Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Ending Explained

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse's Ending Casts Doubt On Miguel's Canon Events

First up is Miles defying Miguel and entering Earth-42 - the dimension where his spider came from. Both Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse address that burning question of what it means to be Spider-Man - particularly one in a multiverse where there are hundreds of web-slingers. What makes Miles unique here is that incorruptible sense of right and wrong. He has his insecurities and anxieties, but ultimately, he represents the best of us. Whereas all the other Spider-Men follow Miguel's schemes without question - tolerating his abusive behaviour as workplace angst in search of the greater good, essentially - Miles cuts through it all and points out an obvious injustice.

Miles has already battled trauma and guilt to become the hero he is in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and while he may stumble (that's part of what makes Spider-Man so relatable), we can always count on him to do what's right. If there's a chance that he can save his father, then of course he has to take it. Tragedy is integral to the character, but it's not all that defines him.

Miguel, conversely, is imposing his tragedy and sadness on everyone else. He shares a cautionary tale on interfering with the multiverse and uses it as a manifesto to rule as judge and jury. Not just that, but we can see there's flaws to his logic. Interrupting canon events leads to universes being swallowed up, and he calls Miles the original anomaly. However, if Miles is the original anomaly, then how can he have canon events? If 42 was meant to bite a different Spider but didn't, then why didn't that particular Earth unfold?

This may admittedly just be selective movie logic but in a way it does provide further evidence for Miguel's schemes not standing up to scrutiny. There's an animalistic edge to the character that wasn't present in the credits of Into the Spider-Verse either, and while other characters received design changes for the sequel, his entire silhouette has been altered. This could be classic overthinking, but there may be more to Miguel's character than has been let on so far.