The Crying Peter Parker meme stems from a highly emotional scene in the 2007 film Spider-Man 3, where Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) breaks down in tears after being dumped by Mary Jane Watson. While the scene was intended to be dramatic, Maguire's exaggerated facial expression became an instant internet sensation for its 'ugly cry' quality. Initially popular on 4chan and Reddit in the late 2000s, it has evolved into a versatile reaction image used to represent everything from genuine heartbreak to mock sadness and over-the-top despair.