The Oscar nominee publicly addressed his return to the Spider-Man universe for the first time in a new interview published Thursday

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Warning: This post contains spoilers for Marvel’s latest Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Andrew Garfield is revealing what got him to return to Spider-Man.

The actor, 38, made a surprise appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which his version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man from Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man movies returned for an extended cameo alongside current franchise star Tom Holland.

Garfield last appeared as the hero in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which ended on quite a low note for his Spider-Man after the death of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).

In an interview with Variety published on Thursday, the Tick, Tick…Boom! star revealed how it was this plot point, in fact, that ultimately convinced him to suit back up for No Way Home.

“There was so many unanswered questions for my Peter, where we left it. I got to step back in and get some healing for him,” he told the publication.

Much of that healing came from his character’s opportunity to save MJ (Zendaya), the love interest of Holland’s Peter Parker, as she falls in the final act of the new film.

MJ’s falling scene intentionally mirrors the one from the climax of Amazing Spider-Man 2, in which Stone’s Gwen falls to her death off a bridge when Spider-Man can’t get to her. In the new film, however, Garfield’s Spider-Man is able to save MJ in time.

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“My Spider-Man got to save his younger brother’s romantic relationship, potentially. And to heal the most traumatic moment of his own life through doing it for his younger brother,” Garfield told Variety.

The moment when Garfield’s Spider-Man sets Zendaya’s MJ safely down on her feet is arguably the most emotional beat in No Way Home, with the hero choking back tears at the memory of his lost love.

“Making sure that [Holland’s Spider-Man] didn’t have the same fate, there’s something cosmically beautiful about that,” said Garfield. “It meant getting a second chance at saving Gwen.”

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“I will say the image of my catching [Zendaya’s] MJ — that was really beautiful and it kind of sold me on the whole thing,” he added of his decision to participate in the most recent Spidey movie.

The new film, which stars Holland as the ‘current’ Marvel Spider-Man, involves a plot that pulls together disparate Spider-Man universes and franchises, namely Garfield’s as well as that of the original cinematic webslinger Tobey Maguire.

Throughout much of last year, Garfield was faced time and again with rumors that he’d appear in the newest Spidey flick, oftentimes while promoting The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Tick, Tick… Boom!.

Nonetheless, he remained tight-lipped about his return. In the end, Garfield and Maguire appeared in much of the film’s second half, as multiple Spider-Man universes, heroes and villains converge on current star Holland’s world.

“We were shooting for two weeks, Tobey and I, but I think we managed to achieve something that is not just showing up and going, ‘Hi! Bye!’ ” Garfield told the publication.

Now, thanks to the enthusiasm surrounding his surprise return to the franchise, fans have been clamoring for more Garfield in the red and blue suit. Both Maguire and Holland have had three entries in their respective Spider-Man franchises, while Garfield only got two.

Of a potential future foray as Spider-Man in a new film, the star said he’s up for considering it. “I mean, yes, [I would be] definitely open to something if it felt right,” Garfield said in the Variety interview.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently in theaters, where earlier this week it passed 2018’s Incredibles 2 to take the No. 10 spot of highest-earning movies of all time at the domestic box office.