Vulture

"Eight years. Not a word from the feds, nothing from those Halloween costume wearing bozos up there over at Stark Tower. And then all of a sudden, this little bastard in red tights shows up, and he thinks he can tear down everything I've built. Really? I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna kill him."

- Vulture

Adrian Toomes is the former owner of Toomes Salvage Company, based in New York City, who turned to a criminal lifestyle after his livelihood was usurped by the Department of Damage Control, in alliance with Tony Stark. Equipping himself with an exo-suit created from stolen Chitauri technology, Toomes took on the identity of Vulture and spent the next four years stealing advanced weaponry until his actions were noticed and prevented by Spider-Man.

Battle of New York Cleanup
"These alien bastards, they're tough. You gotta use the stuff they use."

- Vulture to Herman Schultz

In the wake of the Battle of New York, the Toomes Salvage Company gained the contract to clean up the city. Toomes oversaw his men cleaning up, telling Herman Schultz to use the Chitauri technology to take apart a Chitauri Chariot. He was then approached by Anne Marie Hoag and a group of agents, telling him that he was to withdraw his men from the area as the Department of Damage Control had secured the contract to clean up after Avengers battles. As Toomes explained that he had the contract to clean up New York City, he concluded that they were allowed to be there. Hoag was unrelenting, however, telling Toomes to leave. Toomes started begging her to let him have the contract, as he had a family to support. When one of Hoag's men mockingly told him to not overreach in his work, Toomes punched him in the face, causing the guards around Hoag to draw their guns and for Toomes to leave the area. Hoag told Toomes that he could talk to Tony Stark about the contracts if he wished.

Turn to Crime
"I'll tell you what. Let's keep it. The world's changing. It's time we change too."

- Adrian Toomes

Furious at the disappointment, Toomes watched the television report on how Tony Stark had now created Damage Control in the wake of the Battle of New York to clean up the mess left behind. Toomes watched the report with Herman Schultz who commented on how the system was now rigged against them all, with Schultz noting the Avengers were now being paid to clean up their own mess they were left unemployed.

As they watched the report, Randy Vale discovered that the group still had a large amount of Chitauri technology left over which had not been handed back over to Anne Marie Hoag and her own team to be stored away. With Jackson Brice refusing to move it, Toomes then decided to keep it, convincing the group to turn to a life of crime by reverse-engineering and weaponizing the technology for sale on the streets in order to keep themselves earning money.

Over the next few years, Toomes still worked alongside Schultz and Brice while employing the Tinkerer to use more advanced technology and creating his own Vulture Suit, avoiding the attention of the FBI as well as the Avengers as they continued breaking the law. As Vulture flew into his base, he proudly told the Tinkerer and his crew that business is good as he delivered even more technology for them to weaponise and then sell to all of their new buyers.

Stealing Alien Weapons
A few months later, Toomes' arms-dealing business was still going strong. However, he received a call from Herman Schultz that Spider-Man had come across their arms deal with Aaron Davis and was pursuing him. Toomes quickly donned the Vulture Suit and flew off to Schultz's location. Open arriving at his crew's speeding van, he spotted Spider-Man about to catch the group. Swooping down, he seized Spider-Man in his talons, flying hundreds of feet into the air above New York City, only for the Spider-Man Suit to deploy a parachute, ripping the young hero out of Toomes' grip. Seeing that his men had made a successful getaway, Toomes flew back to his lair.

Confrontation with Shocker
"I wonder what your wife would think of how you really get your money? You willin' to risk that?" "No, I'm not."

- Jackson Brice and Vulture

Toomes successfully landed back in his base, removed his Vulture Suit and waited for his men to return. Jackson Brice and Herman Schultz managed to get back to the base, Brice thrilled with the chase. Toomes confronted Brice, asking him how many times he had told Brice not to fire the weapons in public, with Brice defending his actions saying that he had to move the weapons. Toomes became fed up with Brice's recklessness and attitude, telling Brice that he was fired. Disgusted, Brice threatened Toomes, saying that he will inform the authorities about their operation. Brice then asked Toomes what would happen if he told Doris Toomes about his business. This was a step too far for Toomes, who promptly picked up a weapon and shot Brice with it, instantly killing him. Confused and shocked about his actions, he asked Tinkerer if he had picked up an Anti-Gravity Gun, only to have picked up a Chitauri Gun instead. Toomes walked over to Brice's ashes and picked up the Shocker Gauntlet and passed it to Schultz, sarcastically telling him that he was the 'Shocker' now.

