#Hobie Pavitr Gwen's arc

[bucketsofgiggles]

so... spider-verse...

god it was so fucking good!!!!!!! i saw it again yesterday and super glad i did because i got to pick up some details i missed the first time (like how Hobie was stealing tech from Miguel's lab to build his own dimension-hopping watch that Gwen later gets). just !!!!!!!

and the risk of making the villain be a brand new character???????? and it fucking working????????????? The Spot is an incredible villain, what a seamless transition from "haha funny starter villain to establish how far Miles has come as being his dimension's Spider-Man" to "oh fuck this guy is legitimately terrifying and all-powerful", which is aided by his perfect voice acting. but what a gamble to not use an established villain from the comics. itsv needed commonly known Spider-Man villains because the general audience was learning about Miles, Gwen, and the others, though they did do the fun trick of making Doc Ock, one of the most recognizable of Spider-Man's rogues gallery, a woman which paid off spectacularly and probably helped prove they could take further risks with villains. but for the new one, with the core Spider-People being established now, having a complete canon foreigner be the villain was great, especially how it fits the common "Create Your Own Villain" trope from super heroes. and having Miles' arch nemesis be intrinsically tied to his origin story is perfect with the reveal that Miles of 1610 wasn't supposed to be Spider-Man. Miles being Spider-Man was't supposed to be "canon" in a multiverse where canon events have great power. so of course, Miles' greatest foe would be unique to him as well.

[cyareclones]

got 30 new mini charm designs up in the shop! 24 different clones (my new record!) so im sure you’ll find at least one little guy to love. preorders are only open for 2 weeks, so plan accordingly :]

—> cyareclones.com

[vulnonapixs-marvel-corner]

I wonder how Pavitr is doing.

Imagine working with ppl, fighting together only for those friends to stand back and do nothing whilst you suffer.

The trust is gone when his Dimension stabilizes again and the realization hits that his Girlfriends dad and an innocent child would have died because of them doing nothing.

Especially since it seemed that he was close to Gwen and Hobie and yet it was the guy that he barley knew (and ranted at) that risked his live to save those pll.

[welcometogrouchland]

Oh I should do something with that toh/spider-verse art I made a while back

[pepperingsteaks]

I JUST WATCHED SPIDERMAN !!!! I FEEL SO INSANE RRAAAAJCJSJBCJSHCH

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Another case for Mild!Miguel:

HOBIE is the reason I think Mild!Miguel exists. Hear me Out:

Inversions & Parallels in ATSV

[A post where I talk about how the existence of Hobie's arc backs up and/or proves my Mild Miguel theory.

MEDIUM length, I talk about plot connections and writing stuff as well as my predictions for Miguel in BTSV.]

Subversions: Character Building in ATSV

One thing that sets ATSV apart from a lot of other Superhero movies is that it's centered around not 'heroing', but the characters and the relationships they hold.

Each character in ATSV has a Subversion in their arc.

Subversions being the defying of the audience's expectations pre-conceived notion of a character. Almost every character we see experiences a conflict with how we first understand them.

Gwen goes from being closeted and closed off both emotionally and literally in terms of her Spider-identity. She starts the movie pushing away her close friends, and ends her arc embracing her dad.

With Jess, she is introduced as a family woman, who talks about her husband and child openly. When in reality, she's not a familial or a parental figure in the slightest.

Pavitr is introduced as a confident guy, who can effortlessly save everybody and still have time for school, a relationship, and a collection of streetdogs. But in reality, he's still just a kid who hasn't taken an L yet. He needs help, panics and sucks at hiding his secret identity.

Peter is shown as a happy comfortable new father who has perfected the art of being a full time dad and changing avocado poop pampers. But later, we see he's just a guy, still figuring this whole dad thing out.

With Rio & Jeff, they start the movie literally grounding Miles, and by the end, they're forced to trust him out there in the big world.

Even Miles experiences this, as he goes from a kid who wants to be apart of something bigger - before realizing that he only needs himself.

The writers of ATSV use these subversion in order to make three dimensional characters.

And Hobie Brown, may be the best example of this. The Writers preying on our pre-conceived notions of punk, and love triangles to give us a vision of Hobie before he even appears on screen.

In the film Hobie, is the only subversion that is purposeful. He's the only one doing this behavior on conscious effort.

Hobie is an outlier. His subversion is intentional - and doing this gives him enough power to exercise a lot of influence over the plot going forward.

Hobie Brown is the king of Subversion.

But who doesn't have a Subversion? Miguel.

But let's hold that thought for a second.

Parallels: Relationship Building in ATSV

All of the subversions are what cause conflict in plot. And in ATSV, ever character and their conflict, as an a equal reflection of their situation - A Parallel.

And the same way each character experiences a subversion, that leads to conflict -

Each Conflict has a Parallel situation that mirrors theirs.

And these parallels can help us predict the story.

Gwen & Miles Parallel each other:

Miles' family is desperate to be apart of his life, while Gwen's family - her father, openly rejects her. And in the end: Miles ends up as far away from his parents as possible, around the same time Gwen returns to her fathers arms.

Jess & Peter Parallel each other:

Jess begins the story with a hands-off mentoring approach - while Peter's is more emotionally driven. And in the end: Jess begins questioning her callousness towards Gwen, meanwhile Peter questions if his approach and babying of Miles is actually what he needs.

Rio & Jeff Parallel each other:

Rio starting the film being more stern on Miles - the last one in the guidance consolers office and the one to remind him of the cake. Meanwhile, Miles' dad is the one trying to cut Miles some slack. And in the end: Rio is the more open one - she's the one who lets Miles go with Gwen, and the one who hears when out at the end. Meanwhile Miles' dad is the opposite - ready to jump at the accusation of drugs. (lmao)

Hell, even characters that we see on screen for less than ten minutes could be considered parallels:

Pavitr & Margo Parallel each other:

Pavitr is inexperienced, but loving life. He's out in the field enjoying himself and his universe. While Margo is more experienced. She works the Go-Home Machine. But unlike Pavitr, she's not out in the field, and she doesn't enjoy her universe. By the end of their arcs: Pavitr is humbled and realizes there's some dark moments that come with Spider-man, and some close calls. While Margo regains her motivation and spark through Miles, heading out in the field again.

Every character has a subversion - Ever subversion causes conflict - and every conflict leads to a parallel. And through that, the story is made.

Just one problem:

Hobie doesn't have a Parallel. Neither does Miguel.

Why does Hobie - the only one who purposely uses subversion - not have a parallel?

