With their new parody of Spider-Man, The Boys took their greatest jab at Marvel to date, and I’m shocked that Prime Video allowed them to get away with it because it’s such a crass caricature.

Webweaver, who was hinted at in season four of The Boys, plays a crucial (if small) role in the sixth episode, “Dirty Business.” Playing Webweaver, Dan Mousseau puts a sinister twist on a number of Spider-Man clichés. Being a longtime Marvel Wall-Crawler fan, I was astounded by how many nuanced references The Boys included in their most recent Marvel spoof.

The obscene nature of Webweaver’s activities in the program makes me believe that, even when compared to the other Marvel and DC parodies that have appeared in The Boys season 4 plot, Webweaver may be their most blatant takedown of a hero to yet. It seems like a conscious shot at the company since he does so many things that seem completely at odds with anything Disney would ever permit Spider-Man to do in a story. The Webweavantitheticaler takes a Spider-Man archetype to its utmost in this instance.

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 is caught, he might become a more vocal supporter, much like the Robin parody Laddio in “Dirty Business.” But he may also be used as a smudge on Homelander’s boot or as a trap for the heroes. Even if the figure is merely a joke about one of the most recognizable characters from Disney and Marvel, it has a lot of potential for the future. Webweaver, who could be among the most blatantly offensive and filthy superhero parodies to have appeared on The Boys so yet, is someone I’m hoping to see more of.