Why Spider-Verse's CLIFFHANGER Hits Different

#spiderman #milesmorales
This ending is FASCINATING in its structure and pacing, from Miles revelation to 42 Rio, to the shock of seeing Uncle Aaron, to Gwen creating her rebel spider force, and of course the introduction of 42 Miles.
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[@jimstoesz3878]

I feel like Miles' personal arc about telling his parents the truth DID conclude, though. The obstacle wasn't that his parents didn’t know, it was that Miles was too scared to tell them. He's not anymore. He tells the wrong Rio the first time, but he's proven to himself and the audience that he'll he able to tell the right one as soon as he gets home.

[@hartthorn]

And I even feel like Not!Rio's reaction is equally important. She's clearly in a world that still has costumed super people. But at the end of the day, she trusts Miles and will back him up. The lack of response is important.

[@fatuousinnovatorofsadness4640]

The arc is finished but the payoff isn't. That means they're gonna play with the payoff in the next movie. He's going to have an arc surrounding BEING spiderman and how his parents react to that.

[@osullytony]

I thought of it as one of his obstacles were overcome however it was also that he didn't trust them enough to tell them as well as being scared, which mirrors Gwen who trusts Miles but not enough to tell him the truth and also being scared to do so, then Gwen chooses to trust him again and goes to prove that at the same moment Miles chooses to trust his parents it's a mirroring moment scene for me which I thought was well done.

[@victoriagowans]

I totally agree, which I think contributes to this being a satisfying cliffhanger. And I think it applies to Gwen’s personal arc as well. Plus, they had woven a fascinating story of anticipation surrounding Spot and Miguel, and now we get the time for satisfying conclusions to all of the plot points rather than rushing them

[@josephwille6464]

So while I understand what you are saying from a narrative perspective, I'm guessing you havent seen how often super hero stories, especially marvel and dc, will show a character revealing their identity, only to swap back to the status quo after. While everything you said is true on a narrative level, comic storylines have gone out of their way to recall the growth from scenes like this in the past many times. So its not that you're wrong. You are right, but with the caveat that a lot of fans have had a lot of examples of comic stories burning them in times like this, so they wont trust the scene to live up to its job to be said climax.

[@misteryA555]

And this new beginning, where Miles realizes an alternate version of him is the Prowler, directly ties into his fears and insecurities- that he wasn't meant to be Spiderman and therefore doesn't deserve to be Spiderman. He's face to face with a him that didn't get to be Spiderman and this is who he became. It's so emotionally charged- I love it!

[@theblackowl555]

Agreed.

[@AsterBTT]

What's more, he's face to face with the alternate version of himself, the one that "proves" that Miguel was right, and Miles wasn't supposed to be Spider-Man, and despite that, he stares that fate down with CONFIDENCE. He is shocked, he is confused, he is shaken, but his conviction isn't broken. He raises his head in the face of this reality, and gets ready to fight.

[@CLDJ227]

I do kinda of wonder if a twist they'll bring up in the next film will be that Prowler Miles was possibly going to be the Spiderman of that dimension. However, because the spider ended up in other Miles's dimension that didn't happen. I doubt they'll go that route but it could be a possibility 🤔.

[@hilosky]

​@@CLDJ227that is 100% canon exactly what happened. In Spot's backstory flashback, we see that he portalled the spider over to Miles' dimension just as it was about to bite Prowler Miles.

[@benchristensen1526]

I like the thought a lot, but I don't see enough evidence from either movie that without the spider bite this is who Miles would have become. They should have intentionally worked toward your interpretation, then I would have felt the same emotional impact you did.

[@marykatezehr1074]

Also, I like that Rio said "Who's Spider-Man?" instead of just "Who?" It's almost like we figured she'd respond this way as if she's a typical mom who forgot who a famous celebrity is. That's what we didn't really suspect anything was wrong until Miles glitched and the camera zoomed outward. Super well done

[@pinkerhero]

YES it didn't hit me yet~!!

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

Yep. I was confused as hell but it didn't click for me yet. The end of the movie was a pure masterclass

[@wesleyhudson9560]

And the music

[@TipoIrritable]

Thing is, you can’t forget Spiderman. It’s like forgetting Jesus back then.

[@Brenilla]

I think the trust gotten in the movies in this series also helps alot. Like even if a movie or series pulled off a perfect to be continued ending. If a studio or franchise hadnt been shown to have a great track record it could backfire.

[@schnee1]

Ooh really great point!! I wish I had talked about that

[@ishathakor]

yeah like honestly if an mcu movie did this atp i would've walked out of the theatre rolling my eyes and resolving to not watch the follow up. spiderverse has been consistent however

[@M_k-zi3tn]

Its really interesting that Sony went from making nonsense like The Emoji movie to masterpieces like the Spiderverse movies and Mitchells.

[@NelsonStJames]

@@M_k-zi3tn Sony has always been hit or miss.

[@TheKeller101]

@@ishathakorexcept that they did do that with Infinity War

[@kharyrobertson3579]

I don't mind a cliffhanger at the end of a movie as long as it's not the same resolution I came into the movie looking for. I don't like when a cliffhanger in a movie is used instead of a resolution, but rather as a setup for another movie or property.

[@theblackowl555]

I feel the same.

[@joshuavarghese619]

Agreed, I think fast x did a horrible job at a fake ending while both dune and into the spiderverse did a great job. Lot of movies are jumping on the 2 movie bandwagon

[@NelsonStJames]

@@joshuavarghese619 Well to be honest the two movie bandwagon is a lot better than the unintentional trilogy bandwagon that took hold after Empire Strikes Back (arguably the first unintentional second film of a trilogy that didn't initially start out as a trilogy and the most successful). Until LotR there had been no movie trilogy that was conceived as a trilogy to begin with. Dune logically works as a two movie film because the novel has an organic halfway point. Most other 2 movies stories are just money grabs and stretching out a story that could have easily been told with one film.

[@franciss9856]

You take back what u just said about detective Conan! >:(

[@TipoIrritable]

This was a setup for the next movie, we didn’t get the resolution yet.