If Hobie is 'The guy playing a pretentious fake punk based on people's preconceived notions of his ideology and appearance, who uses it to his advantage only when he wants to, and uses it for good - that results in a growth in community'

Where is 'The guy playing a pretentious authority figure based on people's preconceived notions of his ideology and appearance, who uses it to his advantage only when he wants to, and uses it for evil that results in a loss of community.'

Where is that guy? Can you find him?

Oh, damn it's Miguel.

Story Structure in ATSV:

If we look at the story structure of ATSV not only do we see that there's subversions and parallels, but we see a hole in the story.

With each character going on an arc the completely subverts audiences expectations - Why doesn't Miguel? (he does.)

And with each subversion, in Hobie's case, if everyone has an reflection of themselves and their situation that tie them into the story by common themes - Why doesn't Hobie? (he does.)

Why is Hobie the face of 'fake rebel that leads to great purposeful action' - and there's no 'fake leader than leads to horrible un-purposeful action'? (there is)

Did the Writers just leave this hole, and not tie Miguel and Hobie's arc in the same way as everyone elses?

No. There is a connection there.

Hobie is Miguel's reflection. Miguel is his parallel. Miguel's subversion is that he's not mean. He's putting on a persona.

Their parallel is - that they're both putting on an act. One for rebellion, one for order.

The difference is - Hobie enjoys his act, he uses it for good, and good things come of it. When he drops his mask as the 'fake punk', he does it out of the urge to empower himself.

Hence why he demasks himself in the comics.

And on Miguel's hand - He doesn't enjoy his act, he uses it for bad, and bad things come of it. When Miguel drops his mask and tells Miles two days, that is his mask dropping. It happens not out of empowerment, but vulnerability.

The whole scene in the lair is a purposeful ACT. That's why when he looks at Hobie (ironically, his parallel) he is able to turn it off immediately. Within seconds.

Whereas Hobie drops his mask in times of trust or action and rebellion - Miguel drops his in times of apathy or vulnerability - aka HIM SHOWING MILES GAB'S DEATH.

Miguel's conversation with Miles here - is the only time we see him not putting on the 'evil, angry, grumpy boss' mask.

He's vulnerable. This is Miguel unmasked. MILD MIGUEL.

While they were walking - Hobie takes his 'fake punk' mask off to be candid with Miles. He speaks honestly and offers empathy - and that is the GOOD inciting incident for Miles' rebellion.

Miguel is the parallel.

He purposely strips his 'fake mean boss' mask off in order to be candid with Miles. He speaks honestly and offers empathy - by telling him how long his father had to live (something he didn't have to do). And that empathy that Miguel gives is the BAD inciting incident for Miles' rebellion.

And when Miles is faced with the parallel of both Hobie and Miguel in rapid succession - it's enough to spawn him to escape.

Hobie and Miguel are opposing but mirrored forces on Miles.

Every character has a subversion. Every subversion causes conflict. Every conflict causes a parallel that spans action.

If Miguel doesn't have a subversion - and Hobie doesn't have a parallel, then how can those conflicts meet? Why this gap in the writing.

If Hobie does have a parallel, the only one left is Miguel.

But, if we're to believe that Hobie does have a parallel, and Miguel is that parallel - then naturally, they're mirrors of each other - and just like Hobie is - Miguel is putting on an act too.

And because the strongest representation of Miguel we see is anger, we know the anger is a mask for something else; aka MILD!MIGUEL

Which is what we see at the climax scene, the real Miguel.

Miguel and Hobie reveal their true colors at the same time, because they're parallels.

Hobie chuckles - the next shot - Miguel snaps.

It's meant to show in that moment in those two shots, these two characters are at their emotional peak. A battle between the two of them - convincing Miles - that Miguel doesn't even know about.

Hobie wins in this moment, Miguel loses, and we see them completely demasked, come to find out - we were wrong, Hobie the one in control and calm - and Miguel is not, he's grasping for control in anyway possible and it's literally slipping from his hands.

There stories are linked, and they barely share any lines at all.

Mild!Miguel exists because Anarchist!Hobie exists.

And all of this is why I think the following:

My predictions for BTSV:

Looking at Hobie's arc:

Fake Persona - Persuasive Set-Up (Talk with Miles) - Inciting Incident around Miles that leads to action (Miles breaks out, Hobie leaves to give Gwen the watch) - Self evaluation and commitment to the cause (joining the gang)

I think Miguel's is gonna follow the same thing

Fake Persona - Persuasive Set Up (This is Everything Speech) - Inciting Incident around Miles (Miles breaks out, Miguel snaps) - Self evaluation and commitment to the cause

Miguel re-evaluates himself and changes sides, turning the Societies resources on Spot.

Based on the subversions, parallels and plot arcs we see in ATSV, my most honest guess is:

Miguel is gonna redeem himself by choice very early into the film.

You know how the first half of ATSV is writen so when you rewatch it again, you'll see the complexities of Hobie's character?

I think the whole movie is written that way. So when you rewatch it AFTER Beyond the Spider-Verse, you can see the complexities of Miguel's character as well.

______________________________ THERE THATS WHY I THINK MILD MIGUEL EXISTS BESIDES EVERYTHING ELSE AND ALL THE VISUAL QUES AND STUFF. THIS IS THE MAIN REASON.

THAT'S WHAT I MEANT I'm so relieved to finally make sense of it. GOSSSSHHH

If you read this far, thank you for your time and entertaining me I'm SO SERIOUS THANK YOU

Please let me know what you think I'm DYING to know

Anyway closing RANT BELOW

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Warning: I go Miguel Mode below]

Thats why this WHOLE TIME I've been like he's RIGHT THERE HJSGDGKDS Cause like -- the story calls for it. if hes not faking why does he have that platform???? Why doesn't Hobie have a paralllel?? Like why is Hobie just this random ass OP character randomly dropped in for funsies - he isn't he's there to reflect Miguel's fake power. Hobie hides his true power the way Miguel hides his powerlessness AHHHHH

THATS WHAT IVE BEEN TRYING TO PUT IN WORDS!! THAT LIKE...I WAS WATCHING THE MOVIE *deep breath* I FEEL SO RELIEVED.

I was watching the movie and feeling like somethings missing in the story - that there's a whole connection that's MISSING There's SOMETHING we're not getting - there's something there. Something that can tells us SO much about the next movie

and seeing peoples interpretations of Miguel made me be like no.... he cant be the only 3 dimensional one. Everyone is the OPPOSITE of what we think they are. Everyone.

