Spider-Man: Far From Home introduced a new AI created by Tony Stark, which Stark gifted to Tom Holland's Peter Parker. This technology was named EDITH, an artificial intelligence security and defense system with an acronym that stood for "Even Dead, I’m The Hero." The AI glasses served as an integral part of the sequel's narrative, essentially proving to be an advantage and disadvantage over the course of the movie.
Initially, Holland's Peter was the only one who could access the complex AI, thus giving him access to tactical drones from Stark Industries' satellite. This dangerous weapon eventually fell into the wrong hands, with Peter openly giving it to Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio - Far From Home's main villain.
While the sequel ends with Peter successfully defeating Mysterio and regaining access to EDITH, Far From Home proved that this AI is a terrifying weapon that could quickly become a threat if left unchecked.
In addition, Far From Home's ending presented a complicated situation for EDITH that its follow-up, Spider-Man: No Way Home, managed to briefly tease.
Where is EDITH in No Way Home? (Explained)
No Way Home put Holland's Peter through difficult times after Mysterio revealed his secret identity to the rest of the world. In addition, the web-crawler was also framed for killing Quentin Beck.
The messy situation ultimately drags Peter's closest allies into trouble, with MJ, Ned, and Aunt May being apprehended for questioning by the Department of Damage Control. As expected, Stark Industries was also part of the controversy due to the presence of EDITH.
No Way Home showed that Damage Control confiscated EDITH and the tactical drones, but this brief scene could imply major ramifications for Peter's future and the rest of the MCU.
What’s Next for EDITH?
No Way Home ends on a heartbreaking note, with the rest of the world forgetting who Peter Parker is. Holland's Peter made the ultimate sacrifice by allowing Doctor Strange to cast the powerful spell, thus leaving his past behind.
It's reasonable to assume that the spell only applies to living beings, so this leads to further speculation about its effect on Parker's inherited technology, such as EDITH.
It's unknown if Damage Control returned EDITH to Parker after the charges against him were dropped. There's a chance that Parker may have told Happy Hogan to hold onto the glasses for safekeeping, especially after the dangers that the device posed during Far From Home.
It also raises the question whether Parker was able to shut down the protocols of EDITH or if he was so caught up with the moment that he forgot to completely turn off the glasses.
The mystery surrounding EDITH could be answered in several upcoming projects, such as Armor Wars and Ironheart.
EDITH's Future in Armor War & Ironheart
Armor Wars is the most plausible option for Marvel Studios to address the confusion regarding EDITH. The series will follow the post-Avengers: Endgame adventures of Don Cheadle's James Rhodes. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that it will revolve around the premise of Tony Stark's technology falling into the wrong hands, which is a perfect set-up for devices like EDITH.
There's a strong chance that EDITH's protocols are still intact, but who could be the culprit in hacking such a complicated system? This is where Mysterio's team from Far From Home comes in.
That team is composed of former employees of Stark Industries, meaning that they still hold grudges against their former boss even without its fallen leader, Quentin Beck.
It's possible that William Ginter Riva, Mysterio's "guy in the chair" in Far From Home, could find a way to infiltrate the base where EDITH is hidden. It also opens the possibility that he placed a tracker in the glasses, thus making it easy for him to locate them.
All of this could lead to a battle between War Machine and EDITH at some point in Armor Wars. This conflict presents a complex dynamic since Rhodey would face the same drones that were created by his best friend, thus leading to an emotional realization.
On the flip side, Ironheart could explore the advantages of EDITH instead of its disadvantages. In the comics, Riri Williams was able to create an improved suit of armor with the guidance of an AI duplicate of Tony Stark.
In the MCU, EDITH could end up in the hands of Williams, and she could be able to find a way to manipulate its system in order to transform it into a fully working AI. The program could serve as Williams' initial AI, similar to the role of Jarvis for Stark.
While it's unknown if Spider-Man 4 will bring back EDITH, many feel that it wouldn't be ideal due to Peter's fresh slate after No Way Home. The fourth Tom Holland-led movie could dive more into the grounded aspect of the web-slinging hero instead of exploring the legacy of Tony Stark once again.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing in theaters worldwide.