[@richardmillhousenixon]

I'm gonna go on a bit of a rant here, so bear with me. I went into the theater not realizing it was a two parter, and because of that the ending hit twice as hard for me as it probably did for those that knew there would be a part 2. But unlike the cliffhangers in a lot of other stories, I didn't leave the theater feeling robbed, or feeling anxiety for the rest of the story. I left with something I'd never felt in the cliffhangers of any other stories. Hope. The last time we see Miles in shot, he's not panicking, he's not resigned to his fate. He's confident, staring back at Miles G and figuring out a way to break free of the chains. And then to mirror that, the last shot we see of any character is a close up of Gwen, with a confident smile on her face, and the V/O ending with "You want in?" Its just about the best cliffhanger ending to any story I've seen, because you aren't feeling like you were left with half of a story. You're left with a full story that has another full story following it. I'll compare it to HL2:E2. At the end of that, we are left with a huge unfulfilled story, which makes it all the more disappointing that we never got an episode 3. But with ATSV, they left it in such a way that it could end there, and it wouldn't feel unfinished, all the while not taking away any of the impact of the cliffhanger for the next film.

[@raindrop6566]

Totally agree with you here! I definitely had to take some time to process the entire movie after it was over, but not because I was feeling cheated by the ending, just because I had so many thoughts that I had to figure out and needed time to work through them.

[@richardmillhousenixon]

@@raindrop6566 I watched it about a week after it released, and I'm glad I didn't go back to the theater to watch it again. Taking the time between watching it in theaters and the next time I watched it (after the physical Blu-ray release) allowed me to really fully process everything, and it also meant that watching it again was like watching a whole new film, because I was able to process everything in a completely new light

[@richardmillhousenixon]

With that being said though I've watched it an ungodly amount of times since the physical release at the beginning of September. There was a span of about 3 weeks where I watched it almost every day.

[@somestupiddudewithayoutube4676]

Also the same with the 3 back to the future parts All 3 are full stories on their own, but all set each other up and leave each other on cliffhangers for the next to set up

[@toothless3835]

Same girl same. I was PISSED to be frank. "DUDE! WHAT? No! Rage!" Edit because i accidently submitted it too soon. I may have been annoyed but I'm still excited about a third movie. But I also don't mind cliffhangers so long as I know they're going to be completed.

[@andy_hay23]

I feel like with the narration at the start of the movie and the first 20mins being dedicated to Gwen, it’s actually her movie. She had the full complete arc, so while ending the movie excited to see how Miles go I had the sense of satisfaction of Gwen going from a total outsider and “never joining a band” to “starting her own”

[@flamesofchaos13]

The Entire Trilogy is Miles Arc...First Film is set up, Second Film is yes divided with Gwen as the Dual Protagonist, Third Film shall be divided with Miles G Morales aka The Prowler as both an Antagonist and Dual Protagonist (Gwen will be regulated to Third or Fourth depending on how important Miguel is). Then Gwen will become the Main Protagonist of the spin-off film Spider-Woman.

[@richardmillhousenixon]

@@flamesofchaos13 I have a feeling Gwen will still have an important role to play in the next film. Maybe not necessarily a "dual protagonist" but definitely not relegated to a third or fourth role. I mean she's the one leading the spider gang to go save Miles

[@flamesofchaos13]

@@richardmillhousenixon If both Miles's and Miguel are the Central Pov's then Gwen's literally would be in third or fourth. Yes she is 100% going to still remain an important and main character but if the story is about the Miles's and Miguel she will indeed lose her Dual Protagonist role.

[@richardmillhousenixon]

@@flamesofchaos13 I'm not really sure if Miguel is gonna be _that_ much of an important character. I mean obviously he will, and he'll have some character development, but I'm seeing him in a role similar to what you are seeing for Gwen.

[@huaen8880]

Another background detail, but the ending score (Across The Spiderverse: Start a Band) mirrors the score at the beginning of the movie (Across The Spiderverse: Intro), but instead of collapsing into a confused mess like in the beginning of the movie, the score keeps building to a triumphant end, which both gives the ending a sense of closure and makes it feel incredibly epic. Hearing the band build to a crescendo as Miles prepares to venom blast the chains and Gwen prepares to jump into the portal with her new band to save Miles adds the additional touch required to make the ending feel great, even if it's a cliffhanger.

[@SaiyanHeretic]

Structurally, it helps that ATSV does tell a complete story. At the start, Miles knows what he wants but isn't sure how to get there and he's just skating by on false confidence. By the end, Miles has overcome an obstacle to what he wants (more on that) and his false confidence has been tempered by struggle into real steel. And speaking of obstacles, Spot might be a villain, but he's not the antagonist of this story because he's not (yet) standing in the way of what Miles wants. Miguel is the antagonist - Miguel opposes Miles's desire to reconnect with his Spider friends (before they even meet), Miguel opposes Miles's interest in joining Spider Society, Miguel opposes Miles's efforts to thwart The Canon and save his father, Miguel opposes Miles very existence as a Spider-Man. In overcoming all of that, Miles has accomplished something tangible (proving himself to people who's opinions matter to him) and changed as a person (newfound focus on his goals and the courage to reveal his secret). The twist might subvert our expectations of endings should go, but it doesn't undo or negate anything that Miles just achieved. ATSV does all of his, unlike Fast X, which literally ends in the middle of an action sequence with Dom having accomplished nothing of consequence to his ultimate goal.

[@hilosky]

Also there is a complete story within the larger story. Gwen goes through a complete arc in this film as a main character in her own right.

[@AntsTheaterCorner2698]

​@@hiloskyYes. People need to actually watch the film before they say it's not a full film. It's really a film and a half. It's a complete arc for the two leads and the build-up to the next arc for the 3rd film.

[@uli11]

I think people struggle with this ending. A lot of people say that this was an element of the film they did *not* like. And I disagree with them. I was *SOOOO* hyped and felt so excited. For me I'm left feeling curious about whats next, and am bummed I have to wait so long to find out.