And everyone has a parallel. And this is the connection that is missing.

tTHIS IS WHAT I MEANT HOLY FUCK I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO SAY IT.

When I say 'He's in the room with us, he's standing right there' - I mean 'His existence as a character is what completes the plot. Mild!Miguel HAS to be there logically speaking'

DO YOU GET WHAT I MEAN LIKE MILD MIGUEL AND MIGUELS ACT AS THE LEADER IS CENTRAL TO THIS MOVIE AND THE NEXT.

MILD MIGUEL IS GONNA BE A HUGE PART OF THE NEXT MOVIE

ahhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Anyway if you're still here after THAT Hello hi I love you - Please tell me your thoughts and if you think it makes sense!

Here's Hobie for your travels!

Bye.

[extracurious]

Reminiscence

Still Drunken on the memories of the summer of 2023.I watched the movie almost 50 times till now but truly fatigue didn't grip me. The theatre experience was outstanding. I went there with very little expectation, of course a sequel rarely matches it's predecessor.The intro of ATSV made me think that it was not the case of waste of money or time . I got what I wished for since the trailer release.Terrific voice acting done by Shameik Moore , Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Issac, Issa Rae, Daniel kaluuya, Karan Soni and others.

Peter B Parker and Miles carried the first movie with their most relatable energy.In second movie it was good to see Peter as a happy dad. Still he needed to be more cautious while handling Mayday amidst the multiverse madness even though she had spider powers .

Miles transformation was absolutely stunning one. He had grown, became emotionally intelligent yet he was not a pro. Still working for upgrading himself and continued learning. And we all had agreed that he always listened to his heart.

And coming to Gwen she was definitely "not okay" in ATSV ,especially not in a great position to handle her feelings. She doubted whether she had any importance or simply her existence was fragile.While Miles was always there to praise her innocence,wisdom,grace,skills and her self esteem.

I already had a notion of how their friendship was going to evolve into a much more beautiful bonding they could crave for. And yes Sony finally did it ,which was doomed for years. Congratulations to Hailee Steinfeld for brilliantly portraying Gwen Stacy and winning the Astra Awards and other accolades for her role.

Their interactions in ITSV had always a flirty tone in it which was subtly noticeable until Miles comeback in final battle. At that time there was a sudden realisation that the moments Gwen had longed for specially sharing with Miles, was going to end soon as the portal for her travelling back home had finally opened.

I was hoping to get atleast the full convo of the bus ride that had been pending since ITSV and how they managed to get the selfie. Well BTSV must provide that to us. Their moments together need to cherished everytime.

Hobie and Pavitr's friendship had been an exception. They were always jolly and supportive .

Expecting more screentime for all the members of the band in next movie. We all missed them a lot.

And this trio would be having a long talk before reconciliation. They would need to fix and thereby heal each other from the wounds suffered due to the betrayal.

Miguel had a hard time after loss of his daughter.His established theories could not be entirely wrong but his ideologies regarding cannon events should be studied and explained with more precision. He had been unaware of the actual policies of multiversal working. Cause he only depended on what "the model says- Lyla".Hoping the writers would be able to properly add the details and justify the incidents in BTSV along with the reason why Gwen glitched so less than other spideys in ITSV.

The creation of a joke villain,who being later considered as a multiversal threat,Spot's arc was indeed incredibly done by the writers. Eagerly looking forward as to how Spot can manipulate space and time and find the answers about his holes.

On other hand Miles 42- He gave a feeling of hardened, unshakeablly confident but sad at same time. Kind of aggressively caring person.

Lastly the music played a crucial role in uplifting the cinematic experience. Uniquely blending with all the characters. The ost and music tracks had been top notch, where "The falling apart " and "calling" became my favourite.A big thanks to Daniel Pemberton and Metro Boomin for making this a masterpiece.

This movie had no business going that hard.And I knew this obsession would have no end. 🥺

-extracurious

[punkeropercyjackson]

The Spiderband in my vision

The full lineup is Miles,Gwen,Peni,Hobie,Margo,Pavitr,Gayatri,Ganke and Miles G

Miles is a dreadhead,Gwen is a lightskin half white afro-dominicana with black hair and brown eyes who went through an implied hair journey(straight hair in Itsv > locs in Atsv),Peni is wasian with her dad having been a Peter Parker,Hobie is jamaican-ugandan,Margo is haitian and Gayatri is Sikh

Miles is transmascfem catkin,Gwen is a xenogender trans girl,Peni is a transbian,Hobie is transmasc unlabeled(nonbinary,boy and girl),Margo is transmasc genderfluid and so femme she dosen't want t or surgeries,Pavitr is transhet,Gayatri is a bi nonbinary trans girl,Ganke is a gay trans boy and Miles G is a catkin bi trans boy

And all of them are Triple A's(adhd,autism and anxiety)and punk as Hobie radicalized them(Miles is afrosolarpunk and pastel punk,so is Gwen,Gayatri is another solarpunk,Peni is goth punk,Miles G is afrogothpunk,Pavitr is skapunk,Margo is glampunk and Ganke is crustpunk)

Miles,Gwen,Hobie and Margo are the Spidey Core Four as Gwen's best friendship with Hobie and Margo led to them sneaking out too as they noticed she was gone and were worried sick for her so they went to find her and so they joined the mcs faction

Gayatri is a Spiderwoman Variant like Gwen since it breaks Canon even better if she is and her nickname is 'Spiderladdoo' after her favorite indian food(don't worry,unlike the Pavitr chai jokes,this was inspired by my indian friend giving me approval on my headcanon of her loving laddoo specifically in the tags but is never turned into a gag except to tease her for how cutesy it is and is meant to be a positive replacement for them).She's pretty much a y2k girlpower cartoon protagonist considering her school life in contrast to it-Popular perfect girl at school,cringeswag Spiderwoman after class lets out

Miles G's redemption arc in Beyond is Zuko level in excecution i.e more of a healing arc/atonement arc than anything else and Uncle Aaron being there for him despite appearing to only want to be a bad influence(even through at it all,Uncle Aaron only wants the best for Miles in every universe)

Gwen dosen't go back to George and her 'only half of who i am' line is a triple meaning(Ghostspider,trans and biracial)as a reflection on how he forced her to detach from her blackness out of racism as a cop and she kicks his ass when he hands her Hobie's Watch for her before he even explains himself and she feels bad for just a twinge of a second before realizing she dosen't owe it to him to care since he never spared her that.She then gets adopted by Jessica and her husband as they already think of eachother as mom and daughter so it was an easy solution