Hijacking Damage Control Truck
Several days later, the crew received a tip that a truck full of confiscated technology was heading to the Damage Control Headquarters by the way of Maryland. With the Shocker and Tinkerer in a van nearby, Vulture stealthily intercepted the truck. Anchoring his Wings to the truck, Vulture used a Matter Phase Disrupter to enter the truck's trailer. Taking in the sight, Vulture started filling a duffel bag with the technology. To his surprise, however, Spider-Man showed up, causing Vulture to quickly exit the truck, seeing that Spider-Man was about to jump through the wormhole he created, Vulture shut of the Matter Phase Disrupter, sealing Spider-Man in the truck. Vulture quickly made his escape, angrily leaving his stolen technology behind.

Back at his base, Toomes was still fuming over the loss of the technology. Tinkerer offered to upgrade the Vulture Suit with the high-altitude vacuum seal, so they could pull off an airborne heist against Avengers Tower. Toomes turned Mason down, asking if they still had enough technology to sell on the in a few days so Mason conformed this. Toomes began muttering that it was all Spider-Man's fault and he would kill him for interfering with his business. Overhearing, Schultz told Toomes to look at the television, which was broadcasting the Rescue at the Washington Monument, including Spider-Man saving Toomes' daughter, Liz.

Skirmish on the Staten Island Ferry
"You're messing with things that you don't understand!"

- Vulture to Spider-Man

The next day, Toomes and Herman Schultz made their way on the. Schultz left Toomes dealt with their new buyer Mac Gargan. When Schultz radioed Toomes to inform him that Spider-Man had interrupted the deal, Toomes quickly ran down to his van where his suit was being kept. When the FBI showed up to arrest Gargan and Schultz, Toomes donned his Suit and grabbed a Chitauri Gun. Bursting through the van's doors, Vulture fired upon the agents and Spider-Man. Freeing Schultz from his webbing restraints, Vulture told him to get off the ferry as they were retreating. Spider-Man fired his Web-Shooters at him, activating a Taser web when one of the strands managed to hit him. Vulture dropped the gun, which was reacting violently with the electricity, causing it to fire several lasers that cut the ferry in half. Seeing his opening, Vulture flew to the top of the ferry, where Schultz was waiting for him. With Schultz aboard his wings, Vulture took off, flying away from the battle before Iron Man could show up.

Chauffeuring
"I want you to understand that I'd do anything to protect my family... I think you know what I'm talking about. So don't mess with me. Don't interfere with my business again. 'Cause I'll kill you and everybody you love."

- Adrian Toomes to Peter Parker

A few days later, on the night of the local homecoming dance, Toomes warmly, yet casually welcomed Peter Parker into his home and tried to make small talk with the already uncomfortable boy, who was turning pale after immediately recognizing him as Vulture. He then made quips, joking that if he wanted any alcoholic beverages and also watched as a nerved Parker awkwardly took a picture with Toomes' family.

During the drive to the dance, Toomes asked Parker about what his plans were post-graduation. Liz explained to her father that Parker was only a sophomore but that he held an internship with Tony Stark. Toomes' interest was piqued further when Liz declared that Parker was even friends with Spider-Man. When Toomes asked what Spider-Man was like, Parker fumbled, prompting Toomes to ask if they had met before, stating that Parker's voice was familiar to him, as if he had recently heard it somewhere. Parker responded that they had never met, ending their conversation.

However, Liz carried on about how Parker came to their house party and left after a few minutes and then mysteriously disappeared during the Decathlon. Realizing that the Skirmish in Queens was on the same night as the party, Toomes suspected that Parker might be Spider-Man and inquired how Parker felt to have been saved at the, only for Liz to declare that Parker was not with them.

Toomes' suspicions about Parker's true identity were confirmed, although he kept his observations quiet and inconspicuous. Once Liz exited the car upon arrival, Toomes told her to give him a few minutes alone with Parker as he wished to give him the "dad talk". Once she left, he pulled a gun from the glove compartment and confronted Parker, asking him whether Liz was aware of his duality and sparing his life as gratitude saving her life. He warned Parker to stop pursuing him or else he would kill him and everybody he loved, and then prompted Parker to thank him for saving his life, declaring that they were now even.

