How the flying fuck does this video have so little viewers, this video was a straight up banger bro, perfectly explained. Here's hoping the video explodes in popularity.
I’ve shared it everywhere but FB because no one I know on FB cares as much about this movie and these two characters as I do. But it’s on my Twitter, Tumblr, Discords, everywhere.
You always get these people that love to complain about "annoying flawless female protagonists" and slapping the reductive "Mary Sue" label on them while they cry woke... but the moment a female character makes a genuine mistake/does something to the detriment of the central protagonist/the person front and center on the promotional material (in this case, Miles), she suddenly becomes the scum of the earth!
@@tessabakker662couldn’t agree more. The best characters are flawed and imperfect, like actual people. People hate characters like ray and captain marvel bc they are too perfect. Gender of a character doesn’t matter, it’s the writing that makes or breaks a character. Calling the hate for ray or marvel sexist is just an excuse for bad writing in my opinion
This video essay explains why Gwen is the best character in ATSV. She tried to please both Miles and the Spider Society and in trying to do both she lost them both. She has so many layers she can be an onion. And the water color effects in her universe are the best thing I've ever seen.
@@EmberNexusYTnother thing that isn’t talked about much, but could be in a canon event specific video anyway is how the course of events changes things a lot. Gwen goes to the spider society, her dad has time to think and decide whats best for him, with the spot, her meeting with miles especially changed events there too, apparently judging by miles visions and Miguel’s knowledge of his fathers passing, means that these things just change all the time and such. This movie is so layered it’s ridiculous
26:30 The fact that Gwen's Spidey Sense can not only detect when Miles' is in danger, but sense it from an entire UNIVERSE AWAY, that's the most true love shit of all time lol. This video is fire.
@@EmberNexusYTbut not through dimensions. That’s something else entirely. Spideys sense each other and threat in immediate proximity but Gwen sensed Miles in a way that goes beyond a normal spider sense. This is something way deeper.
@@Shawn-363 yeah coz spider-gwen's spider-sense in these films have no logic, it doesn't tell you things let's use default spider-man for example, his spider-sense is amazing, and he can sense danger for other people as well, but it doesn't tell him that, it just goes haywire and peter is able to figure out what is gonna happen
Ive seen some people say that gwen doesn't care for miles or that she purposely betrayed him and im like "did we watch the same movie?" She clearly cares for him.
@@sillyperson1610 She thought she could help him, even if it took breaking his heart :( She was so prepared to make that sacrifice for his sake, too caught-up in her grief and desperation to "fix this" to realize Miles has a plan of his own.
i also wanna mention something: the ending of Gwen jumping into the portal in pursuit of Miles is parallel to him jumping into the portal in pursuit of her. This action is important to note because it correlates with the theme of taking that leap of faith and being carried by the belief and willpower to make everything work out. Its a common theme that I'm pretty sure echoes all the way from the first movie, but its especially highlighted in these two scenes. In Miles's case, he's choosing to jump into the unknown for the sake of helping Gwen. It symbolizes that despite the circumstances he doesn't know yet, he's willing to follow her to the ends of the multiverse and choose his own destiny; that destiny being to be with her. In Gwen's case, she's also choosing to jump into the unknown to help Miles. As you mentioned, she already knows her mistakes and seeing Miles be himself through thick and thin, realizes that she too can choose her own destiny and that her mission right now is to be with him. Admittedly, I feel like what I've said is more echoing of their romantic feelings for one another rather than a more in depth analysis of their characters, but its still something that's consistent with the theme of the movies: *to take that leap of faith.* That's why I love this parallel of scenes and why I wanted to point this out.
Ah, yes! I'm so glad you mentioned this, I think you're spot on (pun may or may not be intended). I love that you've extended it back to ItSV with the leap of faith rather than just paralleling the two! The romantic interests and other relationships characters have with each other is a key part of any character analysis (and admittedly, I could have done a better job on that... but omg the time lol)! Their relationships with others should be a vital part of their decision making process even for events that don't involve the person. And it's something I wish I pointed out more, particularly when Gwen first saw 2099 with the watch and asked something along the lines of ~"you can go to any dimension?" Obviously wondering if she could go see Miles with one. Thank you so much for bringing this all up for myself and everyone else :)The connection to the first film is really powerful!
Thank you to everyone, especially from EmberNexus, for the love and appreciation for my statement. Also, I wanna mention about the reunion in 7:19. I don't think it felt too flat or anything, but it definitely felt more like one of Gwen's hands was tied behind her back sort of situation.
just a small note, its been a year and a half and Gwen has still kept the side cut, which she didnt have before meeting Miles. its one of the few connections she has left to Miles at the start of the film.
Yes exactly and her hair has grown more on the other side. Notice that she became much more beautiful than she was when she didn't have a shaved haircut. She then added pink which flatters her a lot
I never thought about Gwen wearing Miles's jacket as a sense of comfort. I wanted to talk about what she said she learned from him. "It's all possible." It brings me back to their conversation at the clock tower. Even though she tells him it doesn't end well, she's waiting for his answer. "Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" At least for one moment, she wants to believe. Miles always finds a way to do the impossible. So, that lesson carries so much weight after everything she's been through. For the chase scene, if you notice, Gwen has multiple moments where she shows relief when Miles has seemingly gotten away, only for it to go away once he's been located due to Peter's watch. She wants to protect him, but Miguel and Jess are standing in the way of this. She told Miguel she wasn't coming with him to stop Miles.
That was really well articulated and I'm a little disappointed I didn't talk (more) about it! Thanks so much for taking the time to write that, it's always great to hear what other people thought :) In a similar vein as the clock tower conversation, I wrote out the below for someone else who mentioned I missed an opportunity when Gwen says ~"in every other universe..." if you'd like to check it out. Whilst at the clock tower, Miles mentions how [“we’re the same. -in the important ways.”]. Evidently showing his further affection to Gwen in their compatibility, whether that be through their experiences or more deeply in their feelings for each other. Gwen follows with [~“in every other universe…”]. This line demonstrates how in her ideal world, this would happen between them. Why? Well, there isn’t much of a reason to bring it up otherwise. She’s teasing herself (and Miles indirectly) of the idea that they could be in a relationship. Miles, obviously liking the idea, inches his hand over to be closer to her own. Gwen notices and literally and metaphorically swallows the hard truth which follows her previous statement [~“and in every other universe…”]. This all could be the reason behind why she hasn’t been as close with Miles during her visit so far, knowing that it would never work out with Miles. But so far, I’ve been glossing over the fact that Gwen actually knows this. The only reason she would know that Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-Man is because she’s checked. It’s something she’s actively searched answers for. Saying it now at the clock tower is her way of letting him know that they won’t work out and it’s also a time for her to accept the reality of the canon. Paralleling this later (where the roles are reversed), it is Miles who mainly must accept the reality between them as she leaves after failing to catch the Spot. We’ll cover this more shorty.
Remember that gwen was trying to stay away from her dad and if she doesn’t comply with Miguel he’s gonna send her home so she was saving miles and also helping miguel. Her getting sent home and cut off by miles was for the best. Gwen dad left his job because he cares more about their relationship and now gwen lefts her job “spider society” to save miles.
“What I always think, you’re amazing.” That’s as close as we get to an I Love You in this, and it makes me tear up every time, not just because it’s her true and honest feeling towards him but because she knows what the people she’s beholden to for safe harbor think of him, and he just proved himself better than all of them for refusing to let someone die when he could save them. THAT is the essence of being Spider-Man.
@@EmberNexusYT How do you mean? That Miles says that line back to her as a way to maybe buoy her spirits in a low moment? Or about her refusing to let someone die if she can save them, proving she internalized how he acted in Mumbattan when people were in danger?
@@EmberNexusYT Now I think about it, Miles has had a fan’s view of Spider-Man for a long time before becoming one. When he says “I can do both! Spider-Man always does both!”, he’s still got them on a pedestal. Not until they refuse to let him even try does that pedestal crumble.
Yeah, her "you're amazing" line is just so sweet. The tone of her voice kills me every time, filled with such admiration and love. It tells you, whether or not she ever acts on her feelings, her heart has already taken the plunge.
One thing about Gwen's dad is I think he can see that she's unhappy; that there's a distance between them that wasn't there before Peter's death. He thinks he knows why. He thinks catching Spider-Woman will fix it. But he doesn't understand that he could just talk with her, listen to her, and that would help him to understand her and close that distance. And of course all this is made even more complicated by the fact Gwen _is_ Spider-Woman. I think this is part of the reason he defaults to being a cop instead of a dad; he was so sure that Spider-Woman was the enemy whose thwarting would fix everything with his daughter. But he can't process that he's been completely wrong about that, or figure out what else to do with this new information and new perspective on _everything_ he thought he knew except falling back on cop instincts. It's not an excuse for what he did, it's just not a surprise that a man who put all his eggs in one basket didn't know what to do when that basket fell off the counter and all the eggs broke.
Taking Gwen from a supporting character to a co-lead (and by extension taking her and Miles from a relationship that I liked but wasn’t super invested in to my favorite love story in any superhero movie) was a genius move, and one I didn’t expect at all.
Nobody points this out, but I'm hoping till the end of the next movie, when hopefully things go back to some kind of normal, Gwen gets back with the band we saw her quit, because in hindsight, gals there really did look out for her. It was Gwen, who understandably needed to sort her feelings out and well - this is the entire plot of hers in this movie.
Something I think is interesting (and kind of cute) is how Hobie can immediately identify Miles when they first meet. It's possible the whole Spider Society was given his description, but Pavitr doesn't show any recognition so that seems a little unlikely. I'm guessing Hobie knows who Miles is because Gwen has confided in him. Miles (and thus the audience) initially misreads what role Hobie has in Gwen's life -- he's not a potential love interest, he's a mentor. Unlike her other mentor figures he doesn't give orders. His style is to give suggestions but let people make their own decisions, which we then see helps Gwen stand her ground and choose a path that suits her better.
I'd say it's more like the people critical to Miles had his backstory from the Spider Society (Gwen, Peter), of course Jess Drew knew because she is Miguels right hand, and Hobie had probably heard so much about him from Gwen that it wasn't hard for him to put it together immediately. I'd go so far as to say that Gwen probably told Hobie that she was finally going to see Miles because she couldn't contain her excitement!
Thank you so much for this video, I’ve been seeing people all over insta and twitter misunderstanding gwens character in this movie and believing she doesn’t deserve miles. I’m glad that there are people there to defend her. She knows she messed up, but shes doing whatever she can to save miles and earn his trust again
I don't think I'll ever understand their reasoning, crazy. I won't deny that she's made mistakes, but the intention behind them I think is what really matters. Thanks for watching :)
@@jq9690 Stuff like that is kind of disgraceful. One) they were never in a committed relationship. Two) there is still zero evidence to confirm anything ever happened between Gwen and Hobie.* Three) literally 16 or 17, calm your jets people. Depth in characters really being punished because they have realistic negative traits and don't act perfectly 😢 Hesitant to generalize that far, but it wouldn't surprise me... *Wanted to add some further comments: I've read a lot (and can't help but agree entirely now) that Hobie was literally just a friend she made to help her get away from Spider-Society when it was too much - not to mention them both being musicians. Thanks a bunch for watching! :D
Those guys have only watched the bully maguire trilogy and think every female is like the mj of that trilogy who i swear is the two faced cheater that everyone claims spiderverse gwen to be.
Gwen was absolutely my favourite character, and I find it crazy how so many people are hating on her because she hung out with Hobie and made mistakes, while they applaud Miles for cutting her off, obviously a lot of people didnt understand her character
but then with hobie they are just friends it is very clear and it has also been confirmed because some perverts still think the opposite. it's obvious gwen only has miles in her heart
Miles is my favorite character but gwen is definitely the best written character. If you’re really a gene fan you know that Miles cutting her off was best for her it forced her to stop running from her problems and face them. Miles is my favorite character cause he literally defies faith over and over again, he proves that anyone can be spider man as he was destined to be prowler. He changed Peter and Gwen for the better while they try to dehumanize my boi, Miles cutting her off was necessary he give her many chances like her lying about Spider-Society, he wasn’t a jealous incel when he found out she was hanging with hobie and had the ability to see him but it’s broke his heart when he found out that see knew and it look even worst considering miles don’t know gwen situation .
The funny thing is that Hobie clearly wants to see them get together probably because Gwen kept gushing about Miles whenever they went on missions together.
When I finish watching this movie, Gwen instantly became my favourite character due to how human she is and how her character has so many layers. So it was a bit of a shock that alot of people online hate her? Like were they asleep for the first 20 minutes of the movie??? Anyways, great video. I really hope in Beyond the Spiderverse, they both get their happily ever after 😂
@@EmberNexusYT Though I try to remain optimistic, a lingering feeling remains where I feel like something bad is going to happen to Gwen in Beyond the Spiderverse, especially since it was implied that Gwen Stacy dying is a "canon event" for Spidermans :((
@@wongjunkit6205 Thankfully, with it being "canon," AtSV was clearly leading us to believe these events could be broken... So, in theory, she doesn't die! (...hopefully)
@@wongjunkit6205I don’t think so bro the theme of the movie is defying faith and changing canon. If gwen dies it kinda kills the point of the trilogy. The hate online is from racist that don’t like interracial and most females on TikTok and twitter.
To me, Canon Events are meant to teach Spider-People about the costs of their powers. Those dying is just basically learning the lesson the hard way. However, if they could avoid the deaths and learn from it, it's acceptable.
Agreed. Miguel is likely blinded by guilt and trauma to the point where he misunderstands how canon events work. I'd be curious to know why the Universe he went to collapsed, as it seemingly was more of an indication that one can't exist in another's Universe indefinitely as opposed to the disruption of Canon events.