Gamke per his wishes isn't their Guy In The Chair,he's their Silly Little Guy(civillian friend who hangs out with them and helps out with the superhero junk directly and not staying on the sidelines but given help to make it easier for him on and off the field)

Margo is a bullied friendless outcast who's too often too nice for her own good thanks to growing up with parents who'd fight nonstop leaving her with an aversion to conflict for her own peace and the rest of the Spiderband teach her how to stand up for herself and do it themselves when she's not brave enough to,which encourages her to get even tougher so she dosen't feel like she's burdening them(she isn't of course,they love her too much)

They don't really go on patrol/missions with anyone except eachother out of trauma :( They have trust issues outside of their lil tightly knit together friend group but as they grow older they heal from it

Hobie is the Team Dad but the proper found family definition,not nuclear family toxicity and this includes adressing he acts the part pretty largely out of adultification trauma and he opens up about it eventually but way even before that,they all pitch in to help him with caretaking and that's what gave him the courage to do so.He ended up breaking down in both sadness and mushy love for them and they comforted him with showers of both verbal and physical affection

Peni is everybody's little sister and it dosen't feel infantalizing to her but helps her heal and feel safe and at home yet as strong as she needs to be and more with how much confidence they express in her nonstop to the point it actually ends up embarrassing her and she demands they stop(they only go harder in response)

Pavitr uses his 'sunshine boy' image to be a bitch(affectionate)so often it's concluded that's just what he's like the whole time counting how authentic and earnest he is in either side and mood

They do alllllll the fun teenage things together-Skateboarding,graffiti,reading books,dying their hair unnatural colors,eating bad for you food,meme challenges and shitpost videos,gaming,watching anime,playing with legos,diy sessions,petty crime sprees,etc

They dimension hop on the reg to be together too,no matter who or what tries to stop them

If Miles and Gwen are sunflowers,Margo and Hobie are moonflowers,Pavitr and Gayatri are lillies,Peni is a rose,Miles G is a wilted sunflower and Ganke is a daisy

Cat cafes are special to them so they go to them often and try to find new ones in each dimension they find

Built their own base unafiliated to Spider Society a la Codename:Kids Next Door.They call it 'The Homeweb' and they also have their own group chat titled 'Websters Declassified'

Trans girl!Miles',Pavitr's and Miles G's names would be Mirasol,Lavanya and Mari

Wether Flowerbyte or Prowlerbyte happens(Margo has the Morales brothers down BAD),Rio insists Margo move in with her and her fam as a future in-laws thing as she can't stand how miserable living with her parents clearly makes her and she agrees almost instantly,once she gets over her shock and squee's in girlish joy,happily hugging Rio and jumping up and down in joy,to Rio's frizzlement

They all really like X-Ray Spex,Lo-Fi Chiptunes,Meet Me @ The Altar and weird ass concept asmr's

And the biggest reason they love eachother and are real best friends unlike the posers they had to deal with is they weren't even meant to meet,much less feel like they're only a team out of obligation-'Soulmates are stupid,i love you on purpose','You dreamnt of me?/No,i thought of you' and 'It's too bad we're not soulmates.It's too good to give up on you' typa beat is the Spiderband beat

[xganyuuuxx]

The silliest headcanon I ever had with my best friend 💀

Miguel and Peter.b adopt Hobie and Pavitr, and one day Peter.b comes back with Miles and asks if they can adopt him as well.

This is literally the stupidest thing I ever created but it's so funny on so many levels XD

Random prompts

Imagine Hobie going onto his rebellion arc and being a nuisance to Miguel while he's trying his best to not snap. Or imagine what would happen if Hobie one time came back with a tattoo 💀

Pavitr being the golden child always buys gifts for Peter.b and Miguel

Miles comes back home with Gwen (they wanted to hang out) and Miguel enters his parent mode with "who is she" "how long you know her" "she doesn't look nice"

Peter.b being the chilliest parent ever with the rule of "Ask Miguel" whenever they want to go out and ask him.

And all of the other stuff, take it as modern AU or however you want <3

[shizukateal]

In honor of Across The Spiderverse going digital, here's the Beyond the Spiderverse Prediction Bingo!!!!

Explanations below the readmore:

Spider Ham's Chekov Hammer: simple enough to guess, I'm just really waiting for that to pay off, preferably over Miguel's head.

Spider Noir and Hobie get along: just some good ole' fanservice.

Miles G. is actually a dork (he's just better at hiding it. mildly): Wow, great introduction Miles G.! Very suspenseful and intimidating!! Let's see how long you can carry that demeanor without breaking.

Margo / Miles (Miles G.?) / Gwen Love Triangle (Pavitr is annoying about it): Pass the popcorn everyone. How resentful will be Miles when he meets Gwen again? Is getting the spider-band together enough for him or is it just the first step into making amends? Maybe he feels more grateful towards Margo (and Hobie) and will give Gwen (and Peter B.) the cold shoulder for a while. Will Miles G. also enter the ring? Maybe this one really cute comic by @bubblypinkfreak will become true.

Jess Drew Subplot (baby is born?): REAL interested in finding out why Jess would ever follow an asshole like Miguel. Also she deserves more plot relevance. And fanart. Aaaaaand I kinda want to see her husband too.

The Spot Collapses in on himself: Gonna be honest with you, people, I have no idea how they'll fight him, this just seems like the cleanest solution.

Miguel's actually just as much of an anomaly as Miles: My own personal theory, not really based on anything concrete beyond some flags I get from Miguel and some stuff I'll explain later. Basically, I think Miguel's projecting on Miles, and that's part of why his beef towards him is so intense. The only explanation I can think of is that he destroyed his original dimension, not just the one with his daughter in it, and the serum we see him take is what keeps him "stable" and "belonging" to Nueva York. Or you know, maybe just the watch, but the serum is more sus to me.

Gwen Stacy Fall Subversion: Either Gwen completes her character arc by saving Miles from falling to his death or she saves herself, thus breaking her karmic cycle of getting fridged.

Meows Morales cameo?? Pretty Please???: C'mooooon he became instantly popular and he's adorable!!!!! <3 <3 <3 bonus points if multiple miles help out to fight against Miguel's squad later.

We spend some time on Hobie's dimension: No idea how the plot would get there, but the concept art of Hobie's dimension is fire and I want to learn more about him <3 <3 <3 tell us why you almost gave up the mask, darling, and did you kill a cop in your dimension? <3 why would you feel bad about it? <3 <3 <3 <3

Gwiles Morales (he hates that name): Apparently this is how some of the staff called him. Poor guy.

