The Stan Lee Watcher Theory: It Goes Deeper Than You Think
OK, if you are one of five people on the planet who has yet to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, then this spoiler is on you. As we discovered in Marvel Studios’ latest release, the Generalissimo himself, Stan Lee, is a Watcher.
Turns out Lee has been observing what’s been going on in the MCU, playing the same character through the ages. How else do you explain Lee appearing in Captain America: The First Avenger (takes place in 1942)…
…and in Captain America: Civil War (takes place in 2016). The same actor in different roles? Please, everything is connected in the MCU!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s22K4Pd6rA8
But what if it goes deeper than that? What if Lee’s Watcher character has been around longer than 2008 (Iron Man)? Get your tin foil hats on, ’cause I’ve got a theory that’ll make you a true believer!
I think it’d be pretty cool if it’s revealed in Avengers: Infinity War that Stan Lee’s character is the reason Spider-Man is now in his third big-screen iteration. He keeps rebooting it because he hates what he sees.
Think about it. Now that Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures both share your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, the door is wide open for possibilities. According to Wikipedia, a Watcher has the ability ” to achieve virtually any effect desired, including augmenting personal attributes, [as well as] time and space manipulation.” So, what’s to stop Lee’s character from rewriting reality?
Lee is in 2007’s Spider-Man 3 and gives Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker some wisdom.
Now, he’s secretly in the club and watches as Peter dances to jazz with Gwen Stacey and sees how Flint Marko really killed Uncle Ben! He doesn’t like what he’s seeing and is like, “What the heck is this? No, no, no! This isn’t right! Start over!” After he lets Spidey defeat Venom and the Sandman he twitches his nose like in Bewitched (ask your parents or grandparents about that show, kids!) or snaps his fingers, and suddenly Spider-Man is in high school again, looking like Andrew Garfield!
Then, The Amazing Spider-Man film series begins in 2012. Lee goes incognito as a librarian to monitor how Spider-Man fairs against the Lizard.
Stan “The Man” Lee sees what’s going on and is like, “OK, chocolate milk plays a role in Spidey’s origin? Weird, but I’ll take it.” A couple years later, Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker is headed to graduation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXHssADhjM4
Of course, he knows Peter. He’s seeing how this scenario plays out. He has his fingers crossed Harry Osborne doesn’t make an omelet with Mary Jane Watson while dancing to Chubby Checker. Then, like the rest of us, he watches the rest of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and is like…
Witnessing the events of ASM 2, he does everyone a favor and erases it from continuity, having Spider-Man start from scratch again in Captain America: Civil War. And this time everyone is happy!
That’s my theory about Stan Lee’s Watcher character. No way Lee is just making cameos left and right. He’s pulling the strings behind the scenes and the heroes are just playing the role. Plus, it’s be a fun wink and nod to the fact the Spider-Man film franchise is starting all over again…again.
Agree? Think I should be locked up in a psych ward? Let me know in the comments section below!