With so many mysteries surrounding Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans are clinging onto any piece of evidence they can to figure out what awaits in Tom Holland's third solo Spidey outing. From returning villains to elongated reptile necks to literal mystery boxes, there are theories abound going into the MCU's next bombastic theatrical blowout.
Several trailers and merchandise have highlighted a box belonging to Doctor Strange, which some are theorizing to house some of the film's Multiversal menaces. Reexamining footage may also reveal a change of heart for Otto Octavius, who appears to be taking hits from Jamie Foxx's Electro.
One theory that has potentially been debunked though is the possible returns of James Franco or Dane Dehaan, as the mysterious hooded figure in No Way Home's second trailer has been confirmed to be Willem Dafoe in a new Green Goblin suit.
Now, another piece of merchandise reveals a peculiar addition to Peter Parker's arsenal of gadgets and gizmos.
Peter Parker's Mystery Device in No Way Home
Hot Toys Collectibles recently revealed their lineup of Cosbaby merchandise for Spider-Man: No Way Home, with one of the chibi-fied figures being based on Peter Parker in civilian wear.
Interestingly, the bobblehead features a peculiar red and gold device around the waist, with blue detailing in the middle.
This glorified fanny pack has yet to appear in any other marketing materials or merchandise, so its inclusion with this Cosbaby figure is most peculiar. So what could it be?
What is Spider-Man's Mystery Device?
The red and gold trim of the device seems to indicate that it is likely related to the Iron Spider or some sort of Iron Man/Stark tech, with the three blue vertical lines even vaguely resembling the Iron Spider logo.
The Iron Spider suit's nanites were previously stored in a container in Spider-Man: Far From Home, so perhaps this device is a new way for Peter to portably store the suit.
Parker is able to form the Iron Spider around him when he faces Doc-Ock on the bridge in No Way Home's first trailer, meaning the nanites have to be coming from somewhere. The nanites may be coming from the fanny pack similar to how Tony Stark houses his Mark L suit in his arc reactor in Avengers: Infinity War.
Marvel Studios may have edited out the Iron Spider-themed accessory to not spoil a humorous exchange featuring the fanny pack, where Ned and MJ could make fun of Peter for having to resort to the item for portability.
Another Use for the Nanites?
Perhaps the device bears similar design to the Iron Spider as it is using the suit's nanites for a different function. Doc-Ock seemingly steals some of the Iron Spider nanites to lace his robotic arms, which will likely cause Peter to lack the necessary amount to fully reform the suit. Peter might figure out a way to repurpose the remaining Iron Spider components for another gadget, allowing him to create the metallic fanny pack.
But what could a separate piece of tech be used for? Stark's nanites have been shown to be a versatile resource, able to be used to make repairs and form various objects. The device could be used to aid in the capture of the Multiversal villains, restraining or capturing them.
The box Spidey swipes from Doctor Strange has been theorized to house some of the foes that the wall-crawler will come across. Perhaps Peter will use the nanites to subdue the villains long enough for Spider-Man to sling them into their Multiversal prison.
Alternatively, the gadget could be another version of the box. The Sorcerer Supreme clearly isn't too pleased that Peter has his webbed fingers all over his stuff, so Spider-Man may be forced to combine nano-tech with his newfound magic to lock the villains away.
Or is it...Nothing?
There is, of course, the chance that the device could be nothing. Toy manufacturers often depict events that don't end up occurring in the film, often because they are based on outdated concept art. Spider-Man: No Way Home itself already has some merchandise that will more than likely not feature in the final movie, that is unless a giant black-and-gold drone swoops in to save the day.
However, the specificity of the metallic fanny pack adds more credence to it actually appearing in No Way Home, especially considering this is the only piece of merch thus far to depict the gizmo.
Fans can discover what this mystery device is really for when Spider-Man: No Way Home releases on December 17, 2021.
