"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Heroic Analysis of Miles Morales

It was a fantastic year for my favorite superhero, Spider-Man. I mean, Spidey isn't a Jesus character but he did kinda die at the start of this year and then get an entirely new life near the end of it. That is basically a metaphorical resurrection if you asked me. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," is just that - a spectacular re-telling of such an amazing character, a metaphorical resurrection. If  my brilliantly-written opening to this heroic analysis didn't clue you in enough already, there will be many spoilers ahead. Honestly, I can think of at least one hero who would see them coming.

While the version of Spider-Man that we get in the MCU did not have a whole lot to do in "Avengers: Infinity War," he still left us in a big way by the end of it. There was no way to prepare for the disintegration of actor Tom Holland's version of the character, who was really present in the scene where he becomes nothing more than a spilled cremation. Just as audiences everywhere witnessed his fate, I too didn't feel so good, Mr. Stark. But where there is death, there is life. We still don't know what will ultimately happen to that Spider-Man as Avengers: Endgame has yet to hit theaters, but we know that a Spider-Man death can hurt emotionally, whether it is from a Thanos Snapture or just a brutal beating from Wilson Fisk, as seen in Spider-Verse. Both of these deaths allow breathing room for an already comic-popularized version of Spider-Man to warm our hearts during the holiday season, at least while we wait to determine the truly ultimate fate of the MCU version. While we let the dust settle (heh heh) let's discuss the heroic journey of Shameik Moore's Miles Morales.

SEPARATION / DEPARTURE

It has been a few months since I have broken down a character in such a way, so I apologize if I still need to pull some of the sticky web off my fingers. However, a lot of great heroes begin their journey in a position of being stuck in their Ordinary World. One of the greatest aspects of the Miles Morales character is that he is Spider-Man but he is NOT Peter Parker. In the comics and in this film, the two characters can co-exist. Their stories feel similar but are not clones.

Miles is an Afro-Latino teenager who lives in Brooklyn but goes to a during-week boarding school, Visions Academy. Before the film begins, his life is already changing, and as a hero he is already resisting any kind of "call" that could change his norms. The film presents Miles as a character who is resistant to change by showing him in his Brooklyn community very early in the film, and then immediately contrasting that "coolness" with the way he doesn't fit in at Visions Academy. Though Miles doesn't desire to belong at this new school, and actively attempts to sabotage his enrollment, he displays one of the tools that will later assist him during his journey - intelligence. While this is not directly a Supernatural Aid to Miles, it is not entirely dissimilar as it grants him a leg up. It also connects his character to the traditional traits of Spider-Man, a hero who is not necessarily the most powerful, but one who utilizes his tools, combined with his gifts, to excel against many obstacles. Peter Parker is a highly intelligent superhero, and Miles' intelligence makes for an interesting parallel to what makes a good Spider-Man a great one.

Miles' Ordinary World in the film does a fantastic job at making Miles a relatable character, especially for young minority audiences (and not exclusive to that group). On a personal note, the Miles Morales Spider-Man is probably the closest Marvel character that I have as an identifying figure to my own narrative, at least in academically. When I was in middle school, my mom had me take a test to get placed into what my county at the time referred to as the "Magnet" program, which involved me taking an entirely new set of classes with an entirely new set of kids that I didn't know. I was, to put it politely, highly reluctant to embrace this change. Miles having to "leave" his community to take classes at Visions Academy is a perfect first test for the character, and a perfect insight into how this character deals with change. My own parallel offers me a particular viewpoint on this transition for Miles. If his experience is anything like mine, his "old" community of friends, while wanting the best for Miles, begins to feel estranged from him as the distance begins to push Miles into his new life. Miles, as a male, Afro-Latino youth also has the additional pressures of being a young, educated black man, and that comes complete with the "voice of your people" "breaking the stereotype" challenges that this community, my community, faces. As Miles is increasingly estranged from his former community, he struggles to fit in with his new one, and all of this occurs before he is even bitten by the radioactive spider.

In his new community, Miles meets one of his first new Allies,  Gwen "Spiderwoman" Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld). Unlike most films that establish a Woman as Temptress or Damsel character archetype for the hero, screenwriters Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman do not - stick - to traditions in Spider-Verse, deciding to hint at a romantic involvement but actualize a friendship characterized by Gwen's tutelage and advising of Miles as he becomes the hero is meant to become. 

By this point in the film, the audience is introduced to two Father Figures in Miles' life. Jefferson Davis (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry), who is Miles' literal father, and Miles' Uncle Aaron (voiced by Mahershala Ali). A majority of heroic characters tend to have a problem with their parentage, be it that they are estranged from them, they don't know who they are, or some other thing that causes a cloud over the hero's choices and ability to journey towards change. A pivotal moment in all heroic journeys is the moment the hero is able to have that Atonement with the Father, which is represented by various actions and choices in film and literature. In Mile's case, his choice comes from the struggle between both these figures and how they encourage and support him. Not only does this counter the stereotype that young Black men don't have enough male role models, but it shows two very different methods of mentor-ship, both figures representing their pros and cons. It also allows both of these figures to be Mentor figures to Miles in regards to his early role of finding his place in life, and how he will ultimately choose to fulfill his role as Spider-Man.

