The Third Option
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Third Option |
| Author(s): | Uncertainty_Principle |
| Date(s): | 2018 - 2020 |
| Length: | 220,960 words |
| Genre(s): | Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Whump, Homeless Peter Parker |
| Fandom(s): | Spider-Man MCU Movieverse, Marvel Cinematic Universe |
| Relationship(s): | Peter Parker & Tony Stark |
| External Links: | AO3 Cover art by angel-gidget (2019) |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Third Option is a Spider-Man Alternate Universe fanfiction on Archive of Our Own by Uncertainty_Principle, in which Peter Parker lives in foster care after Uncle Ben's death. Once he gains confidence in his superpowers, he chooses to live on the streets until he's recruited by Tony Stark for the events of Captain America: Civil War.
It is known for depicting difficult topics like child abuse, homelessness, and disordered eating. Many fans have said that they cried while reading it and give tissue warnings for those considering it.
It is one of the most popular fics focused on the Peter Parker & Tony Stark relationship. It currently has over 52,000 kudos (15 Jan 2025).
Summary
Summary provided by the author on AO3:
Homecoming AU.Ben and May divorced before Peter’s parents died, so when Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway.
So he leaves.
Simple.
Simple, that is, until Iron Man needs Spider-Man’s help. Peter isn’t about to turn down an opportunity to fight alongside Tony Freaking Stark, but he also isn’t going to let his hero know that his recruit is a fifteen-year-old homeless dropout. So they strike a deal. Peter will help Tony. In return, the mask stays on.
And that’s when things get complicated.
Summary provided by dovahgriin:
The premise of it is as follows:After his parents die in a car crash, Peter Parker is sent to live with Uncle Ben. (It is AU, so things are changed in the timeline. One of those things is that Ben and May got divorced long before Peter comes to live with Ben.) Everything is good, until it isn't, and Ben dies in a mugging gone horribly wrong.
The reader then follows Peter through the foster care system (I can't speak to the accuracy of the depiction of it, but I do know that people are black and white and every shade of grey imaginable and that definitely applies to the "families" Peter is fostered with).
In this fic, if something can go wrong, it does go wrong. Peter is really whumped in this one, folks, and I say that with utmost seriousness....
The third home Peter finds himself in belongs to none other than Steven "Skip" Wescott. If you've read the early comics (or, like I have, found scans online), you probably will feel your stomach drop. The long and short of Skip's character, however, is quickly summed up in the Villains Wiki --
Skip is a villain from an early era Spider-Man comic, in was what is known as a "special issue" character and thus was designed to warn children about real-world dangers (in this case child molestation).""
As Peter settles into life with his new foster-dad, there are hints and events that eventually do lead to Peter being molested. It's difficult to read, even if the author is never graphic about it. It is not long after (or, it doesn't seem like a long time when reading) that Peter is bitten by the radioactive spider. He gains his powers and plans on confronting Skip the next time the older man goes to him. Peter freezes when Skip molests him again.
Afterwards, Peter comes to a decision, a third option, if you will.
He runs.
He becomes a vigilante and eventually catches the eye of the one and only Iron Man[1]
Reactions and Reviews
The Third Option has become quite famous for the amount of collections it belongs to[2], also a sign of its popularity.
The author displays mastery, as it is well-paced and well-executed.Think engaging, exciting, and heart-wrenching.
Yet, some dark, triggering happenings go on in this story too.
The author did a commendable job of including that, so readers do not get blindsided when reading it.
And, of course, expect witty banter between Tony Stark and Spider-Man.[3]
Oh, man. Ohhhh, man. Okay, The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle on AO3 is an absolute whammy of a fic. I've been ugly-crying for the last hour as I've read it, snot and all, but my fucking god, it is amazing...
In summary, this is an amazingly well-written fic that covers a lot of topics and covers them well, if the comments on the available chapters are to be believed. 9/10 recommendation[1]
I reccently read The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle and it was amazing. It basically follows the life of Peter Parker through his (pretty terrible) life and focuses a lot on the father&son relationship between him and Tony, who ends up adopting him.[5]
ok so if anyone in here has read The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle ao3, i need someone to talk to cuz i went into reading it blind and now my whole soul hurts. ive never cried so much reading something, it felt rlly real for some reason??? the shit peter had to go through KILLED ME (he was so strong tho <3) but also how everything tied up in the end was so satisfying. i also loved each dynamic of the characters it made so much sense (especially irondad) and the storyline of May, im glad she was appreciated. idk why im rambling i have more coherent thoughts on this but ive cried myself out.[6]
Read the warnings. I’m serious. I’m not saying that lightly. The content is sensitive, however, the fic writer wrote it with the up-most respect and it’s clear that a lot of thought and research was put into it. And, not joking, this is one of the best fics I’ve ever read. It’s vastly profound, honest, and I’ve re-read this 220,960 word fic many times. It’s greatly better than the movie, If you can, please read it.[7]
I just finished reading the best fanfic I have ever read and now I don’t know what to do with my life anymore[8]
It’s such a powerful exploration of trauma—some horrible things happen to Peter, and you can feel their weight in every scene from the movies that’s reshaped by Peter’s pain and fear, echoes of abuse that will never leave him just as Ben’s words never can. At the same time, every interaction with Ned and Iron Man is an absolute *delight*, and you can see Spiderman and the kid from Queens inside Peter Parker in spite of it all.[9]
Awards
It won two Irondad Creator Awards in 2022 and 2021, including Best Multi-Chapter and Best Homeless Story[10].
Inspired Fanworks
Fanbinding
- Bookbinding, Archived version by dead-cherry-bitch
- Fanbinding by Wiyon Press Bindery
Fanart
- Art, Archived version by the-reverse-mermaid
- from The Third Option by uncertainty_principle, Archived version by kkblackswamp
References
- ^ a b "Fic Review: The Third Option - Uncertainty_Principle". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ Why are some works a part of so many collections/series? posted to r/AO3, Dec 29, 2023
- ^ "10 of the Most Popular Spiderman Fanfiction Stories in 2022". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "rea's irondad fic rec list". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "Foster care or Adoption AUs posted to r/FanFiction, Jan 6, 2021". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "Nov 26, 2021 Tumblr post". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "Hiii, I really loved your dp fic recs and I was wondering if you have any new ones pretty please??????". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "March 30, 2022 Tumblr post". Archived from the original on 2023-01-16.
- ^ "The Rec Center #426". Archived from the original on 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Third Option search at Irondad Creator Awards". Archived from the original on 2025-01-16.