[@snakesandpsychology]

Right! I actually found myself caring less because I was like "welp. I guess we'll find out what happens in another 5 years"

[@slader6079]

As one of the people who hated this it felt very strange that we going to be getting "another movie" sometime later. Just felt like a copout which really urked me cause I was enjoying myself up to this point

[@crazydragy4233]

@@slader6079 I don't really understand how this is a cop out in any regard though?. It's not like they could have merged the two first movies into one.. or well you'd be waiting twice as long. Good things take time?

[@InterdimensionalDudeMan]

​@slader6079 I agree. None of the story was resolved ever. This was half a movie. I felt no closure at any point. Just left feeling pissed off. Happy for everyone who liked it. But I despise cliffhangers. I love the art style but it dosen't get me excited for the future when I feel like 20 more minutes could've finished the film. Instead we are stretching out 1 boss fight into 2 more hours 2yrs from now. No thanks. I'm out.

[@krisjones4051]

⁠@@InterdimensionalDudeManExcept the fact that Miles’ spider came form Universe 42 is a major plot point that needed to be resolved with a lot more exposition established. The implication was ALWAYS that there was another version of Miles that was supposed to be bitten by the spider, yet “our” Miles disrupted this canon event. This has to be resolved and 20min just wouldn’t work.

[@sydposting]

I feel like the use of Gwen's narration to open and close the movie was absolutely instrumental to pulling this off. Just one line - "You want in?" - made it clear that this was just Gwen giving the *opening pitch.* Getting the backstory out of the way for something even more incredible to come. I left the theater befuddled as to why the story stopped *here* exactly, but that was far outweighed by my excitement - because I *knew* we were getting answers later.

[@gc6457]

I loved this video, but I do think that there is one other important thing at play here. For example, there is a very glaring closed question that is left unanswered by the end of the movie, “Will Miles’ dad live or die?”. Why isn’t that frustrating? Definitely the open ended questions and pressure valve moment help take away from that closed question frustration but something else that I think helps is that this movie did get a conclusion: Gwen and her dad! Despite there being a cliffhanger for miles’ story, this movie delivers a satisfying conclusion to Gwen’s story with her dad (which is the first conflict that we get introduced to in the movie)! We as the audience get to experience all that well earned good conclusions feelings with the hero that we started the movie with, priming us to accept the open-ended questions and “beginning plot elements” at the end of the movie. Again, absolutely loved the video, can’t wait to see more Spider Verse analysis!

[@pharoahcaraboo9610]

I would also interpret Gwen’s arc concluding as something of an answer to that very question. Captain Stacy broke canon. He will not die, because he left the force. But you could also say Captain Stacy metaphorically died so Gwen’s father could live. So we already know ‘canon’ is not as set in stone or at least not as literal as Miguel has interpreted it as. So there is a chance that Miles can break canon again and save his father too.

[@lizzyrank5405]

​@@pharoahcaraboo9610I think its also because we have seen Miles do the impossible, he is different from everyother spider people, from his beginning and possibly ending. Plus the trust and confidence that Miles has, allows that audience to have that much trust and confidence in him helps alot, as we know when Miles says hes gonna do something, hes gonna do it with everything he's got.

[@deyliramirez382]

​@lizzyrank5405 That knowledge the audience has "that when Miles is going to do something, he's going to do it with everything he's got", might explain why with just 2 movies, people now say, "I love you Peter, but Miles is [insert better compliment & personal rooting for Miles]"

[@IEPerez1994]

This. The movie only has a cliffhanger if you view it as part 2 of miles story. It’s not, i imagine part 3 will be that. This was gwen’s movie, and as such has a satisfying ending, with major implications for the spiderverse itself

[@maddyh1231]

0:35 "I wasnt feeling typical cliff-hanger pain" Tell that to the guy at my screening that yelled "FUCK YOU" when the credits started rolling 😂

[@sny8696]

Totally agree with what you said about the start of the movie feelings. Across the spiderverse is one of my favorite movies, but in the end, when we see prowler miles and everything I was like: wait, isn't the movie supposed to end by now? I felt like it was just beginning 2.5 hours in... and I loved this cliffhanger, although most of my friends didn't

[@kildeer]

YES THANK YOU i felt like i could genuinely watch 2 hours more and this perfectly puts into words why i had that feeling

[@aspillust]

@@kildeerman if it's a spiderverse movie i could sit there for 24 hours and still be ready for more lmao

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

I remember watching it for the first time... those 2 hours flew by so quick it felt like 45 minutes. I don't think I'll ever enjoy a movie first watch like that ever again. It was on a whole other level

[@b4hji]

I feel like the other reason the ending works is because Gwen simultaneously completes her arc by launching her splinter cell. Like I know really the scene with her dad was the climax of her arc but taking this bold step as the realization of that self actualization is the actual conclusion IMO. And unlike the first movie, Gwen was really just as much a main protagonist as Miles was, even if Miles was the main POV.

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

The thing that sets this cliffhanger apart from so many is that it does leave us wanting for more, but Miles and Gwen's arcs are still concluded in this film. Miles is all alone in a different dimension with the risk of desintegrating and face to face with a twisted version of himself, yet he's calm and he's become independent enough to face it on his own. Gwen learned to follow her heart, start defying fate and go be with Miles like she always wanted to. They both have completed arcs, there's just more to the story.

[@isabellhoward761]

This guy is insane, I love how I can listen to his deep rabbit holes for hours AND NOT GET TIRED, he can go on and on about something and still find more and more!! Seriously amazing, I feel like I appreciate this movie a million times more than I already did which is physically impossible and it's all because of ✨schnee✨

[@CobitoAventurera]

I think what also helped this different cliffhanger feeling was that we experienced closure in Gwen's arc story. The movie actually starts with her conflict. So we could say that when she finally gets to talk with her dad, the movie (or the main story) technically ends there, allowing us to see also the start of a new story.