Spider-Man Confrontation
"The rich and the powerful, like Stark, they don't care about us. We have to pick up after them. We have to eat their table scraps."

- Vulture to Spider-Man

Despite Toomes' warning, Peter Parker refused to back down and, following a fight with the Shocker tracked Toomes back to his hideout with help from Ned Leeds and confronted him. Toomes tried to justify his actions to Spider-Man, explaining that everything he had done was to support his family and claiming that the wealthy and powerful care nothing for the common people like themselves. When Spider-Man refused to listen again, Toomes summoned his Vulture Exo-Suit to break the support beams around his lair, trapping Spider-Man under a pile of rubble and leaving him to suffocate. With Parker seemingly being crushed to death as his hideout fell apart around him, Toomes stepped outside and donned his Vulture Wings which had been upgraded by the Tinkerer. Looking out over New York City, the Vulture spied on Stark Tower and waited until the cargo plane filled with the Stark Industries weapons and the other Chitauri and Ultron technology was moved out so that he could steal it and sell all of the technology on the black market.

Hijacking of the Stark Cargo Plane
"Well hot dog."

- Vulture

With that, Vulture caught up with and entered the last cargo plane leaving Stark Tower, deploying a decoy drone to throw the plane's ground control off his scent. While attempting to alter the plane's course and marveling at the Avengers' equipment, Vulture discovered that Spider-Man survived, having broken out of the rubble and quietly followed him. Furious, Vulture fought Spider-Man outside the plane, destroying one of the engines in the process. Fortunately, Spider-Man successfully managed to redirect the craft away from the city, crash-landing it on the beach at Coney Island and causing them to hit the ground hard.

Duel at Coney Island
"Time to go home, Pete." "I'm trying to save you!"

- Vulture and Spider-Man

As Spider-Man slowly regained consciousness after the crash, he took his mask off and looked around at the rubble. Because the crash made his ears begin to ring loudly, Vulture was able to pounce at Spider-Man, who was caught off-guard. Vulture then picked Spider-Man up with his talons, and slammed him into the ground repeatedly. He was about kill Spider-Man when he spotted a crate full of Arc Reactors. He dropped Spider-Man and grabbed the crate with his talons, and attempted to escape.

However, the radiation emitting from the Reactors caused the Chitauri Technology in the suit to short-circuit. Spider-Man tried to pull Vulture away from the arc reactors before the suit exploded, but he was too late and ignored his pleas to save him, overdriven by greed. His suit went up in a ball of flames. Just after Vulture crashed, Spider-Man ran into the debris and pulled him out alive. Powerless without his suit and weak from the explosion, Spider-Man was able to tie Vulture to a damaged car, where he was later found and arrested by Happy Hogan and the FBI, with Toomes offering no resistance.

Incarcerated
"Rumor has it that you knew who he is." "If I knew who he was, he would already be dead."

- Mac Gargan and Adrian Toomes

Toomes is sent to prison impeding his trial and encounters former potential buyer and current inmate Mac Gargan, who questions him about the rumors about him knowing Spider-Man's true identity and to divulge it so his friends could kill him. Wanting to repay Peter Parker for saving his life, Toomes merely responds to Gargan that if he knew who Spider-Man really was, he would already be dead.

Personality
"I want you to understand that I'd do anything to protect my family. I know you know what I'm talking about. So don't mess with me. Don't interfere with my business again. 'Cause I will kill you and everybody you love."

- Vulture to Spider-Man

Before being thrown out of business by Damage Control, Toomes was apparently a hard-working man who supported his family honestly. However, after being thrown out of business he became desperate knowing he and his family would suffer, showing that he deeply cared for their well-being. As a result, he became a ruthless and calculating man who was willing to commit crimes to do whatever it takes to support his family. It was apparent that his wife and daughter were disapproving of his actions, as they left him following his arrest.

Initially, Toomes was annoyed by Spider-Man and tried multiple times to get the young hero out of his way, his realistic worldview clashing with Spider-Man's boundless idealism. However, after his daughter was saved by Spider-Man, and learning that he was, in fact, Peter Parker one of Liz's classmates, he gradually developed a sense of respect for him and even tried to convince him to join his side. However, he was willing to kill him if he tried to thwart his plans. After his arrest, however, he refused to give away Spider-Man's secret identity that he deduced, possibly due to Spider-Man saving both his daughter and himself.

