Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse left fans eager for more, particularly thanks to its cliffhanger ending and various unanswered questions, from how Miles Morales will get back home to what will Gwen Stacy do with her new Spider-Verse-sprawling team.
Unfortunately for Marvel fans, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse may be facing delays, and the answers to those questions could be postponed beyond the threequel's original March 29 release date.
Luckily, despite Miles being lost in an unfamiliar universe, fans know one thing going into the third Spider-Verse film — Miles was not abandoned by his friends. In fact, a whole cluster of Spider-People are ready to make their way through the Multiverse, searching for him, with Gwen Stacy leading the charge.
Spider-Gwen's Spider-Team Explained
A select few Spider-heroes from both Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will band together in the Sony franchise's third movie, under the leadership of Gwen Stacy, to find Miles Morales somewhere in the Multiverse.
Here is who makes up this arachnid rescue squad:
1.) Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman
Not only is Spider-Woman — Spider-Gwen to those in the know — the leader of the team searching for Miles, but she is also one of the primary pieces of connective tissue between the characters fans met in the franchise's first film, and those new to the second.
A drummer and fierce friend, Gwen is unsurprisingly the one to form this "band" of Spider-Heroes and to initiate Miles' rescue. Gwen spent the entire movie running away from her own problems until she lost herself. Then, once she finally found home, reconciled with her father, and began feeling more confident in who she was, she realized Miles was both literally and figuratively lost too.
Now, she is ready to find him.
2.) Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man
Peter B. Parker, like Gwen, is familiar with both the newly introduced characters and the fan favorites from the first movie. In Across the Spider-Verse, this Spider-Man is first and foremost a dad, and he makes sure everyone knows it.
Having reconciled with his fears of parenthood in Into The Spider-Verse, Peter is now grappling with being a parent of a Spider-Baby in Mayday Parker. Plus, Miles himself is the one who showed him that fatherhood wasn't so scary in the first place.
That makes it all the more meaningful that Peter is on his way to find him.
3.) Mayday Parker
Of course, Peter isn't going anywhere without his daughter, and Mayday certainly has a lot to learn when it comes to her arachnid abilities. Seemingly having inherited her father's spider powers, Mayday takes a rambunctious toddler to a whole new level.
Hopefully, Mayday gets to do more than just tag along with her dad. In her scenes in Across the Spider-Verse, it is clear she has somewhat of a grasp on what she is capable of doing, given her knowing smirk as she climbs across the ceiling in classic Spider-Man fashion.
Either way, fans can look forward to watching her grow on this journey.
4.) Pavitr Prabhakar / Spider-Man India
Introduced in Across the Spider-Verse, Pavitr Prabhakar became a fast fan favorite, nailing the comedy and quips that Spider-Man is known for in his comparatively brief time on screen when compared to those like Gwen or Peter.
However, Pavitr used all of his screen time to the fullest. He is a Spider-Man who hasn't been as impacted by the notorious "Parker Luck" just yet — in fact, his Gwen Stacy lived. As fans learn more about cannon events, however, it may become clear that this overall positivity isn't to last.
Pavitr is a beacon of optimism within a group of people who have grappled with some of the worst things life could throw at them.
5.) Margo Kess / Spider-Byte
Definitely one of the most intelligent Spider-People (which, given how smart everyone on this list is, is really saying something), Margo truly tried to help Miles return to his universe safely with the "Go home machine." Unfortunately, due to powers outside of anyone's control or knowledge, the machine read Miles' DNA as originating from the universe where the spider that bit him came from.
If there is one main theme when it comes to Spider-Characters, it's responsibility. It's very possible that Margo will blame herself unnecessarily for Miles getting lost in the first place, shouldering the responsibility like one would expect from a Spider-Person.
Margo certainly has great power, and though she has demonstrated great responsibility, that struggle is constant for any spider hero.
6.) Hobie Brown / Spider-Punk
What happens when crossing anti-capitalism, rock music, some of the most intricate animation in recent history, and spider powers? Spider-Punk, that's what. Hobie perfectly mixes genuine heart, incredible humor, and deep relationships with other characters, making him stand out on screen.
Never one to follow leadership blindly, Hobie is a wildcard on any team, and this new one is likely to be no exception. One minute he'll make jokes at the expense of capitalism and the system, the next he'll claim he hates jokes. Despite following his own rules and riding solo, Hobie's loyalty to Gwen throughout the movie ultimately helped her form this team.
Spider-Punk is truly a walking (or, swinging) contradiction, in the best possible way.
7.) Peter Benjamin Parker / Spider-Man Noir
If fans are blessed with any interaction between the aforementioned Spider-Punk and the fascism-hating, deadly serious, black-and-white Spider-Man Noir, Beyond the Spider-Verse will be considered by many to be a success.
Spider-Man Noir only appeared for a brief cameo in Across the Spider-Verse but played a more prominent role in Into the Spider-Verse. He is known for his darker (pun intended) humor, his steadfastness in what he believes, and his determination to figure out a Rubix cube, despite being unable to see color.
This kind of determination is exactly what will be needed in a journey across space, time, and dimensions to find a missing friend.
8.) Peter Porker / Spider-Ham
Spider-Man is known for his quips, that has been discussed ad nauseam on this list. But when meta-commentary — more specifically, humor about animation in an animated story — is thrown into the mix, the classic Spider-Humor becomes even greater.
While mostly being known as a comic relief character in the first Spider-Verse movie, Spider-Ham actually has some of the most moving lines in the whole movie. In fact, one is even brought back during a peak emotional moment for Miles.
With humor and heart, here comes the Spider-Ham.
9.) Peni Parker / SP//dr
This Spider-Character is right up there with Margo in terms of intelligence, and she has the bot to prove it. Peni Parker comes equipped with a full anime-style introduction, and a robot with a tragic backstory that she uses to fight crime. Her story is compelling, to say the least.
She is one of the members of Gwen's team who, like Gwen herself and Peter B. Parker, actually spent much of the movie believing in Miguel O'Hara and the Spider Society and fighting against Miles for the sake of preserving the cannon. Perhaps she is facing a similar moral dilemma with the situation as fans see Gwen and Peter begin grappling with.
The band wouldn't be complete without her.
What's Next for the New Team?
With the band formed, and Gwen taking charge, all that's left is for them to go out looking for Miles. But, that is easier said than done.
Whereas the audience knows the significance of the number 42 to Miles and would know to go and seek out Universe 42 to find him — even if just on a hunch — the Spider-People may not have that knowledge.
As such, there are an infinite number of universes for them to search. Beyond that, Miles is in a tricky situation when audiences last see him, facing off against himself, but as the Prowler instead of Spider-Man.
Further, when Miles left the Spider Society's headquarters, he seemed to believe the world was against him — and for a time, it essentially was. He may not realize that his friends truly do care and want to see him return to safety — that they are on their way to him.
Luckily, one way or another, he's bound to find out that he isn't alone, and that his friends will always have his back.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is currently set to hit theaters on March 29, 2024.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