Uncle Aaron is a supportive Mentor / Father Figure to Miles and encourages his creativity and passions through his self-expression, while Jefferson pushes Miles to be his best self academically, ensuring Miles focuses on more traditional standards of success. They both challenge Miles in different ways, and each of their philosophies challenge the others', which in-turn creates tension between the two, and tension in Miles as he can't fully embrace one without sacrificing, metaphorically speaking, the other. Mile's journey pushes him into difficult decisions when it comes to these two brothers. The differences between these characters is apparent even with their professions: Uncle Aaron is a professional criminal while Jefferson is a officer with the PDNY (This universe's version of the NYPD).

Once Miles is bitten, he must leave his Ordinary World and there is no way to turn back. Alright people, lets do this one last time. His name is Miles Morales. His Call to Adventure comes when he is bitten by a radioactive spider while tagging abandoned substation tunnels. The venom from this spider bite fuses with his DNA and grants him the abilities of Spider-Man, half man, half... actually on second thought, he is still a full man, he can just do cool things now with this Supernatural Aid. Once he is bitten, there is no turning back - he cannot uncross this Threshold. Furthermore, while Mile's is actively attempting to uncover the truth behind his budding powers, which he does not want, he has a second-phase to this Call when he encounters his universes Peter Parker (voiced by Chris Pine).

Miles confesses to Peter that he doesn't want to be like him, and Peter responds that "I don't think you have a choice, kiddo." While Peter is off doing what heroes do, fighting bad guys, stopping Villains from ending the world with a cataclysmal universe breaking machine, Miles struggles to Accept the Call. Being a comic book film, the animation is astounding, and the audience receives some of Miles' internal monologue through thought bubbles and action lines, much like how they are presented in that medium. Miles, in his thoughts, state "I should go up there and help him," showing that he is starting to accept the role of hero, while immediately questioning these thoughts when he thinks, "Who am I kidding? I should NOT do that." Most heroes have this internal struggle, and it is a sign that the road ahead is not clearly defined and will not be easy. Miles, being a character who is reluctant to change, is forced to Cross the Threshold when the Peter from his own universe is ultimately killed by Wilson "The Kingpin" Fisk (voiced by Live Schreiber). Prior to Peter's Death, Miles promises him to finish what he started, an ambiguous promise that he commits to likely believing it to pertain to the one task at hand, but what he ultimately commits to is dawning the mantel of Spider-Man and all it represents. You know, the great responsibility that comes with great accountability. 

INITIATION

Once Miles accepts The Call to Adventure, he meets another Mentor, Peter B. Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson). Peter B. Parker is a Spider-Man from an alternative universe. He is older, no longer with Mary Jane, and while still good at being Spider-Man has a somewhat "given up" feel. This is a unique take on the traditional Peter Parker Spider-Man that audiences know and love, offering a more aged and mature Parker who definitely has his own problems to work out. Where Uncle Aaron and Jefferson act as Father figures to young Miles, this Peter Parker is a strong mentor to Mile's heroic abilities, teaching Miles how to use his abilities, and when to do so, throughout the film. Though I like to offer multiple options and ideas in my analyses, I think it is clear that Peter B. Parker is a Mentor figure, while Jefferson and Uncle Aaron are both Father figures.

Another moment in Mile's journey comes as somewhat as an additional Refusal of his Call, though alternatively this can be classified as one of Mile's Tests / Trials. After meeting all of the various Spider-Heroes from their multiple Spider-Verses, (who respectively assemble Miles' team of Allies) Miles learns that he is not ready to be the hero that they need, so he temporarily runs away from those responsibilities. He goes straight to his Uncle Aaron's apartment, where he learns that his uncle is one of the villains he needs to defeat: The Prowler. This realization again forces Miles to accept the hand he was dealt by facing his call and his uncle. Unfortunately, the course of events sees Miles lose his uncle to truly embrace his destiny. The situation also causes Jefferson to villainize the new Spider-Man (Miles) as he believes he is directly responsible for Aaron's murder.

Doubling back to Mile's Allies we meet a fantastic ensemble of characters. Spider-Ham (voiced by John Mulaney), Peni Parker (voiced by Kimiko Glenn), and Spider-Man Noir (voiced by Nicolas Cage) all blend the line between Mentor and Ally, as each of them has a different lesson that they can teach Miles about what it means to be Spider-Man, as well as assisting him to defeat the villains of his own universe to help him help them get back to their own. It sounds complicated, but it really isn't that much so.