@@zacharyliverseed8464I feel like miguel himself broke canon much more that miles did. He let spidermen walk through dimensions and leave their own to do nothing or to indirectly make them avoid canon events Besides, the fact he blames the mc for everything is weird: it's not miles's fault he was bitten by a spider, miles wasn't the one to open portals between universes, he helped his friends come back home so less CE were broken etc. Also, not only he already changed his destiny: Peter b had a daughter, Gwen's father retired, gwen herself did so many things to face another outcome but only miles is an anomaly? How and why?
I LOVED this video it went into so much dept about everything that Gwen's character went through throughout the movie and the parallels between her and Miles
I'd like to believe that Gwen frequently visits Hobbie and plays music with him (she is a drummer after all). Could explain why she leaves and forgets a lot of her stuff in his place.
Yeah, I never got the impression they were an item or hooking up or anything. He’s just the spider-person she’s most comfortable around, and she has no home of her own anymore, so when Miguel is being Miguel or the spider society just gets overwhelming, it’s nice to have a place she feels welcome. Him also being a musician likely helps immensely as well.
@@odile8701 Me too I was never bothered about it since Gwen talks about the others Gwens and the consequence of dating a Spider, so of course she wouldn't do that, and Pav ships Miles and Gwen despite Hobbie and he is a good person and in a relationship so he wasn't gonna do that if Gwen was taken
I’ve spent nights with my brothers and friends and I can tell you I’ve left things with them. I left shirts, phones, toothbrushes, phone chargers, I forgot my ps5 at my brothers place. I’ve done it so much so that my brothers get angry so now anytime I leave their place from spending the night they do a THOROUGH double check with me asking me numerous times if I have my things
After having watched the ATSV for about 7 days straight I started looking into these videos that were explaining, uncovering and even hypothesising events from the movie, the characters and the storyline so that I could give words to how I feel about this masterpiece, but until now I barely ever saw a video essay so well-versed and well-written, not to mention so strongly resonating with how I feel about the movie and the main characters, only to be topped off by so many well-written comments that fittingly complement the unprecedented quality of the content of this video. I salute you all - the real spider society! (Btw this is probably the first comment I left on TH-cam since like 2010s which, I hope, goes to show how much I appreciated watching this, hearing this and reading all this). Thanks y’all!!!
i feel exactly the same. ive been obsessed with this movie for an entire week. everything about it is so perfect: how it is written, the incredible animation style, the soundtracks... i really can't wait for beyond the spiderverse.
I especially like that "doing both" is the main crux of Spider-Man's difficulties. He's a character who constantly tries to do everything, and it often doesn't work out. Usually things only get better when he is able to combine both lives and confide in at least one other person (usually a love interest). So for Gwen, she tried to do both but lost both, and finally confiding in her dad was the change she needed to improve her situation. I predict that a similar thing will happen to Miles in the next film. He wants to do both, but not until he can truly open up to his parents will things work out for him.
It's fascinating to me how Gwen's story also parallels her dad's. She holds fear and maybe even resentment against him for the fact that he chose his job over her. But didn't she do the same to Miles? When she was torn between following the Spider Society and "saving" him? Seeing both stories develop and end with the decision to do both has a great set-up for the next movie. I can't wait to see Gwen's redemption arc play out fully.
If I might add all of these characters are human and flawed, the theme of family in the movie is well done, when uncle Aaron choose between miles and his job he choose miles and accepted his death that just shows the love he has for miles. Kingpin on the other hand even after his family died couldn’t change nor quit his job. Amazing characters
Hobie sees Gwen exactly as how you describe it “Just looking out for his drummer”. Personally I am in a jazz band and EVERYBODY looks out for each other. Its just like that. And in a way I think Hobie is setting them up, he knows something nobody else knows.
Amazing breakdown. Though I will admit that I'm surprised you found her seeing Miles for the first time in over a year as flat lol. She hugged him as soon as she had the chance and her cringing about mentioning his growth spurt which is normal for teenagers to do when they feel like theyve embarrassed themselves in front of their crushes. Gwen goes on a similar arc as her father in the film. They tried to do things by the book (Police/Spider Society) and ended up hurting the most important person in their respective lives. Both realize their mistakes. Gwen's father prioritizes his daughter over his career. And we'll see Gwen prioritize her relationship with Miles over what she's been led to believe about Canon/Destiny.
And even with being around other Spider-people, she still felt alone. It's why she differentiated that what she has with Miles is special than the connection with Hobie. We don't have the events of the 2nd half of the film if not for Gwen absolutely missing Miles. They're both driven to see each other (like you mentioned Miles wanting to go into Physics)
How have I seen a million video essays on this film. And yet I’m still clued into new insights I didn’t noticed? Just shows you the true gravity this film exists in.
This whole essay is so well done!! I didn’t even notice the parallel with Gwen’s window reflection on my first viewing, there’s so much you pointed out here that makes me want to see this movie again. Awesome work, you’re a very underrated creator :D
Oh, that's awesome! I would recommend... My second viewing was almost entirely dedicated to trying to pick out things I might have missed about her (and just wanting to see the film again of course). Thank you! :D
I’ve seen so many people say they hate Gwen after seeing the movie, as if a character needs to be perfect and mistake free to be likeable? Do they realize how incredibly boring movies would be if characters did every thing right? Gwen’s misjudgements don’t come from malice, and we can see her learning what’s right and what’s wrong and acknowledging her shortcomings as a friend. I hope people stop seeing a character going through an arc as a bad thing lol
We’ve actually gotten a shit ton of female characters recently that are just like that(Rey, She Hulk, Captain Marvel, live action Mulan, live action Wendy, Batwoman) and people hate it(rightfully so). So I don’t understand why Gwen gets hate
after watching Across the spiderverse, i literally fell in love with gwen, with the character, with how he was treated morally and aesthetically, it is normal that miles and gwen meet again in love, but this time i have the feeling that they will love each other much more than before or better that they are no longer afraid to let their feelings blossom, because Gwen understands first of all that anything is possible ... and that the canon can easily be rewritten and Miles because he will see the return of his love, from which he is apparently disappointed, aware of the mistakes he has made and that he will always help Miles by fighting alongside him. I want to see them both happy in love in BTS ❤
She got such a great arc, where she actually does things the audience doesn’t like and approve of that she has to learn from. It makes sense, on top of the powers and tragedies, she’s only 16! She’s such a real person, I love her character so much and I can’t wait to see what happens with her and everyone in Beyond.
this video is... incredible. i don't have words to describe how deeply detailed and how well written this was, you've gone so deep the rabbit hole, i never thought about gwen's character in this movie like this.. there's so much more to her than you could think of, and honestly, it's beautiful. shows how much love and effort was put into this movie (even tho some stuff happened and lots of artists left the direction) but aside from that, i'm so glad we got this movie, it's amazing.
I LOVED GWEN STACY!! I watched across the spiderverse with 2 of my friends and when we talked about the movie afterwards they both agreed that she made horrible decisions and was completely unlikeable. I was so shocked. So glad there are people who agree with me
@@orange_turtle3412 It's hard to say either were great. Black Widow wasn't given independent motivation for the vast majority of screentime, serving only to die and be kinda forgotten. When she had a lot more potential! Captain Marvel had much more of an independent story and arc in wielding her own power, but suffered from the blandness of most action film protagonists. Honestly, the best female characters I can think of in the MCU are Shuri, Nakia, and Okoye. Overall, the MCU suffers from a plain lack of investment in women as characters... Heck, in the first Spider-Verse film, Gwen was cool but essentially just the pseudo-love interest. You didn't nearly as much of a feel for why she helps (beyond just "Spider-woman", as opposed to Miles avenging RIPeter and Peter B being forced into it by Miles) and her being a loner didn't infringe on her helping the team and getting close to Miles. She was always helping him, in contrast to Peter B tricking Miles and pushing him back. So when this film started with her angry drumming and conflicts with the people in her life about a refusal to let them in, seeing her Spider-man-typical arrogance while fighting and desperation to join up with the Spider Crew, I was HOOKED.
You see how much she cares for Miles in the fact that she kept her haircut. Although she seemed to really care when her hairs got cut in the first film. Just after Gwen's hairs were cut, he said that he likes her haircut. He reiterates through the film that he likes her haircut.
Yes. It's just his words that she decided kept her undercut. Anyway, do u know if there is any any fact revealed from the producing team about why Gwen got her hair dyed pink that relate to Miles or something else?
I never thought about Gwen wearing Miles's jacket as a sense of comfort. I wanted to talk about what she said she learned from him. "It's all possible." It brings me back to their conversation at the clock tower. Even though she tells him it doesn't end well, she's waiting for his answer. "Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" At least for one moment, she wants to believe. Miles always finds a way to do the impossible. So, that lesson carries so much weight after everything she's been through. For the chase scene, if you notice, Gwen has multiple moments where she shows relief when Miles has seemingly gotten away, only for it to go away once he's been located due to Peter's watch. She wants to protect him, but Miguel and Jess are standing in the way of this. She told Miguel she wasn't coming with him to stop Miles. I also wanna mention something: the ending of Gwen jumping into the portal in pursuit of Miles is parallel to his jumping into the portal in pursuit of her. This action is important to note because it correlates with the theme of taking that leap of faith and being carried by the belief and willpower to make everything work out. It's a common theme that I'm pretty sure echoes all the way from the first movie, but it's especially highlighted in these two scenes. In Miles's case, he's choosing to jump into the unknown for the sake of helping Gwen. It symbolizes that despite the circumstances he doesn't know yet, he's willing to follow her to the ends of the multiverse and choose his own destiny; that destiny being to be with her. In Gwen's case, she's also choosing to jump into the unknown to help Miles. As you mentioned, she already knows her mistakes, and seeing Miles be himself through thick and thin, realizes that she too can choose her own destiny and that her mission right now is to be with him. Admittedly, I feel like what I've said is more echoing of their romantic feelings for one another rather than a more in-depth analysis of their characters, but it's still something that's consistent with the theme of the movies: to take that leap of faith. That's why I love this parallel of scenes and why I wanted to point this out. I LOVED this video it went into so much depth about everything that Gwen's character went through throughout the movie and the parallels between her and Miles “What I always think, you’re amazing.”That’s as close as we get to an I Love You in this, and it makes me tear up every time, not just because it’s her true and honest feeling towards him but because she knows what the people she’s beholden to for safe harbor think of him, and he just proved himself better than all of them for refusing to let someone die when he could save them. That is the essence of being Spider-Man. Nobody points this out, but I'm hoping till the end of the next movie when hopefully things go back to some kind of normal, Gwen gets back with the band we saw her quit, because in hindsight, gals there really did look out for her. It was Gwen, who understandably needed to sort her feelings out, and well - this is the entire plot of hers in this movie. One thing about Gwen's dad is I think he can see that she's unhappy; that there's a distance between them that wasn't there before Peter's death. He thinks he knows why. He thinks catching Spider-Woman will fix it. But he doesn't understand that he could just talk with her, listen to her, and that would help him to understand her and close that distance. And of course, all this is made even more complicated by the fact Gwen is Spider-Woman. I think this is part of the reason he defaults to being a cop instead of a dad; he was so sure that Spider-Woman was the enemy whose thwarting would fix everything with his daughter. But he can't process that he's been completely wrong about that, or figure out what else to do with this new information and a new perspective on everything he thought he knew except falling back on cop instincts. It's not an excuse for what he did, it's just not a surprise that a man who put all his eggs in one basket didn't know what to do when that basket fell off the counter and all the eggs broke. 2 weeks ago Gwen was absolutely my favorite character, and I find it crazy how so many people are hating on her because she hung out with Hobie and made mistakes, while they applaud Miles for cutting her off, obviously, a lot of people didn't understand her character Thank you so much for this video, I’ve been seeing people all over Insta and Twitter misunderstanding Gwen's character in this movie and believing she doesn’t deserve miles. I’m glad that there are people there to defend her. She knows she messed up, but she's doing whatever she can to save miles and earn his trust again To me, Canon Events are meant to teach Spider-People about the costs of their powers. Those dying are just basically learning the lesson the hard way. However, if they could avoid the deaths and learn from it, it's acceptable.
this was really well edited! I loved the part about the shoes, it’s amazing how so much meaning can be packed into a simple one second shot. i didn’t even notice that symbolism at all until you pointed it out
About the shoes. I know they belong to Hobie. But I don't think it's a coincidence that they are high tops, just like Miles' Jordans. She wears them with her suit like Miles does. Also, she kept the accidental haircut that Miles gave her when they first met. Then, of course, there's the jacket.. She clads herself in the Armor of Miles, doing everything she can to keep an emotional connection to him until she can find him again.
The Gwen´s shoes slipping and almost falling scene (19:33) can be also related with the die of Gwen Stacy event, cause this happens after Miguel ask her if she want to know what happen if someone break the cannon making a reference to his suppoused destiny according to the cannon.
AMAZING video!! Gwen is my favorite, I relate to her on so many levels. She's been getting so much hate but seeing people make videos like these where her actions are explained so well is comforting
Thank you!! I really don't get it lol. I'm cool for people to disagree, but I at least want a proper reason as opposed to "she betrayed Miles" - like bruh, how?? Glad you enjoyed it :)
Agreed. Whilst I think Miles is the best Spidey in cinema now, Gwen is amazing in this film. I dont want to call her a deuteragonist, she the other protagonist. Her arc makes this movie. Miles is great, but Gwen makes this film outclass the first entirely. Which is insane considering how good the first is.