[@effmltalks]

I think for me it was a realisation that the bigger picture that the movie teases us with especially towards the end couldn't possibly be captured in the final 10 minutes, that it cleverly got me to mentally prepare for not having the full picture, but also excitedly ready to wait for the next movie knowing how big the picture is going to get! It's so well done!!

[@SteveJubs]

As one of the ones who did feel incredibly cheated by this ending, this video actually does help me appreciate it from a storytelling perspective. And now that I think about it, what really matters to Miles’ arc is that he did the right thing at the end (telling his mom the truth and owning his identity), and not the credit he gets for doing the right thing (his mom doesn’t end up making-in your words-“ending noises” lol). And what could be more quintessentially Spider-Man than doing the right thing and not getting the credit for doing the right thing? I think what fell flat for me is that the moment his mom doesn’t know who Spider-Man is, I immediately knew exactly what was happening, and kind of feel like I can guess where the next movie might end, especially since the spider our Miles was bitten by was specifically from that earth he ends up on. Still hyped for it though, and this video really did take some of the sting out of that cliffhanger for me.

[@ziachung4547]

That part with bringing in the spiderman mythos is a grandmaster move. Thanks for the perspective!

[@monstereugene]

If you know how the next movie will go please tell me because I definitely didn’t figure that out off of him meeting the new prowler

[@sashatiana-alize6186]

@@monstereugeneme too 💯👏🏽

[@waynepolo6193]

​@@monstereugene​​ My guess, Miles is gonna be the mentor to Miles G like Peter B was to Miles when OG Spider-Man died. Miles G as "The Prowler" is still gonna be a challenging opponent in the beginning, leading our Miles to understand that the strength to persevere was inside him all along. Even though he wasn't meant to be Spider-Man, both Miles' will come to choose for themselves to pick up the mantle of the hero the people need.

[@monstereugene]

@@waynepolo6193 I could totally see that but I still don't think thats what theyre going to do because it has no connection to the spot at all

[@SeseOB2003]

I never considered that the pause that comes after miles reveals his identity to who he believes to be his mother, and how important it was for the scene.

[@midnightjay]

This definitely explains that feeling of the end of the movie. I didn't feel cheated, I felt anticipation. We got a cliffhanger but the movie still had a conclusion just not a conclusion to its trilogy. I can't wait for the last part though absent of crunch.

[@blitzz1434]

Bro your analysis videos are always so well thought out. You should make a video on your predictions for BTSV or how the reconciliation between Gwen and Miles will go

[@ziachung4547]

That ending left me with such raw emotions. For me, it made the whole experience all the more special. I haven't felt this intense insanity since Amphibia season 2's finale true colors. I LOVE these sort of cliffhangers where it completely shakes up the narrative we've gotten so familiar with. I see a lot of people comparing across to infinity war but one thing we need to point out is in IW, it was either when Thanos gets all the stones he wins or loses or the movie even decides to call it a day and save the fight for a sequel or whatnot. That's it. Across on the other hand whacks us in the back of our head by propelling the story to a whole different trajectory when it stranded Miles in the wrong ass dimension. Complete subversion of expectation. There are clearly different elements that set the two movies apart. I honestly don't see much similarities other than the literal 'cliffhanger' wrapping it up. It's exhilarating. My very first theater experience was all but frustrating. A little bit of disappointment but still. I was in this wonderful trance like state, I wasn't myself. My head was pumping with excitement. You don't normally get these feelings from a movie we literally got a sneak peak for beyond as part of the package. These emotions are so rare to feel in the everyday life so I try to enjoy it and I did AND still do. If done right(which it did imo), the cliffhangers are so memorable it stays with you as the iconic masterminds like when you think of A you can't not think of the cliffhanger B. One thing is for sure. If across didn't end the way it did, I wouldn't be using my brain to the fullest capacity in coming up with a fanfic version of Beyond the spiderverse. I have never loved a movie this madly before. NEVER. How do you do it schnee? Do you scour through my brain when I'm asleep for addtional research?? Your every word that comes out of the speaker makes my spine chill. I get the "OF COURSE. I get it now"s most out of your channel. Seriously no one has ever translated what me and probably a million others think subconsciously into such articulate and coherent, physical words. Brava😊 That is all.

[@pyra4eva]

It does parallel the last movie because we find that the last scene of Gwen talking to Miles through the portal is a bit into the next movie. It also ties into the idea of Miles understanding that he's on his way and has to just keep going. Each movie is still exploring his period of transition so that isn't a clear beginning or end since his transition started before the beginning of the first movie when we learn that he was transferred to this new school that he didn't even want to really go to but his parents knew would be better for his future. Miles is constantly pushing against the forces telling him who he should be and who he feels like he is. His story isn't over yet and life has shown him that his arc isn't over. Sometimes we can't plan when the end is, we just feel when it happens. So Miles tried to plan for an ending that the universe (take it as a pun if you like) decided can't happen yet because there are still things that need to be done and fixed. He still has growth that needs to happen along with everyone else. I feel like we're looking at the beginning of another chapter of Miles learning how to be his own person. Philosophy says that you have to face your shadow before you gain true clarity and Miguel isn't really Miles's shadow. Miguel is opposition but not his shadow self. It also think the pause works exactly as stated. We need time to try to figure out what is going on with his mom before the reveal of "things aren't working out exactly according to plan".

[@SuperGoose42]

I really enjoyed the ending. It just felt right

[@ribcagesteak]

I liked the ending. I came in completely blind having only seen ITSV and avoided pretty much all promotional material other than the occasional trailers from theaters. The pacing of the movie and its unconventional narrative structure made the longest ever American animated feature film fly by in a blink of an eye so I was actually surprised that it ended when it did and was oblivious to how much time actually passed. I feel like this ending and unconventional narrative made for a more thought provoking experience that has lingered in my mind longer than a conventional "complete" movie like in the first movie. Also, framing the opening and ending from Gwen's perspective really helped give a sense of closure to the cinematic experience without having to close out the entire story. Perhaps this leads to a much longer and deeper discussion on what makes movies feel "cinematic" and how that contrasts to episodic TV series, video games, literature, and other forms of storytelling media. And to that end, how two of the most acclaimed films of the year, ATSV and Oppenheimer, embrace unconventional plot structures and endings.

