Benjamin Parker is the uncle of Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. Throughout every Marvel Comics continuity, he has been a kind and sagely figure toward Peter and his tragic death is what spurs Peter to become a crime-fighter. He is gunned down by a criminal that Spider-Man had the opportunity to stop, but chose not to, thinking it wasn't his responsibility. It was only after Ben's murder that Peter came to realise the truth of his uncle's last lesson to him, "With great power comes great responsibility."