The Boys just took their biggest swing at Marvel yet with their Spider-Man parody, and it’s such a crass character that I can’t believe Prime Video let them get away with it. After being teased earlier in The Boys season 4, Webweaver plays an important (if somewhat minor) role in the sixth episode of the season, “Dirty Business.” Played by Dan Mousseau, Webweaver is dark riff on many Spider-Man archetypes. As a longtime fan of the Marvel Wall-Crawler, I was surprised by how many subtle jabs The Boys takes with their latest Marvel parody.

Even when compared to the other Marvel and DC parodies that have been featured in The Boys season 4 story, I think Webweaver might be their most pointed take-down of a hero yet, especially given the sheer obscene nature of Webweaver’s actions in the show. He does so many things that feel antithetical to what Disney would ever allow Spider-Man to do in a story that it feels like a deliberate jab at the studio. Here’s all the Webweavantitheticaler pushes a Spider-Man archetype to the extreme.

The Boys Season 4’s Webweaver Is Hilariously Anti-Disney

Webweaver’s Entire Personality Would Never Fly With Disney

I can’t believe just how far The Boys takes their latest superhero parody, with their take on the Spider-Man-like Webweaver feeling like a particularly harsh burn against the famous Marvel hero. Webweaver is introduced in episode 6 of The Boys‘ fourth season, “Dirty Business.” The character is revealed to be a low-level hero at Vought, but is also secretly an informant for Butcher and the rest of the Boys. When he’s formally introduced, it’s clear that Webweaver is a mess. I was expecting the show to have fun with the concept of a twisted Spider-Man, but I wasn’t expecting them to play him so far beyond the line.

Webweaver is shown to be a drug user who needs help using his substance of choice. He’s a dim-witted idiot who accidently gets webs on MM and passes out for much of the episode. With Hughie forced to use Webweaver’s costume as a cover to sneak into Tek-Knight’s event, I was shocked how far the show took his abuse at the hands of the Batman parody Tek-Knight and Ashley. It’s a truly staggering amount of obscene actions taken by The Boys, and it’s extra surprising because of how much if flies in the face of Disney’s typical presentation.

Webweaver Is Arguably The Boys’ Riskiest Marvel Parody Yet

Webweaver Has Some Pretty Obscene Digs At The MCU Spider-Man

Webweaver is a clear parody of Spider-Man, similar to the other archetypes of the genre that The Boys has poked fun at over the years. However, Webweaver feels like a very specific send up of Spider-Man, and the sheer number of direct shots taken at the history of the character feels like The Boys really throwing some punches. Webweaver’s powers feel like a grosser version of the organic web-shooters Spider-Man had in the Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man trilogy. The character’s demeanor is that off a spacey young man, similar to previous mistaken interpretations of Peter Parker.

Webweaver’s drug problem and overtly sexual connection to Tek-Knight feel especially different from the more santatized hero that appears in Marvel stories. Even the character’s safeword can be seen as a twisted reference to the MCU Spider-Man, as Tek-Knight’s butler reveals it was “Zendaya.” This refers to her role as MJ in the MCU, and the clear disgust in the character’s faces make it clear how the show intends for that reference to land. It’s a crass parody that fits into the overarching world of The Boys, I’m just surprised how far they’re willing to take it.

The Boys Sets Up Webweaver Appearing In Future Episodes

How Webweaver Could Become A Crucial Weapon In The Boys‘ Endgame

The Boys‘ Webweaver may even go on to play a more important role in the rest of the season. As one of the Boys’ chief informants, Webweaver could prove to be a very useful source of information going forward in the battle against Vought. This could allow the show to bring back its frankly gross version of Spider-Man and take a few more shots at the Marvel hero. However, there’s also the chance that his role in the episode could have exposed his connection to Butcher and the rest of the Boys.

If he’s found out, he could follow in the footsteps of the Robin parody Laddio in “Dirty Business” and become a more overt ally. However, he could also end up used as a trap against the heroes, or a smear on Homelander’s boot. There’s a lot of potential for the character going forward, even just as a gag that pokes fun at one of Disney and Marvel’s biggest icons. I’m hoping we see more of Webweaver, who might be one of the most overtly gross and cutting superhero parodies to show up on The Boys so far.