10 Theories About What May Have Happened To Uncle Ben In MCU

Appearing in all Spider-Man spin-offs, Uncle Ben has been a really integral part of the Spider-Man saga. This streak was finally broken in MCU’s take of Spider-Man where he is not only absent but is not even referred by Peter in any of the movies.

This has led to multiple theories speculating what may have happened to MCU’s Uncle Ben. While many have come up with valid theories regarding the events that took place in the MCU before Peter’s introduction in Civil War, few theories take a look at what Uncle Ben’s characterization would have been like. Here are some fan theories as to what may have happened to Uncle Ben in the MCU.

10. Uncle Ben Passed Away in the New York Battle

This theory claims that Uncle Ben died way before Peter even got his powers. It states that he died during the New York battle in 2012’s The Avengers which took place four years before Civil War.

This makes sense as the casualties for Loki’s invasion were said to be uncountable.

9. Mysterio Killed Uncle Ben

This theory seems a bit difficult to believe, but Mysterio’s insertion in the events of Civil War retroactively makes this a possibility.

Based on Uncle Ben’s background in the comics as a special effects coordinator and stuntman, the theory considers Ben working on a movie involving Mysterio. After Ben is forced to shut down the production, Mysterio decides to kill Uncle Ben.

8. Peter was making a movie to show to Uncle Ben

Rather than looking into how Uncle Ben died, this theory considers how Uncle Ben was a movie buff who loved movies. He even inspired Peter to watch them and this is why we often see Peter quoting old films.

The theory states that the recordings that we see Peter making in Homecoming had originated with Peter attempting to make a film for Uncle Ben as he wanted to do something that his uncle loves.

7. Uncle Ben meets Peter in the future, thanks to Doctor Strange’s powers

The theory states that Doctor Strange who will be seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home will wipe everyone’s knowledge of Peter’s identity at the movie’s end.

This will show the return of Uncle Ben for five minutes where Peter will meet his uncle and get the closure he wanted. Read the full theory here.

6. Uncle Ben died due to Peter’s ignorance of his powers

As per this theory, the fate of Uncle Ben was revealed way back in Peter’s first scene in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. In the scene, Peter tells Tony Stark, “When you can do the things that I can, but you don’t, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.”

The theory hints at the possibility that Uncle Ben got shot but Peter did not use his powers to save him. We know he has lingering guilt over something which causes him to join the airport fight. We also know the Spider-Man backstory and that Aunt May lives alone, so we know what causes that guilt.

5. Uncle Ben has been alive the whole time and is just separated

Uncle Ben’s disappearance hasn’t made much sense in the MCU Spider-Man films. This might not be as complicated as it seems. This theory proves the same by stating that he could have been alive all this while and is separated from Aunty May.

This theory sees Uncle Ben as a deadbeat father figure who got separated from Aunty May, breaking Peter’s heart. This would make a lot of sense and would explain why Aunty May and Peter never mention him.

4. Uncle Ben was shot, just like the comics

This theory claims that Uncle Ben’s death in the MCU happened but was unrelated to Peter at all.

What may have happened was that Ben was shot at a time when Peter was nowhere nearby and he learned about it later. This theory states that Uncle Ben either died in a run-of-the-mill murder mugging or was killed in the collateral damage of one of the events of previous movies. Either way, it was an event that could not have been prevented by Peter.

3. Tony Stark Represents Uncle Ben in the MCU

There has been a lot of discussion about this theory which claims that there is no Uncle Ben in the MCU and Tony Stark is the father figure that Spider-Man needed.

This means that May has always been single and has gained custody of Peter after his parents’ death.

2. Ben Parker is actually Aunt May’s father in MCU

This theory puts up things differently in the MCU. We all know that Ben is the elder brother of Peter’s father which makes him the biological uncle of Peter. This means that Aunt May will only be related to Peter by marriage.

However, this theory states that instead of being married to Ben, Ben was Aunt May’s father all along. This means that Ben was Peter’s grandfather and Parker is a family surname inherited by May.

1. Ben Parker Worked For The Daily Bugle And Was Present For Tony’s Interview Too

This theory claims that Uncle Ben was among the first characters to be introduced in the MCU. It states that Ben was the reporter referred by Tony in the press conference scene in 2008’s Iron Man. As we haven’t seen Peter working for The Daily Bugle yet, MCU could show that Uncle Ben was once a journalist with Daily Bugle. Under this theory, this will be why Peter wants to work for Daily Bugle to make his deceased uncle proud.

This means that both of Peter’s father figures had met each other a decade before Tony meets Peter.