The Spider-Band fights Earth 42's Sinister Six: For those who don't know, they control Earth 42, as confirmed by the art book. Nothing better to sweeten Miles G. to our heroes' side than taking care of them. Bonus points if one of them is explicitly a fascist and Hobie and Noir punch him together.

Miguel Bites Someone: bonus points if it's hot as fuck. Sorry but it's true.

Lyla's the real bad guy (beyonder): I'm gonna let moviebob do the heavylifting here. Could tie to that personal theory I explained above.

Peter B. vs Miguel fight redemption: ok this one I'm biased for because I personally find Peter B. more morally culpable than Gwen in their whole drama with Miles seeing as he's the adult with a kid. But also yeah, good chance for him to redeem himself in Miles eyes (or not! maybe Miles wants more from him that just standing up to a bully) and take Miguel down a peg. Bonus points if he looses a leg, because apparently that's something that happens in Spidergirl's comic.

Prowler!Hobie somehow: Not saying our Hobie will turn into the prowler, just that the connection will be addressed somehow. Idk man, it just feels like positioning Hobie as another mentor for Miles is very deliberate.

Miles feels guilty about Earth 42: Juicy source of drama between him and Miles G. as well as a free character arc about how responsibility is more than just cause and effect.

Miguel tries to redeem himself by dying but Miles won't allow him to: Miguel O'hara has several problems, and I speculate they all come from his self-obsession. Everything about the spider society is about him erecting structures dedicated to his pain to turn himself into the martyr holding reality together. So if he's finally proven wrong, it seems pretty in character to me that his idea of making amends would be to do the same thing one last time for "the right cause", being the diva he is and how he thinks you can sacrifice one person to save everyone else and all. I don't think Miles will allow that, though. Bonus if the scene parallels the one in into the spiderverse when Miles returns Peter B. home.

That one @cheezthatboiii comic / Mileswitch: because what's the point of having a twin if you can't fool people about it?

Gonzalo/Gonza Morales: The correct alternative to Gwiles if anyone during production has braincells or is latine.

Margo Subplot (family issues): confirmed in the artbook that she ended up having more plot relevance than originally planned, and even if that wasn't the case she deserves it. And more fanart.

The Spot is defeated with kindness: Ok. Before I said that I don't know how the Spot could be defeated with violence, but maybe that's not needed? He is clearly a foil to Miles after all, and I think it would do him (Miles) a lot of good to practice some radical empathy, even on someone who kinda doesn't "deserve" it. This isn't so much about him being ""redeemable"" (fandom has ruined that whole concept) so much as how much empathy the narrative is willing to grant him.

Jeff meets Gonza before Miles reveals to him that he's Spiderman. He's confused by having 2 sons: this just feels to me like the most probably sequence of events given the franchise's usual use of bathos and subversion of expectations.

Spider Support Network Finale: No more spider society authority "correcting" the multiverse, every spider-person gets a watch so their friends can come over and lend a hand and prevent as many deaths as possible.

Aaron 42 gets severely injured/dies: I don't want this to happen, it just seems like a way of trimming some fat in the cast and getting some more drama from Gonza.

[lildoodlenoodle]

Not to be That Bitch but I’ve seen people talking about this so,,,

Who is actually most likely to die in BTSV?

Yep, yikes I’m going there. Again all theories so I’m open to conversation/opinions on this!

Jessica - She’s not gonna die. There’s no way. Spiderverse is known for breaking boundaries but they aren’t going to kill a pregnant woman.

Miles - Again spiderverse is known for breaking boundaries so killing a protagonist is not outside of their range but I do not think they can kill Miles because of how integral he is to the trilogy and general synergy with comics and video games. Miles is too important of a character outside of this film in a monetary and societal way for them to kill him off in my opinion. He is the character that people associate with ‘Anyone can wear the mask’

Peter B. - The man has a baby. They aren’t gonna kill him. It just isn’t gonna happen. Nor will they kill said baby.

Hobie - They won’t do it. I love him but I don’t think his death would be enough of a catalyst or whatever. Like I just can’t see it. Not to say he isn’t important to the story but with the role he takes on, his death wouldn’t make sense.

Ben Reilly - I’m not even sure he’s currently alive lol. Gwen broke his watch and then tossed him into a random ass dimension. He’s probably fine… He’s fine.

Noir - unlikely. It wouldn’t have the emotional impact a death would need in the next movie. If, for whatever reason, multiple members of the team die then I could see it, but just him? No.(either way bro’s been resurrected multiple times in the comics, he’s fine.)

Ham - ok I could see it, but only in the comedy angel wings ‘death’ way. Like it wouldn’t be real, it’d be a gag.

Peni - ugh I can kinda see this ngl. She was the only member of team B we saw in the society and had a speaking role. Maybe I’m jaded but doesn’t bode well for a young female character… she will most likely be fine though.

Pavitr - People have said it and I do understand it. I don’t think they’ll do it but I could see it happening in a couple of different ways. His death would have be a perfect mid-late movie catalyst simply because of the parallels between him and Miles, ‘being spiderman is easy!’, and inspector Singh and Gayatri ‘escaping’ death. Will be crying in the theatre.

The Spot - I’m 50/50 on this. Like he could totally be too far gone where the only way out is him imploding but also he just wanted attention 😢

Gwen - God I can see this happening. I really hope it doesn’t but,,, Specifically, her saving Miles or one of his parents and that somehow being it for her. Her home storyline is tied up, her only remaining loose thread is with Miles, and once that’s done her ‘arc’ is over, and also the foreshadowing. Like if it happens that’s how it’s gonna happen and it’ll parallel when Miles was saving inspector Singh and that moment where we can’t see him god,,,,,,

Miguel - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t know what they are going to do with this man by the end of the next movie. Dude has put his whole being into his canon events theory, cause remember he genuinely believes or is in heavy denial about this. I don’t think being visually proven wrong will fix anything for him. I genuinely believe it’ll destroy him. I could definitely see him dying in the next movie by saving Miles/his dad in some desperate attempt to do the right thing, or taking down the spot with him type thing.

Jeff - Look, we all know it’s a possibility. It’s like algorithmically predestined, so it definitely could happen and I wouldn’t be surprised necessarily. But do I actually think it will happen? No. It’s too built up, especially with Miles going to 42 where his dad IS dead.

Rio - I’m gonna be so honest, she’s more likely to die than Jeff. SORRY! She’s the one that dies in the comics, she’s the one alive in 42, and she has that big speech about Miles not being with her any more and to look out for himself for her. I really hope they don’t do it, I really hope cause I will sob in the theatre but if one of Mile’s parents is going to die, it’ll be Rio.

