Spider-Man is the only superhero in the Marvel movies that deserves serious interpretation. It carries three thematic labels that other Marvel heroes lack: teenage hero, ordinary hero, and hero of destiny.
It is because of these three labels that no matter how many versions of Spider-Man appear across multiple universes, they all share the same origin—a regular civilian background, gaining abilities during their teenage years, and truly becoming Spider-Man after experiencing the death or departure of their loved ones. Whether it's the trio of Tom Holland's Spider-Man or the multiple versions in the previous film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse they all essentially represent one Spider-Man, as they possess a philosophical unity.
That's why in the previous film, each introduction of a Spider-Man begins with "I'm the one and only Spider-Man in this world," emphasizing not only their uniqueness in quantity but also their shared experiences. For this world, for New York, for Brooklyn, Spider-Man is special, singular, and no matter how many there are, each one is unique.
However, in this latest film, things have changed. The protagonist, Miles Morales, enters a world full of Spider-Men from different parallel universes. They all come together in a world solely inhabited by Spider-Men, forming a team that maintains the balance of the multiverse. This is the biggest subversion in this film, and also brings many benefits, mostly in terms of genre. Various jokes can be more naturally delivered, ancient Spider-Man references can be made, the collision of different art styles and visual impacts brought by various Spider-Man, as well as a multitude of homage, easter eggs, all effortlessly showcased through this subversion.
However, at the same time, this subversion brings a new problem: When everyone is Spider-Man, there is no Spider-Man, the things that need to be saved cease to exist, and the villains cannot be effectively established. Without humans to highlight Spider-Man's superhuman attributes, the significance of Spider-Man itself fades away.
This is indeed a very brave innovation, but it also requires new means to address the disappearance of that significance. Does Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have it?
Yes, and this means is even more in line with the concept of subversion. In other words, the subversion is not for the entertainment elements I mentioned earlier, but rather as a springboard for the story to accomplish a new round of subversion. It aims for the disappearance of the villains because in a superhero movie, once the villains are weakened, new conflicts are inevitably needed, and that is its objective. It also aims for the disappearance of Spider-Man's uniqueness because only then can a certain proposition that was never noticed in the Spider-Man series before become "visible"—the destiny of Spider-Man. In traditional superhero narratives, when we focus on the relationship between humans and superheroes, superheroes are just saviors. But in a Spider-man world, our attention is naturally drawn to the relationship between Spider-Men themselves.
Therefore, the similarities and differences within the Spider-Man group become more apparent. The similarity is that all the Spider-Men in it are going through the destiny events I mentioned at the beginning. In other words, to become a true Spider-Man, one must go through sacrifices, farewells, and immense pain. This statement is already similar to the "you must do certain things at a certain age" that we face in reality, and it has become a destiny indoctrination for Spider-Man. The difference is that Miles did not experience this series of accidents and yet he is aware of the upcoming "death of his father." When this difference appears, a new conflict, which is the true objective of the screenplay, arises—the conflict between Miles and the "destiny of Spider-Man." Spider-Man is no longer fighting against the villains but fighting against destiny.
There is a line in the film that indicates the change in this core conflict. Miguel, the elite Spider-Man leading the Spider-Man team, asks Miles, "Are you willing to save one person or save the whole world?" Miles' answer is, "I want both." This point was actually foreshadowed from the first film, which introduced an older version of Spider-Man, Peter B. Parker, and introduced this future version of the middle-aged Spider-Man, Miguel (Spider-Man 2099).
When they appear before teenage Spider-Man Miles, they pose a very important question - Will I become you in the future? the answer is unique. Miles will go through similar tribulations and grow up to be either Miguel or Peter Parker. The essential question here is whether Spider-Man has the right to make choices. Let's rewind back to 2007 when the final Spider-Man film starring Tobey Maguire, Spider-Man 3 was released. This film remains the most special one in the Spider-Man series. In it, Peter Parker encounters Venom, becomes infected, and his inner evil is magnified, turning him into another black-suited Spider-Man.
To take off the black suit or continue wearing it? This is the first time in the live-action Spider-Man film series that Spider-Man has the right to choose, but at the same time, he is also sacrificing the right to choose for Spider-Man. Because the ending line of that film is, "It is our choices that determine what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The first half of the line forms the basis of " Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," while the second half is the root of the destiny of Spider-Man. Spider-Man must do the right thing, which often involves social responsibility because he was labeled with the slogan "With great power comes great responsibility" from the very beginning. But let's not forget that in the first film, the moment Miles officially becomes Spider-Man, he is in the black suit, where there is no longer a symbol of justice or evil. However, black is already a symbol of the screenwriter's stance towards Miles from the previous film. He will not grow up to be any red-suited Spider-Man; he is different from birth.
The moment he truly awakens and decides to become Spider-Man is also different from all the previous Spider-Man movies. It's not about the sacrifice of a loved one but a conversation he has with his father through a closed door. It's personal responsibility rather than societal responsibility which push him to change. This already sets him apart from other Spider-Men. In the realm of training and rules, he is an anomaly, but in terms of the symbolic significance of Spider-Man, he represents the id. "I am the result of all my causes and effects." This approach of shifting the conflict from external villains to the inner world of a superhero turns this series into a true epic, an epic of questioning.
Of course, because this film hasn't reached its true conclusion, it only tells half of the story and ends before the final battle. The real conclusion will be in the next film, and currently, we naturally cannot provide more answers about the questioning. This tweet may have to leave a suspense, just like the film. Let's wait. In March next year, the answers will come.
Share your thoughts!
Be the first to start the conversation.