After all the slander I’ve seen her get it’s finally nice to see someone actually acknowledge her development and the arc she’s going through. I just hope in the new one her and miles have a heartfelt moment where she apologizes
Absolutely loved the breakdown of Gwen's character! She was so good and fleshed out, I couldn't help but fall for her, even as she made mistakes. I was so thrilled that this movie made Miles and Gwen co-protagonists. They each get such satisfying arcs even within an incomplete narrative. I think the only thing I disagree with a bit is how their reunion was flat because she's there for another reason and she's had other Spider people to talk to, including (or especially) Hobie. I think it's a couple of other reasons: 1. Girl has it bad for him, and is just a bit awkward as she tries to keep it in. The cringe she gives herself when she comments on his growth spurt is hilarious and relatable. 2. This is a big no-no, and she knows it. She's risking the one home she has left in the Spider society to see him, but she can't help herself. She needs to see him, and then she goes ahead and spends the evening with him instead of watching the Spot like she's supposed to. So to me, their awkward and stilted reunion was less because she's got another life now, and more because she really wants Miles in that life but her feelings and her "found family" make her so unsure how to act.
Thank you :) Yeah, I've taken a look back at that scene since publishing and I was "a little" harsh. Definitely let bias sway me there (I wanted more lol), but I have to agree with what you've mentioned. I really appreciate you sharing btw, it makes it so much easier in my mind to reason things when other people lay it out 😂
I’m glad that ATSV gave Gwen Stacy a lot of screentime, and i did not expect that, but i’m glad she did got that many screentime, and this is probably my unpopular opinion, but i think she is overall, a better main character than Miles, she is the best part of ATSV
For what it's worth I'd actually go further than that... I think she's the best Spider we've had on screen, period. The way she's animated is downright breathtaking at times, the performance from Hailee Steinfeld is note perfect, her mid-fight quips are really well judged, she's wonderfully written both with and without the mask and has, hands-down, the best damn outfit of all the Spider-Society. Even the little moments are spot on, the one that sticks in my mind is when she's looking back at her dad from the window sill near the end of the movie and is perfectly balanced between running and being *really* pissed off. The look on the mask combined with the 'I'm listening' is fabulous. Oh and extra points for her theme being, basically, a drum solo. Love hearing that start to wrap around the soundtrack every time she's in the thick of the action.
@@smiddlehurst1 true, and I have no problem if she has more screentime than Miles in BTSV to be honest, I mean no disrespect to Miles, but Gwen is overall a better characters to me, and I have a blast being her fans
Gwen is probably the most emotionally hurt throughout this movie not only was her dad was willing to shoot her but also had to go through the whole Miles situation
Dude, this is an incredible character study. I love your passion for Gwen, and you've definitely inspired me to dive a little deeper into my own videos. The dissection into every scene is really cool, and I love how you can identify all of the subtext the writers (and animators) put into this movie. And on top of that, you covered the relationship between Miles and Gwen. Also, that part where Gwen had the misstep on that ledge--I never even considered the metaphorical aspects of it. Beautiful video essay, I couldn't have said anything in this video better myself!
This movie turned me into a Gwen stan, I feel like we really got to know more about her and she stepped into her own as a character in this one. I love seeing this because pretty much every other video has been about Hobie or Miguel (at least from what I’ve seen), but to me Gwen is more fleshed out than either of them at least for now.
Great video. You did a great job of articulating why it’s ok for characters to slip up and have flaws. Gwen had gone through a lot, was still going through a lot, and yet she still held true to her ideology and wanted to do what was right. Great stuff!
I know this is late. But I like to believe that Hobie was teasing Gwen and making miles jealous on purpose. In a big brother way he does not like Gwen in that way and he knows that both Gwen and miles love each other. So he is just teasing them when he mentions all the missions and clothes Gwen did and left
Honestly, it was that moment when 2099 forcibly sends her back home that forged my opinion of him. I think it's the allegory of sending Gwen back to a home he knows isn't safe for her that did it, but what I know is that that single action wiped away everything else in my head (other than maybe that one, unreasonably harsh tear down of Miles).
First of all mate great character breakdown of Gwen. She is my second favourite behind miles. I love how Gwen is written in this movie. Her growth development was incredible and I think it’s because of miles. Gwen and miles relationship is incredible. But I think in this movie Gwen feelings towards miles grew stronger throughout the movie. I like to think that miles was the first one to have a crush on gwen but Gwen was the first one to develop feelings for him in the first movie. There are many scenes that I can name like gwen at the start imagining to kiss miles at the intro, keeping the same haircut because it reminded her of him, playing the drums cause she can’t stop thinking about him, the pink background and hair when she visits miles which represents her love for him. And ofc the building scene with also her not wanting to leave his dimension and Pav questioning that miles must be in love with Gwen. With her not denying it and her not denying that she is in love with him. But the one scene that got me is the father and daughter conversation. Gwen said “i can do all things but I can’t help the people I love the most and they can only know half for who i am.” Which means that she can do all these incredible things with her powers but she can’t help the two people she loves the most her father and miles. With her hiding that she was spider women to her father and not fully expressing herself with miles due to all the lies and canon events. That’s why she can’t lose one more friend and u can see that she can’t bare to imagine it and the tears as those words came out of her mouth and how her hair turns blue which means she is sad. But the moment when her dad was not going to be captain. That was the moment she realised that she can have both her father and miles safe. Because it links back to the building scene of Gwen Stacy fate that she can be with miles without ending in any tragedy. In conclusion, to me this is not only a reconciliation of Gwen and her father. But represents hope for her in the next movie for her and Miles relationship. Because the end she said “ one thing I learnt from miles it’s all possible.” Which links back to Gwen breaking the canon of event of her father and having faith that she can break the Gwen Stacy and Spider-Man relationship fate.
This is an articulate and incredibly thoughtful video that deserves to reach more eyes and ears. Incredible analysis of one of my favorite characters in any media!! 💖💖
Yk Gwen really encapsulates the "Alter Ego" aspect of being a Spider-person. Her and Spiderwoman feel like 2 completely different people. Its only when she's swinging through Brooklyn with Miles later on did she and the suit feel like one person. Spider-Gwen always felt like the bright, happy and humurous persona, while Gwen Stacy is the opposite. Its nice to see Miles is one of the few who can merge them into one genuinely happy human being.
Great character analysis. there's a small detail in the beginning that wasn't mentioned that when Gwen is remembering the goodbye from the collider (ITSV), it shows her smirk in disappointment and look at Miles' open hand when he says "friends?" to her. It then cuts to her diving into the portal back to her dimension and her expression seemed to show her imagining kissing him in that moment, but being too timid to initiate it. As she's travelling back to her dimension she's got her eyes closed and lips puckered.
Thank you :) I've heard the second half of that theory quite a bit, but I don't really understand where it's come from. Her eyes are closed, but I definitely haven't seen anything different to usual with her lips. (Although, I have to admit I'd be very happy if it turned out to be the case lol.) In my mind, she always thought of him platonically until very close to the end of ItSV and it wouldn't make too much sense for that to be her reaction (again - at least to me), but (again) still hoping it is the case, because gosh that would be cute. Legit on the verge of gaslighting myself into believing 😂 Thanks again for watching!
@@EmberNexusYT No problem, this video was fantastic. She definitely puckers her lips though because the lip size changes within the 3 seconds of the animation. I went back to look because you had me questioning myself, lol.
I swear I must be blind, I'm so sorry 😂 What part are you talking about? I'm going from about where she says "see you around Spider-Man" until she finishes her dive into the collider. I'm legitimately only able to see a smile the entire time TT If you have a timestamp that might be good also (probably won't be exact between us, but it'll hopefully be close enough).
@@EmberNexusYT It happens fast. It cuts from the handshake, to her dive into the collider, to mile's face, to her face while travelling in the portal. During her travel through the portal, her eyes are closed and the only thing moving is her lips.
if you pause to the exact moment when you see her with closed eyes, her lips span most of her face, but like 1s later, her cheeks are more prominent and her lips are puckered for a kiss 1:55 and 1:56 of the film
I do not comment very often, but because I love this movie and Miles and Gwen chemistry, I need to say GOOD JOB! You pointed out some very nice details and connections that i didn´t notice on first sight. I hope more people will see this. Thank you for this amazing Essay
I love the portrayal of the characters in this movie. theyre are like real people, they feel like real people. they have flaws, sometimes they make many mistakes, in the name of the good, and what they think they are doing is right. Nothing is ever black and white, sometimes people miss and make mistakes, especially when they are moved by care , like Gwen, sometimes like fear of the worst, just like Miguel. i see people condemning Gwen in this movie, and its okay, but it makes so much endearing for me, a feeling i felt watching Arcane. people there are so gray and flawed, and its so much more entertaining when they have development. Gwen decision in the ending wouldn't have - in my opinion - the same weight if she was in Miles shoulder the entire movie, following him blindly. her mistakes and decisions make her character much more interesting - just like Peter B, too to a amazing degree. And for better or worse, it just represents the world as it is , gray. why gwen choice of good makes her worse compared to Miles? what makes Peter wrong, when he has his own point of view and his own approach of the better good? why gwen cant be just as hero as Miles, when she has her own problems and choices? Spectacular video and amazing analisis, loved your content!
ngl i was one of the ppl who was a lil annoyed at gwen in the movie even tho i understood her story. but after watching ds breakdown n him going more into depth ian mad anymore, makes me feel actually sorry for all she went thru
Apart from having depth and struggles that I can relate to. Lemme just say this… HER THEME IS TOO LIT. When she first started swinging towards the vulture crime scene and her music came on my brother and I got too lit in the theater😂🔥
I absolutely love this video. Great job! A couple of things I hadn't thought about until now is how despite getting her hair cut because of his hand getting stuck, she has kept it. I have to think it's because it reminds her of him. And it also occurred to me that she had to realize that she was doing to Miles what her dad did to her--choosing what is "by the book" vs standing by her loved one. I love Gwen and I love this movie. Both Spider-Verse films are incredibly special and deeply personal. Thanks for posting!
Thank you so much! A couple of people have mentioned that and yeah, you're absolutely right! I really like that comparison, I might take it for my next AtSV video if you don't mind? I totally agree, ItSV was something so special and the fact we got AtSV and then BtSV!? Love it. Thanks for watching :))
@@EmberNexusYT I wouldn't mind at all. That's why I love the dialogue that this movie brings. Each video I watch makes me think about something in a way I hadn't thought of before and it just keeps getting deeper and richer and more amazing.
Hey! I enjoyed this video essay a lot and it has enriched my understanding of Gwen. She's one of the best written characters in the recent movies and shows I've seen. And your content in this video was logical, illuminating, and helpful! Keep it up :))
The reason why Gwen left her jumper and toothbrush at Hobie’s house, its because she was kinda homeless by the fact that she didnt want to go back to her home and confront her dad
Great analysis! Really reminds me of how amazing the movie is. I liked Gwen in the first movie but the sequel is where i fell in love with the character. Miles is the protagonist of the whole trilogy. But "Across the Spiderverse" is definitely Gwen's movie. Her arc couldn't have been any better.
If I was a writer for it. I took a double sided thing with Hobie on He provides clothes and things for Gwen because she os couch surfing. But also because a type of teasing. Because they have zero chemistry romantically, so he is kinda poking Miles too show Gwen he is intrested. Also on the talking scene at the tower in Miles' universe. She is trying too keep herself grounded. Like when she webs herself down. It is her trying too keep herself grounded while the world feels/literally upside down.
I didn't cover it particularly personally in the video, but I do love the idea that Hobie is teasing Miles about it (while also making them both realize how much they like each other).
How the hell can an animated film be so emotionally deep?? This is a fking masterpiece. Anyways just think this: Gwen character is so changed from the beginning she can potentially die, since she has closed all her backstory (except for Miles). And this thing scares me to death
You know. I love gwen and even in one of the spoderverse comics they brought her in with a little caption saying that she will be your favorite. Made me love her even more 💕
This was sooooooooo good! I loved how deep it got into Gwen's character. The only thing was I don't recall hearing about when Gwen says that line about how in every universe Gwen Stacy falls for spider man and it doesn't end well maybe I missed it but it would have added so much more to the video overall very great video and I enjoyed it emensly! If you add this on top of into the spider verse I'd say Gwen is one of the most developed characters in the whole franchise
Thank you! I knowww... ahh- So I've done some work just for you (and partially myself lol)! I've scripted (with my usual formatting and all) a rough first draft which covers something I would have said for that line (which you can find just below. Square brackets indicate audio clips from the movie just btw.) I know it's not the same as having it fully produced, but I hope you still very much enjoy my little addition to the video, in which I owe to you! Sorry it isn't as refined as the rest of my script, but I thought it was comprehensible enough. Thank you for mentioning it :) And I'm so glad you enjoyed the rest of it! Thanks for watching! Whilst at the clock tower, Miles mentions how [“we’re the same. -in the important ways.”]. Evidently showing his further affection to Gwen in their compatibility, whether that be through their experiences or more deeply in their feelings for each other. Gwen follows with [~“in every other universe…”]. This line demonstrates how in her ideal world, this would happen between them. Why? Well, there isn’t much of a reason to bring it up otherwise. She’s teasing herself (and Miles indirectly) of the idea that they could be in a relationship. Miles, obviously liking the idea, inches his hand over to be closer to her own. Gwen notices and literally and metaphorically swallows the hard truth which follows her previous statement [~“and in every other universe…”]. This all could be the reason behind why she hasn’t been as close with Miles during her visit so far, knowing that it would never work out with Miles. But so far, I’ve been glossing over the fact that Gwen actually knows this. The only reason she would know that Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-Man is because she’s checked. It’s something she’s actively searched answers for. Saying it now at the clock tower is her way of letting him know that they won’t work out and it’s also a time for her to accept the reality of the canon. Paralleling this later (where the roles are reversed), it is Miles who mainly must accept the reality between them as she leaves after failing to catch the Spot. We’ll cover this more shorty.