[@the_rabidsquirel]

I was in a similar boat with avoiding most of the promotional material, so had no idea they were already talking about a third movie. Lost track of time in the theatre, and with everything going on I thought it was building up to this insane climax... and then it ended. I felt really disappointed in the moment, but looking back it does make sense.

[@louiskostasredojevic]

What a lot of people have forgot is that one year ago, Spiderman ATSP was teased and there was a ''Part one'' below it, it was pretty obvious to me that the film wouldn't be on it's own and would be followed by a part two

[@TheArtofDrawing-zk7of]

When I say I hate the cliffhanger, I don’t mean I hate they way they ended it. I just mean that since I’m very impatient, the thought of waiting for possibly another 4 years makes me go insane. However with how to cliffhanger was done was brilliant! It left you satisfied finishing certain arcs like Gwen and her dad, Miles’ fear of telling his parents the truth as well as his confidence in things. But they also left you wanting more with Miles G at the end, earth 42 and the spot. I love that they decided to split the story into two movies because it allows them to take their time with things and focus on the quality rather than quantity. It was originally one movie but I appreciate the directors choice to slow down and focus on the heart of the story. Can’t wait for Beyond (literally, I can’t wait.)

[@toll_]

This will forever be my favourite movie

[@mystaredogawa5251]

It's so funny to me because the feeling of end of the movie I 100% felt it for me, like it's so weird

[@osullytony]

[Spoilers] Same here but that was because I noticed the console said the wrong Earth before he arrived, because I was already wondering about the genetic coding to send back thing, the alternate universe spider alters his DNA when bitten so it made sense. Also bagel man sucks still and always a terrible villiain also terrible as a human for working for evil people there is always a choice just not one you want... Gwen and her dad scene to me sets up that reconciliation will not be this simple for Miles.

[@maurisa514]

Finally! Someone else who didn't hate the cliffhanger!

[@phastinemoon]

I knew the twist going in - and STILL felt that suspense. Which goes to show that storytelling isn’t JUST the plot points, but the art of HOW it’s told. The visual and musical elements, the editing of the shots, the dialogue and movement, the shadows and lighting and color scheme, cutting back and forth between Miles in Earth 42, and Gwen in Miles’ home… Even a mediocre story can be salvaged by being told VERY well, and if it’s a great story that’s only told okay, that can hurt it. So, having BOTH great story AND fantastic execution makes SUCH a satisfying experience!

[@cakekitten]

Ever since I watched Across for the first time I've been wondering why I love this ending so much despite the fact that it was a cliffhanger and honestly this video sums up what I've been thinking about!

[@Milessoldercousin]

i love how the story is balanced between gwen and miles, across was also gwen's story and her resolution was finding a new Band of friends and finding closure with her dad. not only did she get her half but now that she's content, teamed up with new dimension hopping gear and learning from miles that her past and present canon don't have to define her, itll also play into ending the rest of miles's multiple story arcs laid out for beyond! its a shame that the team was so overworked but a large majority of the pieces of this story are purposeful and fall perfectly together so it doesnt make it for nothing.

[@BathedInMilk]

Genuinely the most thrilling end to a movie I've seen in more than a decade. Absolutely brilliant storytelling going on in these movies.

[@peppah3659]

that pause destroyed me, this movie was too good

[@edupunknoob]

I got _chills_ when you said you had ‘beginning of movie’ feelings. Yes!! Thank you for putting to words the emotions I felt with this movie!

[@minedantaken1684]

You have such great and insightful takes, I'd love to see a short movie/series/whatever story made by You!

[@austincde]

The ending scared me 😱 but then i got hyped lol , just crying and throwing up

[@thexoc7753]

To me it felt like we saw a whole movie where the first scenes of the sequel were also included. Some aspects of the movie were internally complete, like Gwen and her dad's arc, or Miles learning to stand up for himself even to his heroes, while others were left open for the next entry, like The Spot or Miles and his parents' relationship. It's not unlike the first captain america movies. The first one is its own movie, but at the same time, in the sequel Bucky is the villain, Peggy comes back, Cap's arc about his relationship with government oversight is continued directly... The first avenger even ended with the times square scene, which I think held a similar function to Prowler Miles.

[@nelynfoxfire5185]

I feel another movie that had an absolutely fantastic cliffhanger that doesn't get enough credit, was Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. It did most of, if not all of what schnee stated here. The real conflict of the main plot had been resolved. We weren't unsure if Jack Sparrow was dead, he definitely went down with his ship. The villains won, all hope was lost. Then during our falling action of the plot, our conclusion, Tia Dalma gives us our change in the status quo, Barbosa lives, and he can lead the crew to bringing Jack back, our hope can be restored, the plot of our new story has begun.

[@TofuDinoNugs]

That’s a good point. Not really a cliffhanger so much as the fun set up for the next movie, exactly

[@KaitouKiara422]

I still remember that feeling of excitement and tension when the cliffhanger hits. The endless possibilities of how the story is gonna continue. Its just wonders and I haven't feel this excited for a cliffhanger in years

[@pranavkarthik1574]

Honestly, on first watch, that subtle gap felt like absolutely nothing. I feel this was cause I could feel myself just settling down after all the tension was gone and when I realized there was more, I just continued watching like it was a sequel. This is actually some crazy wonderful writing ngl.

[@Neotenico]

The only negative emotion I felt at the end was frustration that the next movie hasn't been released yet *_because_* I'm so excited for more.

[@Msvalexvalex]

Exactly this! The end felt like a beginning! When Prowler Miles reveals his face, I actually looked at the time on my watch because I thought we were gonna need at least another hour to resolve everything (and I was ready to sit and watch).

