The five-year gap between what are now considered two of the greatest animated films of all time has been excruciating. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sets up some of the best narratives in superhero history, and now Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse expands the story as the second installment in the trilogy. As you can expect, the newest release in Miles Morales’ tale is being well-received by audiences so far.
Regardless of if you are swept away in its storytelling magic or the staggeringly beautiful animation, the film ends on a colossal cliffhanger that guarantees eager anticipation for the final part of the series. Here is the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ending explained.
*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse*
Across the Spider-Verse ending explained: building the suspense
The lead-up to the ending of Across the Spider-Verse is everything that you expect to follow events preceding it. It’s thrilling in the most satisfying of ways, and the fast-paced chase is of particular merit. This scene is what leads to Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) informing Miles that he is the ‘original anomaly’. In other words, the radioactive spider that bit Miles was indeed not from his universe—but instead from Earth-42—a universe which is now in upheaval from the lack of a Spider-presence. Meanwhile, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfield) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) amble on behind Miguel.
It’s an incredibly tough time for Miles, who is accosted with processing this new information, in addition to accepting the betrayal of his two best friends who were aware of the situation and had made the conscious decision to keep it from him.
Across the Spider-Verse ending explained: the final moments
Once Miles reveals the truth, he makes the choice to write his own story. Escaping the Spider Society with the help of an employee who teleports him home, he returns only to confess his identity to his mother. The moment is strikingly poignant but whilst you’re left to believe everything is going to work out, something in the air just seems off. Swiftly confirming the eerie atmosphere, Miles’ mother is seemingly oblivious to a Spider-Man figure, and blissfully unaware of what her son is talking about. Miles’ frustration settles in when his Uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali) enters the room.
All at once, it becomes clear that the teleportation device at the Spider Society utilizes spider DNA to function, and has therefore instead sent him to his home on Earth-42. Where in this universe, his Uncle Aaron survived as opposed to Miles’ father.
Now exceptionally panicked in realization, Miles is soon hauled off to a burrow that he believes to be his Uncle’s undercover Prowler base; information revealed to us in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. But no matter how sure we might be, the marvelous twist reveals that this Prowler is Earth-42’s Miles Morales. This antagonist is in no way understanding of the mishap, and is intent on causing ruin for Earth-1610’s Miles.
Away from this chaos, Gwen turns against the league after she is cast out and sent back to her universe in Earth-65. In doing so, she discovers intel that Miles is shut in the wrong universe and gathers a team to help fight the Spider Society, and save Miles. Because we all remember what happens when someone is in the wrong dimension, right? Glitching! On the upside, it promises more Spider-Noir (Nicolas Cage) and Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) content!
As much of an absolute delight as this film is, it’s difficult to deny that it ends abruptly with many loose ends left untied.
Across the Spider-Verse ending explained: speculation and what we can look forward to
The story’s most unforeseen, yet entirely exhilarating twist is Miles Morales’ alternate persona turning to a life of crime. The clash of the same, yet very different facades is going to be one hell of a journey. One has become the hero of his own story, and the other is a perilous villain fighting for everything our Earth-1610 Miles stands against. The possibilities here are endless, but it would be fantastic to see more of the brief Spider-cameos that were subtly nodded to throughout.
There’s certainly more to come on the Spider-people front. The war mounting amongst them is likely to take a Captain America: Civil War style confrontation in which Gwen Stacey leads one side, with Miguel on the other. We’ve already seen Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya) determine his fate in the former.
The biggest question at play is: what’s going to happen with the Spider-Verse? And what does this mean for Spider-Man? Across the Spider-Verse plays rather heavily into the trope of Spider-Man needing loss to become the hero. It’s rather interesting to deliberate if Beyond the Spider-Verse will continue this running theme. Previous Miles’ stories explore the loss of both parents; his father in the PS5 games, and his mother in the comics. Though whatever happens, there are going to be huge consequences for such disruptions to the canon event.
With the gathering of other major information, such as Miguel O’Hara’s mention of Dr Strange, or Donald Glover’s brief appearance after his initial cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming, we’re bound to witness a huge collision of plots and characters. What will happen to Miles Morales now? What can we expect from the young Spider-Man whose fate was never his to begin with?
Endless possibilities in Beyond the Spider-Verse
The possibilities are near endless for what part three of the trilogy will bring. Now that Miles’ fate is unsealed, the hero’s story might change the trajectory of Spider-Man altogether. It’s also far more exciting that there’s no post-credit or teaser for the final installment because it leaves you itching for more. And the only way to fulfil that feeling is to watch Across the Spider-Verse again on the big screen.
Next year’s Beyond the Spider-Verse is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated projects perhaps of the decade. If you want to know what’s next in the Spider-story, you’ll have to wait until March 29, 2024, when Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is expected in theaters. Hopefully, there’ll be some new Spider-characters along the way, but rest assured we’re promised more of the old gang, and the newer characters introduced here who are teaming up with Gwen to save the day.
In the meantime, you can catch up on Spider-Man news across the Agents of Fandom socials.
