It goes without saying that Spider-Man: Far From Home [1] is mainly about Peter Parker (Tom Holland [2]). His name is basically in the title! But the sequel to 2017's Homecoming is just as much about his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).
Much of the film is devoted to how Peter has been dealing with the loss of his friend and father figure, who sacrifices himself to save the world [3] in the jaw-dropping conclusion to Avengers: Endgame [4]. In a lot of ways, Peter is struggling to move forward — he is still grieving and doesn't think he's even close to being ready to fill the shoes that Tony left behind. And on top of that, he's trying to figure out how to woo MJ on his upcoming trip to Europe, his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) might have a new man in her life (*cough* Happy *cough*), and there may or may not be a top-secret mission that Nick Fury needs help with. So Peter is dealing with a lot.
Fortunately, the specter of Tony Stark throughout Far From Home is more of a comforting presence, one that continues to spur Peter to do the right thing. How exactly does the dearly departed Iron Man [5] fit into Peter's new world, though? We're breaking it all down, but just be warned: spoilers on spoilers for Spider-Man: Far From Home ahead!
The "In Memoriam" Montage
Far From Home opens with Midtown High's cheesy (but nevertheless moving) iMovie tribute to the Avengers who lost their lives in the fight against Thanos in Endgame. As Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" plays in the background and Getty-watermarked images of clouds and glowing candles glide by, there are also photos of Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov, and Steve Rogers [7]. Stark's image is the final picture to pop up, featuring the tech titan standing triumphantly in front of a line of jets with his trademark smirk (which we can only imagine he'd be doing anyway if he ever watched that montage for himself).
A Donation From the Stark Foundation
Pepper Potts never appears in the film, but she still manages to make a cameo of sorts — she has Happy (Jon Favreau [8]) deliver a giant check from Tony's Stark Foundation to the fundraiser that May (Marisa Tomei) is hosting for New York residents who were displaced by the blip.
Peter's E.D.I.T.H. Glasses
Later in the film, Peter is gifted a pair of sunglasses from his mentor. But they aren't just a replica of Tony's favoured style of eyewear — they contain a high-tech artificial intelligence operating system code named "E.D.I.T.H." The acronym stands for "Even Dead, I'm The Hero," confirming that Tony's snark extends beyond the grave.
Iron Man Murals
No matter where he goes, Peter can't escape his former mentor. Not only is Tony constantly on his mind, but there are also murals of the hero all over the city that Peter passes during his nightly crime sweeps.
Iron Man Artwork
During Ned (Jacob Batalon) and Peter's awkward conversation with MJ (Zendaya [9]) in their high school art class, drawings of Iron Man can be seen on a cork board in the background.
The Iron Man Shrine
While on a school trip to Venice, Italy, Peter walks by a shrine for Iron Man that includes a small mural and a group of votive candles.
An Iron Man Poster in the Venice Airport
Keep your eyes peeled for this one, because it goes by in a — wait for it — blip! When Peter and the rest of his Midtown High classmates touch down in Venice, they stroll through an airport that's adorned with a poster of Iron Man hanging from the ceiling. (Also peep the initials on Peter's suitcase for a fun surprise.)
Peter's Friendship With Quentin Beck
It doesn't take long for Peter and Mysterio (aka Quentin Beck, played by Jake Gyllenhaal) [10] to strike up a mentor-mentee relationship after being introduced in Venice by Nick Fury. Like he once did with Tony, Peter vents to Beck about the pressure he's facing as a superhero and the losses he's experienced. "Saving the world requires sacrifice," Beck tells him. "Sometimes, people die."
Unfortunately for Peter, putting his trust in Beck doesn't go as planned. The young web-slinger thinks that Mysterio could be "the next Iron Man" and tells him so while handing over the E.D.I.T.H. glasses. Beck takes advantage of Peter's willingness to believe the best in people and later betrays him [11].
Tony's Suit-Making Tech
Following a particularly nasty run-in with Mysterio, Peter gets pretty banged up and loses his suit due to a miscommunication with the police. Cue Happy to the rescue! Tony's confidant flies over to Europe to meet Peter and has a heart-to-heart with the young hero about how much Tony's loss has impacted them. Then he convinces Peter to keep fighting and points him in the direction of one of Tony's ridiculously cool supersuit-making machines in the back of the plane.