[scribespirare]

If you're up for it, could you write where Miles and Miguel are secretly in a relationship except the spider gang are trying to set either or both of them up with someone else?

secret relationships my beloved <3<3<3

“So I met this girl-”

Miles groans loudly and shoots his next web, letting it swing his weight up into the next arc. “You better be about to tell me you asked her out.”

“No,” Gwen says, and Miles can tell by the sound of her voice that she’s grinning under her mask. “I think you’d really like her!”

Miles groans again and takes a sudden turn mid-air to try and throw his meddling friend off, if just for a moment. And a moment is all it takes for Gwen to catch up to him again, swinging perpendicular to him and laughing. “C’mon, Miles! You gotta get out there!”

She’d turned him down nearly six months ago when he’d asked her out, and he knows she’s felt guilty about it ever since. And yeah, he’d been pretty bummed immediately after. But all his moping had drawn the gruff concern of someone else, and he and Miles had suddenly started spending more time together and…well, Miles now knows he’s bisexual. So.

With a final exhilarating but unnecessary flip Miles lands atop the roof of an apartment building, pausing to catch his breath. Gwen lands next to him gracefully and flips her hood back. “I’ve got her number, you want it? I got her permission to give it to you.”

“You what!?”

“Yeah, I keep a picture of you on my phone and everything,” she says teasingly. “She thinks you’re cute.”

“Oh my god,” Miles mutters, and wishes he could cover his face up even more than it aready is. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Her expression softens, the humor falling away. “I just want you to be happy, Miles.”

“I am!” he protests. And he’s not lying. Now that he’s able to see his friends regularly he’s not lonely anymore, or feeling burdened by the weight of being Spider-Man. That weight is shared across hundreds of other shoulders now.

And when he does have a random pang of loneliness? When he has a bad day or fights with his parents or even just doesn’t feel good for no reason at all? He has a place to go. A place with open, waiting arms that envelop him so completely he feels like the rest of the world couldn’t possibly exist beyond the boundaries of that embrace.

But Gwen doesn’t know that.

And neither do Hobie, Pavitr, Peter, or any of the rest.

Pavitr and Gwen are the worst about trying to set Miles up with others. Hobie will throw out the occasional offer but usually he stands up for Miles when the others get kind of pushy. Something about relationship anarchy and how Miles should be allowed to decide how he wants to handle his romances or lack thereof. Honestly, that is a different kind of annoying though. Because Miles does have a romantic relationship and it might just be a plain monogamous one in contrast to Hobie’s confusing poly web of flings and partners, but it still exists. Miles just…can’t talk about it. And Gwen’s meddling has now convinced the group that Miles is sad and pathetic and alone.

“I am,” Miles tells Gwen again. “I promise, I’m happy. Please stop trying to set me up with people?”

Gwen looks at him for a long, stretched out moment. “I’m not trying to set you up just to-”

“Please?” Miles cuts in.

That earns him a sigh and then an eye roll. “Fine. I’ll stop." He breathes a sigh of relief, but then- "Peter’s been working on Miguel anyways, I’ll just help him out.”

Miles feels the blood rush drain from his face. “Peter’s trying to date Miguel!?” he squeaks.

Gwen mistakes his panic for horror, which it kind of is but not in the way she thinks, and laughs. “No, he’s trying to talk Miguel into getting back out there. So far Miguel isn’t budging. I don’t really hangout in places where I can meet older women but maybe I can annoy him into looking for himself. Do you know if he likes guys as well?”

Fuck, out of the fire and into the frying pan.

[pinkpinkmermayyy]

I present yet ANOTHER atsv au:

the bird companion au

in which at the age of 10, every person is given a bird companion that signifies their purpose, character, and destiny by the Canon itself in a large ceremony.

Miles Morales was given the companion of a cockatiel, Gwen Stacy was given the companion of a swan, Pavitr Prabhakar was given the companion of a bluebird, and Hobie Brown was given the companion of a cockatoo.

Miguel O’Hara was given the companion of an African Grey Parrot, Jessica Drew was given the companion of a bald eagle, and Peter B. Parker was given the companion of a pigeon (hear me out here).

All of these symbolize their character and even their role in the multiverse. Cockatiels (Miles’s bird) symbolize the important of socialization and creating bonds with others, as well as holding your loved ones dear to your heart. Swans (Gwen’s bird) symbolizes grace and beauty. The swan is also seen in the famous ballet Swan Lake and it deals with the character of Odette being cursed, which is similar to Gwen Stacy and her curse of dying in every other universe.

Bluebirds (Pavitr’s bird) represent joy, happiness, and harmony, which is similar to how in the face of disaster and dangerous threats, Pavitr is still able to shine through with unwavering optimism that doesn’t feel faked in the slightest. Cockatoos (Hobie’s bird) don’t have one definite symbolism, but they are known for their seed dispersal to help regenerate the forest, and are often seen as “pests” to most farms. This can reflect on how Hobie gives to the community while screwing over the authority that wants to keep all resources to themselves.

African Grey Parrots (Miguel’s bird) are regarded as one of the smartest birds in the world, being the smartest parrot in the world as well. This, along with them symbolizing royalty through its tail feathers, emphasizes on the isolation Miguel goes through with his unique knowledge on the multiverse and the consequences of meddling with the Canon, as well as the grief and guilt that comes with knowing what will happen in the future.

Bald eagles (Jess’s bird) are seen as symbols of bravery and strength, which Jess perfectly represents. She works in one of the most elite and strict societies with prestige and a sense of professionalism that no one can deny is present. Yes, while this bird is also seen as specifically a symbol for the United States of America, this is what they symbolize on a broader level.

Now you may think I did Peter dirty by giving him a freaking PIGEON but the symbolism behind this particular bird fits his character arc a lot. Pigeons are seen as symbols of peace, love, and tranquility (calmness). His arc of learning to being love (MJ) back into his life again and a sense of peace with his new family emulates this bird perfectly. Also, I just see him with a pigeon especially with his attire, okay?

Here’s one more snippet for my OC Mariano O’Hara from the Mariano O’Hara au hehe

—-

Mariano O’Hara, if he were in this au as well, would be given the companion of a mockingbird. Mockingbirds, especially in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, are symbols of innocence. To kill a mockingbird then, is to destroy innocence. Mariano, while he does have some of the qualities of getting a cockatiel, bluebird, and even a pigeon, he gets a mockingbird because his innocence of the world highlights everything else in his personality. His abundant kindness and love for the world is a direct result of being kept away from it by Miguel, who is extremely adamant on making sure he doesn’t face the horrors of society that are unfortunately present. They parallel each other in a way: Miguel’s bird represents the burden of having the most knowledge and intelligence out of anyone and Mariano’s bird shows both the ups and downs of being completely innocent, by being both ignorant of everything bad, but also vulnerable to those evil forces.