[@arshiamazumder9724]

I saw this in theatre on the first night it was out, and the wonder and joy I experienced at the "to be continued" is one I've never felt from a movie. I was screaming, "That's how it ends??" but in a "I'm so stunned. The writing was phenomenal" kind of way. I still can't understand people who were upset with that ending, I personally loved it. Also, the 13 seconds of silence in the theatre were *silent*. When Rio said "Who's spiderman?", there was awkward laughter, followed by a twist in our stomachs as more and more went wrong. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

[@origamifolder2255]

After I saw this movie, it skyrocketed to my favorite movie of all time. Not just because of the awesome story line, but because of the storytelling, dialog, and impact it made on me. You did a great job summing up why the ending hit different, and I think that in part was one of the biggest selling points of the movie for me. Everything about this movie just hit all the right notes and they really did slam a home run with almost every single part about it!

[@hanna-liminal]

i think much like a lot of commenters, i would say that a lot of important character arcs DID conclude. not only did Miles finally tell his mother about being Spiderman (the fact that it wasn't *his* mother is irrelevant to *his personal* arc) - but PARTICULARLY Gwen's narration at the beginning and end of the movie is utterly crucial here. she starts alone, she ends with community; she starts lost, she ends actively finding others to join her; she starts aimless and scared, she ends with great focus and almost joyous. It's *her* arc that bookends the movie - HER movie, to be sure - and that makes the story feel satifyingly COMPLETE even as new "cliffhanger" type elements are introduced (in much the way that you have explained, the beginning-of-movie feels).

[@Codark1242]

I like how spot got his villain arc just from a bagel of all things getting thrown at him

[@kalyanoliveira3224]

I think that you nailed what made the ending to satisfying for me: it's the capability to strike wonder and excitement, rather than closure or (perhaps more annoyingly) a desperation to resolve and reach an outcome. No, it's the former that true inspiration draws from. And the fact that the people behind across the spider-verse are able to strike that kind of amusement with such attractiveness is just something that blows my mind.

[@darren.mcauliffe]

I knew it was a cliffhanger but I didn't know how. When he's racing home, remembering everything everyone's told him, there's a shot of him swinging towards the camera. I thought he would swing into the camera and that would be it. And then the movie kept going. I loved everything about how it ended.

[@majudesouza]

that’s EXACTLY IT!!!!!! we DEFINETLY see the BEGINNING of the NEXT MOVIE!!!! it’s like we’re seeing something we weren’t supposed to see, but we are INDEED SO MADLY CURIOUS to know what it is! they offered a candy to us, and suddenly took it back and said ‘uh-uh! not yet! you’re not supposed to cross this line.’ it makes even more sense when we notice that gwen’s arc is 100% closed, since she gets a solution with the plot we were introduced to in the beginning of the film. as this happened, we thought and we are guided to think miles was going to have his arc finished. that’s why we feel SO TENSE when he revealed himself to his mom. the movie could end at that point, but it didn’t! he still have a looong way to go. additionally, since miles story is the main plot of this franchise, OF COURSE things around him still needs conclusions too!!!!!! that’s why his father death is still unknown, that’s why gwen is going after him with the spider band, that’s why miguel is going after him to stop him, AND SPOT!!!!!! * I really think spot will be a important point in miles’s arc, I still think about why spot and miles are like…one person (?) when spot becomes that terrifying super hero. i mean, at that moment, their faces were completing each other, which made me think they achieved the same level? they are the same in some typa way? idk, it’s just a point that kept me thinking about it…

[@Z00PG00P]

It also helps that these movies tend to do a recap in the beginning, so its a good way to skip nonessential information (like with ATSV starting with a recap of the entirety of ITSV). BTSV will most likely just recap the final moments so its immediately into the action again.

[@CarefulCharlie]

Love that you used the clip from the insane Dragonfire cliffhanger. I hope you find a way to talk a bunch more about this film, I'd listen to your analysis for hours. This ending leaves me speechless every time right until the end credits song starts, and I hadn't likened the buildup and release to a movie trailer until you just mentioned it - it's just the perfect hype train for the sequel by confirming that these characters are going on such a journey, and as you said the possibilities are infinite and unknowable. Which is why it feels like the perfect 'ending' to me. The story is so far from over and we're all along for the ride

[@wild_lee_coyote]

The climax was Miles finally getting away from Miguel. The resolution was him confessing to Rio that he was Spider-Man. It’s the subversion of expectations in setting up the next movie that gets people so invested they forget they just watched a full movie. It’s a brilliant piece of writing and ends right where the title card would be. This is why the Spider-Verse movies are among my favorite of all time.

[@suyasuman]

I absolutely LOVED the ending! And seeing your explanation as to why the cliffhanger works here, makes so much sense and makes me love the ending scene even more. Interestingly, I had clocked onto the twist back when Miles tries to set the machine up to go home, as I kept thinking back to the conversation with Miguel who explains the whole other universe without a Spiderman, and how the spider nit the wrong person, etc. However, when Miles returned "home" and wasn't immediately greeted with difference, and everything seemed normal, that expectant/knowing feeling went away, and instead I was expecting a closing too. And then slowly as he was talking with his mum, the feeling returned. And then amazing introduction with the Prowler... Just a fantastic ending imo!! I'm SOOO excited for the next instalment, it's unreal!

[@kailol4320]

bro when you slowly pieced together the details of the movie the ending hits so freaking hard

[@devinosland359]

When i watched it i was so sure hey was gonna do the "heyyy" from the first movie. He had his hand over the shoulder and everything

[@nescaffier1524]

Hi! I jusy wanted to say I discovered your videos today and listened for a good hour as I was running / training for a marathon. And I just want to say I love your framework of considering not just character emotion, context, and trauma, but how everything fits back into plot, meaning, and takeaway. So many channels get narrowly focused on characters and then lose sight of the fact that the work is ultimately fiction and certain characters just have to do certain things because the plot demands it. The ability to see both and offer insights is so rich it's no wonder you can offer hours of commentary on a single movie. Anyway, keep up the great work.