@@EmberNexusYTinteresting. I didn't read it as a rejection at all. I read it as her feeling vulnerable enough to express her fears at the possibility of a relationship, and (just watch how she glances at him) wondering how Miles would respond. It was a test. And to me she's obviously pleased with the response. She smiles, she gives a little laugh, and she presses (not leans) into Miles. She would not do this if she were trying to say, "It'll never work." Or if she meant to discourage his interest. She needs his optimism. And when they are alone together on that clock tower, she has it. And it gives her a sliver of hope that maybe their fates do not have to be written in stone. And for that one moment, she and Miles sit upright, side by side, while the rest of the world is upside down. Miles'world may be a bit more subtle about it than Gwen's, but it too mirrors the inner state of our heroes.
@@dgmilloway I'd say it's both. Gwen is living two realities concurrently and while on one side she knows it "wouldn't work out" because it hasn't every other time, she leaves the door open for some additional dialogue, and Miles delivers a perfect response for her. Like mentioned in the video "he possibly undersells it" at the clocktower with his response. Miles did the same thing at the collider regarding Gwens emotions from losing Peter when he mentions being friends. He does the same thing where he both acknowledges her statement and its intent, and bridges the gap with his usual fervent optimism that anything is possible, and allows her to have that affection, companionship and belief in something else for even just a moment (a moment she wasn't supposed to have by the way). Also, in the very next sequence, they are getting friendly at a party when Rio breaks it up. Gwens inner desire is taking charge from the other reality she is dealing with and it's great to see that from the lead female character. It's those moments with Miles that ultimately drive Gwen for the remainder of the film.
I hope this video goes viral, you 100% deserve it! Knowing that Gwen would do anything to protect her friends and family instead of putting herself first, makes me re-think how the world actually works. She reminds me of myself, A LOT. I can't wait to see if her relationship with Miles goes any further or takes an unexpected turn in Beyond the Spider-Verse, if you know what I mean. If you're confused, I'm saying Gwen may die in the next movie, may not be true and I hope it doesn't happen. Gwen is my all-time FAVOURITE character, and even though she's not real, I think of her as family. So, (Not to make this sound weird) I would hate to lose her, like, I would cry myself to sleep for about a week.
I'm so sorry I didn't reply sooner; TH-cam flagged it and hid it away :(( Thank you so much though, I sure hope the view count somewhat equates to what you were thinking a week ago now! I would be absolutely devastated if she did
Just a quick detail. I saw her wearing those when she comes in her room after quitting her band. She had her chucks before even meeting Miguel. So, those shoes are definitely not Hobie's.
They're definitely the same model; whether that was intentional on the production team's part... not sure. If it is, it would reinforce the idea Hobie was just trying to show them how much they like each other. Nice spot!
Finally someone noticed that as well, I think Hobie was just teasing the two of them. He really is a bro. Also, Gwen's expression and sigh when Miles told her that they're the same..I think she wanted to say something else before Miles saying that. Awesome video btw, really nice to have someone who enjoyed the movie as much as I did, looking forward for more!
Self love has been my personal song of the summer. It settled me into my seat on both viewings and set the tone so well for the story that followed. I feel like because the first soundtrack had the megabit sunflower that this soundtrack has been underrated. Great video
This is a really good video essay. I particularly ❤ your analysis on how Gwen is metaphorically seeking Miles' comfort in wearing his jacket. Depending on how she's written in BTSV, Gwen may become the best-written superheroine I've seen on film.
Thank you so much! Haha, easy - just writing why I would do it personally. I definitely think she's up there, but it would be absolutely incredible to see that pushed even further! Thanks again for watching :)
This is one of the best character analysis I’ve ever seen! From the moment Spider Gwen was introduced in the Spiderverse movie I wanted for her to have her own movie so bad! And pray that she will get it because Hailee Steinfled is a powerhouse talent! All too often I see videos just talk about the plot beat for beat, which is great if your looking for a cliff’s notes version of the movie, but as a writer myself I always look for critical in depth reviews like this one to learn how to be a better writer. Thank You so much for this video essay. I will definitely check out more of your channel after this!
The writers of these movies love these characters and are excellent writers however the next movie is their last so if they make a gwen Sequel I hope it’s good cause I will be upset.
tbf, i think the hate for gwen is just because she's a (properly written) strong female character + love interest. she can't be perfect, because then she's a mary sue. she can't be imperfect, because then she's a bad person. so when we have a female love interest who is perfect **because** she's impefect, and has made mistakes that REAL PEOPLE MAKE ALL THE TIME, people will automatically default to "she's a bad character, bad person, she doesn't love miles" blah blah blah, because the audience can't *possibly* comprehend that women, PEOPLE, have *depth*. i never hated her. yeah, what she did was wrong, but i understand her.
Dear creator. I am so proud of you. I don’t even know who you are. But this. This. This is a wonderful video essay Here are my best moments which I will come back to. I have put time stamps because this gives me a chance to come back to these key points square brackets are my own thoughts 2:50 mirrors and reflections serve as symbols of truth and reality highlighting
13:40 Gwen feels she lost her friend once again [ I did not notice this the first time I saw this film. This is why Gwen reacts with a lot of worry.] 15:20 [I also noticed this when I watched this film for the second time round. They say ‘I can do both’. ] [Each spider character always trying to save everyone. This is an identity trait of being a spider hero] 16:05 [Now I get it. Hobie uses his palms to break through the electric barrier when going after Spot.] [Hobie tells Miles this is what you should do. I did not see this idea !!] [So that is why Hobie laughs at 16:10 Now I get it. He wants Miles to escape] Dear creator. I am so proud of you. I don’t even know who you are. But this. This. This is a wonderful video essay. I am starting this comment and ending this comment in the same way Start of Film: Just like Gwen said: I always wanted to be in a band. But in this line of work, you end up being a solo act. End of Film: I always wanted to be in a band. So she created her own band Thank you !!
Thank you! I really appreciate it :) I'll add to your bit at 16:10 it's also why earlier when Jess says "you're not helping" to him, it's why he responds with "good" - he's trying to stir it up more. Thank you very much for watching!!
Hobie seems like at first he might have wanted to be with Gwen but after seeing her and miles's's chemistry he chose to make miles think he wanted to be with Gwen as a motivator for miles
Nah hobie is a punk he’s just like a big bro to gwen and miles, plus gwen must have been talking about miles a lot for Jess and hobie to know who he is
First off, excellent analysis video. Most have hit on many additional points I'd want to make myself. That said, curious what you think on these: 1) Gwen meets Miles parents twice: First at the promotion party, then after everything happened at Spider Society. I think that she tried to put her best self forward the first time because it was unintended but it gave her peace to feel normal (not to mention that she had this look of longing on her face for Miles right before Rio broke it up). The second time (which literally only happens maybe less than 2hrs later) is so somber and she has gone through a rapid emotional transformation that you mention. Her mission has changed from saving the multi-verse, to saving the one person (other than her own father) that she would likely die for without a second thought. 2) When Gwen feels him across dimensions, I'd say that it is the strongest sign to her personally that she and Miles share a deeper connection than she might've even thought herself. It was a connection that she was trying to bury due to her fractured situation and now that she has found some heeling via her father, she can be her authentic self, and her authentic self wants the connection with Miles (side note: I'd say she wants the romantic connection moreover than just saving her "friend"). 3) I'd contend that when you see the "band" that Gwen assembles, it's full of people who have either been positively impacted by Miles before (Peter, Ham, Noir, Penny) or by those in Spider Society (Pavitr, Hobie, Byte) that having now actually met and worked with him and have seen his capabilities they likely feel that he is not the risk Miguel thinks he is and because they see Gwens resolve, they have agreed to help her go get her guy (although in reality, none of them probably needed much convincing). She chose this group for a reason and they are all willing to go with her into the unknown because of their shared belief in Miles and in Gwen. 4) I think that in BTSV, because Miles has no idea about what has happened since he left Spider Society, that he is going be either overtly cold, or completely evasive of Gwen when they see each other at first, but then when he does speak I'm betting that Miles is going to dig his heels in and let Gwen have it. He's not going to scream, but in his usual way, he'll cut her deep (we'll probably see her with a flood of tears) and it'll likely take Peter, Penny or Hobie to get him to chill out and listen to what she has to say. And that's probably when we'll get one of our big moments between them in the next film.
This was really well articulated, thank you for sharing! I'll have to build on some of these for sure in my next AtSV video. I honestly think you're so correct with 4) and it hurts me to think, but I know it would be for the best in terms of development. I feel bad not writing as much in a reply to this, but I seriously just agree with everything you've said. Thanks for watching and again for sharing this, I loved reading it!! :)
@@EmberNexusYTAlso, in the reunion, the song playing is "Mona Lisa", which has a subtext of Gwen not having been able to get Miles out of her head for well over a year. Like, no one will get me to think that that song was put in that scene by coincidence!
@@EmberNexusYTwent back and watched again, and your bit about Miles and Gwen when they are looking at pics of Mayday at 15:09 was clearly a deliberate cinematic choice that i missed in the theatre. They could've kept the camera angle looking at all three of them, but instead chose for the audience to have a focus on these two (albeit they are teenage characters so it's a little weird in hindsight) as the clear love interests who are now face to face staring at a baby.
Definitely planning another one, but perhaps a bit more focused. Won't be out for a couple weeks (2... maybe 3??), but there'll definitely be one! Thanks for the support :)
This is an amazing deconstruction of Gwen’s character. I see a lot of talk about the teen spiders but maybe a look into Peter or Miguel for a future video? Whatever the next project, it’ll be great
Thanks :) I've got a small backlog to clear before releasing some more AtSV stuff, but I'm looking at covering Miles' relationships with different people (and will probably also tie in some parallels from other characters). I'm so glad you enjoyed, I hope to see you in the comments again!
I loved this video I really do feel like this movie was mainly Gwen’s movie and your video kinda confirms it. I can’t wait for Beyond the Spiderverse to see how the story of Miles and Gwen concludes.
Yes she’s a co protagonist but miles is the heart and soul of all these films, because of him spider society wouldn’t exist, Peter would’ve never marry MJ and made mayday, gwen would’ve probably been depressed. He changes every character for the better but they did try to dehumanize my boi hopefully gwen can redeem herself
How the flying fuck does this video have so little viewers, this video was a straight up banger bro, perfectly explained.
Here's hoping the video explodes in popularity.
I really appreciate all that, thank you so much!!
Same
I’ve shared it everywhere but FB because no one I know on FB cares as much about this movie and these two characters as I do. But it’s on my Twitter, Tumblr, Discords, everywhere.
Thank you!
Give it a few days, I’m sure that’ll change
What made Gwen perfect in this movie is how imperfect she is.
I could not agree any more. They just make people of all ages relate with either sides of the story and its amazing.
You always get these people that love to complain about "annoying flawless female protagonists" and slapping the reductive "Mary Sue" label on them while they cry woke... but the moment a female character makes a genuine mistake/does something to the detriment of the central protagonist/the person front and center on the promotional material (in this case, Miles), she suddenly becomes the scum of the earth!
@@tessabakker662couldn’t agree more. The best characters are flawed and imperfect, like actual people. People hate characters like ray and captain marvel bc they are too perfect. Gender of a character doesn’t matter, it’s the writing that makes or breaks a character. Calling the hate for ray or marvel sexist is just an excuse for bad writing in my opinion
This video essay explains why Gwen is the best character in ATSV. She tried to please both Miles and the Spider Society and in trying to do both she lost them both. She has so many layers she can be an onion. And the water color effects in her universe are the best thing I've ever seen.
She really is! The water colors were absolutely beautiful
@@EmberNexusYTnother thing that isn’t talked about much, but could be in a canon event specific video anyway is how the course of events changes things a lot. Gwen goes to the spider society, her dad has time to think and decide whats best for him, with the spot, her meeting with miles especially changed events there too, apparently judging by miles visions and Miguel’s knowledge of his fathers passing, means that these things just change all the time and such. This movie is so layered it’s ridiculous
I love how the "Can't have your cake and eat it too... Unless you have two cakes." lines became a strong plot point for not only Miles, but Gwen too!
Made her feel a lot more two faced then “deep” tbh
I won’t deny that she is a good character
26:30 The fact that Gwen's Spidey Sense can not only detect when Miles' is in danger, but sense it from an entire UNIVERSE AWAY, that's the most true love shit of all time lol. This video is fire.
eh not really, her spider-sense barely makes any sense in either films, I mean
it "told her to go to visions academy"
@@BaconManGaming101 Someone called it the "come get your mans" sense and that's a pretty perfect description.
I'm curious as to what the problem with that is? It was shown that other Spideys could pick up on each other
@@EmberNexusYTbut not through dimensions. That’s something else entirely. Spideys sense each other and threat in immediate proximity but Gwen sensed Miles in a way that goes beyond a normal spider sense. This is something way deeper.
@@Shawn-363 yeah coz spider-gwen's spider-sense in these films have no logic, it doesn't tell you things
let's use default spider-man for example, his spider-sense is amazing, and he can sense danger for other people as well, but it doesn't tell him that, it just goes haywire and peter is able to figure out what is gonna happen
Ive seen some people say that gwen doesn't care for miles or that she purposely betrayed him and im like "did we watch the same movie?" She clearly cares for him.
They either didn't watch the movie, or are incapable of processing Gwen's character arc.
She very much does
Some people look at a movies, not watch them.
she betrayed him because she thought she didn’t have anywhere else to go but the spider society. she cares for him.
@@sillyperson1610 She thought she could help him, even if it took breaking his heart :( She was so prepared to make that sacrifice for his sake, too caught-up in her grief and desperation to "fix this" to realize Miles has a plan of his own.
i also wanna mention something:
the ending of Gwen jumping into the portal in pursuit of Miles is parallel to him jumping into the portal in pursuit of her. This action is important to note because it correlates with the theme of taking that leap of faith and being carried by the belief and willpower to make everything work out. Its a common theme that I'm pretty sure echoes all the way from the first movie, but its especially highlighted in these two scenes.