Powers
Exo-Suit: Toomes was outfitted with a flying mechanical suit created by Phineas Mason with salvaged Chitauri technology. As Vulture, he would use the suit for heists on other salvaged equipment from Damage Control. In appearance, it consists of a metallic body armor, outfitted with a winged steel harness.
 * Flight: Vulture's suit is outfitted with a powerful winged harness that also has jet propulsion systems which allow him to fly.
 * Superhuman Strength: The suit gives Vulture the strength to overpower both humans and superhumans, while the wings and talons are strong enough to destroy concrete with ease.
 * Superhuman Durability: Vulture's suit is designed to withstand blows from superhumans like Spider-Man.
 * Superhuman Speed and Agility: The suits jet propulsion systems allow Vulture to fly at high speeds and maneuver in the air with incredible agility, despite its large frame.

Abilities

 * Gifted Intelligence: Toomes is very intelligent, being able to deduce Spider-Man's secret identity from existing information. He is able to see the profit in anything, seeing that the Chitauri technology could be used for more nefarious needs.
 * Expert Tactitian: Toomes was able to plan and execute the Hijacking of the D.O.D.C. Truck and the Hijacking of the Stark Cargo Plane.
 * Average Marksman: Toomes was able to aim and fire a Chitauri Gun precise enough to cut through the webbing restraining Herman Schultz from a far distance.

Equipment

 * Vulture's Exo-Suit: Vulture uses a suit made with Chitauri technology and outfitted with a winged steel harness that allows him to fly.
 * Beam Gun: Vulture uses a powerful beam gun that is capable of bisecting large ships.
 * Matter Phase Disrupter: Vulture used technology designed by Phineas Mason to be able to turn a portion of a surface intangible and transparent like glass with a purple glow. He would notably attach this device to trucking containers and even the hull of an Avengers plane to pass inside of them to steal the supplies inside.

Family

 * Doris Toomes - Wife
 * Liz Toomes - Daughter

Allies

 * Adrian Toomes' Crew
 * Phineas Mason/Tinkerer
 * Herman Schultz/Shocker
 * Randy Vale
 * Mac Gargan

Enemies

 * Jackson Brice † - Former Employee turned Victim
 * Peter Parker/Spider-Man - Attempted Victim and Savior
 * Damage Control - Business Opponents
 * Anne Marie Hoag
 * Foster
 * Stark Industries
 * Tony Stark/Iron Man
 * Happy Hogan

Trivia

 * In the comics, Vulture originally flew with a pair of magnetic wings to get revenge on his former business partner. Vulture was also one of the founding members of Spider-Man's recurrent group of enemies, the Sinister Six alongside Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Mysterio, Electro and Kraven the Hunter.
 * In the comics, Wilson Allan is the father of Liz Allan and the second husband of Doris Raxton. This is, however, not the first time Liz's father is a supervillain. In the Ultimate Comics, her father is the mutant villain Blob.

Behind the Scenes

 * Jon Watts stated that he was inspired by John C. Reilly's Rhomann Dey from Guardians of the Galaxy for Toomes' "ground-level perspective" in the film.
 * Jon Watts said Toomes would be different from other Marvel Cinematic Universe villains like Thanos and Ultron, as "It's fun to think that if Spider-Man is a regular kid who becomes a superhero, there's got to be a bunch of regular guys who become supervillains, too."
 * Michael Keaton calls Toomes "interesting to play" and not completely villainous, saying "there's parts of him that you go, 'You know what? I might see his point.'
 * Co-producer Eric Hauserman Carroll likened Toomes to "the dark Tony Stark", a "businessman with a family. He wants to look out for his kids. He’s got sort of a Tony Soprano mentality. He doesn't have these big delusions of grandeur where he wants to take over the world, or replace the government, or even defeat the Avengers or anything. He just wants his shot at the good life".
 * The Vulture is the third superhero-type character based on a flying animal that Michael Keaton has portrayed, with the previous two being in ' and ' and Birdman in .
 * Toomes intensely dislikes Tony Stark for putting him out of business. Michael Keaton's character in , Riggan Thompson, has a similar dislike of Robert Downey, Jr. due to the fact that while they both achieved fame portraying superheroes, Downey is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood while he has faded into obscurity.