[@TheInuyashaGuy]

What a fantastic analysis. You're abilities to analyze and explain story structures in such a comprehensive manner in incredible. Keep up the good work!

[@DecayingForest]

This video was perfectly worded and had an amazing flow though all the points, good job

[@MrFrenchfanfan]

They just added the trailer for the next part at the end of the second movie.

[@lykaoz2491]

At about 8 seconds within those 13 seconds of silence, I remember someone literally screaming “SAY SOMETHING WOMEN” in theatres and it has never been harder for me to hold in a laugh.

[@summergirl4567]

The pressure valve metaphor is perfect, because no matter how much you buy into the fake ending, that silence and holding on it released some tension no matter what. I knew immediately that Miles was going to the wrong universe cause I saw it on Spiderbyte's screen. My heart was in my throat even as Miles was telling Rio, and that tension and panic never left me, but looking back, the tension of Miles' fear and hesitation was let go. Even if he was telling the wrong Rio, there was relief that he was capable of it - one whistle of the pressure cooker instead of seven still makes a big difference

[@Mr_bukowski4435]

Honestly it helped going in that it would be a 2 parter because when it was wrapping up it felt less like a “oh that’s it that’s where we leave off?” No for me it felt like a smooth way in resolving the movie while also making it eerie when we find out Miles is in the wrong universe. When people talk about Miles G Morales it doesn’t feel like he’s from this movie rather than he’s from Beyond. The score also sells it even better. Those 13 seconds of silence are perfect because it concludes the movie while also starting a new one in a mind blowing way. This also hit hard the first time since I saw the midnight screening the day it came out so my senses were just heightened in the best way

[@slobberhyena4239]

I think another reason why the cliffhanger ending of Spider-verse worked so well is because of the way the story focused on Gwen at the start. We start with her perspective and struggle; feeling homeless and without support after the falling out with her father. Towards the end we come back around to that, and their tense conversation serves as it's own climax when they manage to resolve their differences. It puts Gwen into a place where she's sure of herself and allows her to make the choice to help Miles and oppose Miguel, giving us that inciting incident you spoke of and getting us primed and excited for the next movie. The ending worked so well because we DID get at least SOME complete arcs and closure that helps prime us for the next leg of the story.

[@eddahvl2909]

I would just like to say that you are my favorite KZbinr right now. Every time I see a teaser or a video of you I literally jump in excitement because they are so entertaining and so fun. It’s such a fun way to hold on to arcane and Spider-Man and just to keep up with the movies. Thank you so much for giving me that joy. ❤

[@KidAstronaut]

Yes dude!!! I love how you began this essay and it’s exactly why we love the movie!! Definitely following your channel.

[@braddalrymple8615]

We held off watching the movie until 2 weeks ago, e stayed spoiler free and your breakdown is a great way to look at the feelings we all had. We have watched it 5 times since and still all agreee in was incredible. I defined it as the only 10/10 movie that ever came with a "to be continued" in my lifetime

[@julietamargenet530]

I love love loooove your videos! All the thought you put into them shines through, the structure is engaging, and you talk about aspects of film and TV that I haven't seen many people talk about, and it's just the type of things that as a storyteller also interest me. I just wanted to tell you I really appreciate all the work you put into these videos, and I'll never get tired of watching them.

[@alana1959]

By the end of the film and the cliff hanger I felt in my head like the movie had just started! The ending was so good, I’m so hyped for the next one after the job they find in ATSV

[@BeStudioz]

"you thought it was over. We're just getting started."

[@AndroidHarris]

Even the music tells you this is a new beginning with the rhyming of the drums at the beginning and at the end.

[@katelynharris5453]

i absolutely love every piece of content you've produced about this series

[@IronheartvsMiles]

Miles arc is the main arc of all the films. We got a fake ending with Miles mom to set up the real ending better next film.

[@dawesome_sauce]

Knowing ahead of time this was the second film in a trilogy definitely prepared my expectations going into the theater. I wasn't shocked or disappointed by the ending because I knew it fed into something larger. My friend who went with me, though, did feel bamboozled and in their words, "kept wondering why the third act got longer and longer."

[@gojosatoru3498]

Just watching this ending again gives me chills still

[@DXPL1C4T3]

Storytime! When I saw this in the theater, I was in such shock and awe that when I saw the title graphic for "Beyond the Spider verse" I yelled out "BEYOND?!?!" And all of my friends and my girlfriend who went with me that day laughed and still reference it to this day. What's so special about that to me is this magical quality that Spider verse has to it. It brought out this child-like wonder and excitement in me in that moment that is so hard to find in a lot of media. Finding a movie that can absolutely floor me and leave me begging for more is hard these days. But Spiderverse did that and I love it more and more each day

[@SKy_the_Thunder]

I think this movie needed an open cliffhanger like this. It invites people's imagination to explore where things could go from there. How will Miles handle his mirror self? What are Gwen and her group up to? How will Miguel react to all this going down? Those are just the immediate questions. And those lead to more questions as people dive deeper into the matter: Is it even possible for Miles to defy "canon"? If not, why police it in the first place? How do we know Miguel is right about everything? Or anything even? Should these things be taken at face value, or is there something more behind everything that the characters either aren't telling us, or don't know about themselves? Could Spot really just be the "villain of the week" who just existed to introduce the main antagonist...? They're effectively turning a piece of short-form media (told over two movies) and expand it by up to almost a year, using the time between releases. The audience's inner speculations and public discussions like this video turn it into long-form content instead. So in the third movie they can rely on people having digested the massive amount of concepts they had thrown at them in this one, and build on it even further. Keep that in mind for when it comes out. You'll see the movie will connect with the suspicions we've come to at this point, with time to think.

[@kaverik.thekavkid]

Dude ... this makes ... SO - MUCH - SENSE. Thank you for breaking it down. You know; it's giving me an idea for the educational content I make ... to structure it like a story. Big question: Do you teach story structuring and scripting in general?❓❓ I want to learn. Thanks for your video Schnee.