—-

So you can tell I have a lil obsession hehe

lemme know what you guys think and add your own thoughts to this!!!

taglist: @adorefavv @chessbox @daydreaming-en-pointe @darksidescorner @hoe-bie @hobiebrownismygod @i-put-the-wit-in-dimwit @ace-and-sleepdeprived @jasontoddssuper @skullghoulz @sp1derw1re @spiderxpawz @thecrowandtherose @the-cat-and-the-birdie

[moralesmilesanhour]

That previous anon post was about gwen was spot on and it has me thinking things

I really hate how people think Miles and Gwen have to get together in btsv. Like they just need to be together romantically, like that's the only satisfying way to tie the story together and its not. Like yeah we know they'll reconcile and everything but even then, I feel like them rebuilding their friendship just being friends and working towards building trust would be more powerful and realistic, maybe that's the aromantic (and anti this ship lol) in me talking but it's not necessary to just throw them together cause they're the main boy main girl, or "the build up" (which wasnt that much I feel?) or like Miles is some prize for Gwen to win after she 'saves him and makes it up somehow. Plus, Miles doesn't need to be so dependent/obsessive on her because he has new spider friends! Hobie Margo Pavitr who are spider people his age and who he can bond with as well! It doesn't have to just be about Gwen anymore (I'm seriously begging the writers to build his relationships with the other spiderteens and give focus to them and not just center Gwen, because centering and pushing the white girl over the black/poc characters will always rub me wrong)

Sorry for dumping this on you, I just had some thoughts xD

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

For one, I also think that it's kinda odd how many people feel that romance would be the only satisfying way to end their arc. Friendships being explored in a story have always held more weight to me than romance, especially if the romance in question feels unearned or contrived (which, let's be real, is the case for most het canon ships 🥴)

I think spiderverse is going to have to deal with the fact that Gwen is no longer the only person that Miles can possibly relate to or form bonds with. I would have an extremely difficult time believing that Miles' crush on her would be more valuable at this point in the story than his relationship with the characters who were actually there for him when it mattered. Them suddenly jumping back into a romance would feel odd.

It's no hate to Gwiles shippers though (at least the ones that are normal about it). I just don't feel inclined to be emotionally invested in their romantic potential 😭 I think rebuilding their friendship would be a much more realistic goal to work towards story-wise bc spiderverse already has so much going on

[racefortheironthrone]

Also what's the deal with Miles? I have vision issues, so graphics and that other stuff has little impact on me (bright side - I can't see Henry Cavill's non-moustache), so Into_ was just a nice little movie, and Across_ ... raises some questions. Like, he has electric powers, and can turn invisible? Why doesn't he turn invisible ANY time it would tactical and not creepy? EVERY other version of Spider-man is on the Council of Ricks but Miles? "Extra powers"+"sole right-thinker" = writer's pet.

Post #2 is where I started to notice some bad vibes. Fair warning, I might start to get a bit annoyed and ramp up from there.

Miles Morales does indeed have invisibility and bio-electricity powers. While sometimes his invisibility is used as an obvious metaphor for feelings of alienation and loneliness - he feels invisible, so he literally becomes invisible - he absolutely uses it tactically in both movies. In ITSV, he uses it to get the jump on Liv Octavius in the super-collider:

And in ATSV, he uses it to sneak past Spider-Byte and access the "Go Home Machine" in order to get the machine to send him back to his home universe and prevent the death of his father. Miles' invisibility allows him to outwit Spyder-Byte, LYLA, and Miguel.

Moving on to your next question, which is a wild pivot in topic, Miles wasn't told about the Spider Society specifically because Miguel views him as a dangerous anomaly and wants to keep him in the dark about what the Spider Society is doing.

Indeed, far from being a designation of any superior status, the movie explicitly frames Miles' exclusion as something that makes him feel anxious and insecure, that he's not good enough to be invited to the club.

Finally, regarding the "writer's pet" note: I feel the same way about this that I do about calling Storm a Mary Sue. Miles Morales is the goddamn protagonist (although given Gwen's prominence especially at the beginning and the end of the film, I'd call him a co-protagonist) and expecting the film not to act like it is just bad cinema appreciation.

Moreover, your specific complaints are baseless:

The movie is absolutely full of Spider-people with "extra powers" - Miguel has talons and fangs and cyber-webs, Jessica Drew has a motor-cycle (and in the comics, pheremone powers and venom blasts like Miles') and can fire webs from her fingertips, Spider-Byte is a decker, there's tons of mecha-Spiderfolk, and on and on. Hell, half the point of the Spider Society is to give the writers and animators the freedom to think up as many Spiderfolk with as many "extra powers" as they can.

The movie explicitly shows that Miles isn't the "sole right thinker." Not only is there the whole arc about Gwen finding her "band" of other spider-dissidents - Peter B. Parker, Peni Parker, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, Pavitr Prabhakar, and Spider-Byte - but there is also HOBIE GODDAMN BROWN, anarchist community organizer. As I said in my original review, he knows that Miguel and the Spider Society are wrong from the beginning and works subtly in the background to radicalize Miles and others against the Spider Society, help Miles escape custody, and steal/reverse-engineer Miguel's tech to allow Gwen to assemble her "band."

[bloodpen-to-paper]

Review Blurbs: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

General Thoughts:

-From what I've seen the animation had like "how are the animators not in a psych ward" insane levels of attention to detail so go look into that cause there's always some new amazing tidbit of info circulating about the movie-making process

-Music score was fantastic, it always did well setting the atmosphere of the scenes and bringing you into the moment (my favorite sequences was Gwen's intro and the Mumbattan segments)

-I'm obsessed with how they choreographed the fight styles, especially for Gwen and Pavitr who had very stylized movements (Gwen's is based off ballet and Pavitr fights using Kalaripayattu)

-I liked how Miles' theme song (What's Up Danger) felt a bit more fitting. In ITSV, Miles was very new to everything and questioning if the hero lifestyle was what he wanted. Now, not only was he so committed to doing things his way that he derailed the entire Spider Society with success, but we also meet Earth-42 Miles who is seemingly very fearsome. To the Spider Society, potentially to the entire multiverse even, they face a danger in the form of Miles Morales.