In Miles's case, he's choosing to jump into the unknown for the sake of helping Gwen. It symbolizes that despite the circumstances he doesn't know yet, he's willing to follow her to the ends of the multiverse and choose his own destiny; that destiny being to be with her.
In Gwen's case, she's also choosing to jump into the unknown to help Miles. As you mentioned, she already knows her mistakes and seeing Miles be himself through thick and thin, realizes that she too can choose her own destiny and that her mission right now is to be with him.
Admittedly, I feel like what I've said is more echoing of their romantic feelings for one another rather than a more in depth analysis of their characters, but its still something that's consistent with the theme of the movies: *to take that leap of faith.* That's why I love this parallel of scenes and why I wanted to point this out.
Ah, yes! I'm so glad you mentioned this, I think you're spot on (pun may or may not be intended).
I love that you've extended it back to ItSV with the leap of faith rather than just paralleling the two! The romantic interests and other relationships characters have with each other is a key part of any character analysis (and admittedly, I could have done a better job on that... but omg the time lol)! Their relationships with others should be a vital part of their decision making process even for events that don't involve the person. And it's something I wish I pointed out more, particularly when Gwen first saw 2099 with the watch and asked something along the lines of ~"you can go to any dimension?" Obviously wondering if she could go see Miles with one.
Thank you so much for bringing this all up for myself and everyone else :)The connection to the first film is really powerful!
Yeah that parallel is so cool and true
Yeah, I respect this assessment 👏
@@thalmoragent9344 👍
Thank you to everyone, especially from EmberNexus, for the love and appreciation for my statement.
Also, I wanna mention about the reunion in 7:19. I don't think it felt too flat or anything, but it definitely felt more like one of Gwen's hands was tied behind her back sort of situation.
just a small note, its been a year and a half and Gwen has still kept the side cut, which she didnt have before meeting Miles. its one of the few connections she has left to Miles at the start of the film.
Actually
Yes exactly and her hair has grown more on the other side. Notice that she became much more beautiful than she was when she didn't have a shaved haircut. She then added pink which flatters her a lot
@@GFalconAU you’re not wrong about that
@@GFalconAUshe had pink highlights in the first movie, but they were faded so u could barely see em. that’s why miles said “your hair got pinker”
@@ashtoobored I hadn't noticed that 😁
I never thought about Gwen wearing Miles's jacket as a sense of comfort. I wanted to talk about what she said she learned from him. "It's all possible." It brings me back to their conversation at the clock tower.
Even though she tells him it doesn't end well, she's waiting for his answer. "Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" At least for one moment, she wants to believe. Miles always finds a way to do the impossible. So, that lesson carries so much weight after everything she's been through.
For the chase scene, if you notice, Gwen has multiple moments where she shows relief when Miles has seemingly gotten away, only for it to go away once he's been located due to Peter's watch. She wants to protect him, but Miguel and Jess are standing in the way of this. She told Miguel she wasn't coming with him to stop Miles.
That was really well articulated and I'm a little disappointed I didn't talk (more) about it!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write that, it's always great to hear what other people thought :)
In a similar vein as the clock tower conversation, I wrote out the below for someone else who mentioned I missed an opportunity when Gwen says ~"in every other universe..." if you'd like to check it out.
Whilst at the clock tower, Miles mentions how [“we’re the same. -in the important ways.”]. Evidently showing his further affection to Gwen in their compatibility, whether that be through their experiences or more deeply in their feelings for each other. Gwen follows with [~“in every other universe…”]. This line demonstrates how in her ideal world, this would happen between them. Why? Well, there isn’t much of a reason to bring it up otherwise. She’s teasing herself (and Miles indirectly) of the idea that they could be in a relationship. Miles, obviously liking the idea, inches his hand over to be closer to her own. Gwen notices and literally and metaphorically swallows the hard truth which follows her previous statement [~“and in every other universe…”]. This all could be the reason behind why she hasn’t been as close with Miles during her visit so far, knowing that it would never work out with Miles. But so far, I’ve been glossing over the fact that Gwen actually knows this. The only reason she would know that Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-Man is because she’s checked. It’s something she’s actively searched answers for.
Saying it now at the clock tower is her way of letting him know that they won’t work out and it’s also a time for her to accept the reality of the canon. Paralleling this later (where the roles are reversed), it is Miles who mainly must accept the reality between them as she leaves after failing to catch the Spot. We’ll cover this more shorty.
Remember that gwen was trying to stay away from her dad and if she doesn’t comply with Miguel he’s gonna send her home so she was saving miles and also helping miguel. Her getting sent home and cut off by miles was for the best. Gwen dad left his job because he cares more about their relationship and now gwen lefts her job “spider society” to save miles.
Yeah that’s very good
I agree with most of this but Gwen assisted Jess (her mentor) and boosted her into Miles' direction.
If she didn't help she would have been sent home immediately (as has been the threat the entire time)
“What I always think, you’re amazing.”
That’s as close as we get to an I Love You in this, and it makes me tear up every time, not just because it’s her true and honest feeling towards him but because she knows what the people she’s beholden to for safe harbor think of him, and he just proved himself better than all of them for refusing to let someone die when he could save them. THAT is the essence of being Spider-Man.
I really hope they parallels this the other way in Beyond the Spider-Verse (or even go a step further (lmao please)), it would be so good 💕
@@EmberNexusYT How do you mean? That Miles says that line back to her as a way to maybe buoy her spirits in a low moment? Or about her refusing to let someone die if she can save them, proving she internalized how he acted in Mumbattan when people were in danger?
@@EmberNexusYT Now I think about it, Miles has had a fan’s view of Spider-Man for a long time before becoming one. When he says “I can do both! Spider-Man always does both!”, he’s still got them on a pedestal. Not until they refuse to let him even try does that pedestal crumble.
Yeah, her "you're amazing" line is just so sweet. The tone of her voice kills me every time, filled with such admiration and love. It tells you, whether or not she ever acts on her feelings, her heart has already taken the plunge.
I was more meaning that he would say the same line back to her
One thing about Gwen's dad is I think he can see that she's unhappy; that there's a distance between them that wasn't there before Peter's death. He thinks he knows why. He thinks catching Spider-Woman will fix it. But he doesn't understand that he could just talk with her, listen to her, and that would help him to understand her and close that distance.
And of course all this is made even more complicated by the fact Gwen _is_ Spider-Woman. I think this is part of the reason he defaults to being a cop instead of a dad; he was so sure that Spider-Woman was the enemy whose thwarting would fix everything with his daughter. But he can't process that he's been completely wrong about that, or figure out what else to do with this new information and new perspective on _everything_ he thought he knew except falling back on cop instincts.
It's not an excuse for what he did, it's just not a surprise that a man who put all his eggs in one basket didn't know what to do when that basket fell off the counter and all the eggs broke.
This is so spot on. Like actually.
Great analysis on this 👍
Perfect analogy
Taking Gwen from a supporting character to a co-lead (and by extension taking her and Miles from a relationship that I liked but wasn’t super invested in to my favorite love story in any superhero movie) was a genius move, and one I didn’t expect at all.
Nobody points this out, but I'm hoping till the end of the next movie, when hopefully things go back to some kind of normal, Gwen gets back with the band we saw her quit, because in hindsight, gals there really did look out for her.
It was Gwen, who understandably needed to sort her feelings out and well - this is the entire plot of hers in this movie.
here before this vid gets big btw
Damn, I really like that idea. That'd be awesome to see her go back and perform with them without getting overwhelmed!
So ready for the film to finish with the band playing im a believer ❤
Something I think is interesting (and kind of cute) is how Hobie can immediately identify Miles when they first meet. It's possible the whole Spider Society was given his description, but Pavitr doesn't show any recognition so that seems a little unlikely. I'm guessing Hobie knows who Miles is because Gwen has confided in him.
Miles (and thus the audience) initially misreads what role Hobie has in Gwen's life -- he's not a potential love interest, he's a mentor. Unlike her other mentor figures he doesn't give orders. His style is to give suggestions but let people make their own decisions, which we then see helps Gwen stand her ground and choose a path that suits her better.
I'd say it's more like the people critical to Miles had his backstory from the Spider Society (Gwen, Peter), of course Jess Drew knew because she is Miguels right hand, and Hobie had probably heard so much about him from Gwen that it wasn't hard for him to put it together immediately. I'd go so far as to say that Gwen probably told Hobie that she was finally going to see Miles because she couldn't contain her excitement!
Thank you so much for this video, I’ve been seeing people all over insta and twitter misunderstanding gwens character in this movie and believing she doesn’t deserve miles. I’m glad that there are people there to defend her. She knows she messed up, but shes doing whatever she can to save miles and earn his trust again
I don't think I'll ever understand their reasoning, crazy. I won't deny that she's made mistakes, but the intention behind them I think is what really matters. Thanks for watching :)
@@jq9690 Stuff like that is kind of disgraceful. One) they were never in a committed relationship. Two) there is still zero evidence to confirm anything ever happened between Gwen and Hobie.* Three) literally 16 or 17, calm your jets people.
Depth in characters really being punished because they have realistic negative traits and don't act perfectly 😢
Hesitant to generalize that far, but it wouldn't surprise me...
*Wanted to add some further comments: I've read a lot (and can't help but agree entirely now) that Hobie was literally just a friend she made to help her get away from Spider-Society when it was too much - not to mention them both being musicians.
Thanks a bunch for watching! :D
Those guys have only watched the bully maguire trilogy and think every female is like the mj of that trilogy who i swear is the two faced cheater that everyone claims spiderverse gwen to be.
Gwen was absolutely my favourite character, and I find it crazy how so many people are hating on her because she hung out with Hobie and made mistakes, while they applaud Miles for cutting her off, obviously a lot of people didnt understand her character
Those types of people are looking for any excuse to hate on female characters
@@RandomSkyeRosesNot really they just have super surface level understanding. They came for a fun superhero movie, not really a character exploration
but then with hobie they are just friends it is very clear and it has also been confirmed because some perverts still think the opposite. it's obvious gwen only has miles in her heart
Miles is my favorite character but gwen is definitely the best written character. If you’re really a gene fan you know that Miles cutting her off was best for her it forced her to stop running from her problems and face them. Miles is my favorite character cause he literally defies faith over and over again, he proves that anyone can be spider man as he was destined to be prowler. He changed Peter and Gwen for the better while they try to dehumanize my boi, Miles cutting her off was necessary he give her many chances like her lying about Spider-Society, he wasn’t a jealous incel when he found out she was hanging with hobie and had the ability to see him but it’s broke his heart when he found out that see knew and it look even worst considering miles don’t know gwen situation .
The funny thing is that Hobie clearly wants to see them get together probably because Gwen kept gushing about Miles whenever they went on missions together.
When I finish watching this movie, Gwen instantly became my favourite character due to how human she is and how her character has so many layers. So it was a bit of a shock that alot of people online hate her? Like were they asleep for the first 20 minutes of the movie???
Anyways, great video. I really hope in Beyond the Spiderverse, they both get their happily ever after 😂
For real though. Oh no, my characters are rounded and have strengths AND flaws!
Thanks, me too!
@@EmberNexusYT Though I try to remain optimistic, a lingering feeling remains where I feel like something bad is going to happen to Gwen in Beyond the Spiderverse, especially since it was implied that Gwen Stacy dying is a "canon event" for Spidermans :((
@@wongjunkit6205 Thankfully, with it being "canon," AtSV was clearly leading us to believe these events could be broken... So, in theory, she doesn't die! (...hopefully)
I heard she’s getting her own movie after the sequel
@@wongjunkit6205I don’t think so bro the theme of the movie is defying faith and changing canon. If gwen dies it kinda kills the point of the trilogy. The hate online is from racist that don’t like interracial and most females on TikTok and twitter.
To me, Canon Events are meant to teach Spider-People about the costs of their powers. Those dying is just basically learning the lesson the hard way. However, if they could avoid the deaths and learn from it, it's acceptable.
Actually though! You need to inform Miguel of this information
@@EmberNexusYT Unfortunately, the last time I visit him, he sent me packing. LOL.
GOD DAMNNN 😂
Agreed. Miguel is likely blinded by guilt and trauma to the point where he misunderstands how canon events work.
I'd be curious to know why the Universe he went to collapsed, as it seemingly was more of an indication that one can't exist in another's Universe indefinitely as opposed to the disruption of Canon events.
@@zacharyliverseed8464I feel like miguel himself broke canon much more that miles did. He let spidermen walk through dimensions and leave their own to do nothing or to indirectly make them avoid canon events
Besides, the fact he blames the mc for everything is weird: it's not miles's fault he was bitten by a spider, miles wasn't the one to open portals between universes, he helped his friends come back home so less CE were broken etc.
Also, not only he already changed his destiny: Peter b had a daughter, Gwen's father retired, gwen herself did so many things to face another outcome but only miles is an anomaly? How and why?
I LOVED this video it went into so much dept about everything that Gwen's character went through throughout the movie and the parallels between her and Miles
I'm so glad you think so and enjoyed :) Thanks for watching!
(And glad to see you came back to watch it after commenting on that community post)
@@EmberNexusYT Thank you for making the video and I'm glad you remembered that I hope it helped a little
@@EmberNexusYT good video
My theory is Miles cannon event is he can’t save Gwen
@@Unorthodox_K1NG oh no not that please
I'd like to believe that Gwen frequently visits Hobbie and plays music with him (she is a drummer after all). Could explain why she leaves and forgets a lot of her stuff in his place.
And she's homeless and tho she can probably rest at the spider society she probably feels more comfortable around hobbie
Ooh- true... I hadn't thought of that before
Yeah, I never got the impression they were an item or hooking up or anything. He’s just the spider-person she’s most comfortable around, and she has no home of her own anymore, so when Miguel is being Miguel or the spider society just gets overwhelming, it’s nice to have a place she feels welcome. Him also being a musician likely helps immensely as well.
