found that motivation from within, and losing Ruby sapped it from him. So, Ben Reilly has around 10 years of web-slinging escapades in his past, and then five years of grief in the wake of Ruby's death. It's a far more downbeat version of the character, but it perfectly reflects the genre that Spider-Noir is borrowing so heavily from.
Similarly, Ben's military history is something Spider-Man origin stories don't routinely have. Regardless, it makes sense for the time in which Spider-Noir is set. Logically, he would have been drafted to serve his country in World War I. Plus, his attempt to distance himself from what he saw over there perfectly explains why the Amazon show doesn't have Cage officially play a version of Peter Parker. He changed his name when he got home.
For me, this heavily implies that Ben's real name is Peter Parker. The reveal that Ben changed his name after the war was, I think, a genius way for fans to accept it into their own personal head canon that Ben is a Peter Parker variant. On the back of this, I think it's safe to assume that Ben chose his new name to honor his late Uncle Ben, who he still could have lost under tragic circumstances shortly after becoming the Spider. That's what I'm choosing to believe. Feel free to do the same.
For me, this heavily implies that Ben's real name is Peter Parker. The reveal that Ben changed his name after the war was, I think, a genius way for fans to accept it into their own personal head canon that Ben is a Peter Parker variant. On the back of this, I think it's safe to assume that Ben chose his new name to honor his late Uncle Ben, who he still could have lost under tragic circumstances shortly after becoming the Spider. That's what I'm choosing to believe. Feel free to do the same.
I Love How Spider-Noir Treats Ben's Powers Like A Curse
There are certainly times when Spider-Man variants wish they'd never been bitten by the arachnid that gave them their powers. That's nothing new. However, Ben is the first version of the character whom I wish could actually be relieved of his abilities. Although he admits to putting on a good show by re-learning how to act human by watching Hollywood movies, there are several instances where the spider DNA in him wins out against his efforts to suppress it. He's twitchy and moves in a skin-crawling manner. At times, I actually found it quite funny.
Then I remembered he can't fully control these traits, and it seems like a constant struggle to get through each day without drawing attention to himself. Even the way he gets his powers is way darker than normal. Not only is Ben in the middle of saving his men from a POW camp, but he also discovers that they're all being experimented on in an attempt to create a new breed of supersoldiers. While most Spider-Men get a little nip from a spider on an innocent school trip, Ben gets a massive chomp on the arm from a human/spider mutant hybrid that looks like it's been pulled straight from a nightmare.
And still, Spider-Noir gives Ben the best possible version of how superpowers are gained in this universe. His mutation remains stable, which I think is because it was delivered via the hybrid bite rather than Ben himself being directly experimented on. All the other subjects are portrayed far more as doomed victims, even the ones whom Ben helped escape. The more their powers manifest, the closer to death they actually are. Meanwhile, with all the antidote seemingly gone by the end of Season 1, Ben will likely be forced to remain the Spider for the rest of his life.
Then I remembered he can't fully control these traits, and it seems like a constant struggle to get through each day without drawing attention to himself. Even the way he gets his powers is way darker than normal. Not only is Ben in the middle of saving his men from a POW camp, but he also discovers that they're all being experimented on in an attempt to create a new breed of supersoldiers. While most Spider-Men get a little nip from a spider on an innocent school trip, Ben gets a massive chomp on the arm from a human/spider mutant hybrid that looks like it's been pulled straight from a nightmare.
And still, Spider-Noir gives Ben the best possible version of how superpowers are gained in this universe. His mutation remains stable, which I think is because it was delivered via the hybrid bite rather than Ben himself being directly experimented on. All the other subjects are portrayed far more as doomed victims, even the ones whom Ben helped escape. The more their powers manifest, the closer to death they actually are. Meanwhile, with all the antidote seemingly gone by the end of Season 1, Ben will likely be forced to remain the Spider for the rest of his life.
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