Uncle Ben facts for kids

Benjamin "Ben" Parker is a very important fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is best known as Uncle Ben, the kind uncle of Peter Parker. Uncle Ben and his wife, Aunt May, raised Peter after his parents passed away.

One day, Peter was bitten by a spider that had been exposed to radiation. This bite gave him amazing powers, turning him into Spider-Man. Before he fully understood his powers, Peter saw a robbery happening. He could have stopped the criminal, but he chose not to get involved. Sadly, that same criminal later killed Uncle Ben. Peter felt terrible, believing it was his fault for not acting. This tragic event taught Peter a powerful lesson: "With great power, comes great responsibility." This idea made Peter decide to use his powers to fight crime and become the superhero Spider-Man. Uncle Ben first appeared in a Marvel comic called Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962. Unlike many comic book characters, he usually stays gone, which makes his story even more impactful.

Uncle Ben in the Movies

Uncle Ben has been a key character in many Spider-Man movies. His role often highlights the important lesson of responsibility.

Spider-Man (2002)

In the 2002 Spider-Man movie, Uncle Ben was played by Cliff Robertson. In this film, Peter Parker uses his new strength to get back at a bully named Flash Thompson. Uncle Ben warns Peter to be careful with his strength. He tells Peter the famous line: "With great power, comes great responsibility." Peter, being a teenager, argues with Uncle Ben. Later, Peter finds the person who killed Uncle Ben. The killer pulls out a gun, and Peter pushes him out of a window. This moment deeply affects Peter. He later tells the Green Goblin, "I had a father. His name was Ben Parker."

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

In the 2012 movie The Amazing Spider-Man, Martin Sheen played Uncle Ben. This movie changed some parts of the story. Unlike the comics and the 2002 film, Peter does not catch Uncle Ben's killer in this version. However, Uncle Ben still teaches Peter about being responsible. He emphasizes the importance of making good choices, even if he doesn't say the exact phrase "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Later Movies

Uncle Ben was not shown or even mentioned in the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. This shows how different movies choose to tell Peter Parker's story in their own ways.

See also

In Spanish: Tío Ben para niños