-This movie was Gwen's movie, full stop. Her and Miles shared the spotlight, she wasn't just a side character this time. I haven't seen people talk about this as much and they should cause Gwen's story was so beautifully crafted and that intro/final scene were some of the best parallel sequences I've ever seen in a movie. Her story and even the storytelling in the music and her "starting a band" were so well done, people have been doing analyses on the music change in the intro vs the final scene and how the music correlates to Gwen's personal growth and just ugh. More Gwen appreciation please (this isn't even getting into the trans allegory literally there was so much to her story so pay tf attention please and thank you)

-Adding on, part of the reason I loved the above point was also cause not only is ITSV's main female character given a big spotlight to shine in, but it served an important narrative purpose of giving the movie a hopeful and satisfying ending, because right now Miles' story is in its sort of Rising/Climax stage. The final act of Miles Morales' story has only just begun, and the movie set it up so damn well cause I know me and everyone alive are dying to know what's gonna happen next with him and Earth-42 Miles. Gwen's arc wrapped up and gave us hope as Miles' story was taking a dark turn, and that hope is what's gonna lead us forward until its his turn to shine in the light once again.

-Loved the new characters, I enjoyed Miguel having layers to his methodology and morals (some people pointed out possible reasons for him acting as aggressive as he did and it makes a lot of sense, but at the time it was just like "why tf is Miguel slamming Miles into a train and screaming at him for not wanting his dad to die papi chill💀")

-Jessica is underrated and I love how they did her character. She's very responsible and definitely has a tough love approach, but she's very human. I laughed out loud when she said she wasn't bothered by being pregnant in this line of work cause the guy she screwed was hot like she is so fucking real omg. Jessica also had a similar attitude to Miguel, but she has a personal connection with Gwen that I think grounds her more. I wish we had more of her mentorship towards Gwen and I hope to see it in the next movie (maybe even a baby reveal👀)

-I don't think anyone mentioned it but Spider-Byte always looked a bit different/off in all her frames and I'm like 99% sure that's cause they used a different animation style to give her that glitched/cyber punk effect which is just so damn cool

-Honestly all the female characters deserve more recognition, fandom still has a huge male bias and it shows cause Gwen, Jessica, Spider-Byte and Lila deserve way more love

-Hobie was without a doubt my favorite character this movie. He's a real punk and I cannot be grateful enough cause I am fucking done with people who ain't actually punk using it as an aesthetic, he's here to show how its done (others have made plenty of observations on him so go check those out cause they're very good)

-Not much to say about Pavitr personally but I adore his character design, definitely my favorite next to Gwen's (he also taught me that chai tea does not exist and is in fact just "tea tea" I'M SORRY I DIDN'T KNOW I'M SOUTH AMERICAN NOT SOUTH ASIAN😭)

-I'm surprised by how engaging Spider-Verse continues to make their villains. Doc Ock was fantastic, and this time around The Spot was a great subversion of expectations. He's silly and from the trailer release to the beginning of the movie, you think he's a joke character to set the mood. Then he starts to become actually sinister and you're sitting there thinking "the movie literally called me out for this and I still managed to fall into expectations". Very good job making a villain character not only feel like a threat, but by doing so in an unexpected way that really rips the rug out from under you. I want to study the story writers' minds like I'm being tested on it

-The return of the OGs was so nice, I wasn't as invested in Into the Spider-Verse admittedly but I felt it when Peni made a reappearance to tell Miles his dad had to die. Shit hit me in the soul (I'm also obsessed with Noir so very happy to see them both back)

-I saw people saying that Spider-Verse was copaganda and I'd like to withhold any definitive stances until Beyond comes out, but it definitely felt like they were holding back when it came to criticisms of Gwen's dad. Remember, it could very well be that the writer's behind Hobie "hate the AM and PM"/wears blue fucking laces Brown were told by higher-ups to cool it or the movie wouldn't get released so don't immediately go after them, learn from the writer's strike to use critical thinking and wait for more info. Hopefully they can address that more after audience reviews come in so we'll see.

-All the scenes where Miles would almost reveal he's Spider-Man to his parents/did reveal it had me stressed lmao, they did a great job making the audience feel the weight and tension of the moment

-The ending was the hypest shit like it was so good I couldn't even be mad about the cliffhanger I was just in awe

-I actually thought towards the end that they might do a two-parter but then I was like "nahhhhh they wouldn't" and then they did that. We very much entered a "final stage" towards the end so I'm wondering how the creators will space it out and what they'll do for the next movie. Either way I am "beyond" hyped

Criticisms:

I only have like two criticisms cause this movie was pretty fucking good, but its never bad to look at what even a masterpiece like Spider-Verse could do better so future projects can take note. Having said that:

-I understand it was for authenticity's sake, but the live-action segments were a bit jarring after being in animation for so long. I would've animated those segments as well or done some form of 3D so it blended in. Every other character was animated so it felt weird when suddenly Andrew Garfield and Donald Glover were on screen (even Tom Holland's spidey was animated). A minor nitpick, but I can respect the boldness in really committing to the meta-mindfuckery of the multiverse

-Gwiles as a ship was never really my thing, so you can understand my surprise when I felt like they actually kinda improved on it since the first movie ("boy has crush on girl because she's pretty and a girl and we're supposed to root for it" is my least favorite trope [*cough cough* cause its what straight dudes like *cough cough*] so its no surprise when Gwiles in ITSV did absolutely nothing for me). Having said that, the movie pushed a tad too hard for it imo. Pavitr was the classic "shipper" character made to push the ship forward and make it super obvious to the audience that its what the movie wants you to root for, and I and many people are not about that. If you need to tell your audience to support a romance then you're not doing it right.

-As sort of an add-on to the above, I think Hobie and Gwen were hinted as having dated during Gwen's time working under Miguel? Which like... why? Literally why. It made no sense and did nothing for the characters or their relationship, they could easily just be friends and nothing would change. This plot point was also never mentioned again after its initial reveal (from Pavitr to cause "drama" for Miles I think) and quite literally nothing came of it. No drama (thank fuck cause that was not what I or anyone went to this movie for), no development, nothing. It was just thrown in and never used. So uh... yeah, don't do that. Thanks.

Final Thoughts:

Across the Spider-Verse was definitely a step-up from the first movie, I was far more engaged and I found very little to criticize from it. Animation, music score, characters, all 10/10, and above all, its action sequences kicked ass and restored the good name of the superhero genre. Watch this movie, and I highly recommend doing so in theaters because it is a perfect example of how movies are not just entertainment, but an experience to remember.