The film does a great job at introducing Mile's Enemies throughout the film. Miles meets his Villains early on in the film when he sees them kill his universe's Spider-Man. He also witnesses a pretty cool battle scene between his new Allies and his Enemies just before Uncle Aaron's, a.k.a. "The Prowler's" murder. In addition to Wilson Fisk and The Prowler, we see this universe's Doc Ock (voiced by Kathryn Hahn), and a few other villains such as Green Goblin (voiced by Jorma-Taccone), Scorpion (voiced by Joaquin Cosio), and Tombstone (voiced by Marvin Jones III), all of which are famous antagonists from Spider-Man literature. The film certainly places more of an emphasis on the primary two Villains, Fisk and Prowler, with some amazing Doc Ock moments as well, but the time spent on these Villains and the aforementioned Allies means we sacrifice screen time with the remaining ones. Witnessing the monstrous version of the Green Goblin is cool, but we get so little of it during the film. I'm not even sure that Scorpion has a single line of dialogue during the film. Miles and Allies defeat them at each interaction, almost too easily, and though these villains are external challenges for Miles, the true antagonistic force in the film comes from Mile's own self doubt. While Spider-Verse is a near-perfect film, it could lose Goblin, Scorpion, Tombstone, and to some degree Doc Ock and the film really wouldn't lose much, aside from the cool factor for fans who are able to recognize them during their moments.

As Miles has two Father figures in the film, his moment of Atonement is complicated (it always is). he has to face the death of his Uncle Aaron, and connect with his father in ways that he has been unable to successfully do in the past. After Uncle Aaron's death, the Spider-Verse Spider-Heroes do not believe that Miles is ready to be the hero they need him to be, and essentially decide to bench him during the final act. Miles is left alone, mourning the death of his uncle, somewhat estranged from his father Jefferson, as well as not a part of the Spider-Verse team. He is at his Lowest Point, his Belly of the Whale, his Inmost Cave. However, at this stage in his journey, Miles is ready to act, in fact he already has all of the tools a hero needs to succeed. Once Jefferson appears outside of his room at Visions Academy and opens his heart to his son, Mile's reflects on everything that he has been equipped with and decides to take action. He feels responsible for the death of the Spider-Man from his universe, and refuses to not take action to help his new Allies. During a final heroic montage, we here Miles' and Peter B. Parker's conversation where Miles asks Peter, "When do I know I'm Spider-Man," to which Parker replies, "You won't." But Miles' journey has strengthened him, so at this point in his narrative, Miles is ready to take the "leap of faith." Through this inward struggle and emergence, Miles undergoes an Apotheosis, exits the Cave, and has a metaphorical Resurrection where he moves closer towards becoming a Master of Both Worlds. 

RETURN

Often the RETURN is a quick series of events that wrap up the journey, and for Miles this is more or less what happens. Miles accepts his heroic responsibility, where his Refusal of the Return can be seen when he is in his room at Visions. This does come before his Apotheosis, so I think it more likely that Miles does not have a Refusal of the Return.

Additionally, he doesn't have a Magic Flight in actuality. Given that his Two Worlds already exist together, Miles' simply needed to learn how to exists in both of them, and that knowledge, in its own way, is Mile's Ultimate Boon. As he already exists in both worlds, he doesn't necessarily have to Return or travel the Road Back.

He displays that he is a Master of Two Worlds when he defeats Kingpin and saves his Allies by assisting their respective returns to their own universes. Once the villains are defeated and the allies safely back to their own universes, Miles has what most heroes dream of but often do not obtain, the Freedom to Live.

MY THOUGHTS / FINAL OPINION

While you will have to wait until my top 10 favorite films from 2018 post to see how "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" stacks up against other films from the year, you can leave knowing that this movie is not only one of the best films of the year, but is one of the best films that I have seen. The animation is perfection. The character development, which is done in such a short amount of time for so many new characters that have not been seen on the silver screen before, is so well done that audiences care about characters who have fewer lines than you can count on one hand. Did I tear up when Peni Parker's mech broke down or was I peeling onions mid-movie? For Spidey lovers or for casual movie-goers, it is almost a perfect film. 

The score to the movie complements the beautifully realized artistic direction in such a precise way, making it so that the comic-style artwork with the perfectly and believably rendered characters peel off the screen, and I didn't even see this movie in 3D. The sound hits at every point in the story, such as the beat dropping when Miles jams in his own head while successfully mastering his abilities, or the intense pounding tune when Uncle Aaron, The Prowler, appears on screen. The score with modern hip-hop also matches Miles' character as a hero whom modern youth can identify with, both socially, visually, and tune-ally?

Though the story is not a 100% fresh take on the super hero genre, it makes some inventive choices which allows viewers to leave the theater happier than when they came in. At its core, it is a good time with a narrative that strikes a deeper tonality than many other Spider-Movies past. I dare say it is the best Spider-Man cinematically, but I only feel that way because all of the other Spider-Man movies have allowed this one to shine by serving as templates of what to do and what not to. Hey, I would be so lucky if each year I end it with "No, THIS Spider-Man was the best one yet."

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Thanks for joining me for this Heroic Analysis. Let me know what you thought about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in the comments below. I'm on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.