@@odile8701 Me too I was never bothered about it since Gwen talks about the others Gwens and the consequence of dating a Spider, so of course she wouldn't do that, and Pav ships Miles and Gwen despite Hobbie and he is a good person and in a relationship so he wasn't gonna do that if Gwen was taken
I’ve spent nights with my brothers and friends and I can tell you I’ve left things with them. I left shirts, phones, toothbrushes, phone chargers, I forgot my ps5 at my brothers place. I’ve done it so much so that my brothers get angry so now anytime I leave their place from spending the night they do a THOROUGH double check with me asking me numerous times if I have my things
After having watched the ATSV for about 7 days straight I started looking into these videos that were explaining, uncovering and even hypothesising events from the movie, the characters and the storyline so that I could give words to how I feel about this masterpiece, but until now I barely ever saw a video essay so well-versed and well-written, not to mention so strongly resonating with how I feel about the movie and the main characters, only to be topped off by so many well-written comments that fittingly complement the unprecedented quality of the content of this video. I salute you all - the real spider society!
(Btw this is probably the first comment I left on TH-cam since like 2010s which, I hope, goes to show how much I appreciated watching this, hearing this and reading all this). Thanks y’all!!!
i feel exactly the same. ive been obsessed with this movie for an entire week. everything about it is so perfect: how it is written, the incredible animation style, the soundtracks... i really can't wait for beyond the spiderverse.
I especially like that "doing both" is the main crux of Spider-Man's difficulties. He's a character who constantly tries to do everything, and it often doesn't work out. Usually things only get better when he is able to combine both lives and confide in at least one other person (usually a love interest). So for Gwen, she tried to do both but lost both, and finally confiding in her dad was the change she needed to improve her situation.
I predict that a similar thing will happen to Miles in the next film. He wants to do both, but not until he can truly open up to his parents will things work out for him.
It's fascinating to me how Gwen's story also parallels her dad's. She holds fear and maybe even resentment against him for the fact that he chose his job over her. But didn't she do the same to Miles? When she was torn between following the Spider Society and "saving" him? Seeing both stories develop and end with the decision to do both has a great set-up for the next movie. I can't wait to see Gwen's redemption arc play out fully.
Ooh, that's something I want to look into now - thanks for sharing :)
That is gold and wholesome right there
If I might add all of these characters are human and flawed, the theme of family in the movie is well done, when uncle Aaron choose between miles and his job he choose miles and accepted his death that just shows the love he has for miles. Kingpin on the other hand even after his family died couldn’t change nor quit his job. Amazing characters
@@GladwinAbel yeah that’s very true
Yeah that’s reflected in the line ‘I always taught you to do it by the book’ when Gwen was reasoning with her father in the end
Hobie sees Gwen exactly as how you describe it “Just looking out for his drummer”. Personally I am in a jazz band and EVERYBODY looks out for each other. Its just like that. And in a way I think Hobie is setting them up, he knows something nobody else knows.
Amazing breakdown. Though I will admit that I'm surprised you found her seeing Miles for the first time in over a year as flat lol. She hugged him as soon as she had the chance and her cringing about mentioning his growth spurt which is normal for teenagers to do when they feel like theyve embarrassed themselves in front of their crushes.
Gwen goes on a similar arc as her father in the film. They tried to do things by the book (Police/Spider Society) and ended up hurting the most important person in their respective lives. Both realize their mistakes. Gwen's father prioritizes his daughter over his career. And we'll see Gwen prioritize her relationship with Miles over what she's been led to believe about Canon/Destiny.
And even with being around other Spider-people, she still felt alone. It's why she differentiated that what she has with Miles is special than the connection with Hobie. We don't have the events of the 2nd half of the film if not for Gwen absolutely missing Miles. They're both driven to see each other (like you mentioned Miles wanting to go into Physics)
I think I was being overly hopeful before I watched the scene so I was wanting more lol :(
But it was pretty accurate, I do have to give it to them
How have I seen a million video essays on this film. And yet I’m still clued into new insights I didn’t noticed?
Just shows you the true gravity this film exists in.
This whole essay is so well done!! I didn’t even notice the parallel with Gwen’s window reflection on my first viewing, there’s so much you pointed out here that makes me want to see this movie again. Awesome work, you’re a very underrated creator :D
Oh, that's awesome! I would recommend... My second viewing was almost entirely dedicated to trying to pick out things I might have missed about her (and just wanting to see the film again of course).
Thank you! :D
Her realizing that Miguel was wrong, and she comes to full realization how much Miles means to her. This a story as told by her.
I’ve seen so many people say they hate Gwen after seeing the movie, as if a character needs to be perfect and mistake free to be likeable? Do they realize how incredibly boring movies would be if characters did every thing right?
Gwen’s misjudgements don’t come from malice, and we can see her learning what’s right and what’s wrong and acknowledging her shortcomings as a friend. I hope people stop seeing a character going through an arc as a bad thing lol
For real though. How dare my characters have flaws
We’ve actually gotten a shit ton of female characters recently that are just like that(Rey, She Hulk, Captain Marvel, live action Mulan, live action Wendy, Batwoman) and people hate it(rightfully so). So I don’t understand why Gwen gets hate
This needs to be a mandatory watch for anyone who says Gwen simply betrayed Miles and is unworthy of forgiveness.
Haha, thank you :)
after watching Across the spiderverse, i literally fell in love with gwen, with the character, with how he was treated morally and aesthetically, it is normal that miles and gwen meet again in love, but this time i have the feeling that they will love each other much more than before or better that they are no longer afraid to let their feelings blossom, because Gwen understands first of all that anything is possible ... and that the canon can easily be rewritten and Miles because he will see the return of his love, from which he is apparently disappointed, aware of the mistakes he has made and that he will always help Miles by fighting alongside him. I want to see them both happy in love in BTS ❤
FR
And THAT is how you write a real strong female character. Take note Hollywood.
Real talk here ❤
She got such a great arc, where she actually does things the audience doesn’t like and approve of that she has to learn from. It makes sense, on top of the powers and tragedies, she’s only 16! She’s such a real person, I love her character so much and I can’t wait to see what happens with her and everyone in Beyond.
this video is... incredible. i don't have words to describe how deeply detailed and how well written this was, you've gone so deep the rabbit hole, i never thought about gwen's character in this movie like this.. there's so much more to her than you could think of, and honestly, it's beautiful. shows how much love and effort was put into this movie (even tho some stuff happened and lots of artists left the direction) but aside from that, i'm so glad we got this movie, it's amazing.
Truly, thank you!
I LOVED GWEN STACY!! I watched across the spiderverse with 2 of my friends and when we talked about the movie afterwards they both agreed that she made horrible decisions and was completely unlikeable. I was so shocked. So glad there are people who agree with me
A great example of how to do a strong female lead correctly. Give her both strengths and flaws, not just strengths.
@quandaledingle720 They did it good with black widow. Captain Marvel on the other hand…
@@orange_turtle3412 It's hard to say either were great. Black Widow wasn't given independent motivation for the vast majority of screentime, serving only to die and be kinda forgotten. When she had a lot more potential! Captain Marvel had much more of an independent story and arc in wielding her own power, but suffered from the blandness of most action film protagonists. Honestly, the best female characters I can think of in the MCU are Shuri, Nakia, and Okoye. Overall, the MCU suffers from a plain lack of investment in women as characters...
Heck, in the first Spider-Verse film, Gwen was cool but essentially just the pseudo-love interest. You didn't nearly as much of a feel for why she helps (beyond just "Spider-woman", as opposed to Miles avenging RIPeter and Peter B being forced into it by Miles) and her being a loner didn't infringe on her helping the team and getting close to Miles. She was always helping him, in contrast to Peter B tricking Miles and pushing him back.
So when this film started with her angry drumming and conflicts with the people in her life about a refusal to let them in, seeing her Spider-man-typical arrogance while fighting and desperation to join up with the Spider Crew, I was HOOKED.
You see how much she cares for Miles in the fact that she kept her haircut. Although she seemed to really care when her hairs got cut in the first film. Just after Gwen's hairs were cut, he said that he likes her haircut. He reiterates through the film that he likes her haircut.
Yeah
Yes. It's just his words that she decided kept her undercut.
Anyway, do u know if there is any any fact revealed from the producing team about why Gwen got her hair dyed pink that relate to Miles or something else?
Miles really left a impression on her
@@GladwinAbel yeah
I never thought about Gwen wearing Miles's jacket as a sense of comfort. I wanted to talk about what she said she learned from him. "It's all possible." It brings me back to their conversation at the clock tower. Even though she tells him it doesn't end well, she's waiting for his answer. "Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" At least for one moment, she wants to believe. Miles always finds a way to do the impossible. So, that lesson carries so much weight after everything she's been through. For the chase scene, if you notice, Gwen has multiple moments where she shows relief when Miles has seemingly gotten away, only for it to go away once he's been located due to Peter's watch. She wants to protect him, but Miguel and Jess are standing in the way of this. She told Miguel she wasn't coming with him to stop Miles. I also wanna mention something: the ending of Gwen jumping into the portal in pursuit of Miles is parallel to his jumping into the portal in pursuit of her. This action is important to note because it correlates with the theme of taking that leap of faith and being carried by the belief and willpower to make everything work out. It's a common theme that I'm pretty sure echoes all the way from the first movie, but it's especially highlighted in these two scenes. In Miles's case, he's choosing to jump into the unknown for the sake of helping Gwen. It symbolizes that despite the circumstances he doesn't know yet, he's willing to follow her to the ends of the multiverse and choose his own destiny; that destiny being to be with her. In Gwen's case, she's also choosing to jump into the unknown to help Miles. As you mentioned, she already knows her mistakes, and seeing Miles be himself through thick and thin, realizes that she too can choose her own destiny and that her mission right now is to be with him. Admittedly, I feel like what I've said is more echoing of their romantic feelings for one another rather than a more in-depth analysis of their characters, but it's still something that's consistent with the theme of the movies: to take that leap of faith. That's why I love this parallel of scenes and why I wanted to point this out. I LOVED this video it went into so much depth about everything that Gwen's character went through throughout the movie and the parallels between her and Miles “What I always think, you’re amazing.”That’s as close as we get to an I Love You in this, and it makes me tear up every time, not just because it’s her true and honest feeling towards him but because she knows what the people she’s beholden to for safe harbor think of him, and he just proved himself better than all of them for refusing to let someone die when he could save them. That is the essence of being Spider-Man. Nobody points this out, but I'm hoping till the end of the next movie when hopefully things go back to some kind of normal, Gwen gets back with the band we saw her quit, because in hindsight, gals there really did look out for her. It was Gwen, who understandably needed to sort her feelings out, and well - this is the entire plot of hers in this movie. One thing about Gwen's dad is I think he can see that she's unhappy; that there's a distance between them that wasn't there before Peter's death. He thinks he knows why. He thinks catching Spider-Woman will fix it. But he doesn't understand that he could just talk with her, listen to her, and that would help him to understand her and close that distance. And of course, all this is made even more complicated by the fact Gwen is Spider-Woman. I think this is part of the reason he defaults to being a cop instead of a dad; he was so sure that Spider-Woman was the enemy whose thwarting would fix everything with his daughter. But he can't process that he's been completely wrong about that, or figure out what else to do with this new information and a new perspective on everything he thought he knew except falling back on cop instincts. It's not an excuse for what he did, it's just not a surprise that a man who put all his eggs in one basket didn't know what to do when that basket fell off the counter and all the eggs broke. 2 weeks ago Gwen was absolutely my favorite character, and I find it crazy how so many people are hating on her because she hung out with Hobie and made mistakes, while they applaud Miles for cutting her off, obviously, a lot of people didn't understand her character Thank you so much for this video, I’ve been seeing people all over Insta and Twitter misunderstanding Gwen's character in this movie and believing she doesn’t deserve miles. I’m glad that there are people there to defend her. She knows she messed up, but she's doing whatever she can to save miles and earn his trust again To me, Canon Events are meant to teach Spider-People about the costs of their powers. Those dying are just basically learning the lesson the hard way. However, if they could avoid the deaths and learn from it, it's acceptable.
this was really well edited! I loved the part about the shoes, it’s amazing how so much meaning can be packed into a simple one second shot. i didn’t even notice that symbolism at all until you pointed it out
Thank you so much :) Ah- great! I'm so glad you liked that part; it really is amazing and I just had to share it!
About the shoes. I know they belong to Hobie.
But I don't think it's a coincidence that they are high tops, just like Miles' Jordans. She wears them with her suit like Miles does.
Also, she kept the accidental haircut that Miles gave her when they first met.
Then, of course, there's the jacket..
She clads herself in the Armor of Miles, doing everything she can to keep an emotional connection to him until she can find him again.
The Gwen´s shoes slipping and almost falling scene (19:33) can be also related with the die of Gwen Stacy event, cause this happens after Miguel ask her if she want to know what happen if someone break the cannon making a reference to his suppoused destiny according to the cannon.
Gwen is GORGEUS!
AMAZING video!! Gwen is my favorite, I relate to her on so many levels. She's been getting so much hate but seeing people make videos like these where her actions are explained so well is comforting
Thank you!! I really don't get it lol. I'm cool for people to disagree, but I at least want a proper reason as opposed to "she betrayed Miles" - like bruh, how?? Glad you enjoyed it :)
Agreed. Whilst I think Miles is the best Spidey in cinema now, Gwen is amazing in this film. I dont want to call her a deuteragonist, she the other protagonist. Her arc makes this movie. Miles is great, but Gwen makes this film outclass the first entirely. Which is insane considering how good the first is.
After all the slander I’ve seen her get it’s finally nice to see someone actually acknowledge her development and the arc she’s going through. I just hope in the new one her and miles have a heartfelt moment where she apologizes
Absolutely loved the breakdown of Gwen's character! She was so good and fleshed out, I couldn't help but fall for her, even as she made mistakes. I was so thrilled that this movie made Miles and Gwen co-protagonists. They each get such satisfying arcs even within an incomplete narrative.
