There's absolutely no doubt that Andrew Garfield is widely regarded as one of his generation's best performers and one of the world's favorite Spider-Man actors. Some would argue he's the best actor to play the web crawler, but that's a matter of debate. While his films suffered a bit (or a lot, depending on each fan's opinion), Garfield easily carried them through, delivering some moments and lines that serve as some of the most iconic in all the Spider-Man films.
The love for Garfield's version of the friendly neighborhood has experienced a mass resurgence since his appearance in the third act of Spider-Man: No Way Home. His pivotal role in the film reminded fans and critics everywhere why Garfield was so beloved in the first place. And while his tenure in the role was all too short, Garfield's Spider-Man still had many memorable quotes that capture the character's very soul like few others have been able to.
10 "A god named Sparkles?!"
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)
One of the funniest lines in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 happens when Spider-Man calls Electro (Jamie Foxx) Sparkles in their first meeting and subsequent battle in Times Square. The follow-up is even funnier when Spider-Man refers back to this comment in the final battle with Electro in the film.
Spider-Man is so funny because of his persistence to make fun of his enemies and throw them off their game. Giving the electricity-based villain a name like Sparkles is hilarious, especially since it pisses off Electro enough for him to immediately try to kill the wall-crawler after he says it. Audiences will always love some good mockery when watching Spider-Man, and the ever-talented Garfield is arguably the best at it. His fresh, effortless delivery sounds wicked and lighthearted, just as Spider-Man should be.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- April 16, 2014
- Director
- Marc Webb
- Cast
- Andrew Garfield , Emma Stone , Jamie Foxx , Dane DeHaan , Colm Feore , Felicity Jones
- Runtime
- 142
- Writers
- Alex Kurtzman , Roberto Orci , Jeff Pinkner , James Vanderbilt , Stan Lee , Steve Ditko
9 "You seriously think I'm a cop? A cop in a skin-tight red and blue suit?"
'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012)
One of the most iconic scenes from The Amazing Spider-Man is the absolutely hilarious carjacking scene during Spider-Man's first night in his brand-new costume. For his official superhero debut, Spidey finally seems settled into his role as a vigilante. With that comfort comes the classic and sassy Spider-Man humor everyone knows and loves.
Throughout the scene, Spider-Man does nothing but berate the carjacker (Keith Campbell), and it's quite enjoyable. When the carjacker asks Spider-Man if he is a cop, the wall-crawler can't help but insult the perpetrator's intelligence. Now down on his luck, the carjacker does nothing but struggle as he faces off with the web-slinger. This line is classic Spider-Man, setting the tone for the rest of the scene and acting as the perfect introduction to Peter's heroic persona.
The Amazing Spider-Man
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Superhero
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- June 23, 2012
- Cast
- Andrew Garfield , Emma Stone , Rhys Ifans , Denis Leary , Martin Sheen , Sally Field
- Runtime
- 136 minutes
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt , Alvin Sargent , Steve Kloves , Stan Lee , Steve Ditko
8 "My weakness... it's small knives!"
'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012)
In the same sequence, Spidey speaks one of the best in the movie after the carjacker pulls a knife. The ever-sarcastic hero pretends to be genuinely afraid of the knife before webbing the carjacker to the wall. Spidey then proceeds to play with the now-helpless thief he is a dart board.
This line cemented the scene as the standard Garfield had to meet regarding the character's humor, as it's one of his funniest. The quote itself is quite basic, but Garfield makes the best out of it. Not only is his line delivery great, but his body language is funny as well. His overly exaggerated cowering, melded with his wonderful line delivery, makes this scene so incredibly funny and an instant fan-favorite.
7 "On behalf of the fine people of New York City and real rhinos everywhere, I ask you to put your mechanized paws in the air!"
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)
After hanging up the red and blue tights for a bit after Gwen Stacy's (Emma Stone) tragic death, Spider-Man's first comeback appearance needed to bring back the hope and lighthearted nature the character is known for. With the Rhino (Paul Giamatti) running loose in the city, Spidey couldn't hold back from making a Rhino joke, and it worked so well.
In comparison to its predecessor, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 took on a much lighter tone than the gritter first film, giving Garfield a lot more room to amp up the comedy and cheese a bit. Spider-Man finally accepts that Gwen would have wanted him to move on and keep hope alive with some help from her graduation speech. This line is a great example of how he returns to do so. It's among the best Spider-Man quotes because it's silly but from the heart. Even when he's in pain, Spidey finds the lighter side of things.
6 "Are you okay?"
