Jacob Batalon shares his theory on Spider-Man: Brand New Day mysterious Peter and Ned handshake

If there's one moment from Spider-Man: Brand New Day that left fans with more questions than answers, it's definitely the handshake between Peter Parker and Ned Leeds. This was the same multi-step handshake that viewers saw in Spider-Man: Homecoming, released in 2017, which became famous by the name best friend handshake.

The famous handshake making a comeback in the latest Spider-Man movie has left many wondering if Ned has gained back his memories. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jacob Batalon, who plays Ned Leeds in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, shared his theory, saying Ned's reaction could be open to interpretation. He said that maybe Ned only remembers the handshake through muscle memory and not Peter himself.

From Batalon's answer, it is clear that Ned's reaction can be seen in different ways.

Jacob Batalon explains why Ned says "Peter" in Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Jacob Batalon (Ned) with Tom Holland (Peter Parker) - Source: Getty

Fans of Spider-Man have always loved Peter and Ned's friendship. However, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, due to Doctor Strange's spell, everyone forgets Peter, including MJ and Ned. Although Peter appears in front of Ned multiple times in Spider-Man: Brand New Day while using the name Maynard, Ned never recognizes him.

Towards the end of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter goes to a bodega and, just as he is about to leave, he walks over to Ned, who only remembers him as the flower guy who came to their house. Peter introduces himself to Ned as Peter and then reaches out his hand for a handshake. Their handshake soon turns into their old multi-step handshake, with Ned saying "Peter."

While sharing his theories about the handshake with The Hollywood Reporter, Jacob Batalon also added that Ned could be saying "Peter" simply because that is the name Peter tells him while introducing himself, rather than because he actually remembers him. When asked if Ned saying Parker's name could be the first step toward remembering everything, Batalon agreed that there could still be a small hint that Ned recognizes Peter.

However, Batalon did not confirm whether Ned truly remembers Peter, leaving fans curious about what their handshake actually means. It was also referenced in No Way Home that Ned has magical abilities when he was to open a portal using Doctor Strange's Sling Ring, which summoned both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man. Fans are speculating whether his magical abilities could help unlock Ned's memories of Peter.

Nevertheless, if Ned does remember Peter, it could mean Doctor Strange's spell made him forget Peter but not the special bond he shared with his best friend.

While fans still have hope to see Peter and Ned's friendship back after the mysterious handshake scene, things don't seem as hopeful for MJ, Parker's former girlfriend, who doesn't remember him even after Peter tells her that he is Peter Parker. Even when Peter directly tells her that he loves her, MJ replies that she understands why the girl who wrote the letter loved him, but she does not love him.

The ending of Spider-Man: Brand New Day leaves Peter's two closest relationships on very different paths. However, viewers do get to see Peter finding a friend in Jean Grey, played by Sadie Sink, with Peter understanding her reason for the rebellion and Jean Grey keeping Parker alive after he gets hurt.