I think the only thing I disagree with a bit is how their reunion was flat because she's there for another reason and she's had other Spider people to talk to, including (or especially) Hobie. I think it's a couple of other reasons: 1. Girl has it bad for him, and is just a bit awkward as she tries to keep it in. The cringe she gives herself when she comments on his growth spurt is hilarious and relatable. 2. This is a big no-no, and she knows it. She's risking the one home she has left in the Spider society to see him, but she can't help herself. She needs to see him, and then she goes ahead and spends the evening with him instead of watching the Spot like she's supposed to.
So to me, their awkward and stilted reunion was less because she's got another life now, and more because she really wants Miles in that life but her feelings and her "found family" make her so unsure how to act.
Thank you :)
Yeah, I've taken a look back at that scene since publishing and I was "a little" harsh. Definitely let bias sway me there (I wanted more lol), but I have to agree with what you've mentioned. I really appreciate you sharing btw, it makes it so much easier in my mind to reason things when other people lay it out 😂
Such a detailed and deep analysis, it debunks all the gwen hate comments lol, love it❤
:D I'm so glad you like it!
I’m glad that ATSV gave Gwen Stacy a lot of screentime, and i did not expect that, but i’m glad she did got that many screentime, and this is probably my unpopular opinion, but i think she is overall, a better main character than Miles, she is the best part of ATSV
For what it's worth I'd actually go further than that... I think she's the best Spider we've had on screen, period. The way she's animated is downright breathtaking at times, the performance from Hailee Steinfeld is note perfect, her mid-fight quips are really well judged, she's wonderfully written both with and without the mask and has, hands-down, the best damn outfit of all the Spider-Society. Even the little moments are spot on, the one that sticks in my mind is when she's looking back at her dad from the window sill near the end of the movie and is perfectly balanced between running and being *really* pissed off. The look on the mask combined with the 'I'm listening' is fabulous.
Oh and extra points for her theme being, basically, a drum solo. Love hearing that start to wrap around the soundtrack every time she's in the thick of the action.
@@smiddlehurst1 true, and I have no problem if she has more screentime than Miles in BTSV to be honest, I mean no disrespect to Miles, but Gwen is overall a better characters to me, and I have a blast being her fans
Miles is a cliché character
Gwen is unique
@@navidtahmasbi2870 well, I wouldn't go that far to call Miles a "cliche" character, but yeah, Gwen is pretty interesting character
I really appreciate how well written she is but this pisses me off cause they shafted a lot of miles development for the multiverse stuff
Gwen is probably the most emotionally hurt throughout this movie not only was her dad was willing to shoot her but also had to go through the whole Miles situation
THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO people are so quick to hate on gwen without considering what she actually went through in this movie...
Her character got so much development and depth this movie, felt so blessed 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Fantastic breakdown, I love her char even more now omg
Dude, this is an incredible character study. I love your passion for Gwen, and you've definitely inspired me to dive a little deeper into my own videos. The dissection into every scene is really cool, and I love how you can identify all of the subtext the writers (and animators) put into this movie. And on top of that, you covered the relationship between Miles and Gwen. Also, that part where Gwen had the misstep on that ledge--I never even considered the metaphorical aspects of it. Beautiful video essay, I couldn't have said anything in this video better myself!
Thank you so much! Well, I certainly can't wait to see more after your most recent one :)
Thank you again, I'm so glad you enjoyed!!
Yo, it's serpentsir!!
This movie turned me into a Gwen stan, I feel like we really got to know more about her and she stepped into her own as a character in this one. I love seeing this because pretty much every other video has been about Hobie or Miguel (at least from what I’ve seen), but to me Gwen is more fleshed out than either of them at least for now.
Great video. You did a great job of articulating why it’s ok for characters to slip up and have flaws. Gwen had gone through a lot, was still going through a lot, and yet she still held true to her ideology and wanted to do what was right. Great stuff!
I love that the reflection in the window shows a gun in Gwen's dad's hand, but it is actually the penguin.
I know this is late. But I like to believe that Hobie was teasing Gwen and making miles jealous on purpose. In a big brother way he does not like Gwen in that way and he knows that both Gwen and miles love each other. So he is just teasing them when he mentions all the missions and clothes Gwen did and left
A very thoughtful and detailed work. I sincerely hope this receives more exposure.
Haha, hopefully... That's much appreciated :)
@@EmberNexusYT 👍
After seeing ATSV Gwen is my fave female character in comic book movie history. She was so well written and her arc was so touching and personal
Honestly, it was that moment when 2099 forcibly sends her back home that forged my opinion of him. I think it's the allegory of sending Gwen back to a home he knows isn't safe for her that did it, but what I know is that that single action wiped away everything else in my head (other than maybe that one, unreasonably harsh tear down of Miles).
This is probably gonna sound weird, but to me, a character is only truly perfect when they're imperfect and have flaws.
I love gwen so much. shes such a genuine and earnest character just trying to do her best with the shitty situation shes been given
First of all mate great character breakdown of Gwen. She is my second favourite behind miles.
I love how Gwen is written in this movie. Her growth development was incredible and I think it’s because of miles. Gwen and miles relationship is incredible. But I think in this movie Gwen feelings towards miles grew stronger throughout the movie. I like to think that miles was the first one to have a crush on gwen but Gwen was the first one to develop feelings for him in the first movie.
There are many scenes that I can name like gwen at the start imagining to kiss miles at the intro, keeping the same haircut because it reminded her of him, playing the drums cause she can’t stop thinking about him, the pink background and hair when she visits miles which represents her love for him. And ofc the building scene with also her not wanting to leave his dimension and Pav questioning that miles must be in love with Gwen. With her not denying it and her not denying that she is in love with him.
But the one scene that got me is the father and daughter conversation. Gwen said “i can do all things but I can’t help the people I love the most and they can only know half for who i am.” Which means that she can do all these incredible things with her powers but she can’t help the two people she loves the most her father and miles. With her hiding that she was spider women to her father and not fully expressing herself with miles due to all the lies and canon events.
That’s why she can’t lose one more friend and u can see that she can’t bare to imagine it and the tears as those words came out of her mouth and how her hair turns blue which means she is sad.
But the moment when her dad was not going to be captain. That was the moment she realised that she can have both her father and miles safe. Because it links back to the building scene of Gwen Stacy fate that she can be with miles without ending in any tragedy.
In conclusion, to me this is not only a reconciliation of Gwen and her father. But represents hope for her in the next movie for her and Miles relationship. Because the end she said “ one thing I learnt from miles it’s all possible.” Which links back to Gwen breaking the canon of event of her father and having faith that she can break the Gwen Stacy and Spider-Man relationship fate.
Thanks :D
I have to agree with just about everything you mentioned! There's so much you could look into with the films, it's awesome!
This is an articulate and incredibly thoughtful video that deserves to reach more eyes and ears. Incredible analysis of one of my favorite characters in any media!! 💖💖
Thank you so much for the kind winds :) I'm glad you think I did her justice!
@@EmberNexusYT
Of course!! Good luck!
Yk Gwen really encapsulates the "Alter Ego" aspect of being a Spider-person. Her and Spiderwoman feel like 2 completely different people. Its only when she's swinging through Brooklyn with Miles later on did she and the suit feel like one person.
Spider-Gwen always felt like the bright, happy and humurous persona, while Gwen Stacy is the opposite. Its nice to see Miles is one of the few who can merge them into one genuinely happy human being.
I love how you broke down the relationships between the characters. Now approach the same movie from the perspective of Miguel and the Spot.
Great character analysis. there's a small detail in the beginning that wasn't mentioned that when Gwen is remembering the goodbye from the collider (ITSV), it shows her smirk in disappointment and look at Miles' open hand when he says "friends?" to her. It then cuts to her diving into the portal back to her dimension and her expression seemed to show her imagining kissing him in that moment, but being too timid to initiate it. As she's travelling back to her dimension she's got her eyes closed and lips puckered.
Thank you :)
I've heard the second half of that theory quite a bit, but I don't really understand where it's come from. Her eyes are closed, but I definitely haven't seen anything different to usual with her lips. (Although, I have to admit I'd be very happy if it turned out to be the case lol.) In my mind, she always thought of him platonically until very close to the end of ItSV and it wouldn't make too much sense for that to be her reaction (again - at least to me), but (again) still hoping it is the case, because gosh that would be cute. Legit on the verge of gaslighting myself into believing 😂
Thanks again for watching!
@@EmberNexusYT No problem, this video was fantastic. She definitely puckers her lips though because the lip size changes within the 3 seconds of the animation. I went back to look because you had me questioning myself, lol.
I swear I must be blind, I'm so sorry 😂 What part are you talking about?
I'm going from about where she says "see you around Spider-Man" until she finishes her dive into the collider. I'm legitimately only able to see a smile the entire time TT If you have a timestamp that might be good also (probably won't be exact between us, but it'll hopefully be close enough).
@@EmberNexusYT It happens fast. It cuts from the handshake, to her dive into the collider, to mile's face, to her face while travelling in the portal. During her travel through the portal, her eyes are closed and the only thing moving is her lips.
if you pause to the exact moment when you see her with closed eyes, her lips span most of her face, but like 1s later, her cheeks are more prominent and her lips are puckered for a kiss 1:55 and 1:56 of the film
I do not comment very often, but because I love this movie and Miles and Gwen chemistry, I need to say GOOD JOB! You pointed out some very nice details and connections that i didn´t notice on first sight. I hope more people will see this. Thank you for this amazing Essay
Thanks so much for taking some time to make the comment :)
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed (...and of course)!
I love the portrayal of the characters in this movie. theyre are like real people, they feel like real people. they have flaws, sometimes they make many mistakes, in the name of the good, and what they think they are doing is right. Nothing is ever black and white, sometimes people miss and make mistakes, especially when they are moved by care , like Gwen, sometimes like fear of the worst, just like Miguel. i see people condemning Gwen in this movie, and its okay, but it makes so much endearing for me, a feeling i felt watching Arcane. people there are so gray and flawed, and its so much more entertaining when they have development. Gwen decision in the ending wouldn't have - in my opinion - the same weight if she was in Miles shoulder the entire movie, following him blindly. her mistakes and decisions make her character much more interesting - just like Peter B, too to a amazing degree. And for better or worse, it just represents the world as it is , gray. why gwen choice of good makes her worse compared to Miles? what makes Peter wrong, when he has his own point of view and his own approach of the better good? why gwen cant be just as hero as Miles, when she has her own problems and choices?
Spectacular video and amazing analisis, loved your content!
Really couldn't agree more! Thank you so much :)
ngl i was one of the ppl who was a lil annoyed at gwen in the movie even tho i understood her story. but after watching ds breakdown n him going more into depth ian mad anymore, makes me feel actually sorry for all she went thru
This was an amazing essay. Gwen Stacy was the real main character in Across the Spider-Verse
Thank you :D
She definitely was the main character
Apart from having depth and struggles that I can relate to. Lemme just say this… HER THEME IS TOO LIT. When she first started swinging towards the vulture crime scene and her music came on my brother and I got too lit in the theater😂🔥
30:03 that cut was so smooth
Eyyy, let's go! Thank you :))
I absolutely love this video. Great job!
A couple of things I hadn't thought about until now is how despite getting her hair cut because of his hand getting stuck, she has kept it. I have to think it's because it reminds her of him.
And it also occurred to me that she had to realize that she was doing to Miles what her dad did to her--choosing what is "by the book" vs standing by her loved one.
I love Gwen and I love this movie. Both Spider-Verse films are incredibly special and deeply personal.
Thanks for posting!
Thank you so much!
A couple of people have mentioned that and yeah, you're absolutely right!
I really like that comparison, I might take it for my next AtSV video if you don't mind?
I totally agree, ItSV was something so special and the fact we got AtSV and then BtSV!? Love it.
Thanks for watching :))
@@EmberNexusYT I wouldn't mind at all. That's why I love the dialogue that this movie brings. Each video I watch makes me think about something in a way I hadn't thought of before and it just keeps getting deeper and richer and more amazing.
Hey! I enjoyed this video essay a lot and it has enriched my understanding of Gwen. She's one of the best written characters in the recent movies and shows I've seen. And your content in this video was logical, illuminating, and helpful! Keep it up :))
I'm so happy to hear that! Absolutely; she's "AMAZING" (hilarious). Thank you so much for the kind words! :))
The reason why Gwen left her jumper and toothbrush at Hobie’s house, its because she was kinda homeless by the fact that she didnt want to go back to her home and confront her dad
Great analysis! Really reminds me of how amazing the movie is.
I liked Gwen in the first movie but the sequel is where i fell in love with the character. Miles is the protagonist of the whole trilogy. But "Across the Spiderverse" is definitely Gwen's movie. Her arc couldn't have been any better.
If I was a writer for it. I took a double sided thing with Hobie on He provides clothes and things for Gwen because she os couch surfing. But also because a type of teasing. Because they have zero chemistry romantically, so he is kinda poking Miles too show Gwen he is intrested. Also on the talking scene at the tower in Miles' universe. She is trying too keep herself grounded. Like when she webs herself down. It is her trying too keep herself grounded while the world feels/literally upside down.
I didn't cover it particularly personally in the video, but I do love the idea that Hobie is teasing Miles about it (while also making them both realize how much they like each other).
How the hell can an animated film be so emotionally deep?? This is a fking masterpiece.
Anyways just think this: Gwen character is so changed from the beginning she can potentially die, since she has closed all her backstory (except for Miles). And this thing scares me to death
You know. I love gwen and even in one of the spoderverse comics they brought her in with a little caption saying that she will be your favorite. Made me love her even more 💕
Yeah, she is so AMAZING.
She is vulnerable and tough in the meantime.