[@minna8720]

ATSV is perfect, like life. So crazy, that the situation im in rn is exactly like this cliffhanger. Its like as if the movie didnt want to spoiler life for me. It takes its time so well.

[@ryanmanalo2643]

My new favorite channel i cant stop watching

[@gadielsanchez3583]

When I finished the movie I literally told my dad, the movie doesn’t have a Climax, there isn’t a moment of tension and then everything gets resolved. It’s all build up to the next part and it’s so brilliant. This video finally out all those emotions into words 🤣

[@cat5220]

I LOVED the ending, which really surprised me. But honestly it was the way it made me feel that I loved - I was SO HYPED coming out of the theatre that I was just buzzing with excitement and what was coming next (since it seems like Miles is heading into his BAMF era) and I am absolutely DYING for the sequel haha!!

[@TheBlueCreeper-]

I already knew about the sequel being split in two parts. (Even the trailer said Across the Spiderverse PART ONE.) But I wasn't expecting it to be a nearly as massive of a cliffhanger like it was. Safe to say I was shook. And at that moment I knew I had a new favorite movie.

[@timuking5762]

I didn't know it was a two parter going into it, and didn't know very much about it intentionally so it was a 'pure' viewing experience. Walking away from it I didn't feel very robbed because I think of the dual protagonist nature of the sequel. We spend so much time with Gwen, seeing *her* arc come to conclusion in a way dulled some of the pain you'd normally feel. Miles zoned in, confident with the throwback to when he trapped Peter B Parker in the first movie "watch the hands kid" left me feeling incredibly energised for the next movie. And this was a LONG movie but it never felt like a slog to consume. If it had been a cleaner ending maybe I wouldn't feel so excited to eventually see the next one.

[@brown7180]

I loved how they set up this twist though. The double-spiderman problem is something that the second movie brought up on its own. They created a problem based on lore that the audience wouldn't neccessarily understand if they were'nt comic readers, and that is that there's a specific spider for each spider-man, who only bites one person, only creating one spider-man. So for a mile's world to have already had a spider-man when miles was bitten, there was a world where the spider wasn't there to create spiderman. And the movie not only mentions this world as a part of a villainous dialouge tying into the theme of status quo's and supposed-to-be's (the villain trying to prove why his way is the right way), but takes us TO that very world via mechanics (not chance), and then reveals it to the audience using a visual language taught to the audience (glitching) as opposed to words, that is also its own threat (dying). So we thought Miles was finally away from the threat of the spider society, only to throw himself at a new threat that isn't even the initial threat (spot), and having to confront the reality (not just the theory) of Miguel's words with his new resolution of self-determination. Not ONLY that but I loved Uncle Arron, he was someone who inspired our protagonist and comforted him, but he was also a villain who did bad things for money. So it's a bittersweet entrance, when Arron walks in. We see Miles get to hug him, but at the same time, we know that Arron was dangerous and the movie frames him walking into the house as a dangerous event. There's just so much to this twist to love.

[@sp1ky58]

see, the thing was, the lightning on the finger and miles' smirk letting you know exactly what is going to happen after the cliffhanger

[@DeathbyPixels]

THANK YOU so much for the quick list/summary at the end of the steps of how this thing worked. I went into this movie not knowing it was a 2-parter (well, I knew the series was gonna be a trilogy, but I thought this one would end as a relatively standalone thing), and I, like you, also felt EXCITED by the "to be continued," which I'd never felt before. And as someone who wants to write her own trilogy of books eventually, that list is immensely useful, because I'd love for my own readers to have that same feeling.

[@n.avy_7715]

I love your videos, such good analysis

[@threeleafclover3222]

I just wish I knew it was coming, I didn’t mind it the second time but I walked into the movie thinking it was a full movie not a part 1

[@FlamingNinjaBoi]

I'm hearing people saying this 'cliffhanger' was not good, and I just don't understand. It's so good I can't stop thinking about it.

[@MercuryA2000]

I was super mad, but in a really good way. I forgot that a third movie was announced, so I wasn't prepared for anything to be left open. That combined with my horrible perception of time, and I had no clue how long I'd already been in that theater. So, I was a really confused mess of "This feels like an ending" and "This must just be the end of act two." So, when I saw that to be continued, I was GIDDY about the fact that I had another two hours of content, but so mad that I couldn't get that content for another year! And when the biggest complaint someone has about your story is that they want more of it, you've done something right.

[@existingperson]

If this masterpiece was just setting something up the next movie will be the best movie ever

[@Lovelessh3art]

I really think these movies have been master classes in story writing.

[@zesty6781]

I watched ATSV on my birthday and when the music was amping up at the end I literally thought "wow there's so much going on and so many things to wrap up I wonder how-" and then TO BE CONTINUED FLASHED ACROSS THE SCREEN It was also like, 12:30am and i was fully ready to watch another 2 hours

[@lima913]

I love love love your videos!

[@ursidae97]

None of the SpiderVerse arcs are resolved, but all of the Across the SpiderVerse arcs are. Because the story of Across the SpiderVerse is simpler than we think it is. It's a story about a boy drawn into a boy's club, who sees how it functions from the inside, realizes it is something to oppose and finally escaping it. Everything isolated to that story is resolved. He succeeds in entering, he wins the hearts of the people who doubted him, he learns the ugly truth about the entire group, he recognizes his antagonist in this location, and he summarily defeats him by passing through the Go Home Machine, against 99's wishes. That's the plot of the movie. Everything around that is the story of the SpiderVerse, but NOT the story of Across. Those will be resolved across the entire story, but it's not time to resolve those yet. I'm very impressed at this movies ability both to keep track of what it needs to do now and later, but also it's ability to DISTRACT me from that process so i remain in a state is tension, unable to predict the next beat in the story. It's not just good story telling, both dynamic and new, while also respecting the tropes and traditions of the past, it also reflects the story itself, and what Miles needs to do to resolve the story himself.

[@alinavioleta86]

so glad you pointed this out! when my friends and i finished watching it in theatres, we all mutually agreed that this whole movie felt like the exposition for the next one