'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)
When the trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home dropped and featured a clip of Spider-Man's girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya), falling from a tall structure, many theorized that if Garfield's Spider-Man indeed appeared in the film, he would get the chance to catch her and redeem himself after Gwen's horrifying death. When December 2021 hit, it turned out that fans were right.
When Garfield's Spider-Man catches MJ and saves her, he gets incredibly emotional and almost cries as he asks her if she's okay. He finally gets the chance to save the love of Spider-Man's life, even if it isn't his own. It's an incredibly cathartic moment and one of the most tear-jerking in the film, not to mention a pay-off that fans never thought they would get to see after the cancelation of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. The line itself is simple and could easily be unremarkable; however, Garfield's delivery is so earnest and raw that it instantly becomes one of Spider-Man's best.
5 "You're not nobody! You're somebody!"
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)
In the action-packed opening of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man saves the future antagonist of the film, Max Dillion, from a flying taxi heading straight for him. It's clearly established here that Max has very low self-esteem and noticing this, Spider-Man informs him that he does have worth and isn't a nobody.
One of Spider-Man's greatest superpowers is not his power to do whatever a spider can but rather the ability to inspire others and instill hope in them. This line is one of the best representations of Spider-Man's unique ability to comfort others. It even leads Max down his path of becoming absolutely obsessed with Spider-Man. The Friendly Neighborhood makes people feel and want to be better, striving for a future they can be proud of, which is one of the reasons he's one of the best fictional characters to ever be created.
4 "I lost Gwen. She was my MJ. I couldn't save her... I'm never going to be able to forgive myself for that."
'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)
When rumors spread that Garfield would potentially be appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans hoped the film would provide an update on what his iteration of the red and blue-clad hero had been up to, both mentally and physically. When he and Tobey Maguire's characters learn about the death of Tom Holland's Aunt May, Garfield's Peter attempts to instill some wisdom onto Holland's character, knowing the pain he feels all too well.
Hearing an update on this wall-crawler's mental state after the loss of the love of his life broke the hearts of fans everywhere. Garfield's incredible performance sold it even more. This line helps detail a little bit of what the lost The Amazing Spider-Man 3 film could have looked like if it had been made. The long-held pain Garfield perfectly outlines is some great characterization that sets him apart from the other two variants.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
PG-13
Superhero
Drama
Action
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 17, 2021
- Cast
- Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe , Alfred Molina , Benedict Wong , Marisa Tomei , Andrew Garfield , Tobey Maguire
- Runtime
- 148 minutes
3 "We're not on different paths; you're my path, and you're always gonna be my path."
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)
The love story between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy was always the core of The Amazing Spider-Man movies and the part that fans and critics loved the most. The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is undeniable and electrifying, providing the emotional throughline for the franchise. Their loving dynamic is at its peak in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 when Peter and Gwen's love is tested more than it's ever been.
When Gwen sets out for England, leaving Peter behind without a proper goodbye, Peter provides an act of love to win her back and let her know he will be going to England with her. He declares his undying love for her after spelling out "I love you" in giant webbing on a nearby bridge. It's one of the sweetest moments in their relationship and the duology in general, and a perfect character moment for the notoriously enthusiastic Peter. The quote is a bit schmaltzy, but Garfield sells it, and Stone's reaction to hearing the words is just as heartwarming.
2 "You're okay... stay with me... stay with me!"
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)
There's genuinely no argument that the most heartbreaking moment in the Spider-Man films and superhero films overall is the untimely death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of Spider-Man's nemesis, Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan). What was one of the saddest and most defining moments in the Spider-Man comic book mythos became the same thing for the live-action adaptations.
Peter, holding his dead girlfriend in his arms, pleads for her to stay with him as if she were still alive. It's the most heart-rending part about the scene because of the futility of it. Peter doesn't want to believe that she's gone and can't seem to accept it until he's forced to, as blood flows out of Gwen's nose. His constant pleading breaks hearts with every word and serves as one of Garfield's best on-screen moments to date.
1 "Put it on! The mask! It's gonna make you strong."
'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012)
When Peter goes to save a young boy named Jack (Jake Keiffer) stuck in a car hanging from a bridge attacked by the Lizard (Rhys Ifans), he gives Jack his mask to hold onto while he tries to save the boy. But when the car catches on fire, Peter is put in a tough situation and requires Jack to climb up the car. Jack seems to be too scared, but the hero instructs him to put on the mask for strength, and it works.
Spider-Man's biggest power is to inspire and instill hope in people, including himself. A message most emphasized recently in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse series is the idea that anyone can wear Spidey's mask. Anyone can be strong so long as they put it on and use its strength; the mask inspires Jack just as it inspires audiences all over the world.
NEXT: The 10 Best Quotes From the Sam Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy, Ranked