Thanks for more reasons to love this movie. Gwen’s 20 minute intro is a great film on its own.
This was sooooooooo good! I loved how deep it got into Gwen's character. The only thing was I don't recall hearing about when Gwen says that line about how in every universe Gwen Stacy falls for spider man and it doesn't end well maybe I missed it but it would have added so much more to the video overall very great video and I enjoyed it emensly! If you add this on top of into the spider verse I'd say Gwen is one of the most developed characters in the whole franchise
Thank you! I knowww... ahh- So I've done some work just for you (and partially myself lol)!
I've scripted (with my usual formatting and all) a rough first draft which covers something I would have said for that line (which you can find just below. Square brackets indicate audio clips from the movie just btw.) I know it's not the same as having it fully produced, but I hope you still very much enjoy my little addition to the video, in which I owe to you! Sorry it isn't as refined as the rest of my script, but I thought it was comprehensible enough. Thank you for mentioning it :)
And I'm so glad you enjoyed the rest of it! Thanks for watching!
Whilst at the clock tower, Miles mentions how [“we’re the same. -in the important ways.”]. Evidently showing his further affection to Gwen in their compatibility, whether that be through their experiences or more deeply in their feelings for each other. Gwen follows with [~“in every other universe…”]. This line demonstrates how in her ideal world, this would happen between them. Why? Well, there isn’t much of a reason to bring it up otherwise. She’s teasing herself (and Miles indirectly) of the idea that they could be in a relationship. Miles, obviously liking the idea, inches his hand over to be closer to her own. Gwen notices and literally and metaphorically swallows the hard truth which follows her previous statement [~“and in every other universe…”]. This all could be the reason behind why she hasn’t been as close with Miles during her visit so far, knowing that it would never work out with Miles. But so far, I’ve been glossing over the fact that Gwen actually knows this. The only reason she would know that Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-Man is because she’s checked. It’s something she’s actively searched answers for.
Saying it now at the clock tower is her way of letting him know that they won’t work out and it’s also a time for her to accept the reality of the canon. Paralleling this later (where the roles are reversed), it is Miles who mainly must accept the reality between them as she leaves after failing to catch the Spot. We’ll cover this more shorty.
@@EmberNexusYTinteresting. I didn't read it as a rejection at all. I read it as her feeling vulnerable enough to express her fears at the possibility of a relationship, and (just watch how she glances at him) wondering how Miles would respond.
It was a test.
And to me she's obviously pleased with the response. She smiles, she gives a little laugh, and she presses (not leans) into Miles.
She would not do this if she were trying to say, "It'll never work." Or if she meant to discourage his interest.
She needs his optimism. And when they are alone together on that clock tower, she has it. And it gives her a sliver of hope that maybe their fates do not have to be written in stone. And for that one moment, she and Miles sit upright, side by side, while the rest of the world is upside down.
Miles'world may be a bit more subtle about it than Gwen's, but it too mirrors the inner state of our heroes.
@@dgmilloway I'd say it's both. Gwen is living two realities concurrently and while on one side she knows it "wouldn't work out" because it hasn't every other time, she leaves the door open for some additional dialogue, and Miles delivers a perfect response for her. Like mentioned in the video "he possibly undersells it" at the clocktower with his response. Miles did the same thing at the collider regarding Gwens emotions from losing Peter when he mentions being friends. He does the same thing where he both acknowledges her statement and its intent, and bridges the gap with his usual fervent optimism that anything is possible, and allows her to have that affection, companionship and belief in something else for even just a moment (a moment she wasn't supposed to have by the way). Also, in the very next sequence, they are getting friendly at a party when Rio breaks it up. Gwens inner desire is taking charge from the other reality she is dealing with and it's great to see that from the lead female character.
It's those moments with Miles that ultimately drive Gwen for the remainder of the film.
If BTSV doesn’t have Miles and Gwen in a loving relationship by the end, then Imma be so salted I’ll be saltier then the sea
I can finally watch this video essay after watching the movie. Shes literally my fav character now because of Across the Spiderverse ToT
Thanks for coming back to it :))
I hope this video goes viral, you 100% deserve it!
Knowing that Gwen would do anything to protect her friends and family instead of putting herself first, makes me re-think how the world actually works. She reminds me of myself, A LOT.
I can't wait to see if her relationship with Miles goes any further or takes an unexpected turn in Beyond the Spider-Verse, if you know what I mean.
If you're confused, I'm saying Gwen may die in the next movie, may not be true and I hope it doesn't happen. Gwen is my all-time FAVOURITE character, and even though she's not real, I think of her as family.
So, (Not to make this sound weird) I would hate to lose her, like, I would cry myself to sleep for about a week.
I'm so sorry I didn't reply sooner; TH-cam flagged it and hid it away :((
Thank you so much though, I sure hope the view count somewhat equates to what you were thinking a week ago now!
I would be absolutely devastated if she did
She's fantastic! I loved her so much ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Just a quick detail. I saw her wearing those when she comes in her room after quitting her band. She had her chucks before even meeting Miguel. So, those shoes are definitely not Hobie's.
They're definitely the same model; whether that was intentional on the production team's part... not sure. If it is, it would reinforce the idea Hobie was just trying to show them how much they like each other. Nice spot!
Finally someone noticed that as well, I think Hobie was just teasing the two of them. He really is a bro. Also, Gwen's expression and sigh when Miles told her that they're the same..I think she wanted to say something else before Miles saying that. Awesome video btw, really nice to have someone who enjoyed the movie as much as I did, looking forward for more!
Self love has been my personal song of the summer. It settled me into my seat on both viewings and set the tone so well for the story that followed. I feel like because the first soundtrack had the megabit sunflower that this soundtrack has been underrated. Great video
Also spider punk was incredible and made it possible for Gwen to go rogue from Miguel and assemble spider friends to save Myles
I need insomniac games to make a Spider-Gwen game and then I can die happy. Great video as well btw 👏
Haha, for real... Thanks!
This is a really good video essay. I particularly ❤ your analysis on how Gwen is metaphorically seeking Miles' comfort in wearing his jacket. Depending on how she's written in BTSV, Gwen may become the best-written superheroine I've seen on film.
Thank you so much! Haha, easy - just writing why I would do it personally.
I definitely think she's up there, but it would be absolutely incredible to see that pushed even further! Thanks again for watching :)
I love watching essays where it's clear that the creator loves the source material
Thanks
This is one of the best character analysis I’ve ever seen! From the moment Spider Gwen was introduced in the Spiderverse movie I wanted for her to have her own movie so bad! And pray that she will get it because Hailee Steinfled is a powerhouse talent! All too often I see videos just talk about the plot beat for beat, which is great if your looking for a cliff’s notes version of the movie, but as a writer myself I always look for critical in depth reviews like this one to learn how to be a better writer. Thank You so much for this video essay. I will definitely check out more of your channel after this!
The writers of these movies love these characters and are excellent writers however the next movie is their last so if they make a gwen Sequel I hope it’s good cause I will be upset.
Thank you so much - that's really appreciated!
tbf, i think the hate for gwen is just because she's a (properly written) strong female character + love interest. she can't be perfect, because then she's a mary sue. she can't be imperfect, because then she's a bad person. so when we have a female love interest who is perfect **because** she's impefect, and has made mistakes that REAL PEOPLE MAKE ALL THE TIME, people will automatically default to "she's a bad character, bad person, she doesn't love miles" blah blah blah, because the audience can't *possibly* comprehend that women, PEOPLE, have *depth*. i never hated her. yeah, what she did was wrong, but i understand her.
Dear creator. I am so proud of you. I don’t even know who you are. But this. This. This is a wonderful video essay
Here are my best moments which I will come back to.
I have put time stamps because this gives me a chance to come back to these key points
square brackets are my own thoughts
2:50 mirrors and reflections serve as symbols of truth and reality highlighting
13:40 Gwen feels she lost her friend once again [ I did not notice this the first time I saw this film. This is why Gwen reacts with a lot of worry.]
15:20 [I also noticed this when I watched this film for the second time round. They say ‘I can do both’. ]
[Each spider character always trying to save everyone. This is an identity trait of being a spider hero]
16:05 [Now I get it. Hobie uses his palms to break through the electric barrier when going after Spot.]
[Hobie tells Miles this is what you should do. I did not see this idea !!]
[So that is why Hobie laughs at 16:10 Now I get it. He wants Miles to escape]
Dear creator. I am so proud of you. I don’t even know who you are. But this. This. This is a wonderful video essay.
I am starting this comment and ending this comment in the same way
Start of Film: Just like Gwen said: I always wanted to be in a band. But in this line of work, you end up being a solo act.
End of Film: I always wanted to be in a band. So she created her own band
Thank you !!
Thank you! I really appreciate it :)
I'll add to your bit at 16:10 it's also why earlier when Jess says "you're not helping" to him, it's why he responds with "good" - he's trying to stir it up more.
Thank you very much for watching!!
8:31 it could be a reference to her trying to copy miles and how he wore his kicks
What a quality man!! I really hope that you’ll get more views ‘cause you deserve them❤
Thank you. That means a lot :)
Hobie seems like at first he might have wanted to be with Gwen but after seeing her and miles's's chemistry he chose to make miles think he wanted to be with Gwen as a motivator for miles
Nah hobie is a punk he’s just like a big bro to gwen and miles, plus gwen must have been talking about miles a lot for Jess and hobie to know who he is
@@GladwinAbel or that either way he motivated miles and showed him a way out of the predicament he was in (the beginning of the spider chase)
I didn't see any evidence of an attraction between Hobie and Gwen. It seemed to me like he treated both Gwen and Miles like siblings.
Hobie is acutally such a cool dude
First off, excellent analysis video. Most have hit on many additional points I'd want to make myself. That said, curious what you think on these:
1) Gwen meets Miles parents twice: First at the promotion party, then after everything happened at Spider Society. I think that she tried to put her best self forward the first time because it was unintended but it gave her peace to feel normal (not to mention that she had this look of longing on her face for Miles right before Rio broke it up). The second time (which literally only happens maybe less than 2hrs later) is so somber and she has gone through a rapid emotional transformation that you mention. Her mission has changed from saving the multi-verse, to saving the one person (other than her own father) that she would likely die for without a second thought.
2) When Gwen feels him across dimensions, I'd say that it is the strongest sign to her personally that she and Miles share a deeper connection than she might've even thought herself. It was a connection that she was trying to bury due to her fractured situation and now that she has found some heeling via her father, she can be her authentic self, and her authentic self wants the connection with Miles (side note: I'd say she wants the romantic connection moreover than just saving her "friend").
3) I'd contend that when you see the "band" that Gwen assembles, it's full of people who have either been positively impacted by Miles before (Peter, Ham, Noir, Penny) or by those in Spider Society (Pavitr, Hobie, Byte) that having now actually met and worked with him and have seen his capabilities they likely feel that he is not the risk Miguel thinks he is and because they see Gwens resolve, they have agreed to help her go get her guy (although in reality, none of them probably needed much convincing). She chose this group for a reason and they are all willing to go with her into the unknown because of their shared belief in Miles and in Gwen.
4) I think that in BTSV, because Miles has no idea about what has happened since he left Spider Society, that he is going be either overtly cold, or completely evasive of Gwen when they see each other at first, but then when he does speak I'm betting that Miles is going to dig his heels in and let Gwen have it. He's not going to scream, but in his usual way, he'll cut her deep (we'll probably see her with a flood of tears) and it'll likely take Peter, Penny or Hobie to get him to chill out and listen to what she has to say. And that's probably when we'll get one of our big moments between them in the next film.
This was really well articulated, thank you for sharing! I'll have to build on some of these for sure in my next AtSV video. I honestly think you're so correct with 4) and it hurts me to think, but I know it would be for the best in terms of development.
I feel bad not writing as much in a reply to this, but I seriously just agree with everything you've said. Thanks for watching and again for sharing this, I loved reading it!! :)
@@EmberNexusYTAlso, in the reunion, the song playing is "Mona Lisa", which has a subtext of Gwen not having been able to get Miles out of her head for well over a year. Like, no one will get me to think that that song was put in that scene by coincidence!
It's my favorite song from the film for sure, but it's absolutely in there for that reason!
@@EmberNexusYTwent back and watched again, and your bit about Miles and Gwen when they are looking at pics of Mayday at 15:09 was clearly a deliberate cinematic choice that i missed in the theatre. They could've kept the camera angle looking at all three of them, but instead chose for the audience to have a focus on these two (albeit they are teenage characters so it's a little weird in hindsight) as the clear love interests who are now face to face staring at a baby.
I think it's just meant to show how they could be comfortable living a life together ...but it could also be taken more directly lol
i absolutely loved this and would definitely love to see another video essay like this for another character
Definitely planning another one, but perhaps a bit more focused. Won't be out for a couple weeks (2... maybe 3??), but there'll definitely be one! Thanks for the support :)
While the Miles may be the protagonist of the Spider-Verse trilogy Across really felt like Gwen's film
This is an amazing deconstruction of Gwen’s character. I see a lot of talk about the teen spiders but maybe a look into Peter or Miguel for a future video? Whatever the next project, it’ll be great
Thanks :) I've got a small backlog to clear before releasing some more AtSV stuff, but I'm looking at covering Miles' relationships with different people (and will probably also tie in some parallels from other characters).
I'm so glad you enjoyed, I hope to see you in the comments again!
I loved this video I really do feel like this movie was mainly Gwen’s movie and your video kinda confirms it. I can’t wait for Beyond the Spiderverse to see how the story of Miles and Gwen concludes.
Yes she’s a co protagonist but miles is the heart and soul of all these films, because of him spider society wouldn’t exist, Peter would’ve never marry MJ and made mayday, gwen would’ve probably been depressed. He changes every character for the better but they did try to dehumanize my boi hopefully gwen can redeem herself