Gwen’s narrative in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse presents a intricate chronology, but here we elucidate each significant event on her timeline with comprehensive explanations.
Caution! The following article unveils spoilers for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delves deeper into Gwen Stacy’s timeline, spanning from events prior to the first film to the conclusion of the sequel. Intriguingly, the second installment opens with Gwen, exploring and expanding upon elements hinted at in its predecessor. Consequently, certain scenes in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse take place chronologically before those in the first film.
For those less acquainted with the initial installment, some of these scenes may be perplexing. However, dedicated fans of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will likely navigate Gwen’s timeline with relative ease, recognizing the intricate character arc she undergoes, comprising moments from before, during, and after the first film. Without further ado, let’s delve into every pivotal point on Gwen’s timeline, starting from the beginning of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and culminating in the ending of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, providing a comprehensive explanation along the way.
Gwen Stacy acquires superhuman abilities and transforms into Spider-Woman
Similar to other Spider-Persons featured in the Spider-Verse films, Across the Spider-Verse highlights Gwen’s unique abilities. In line with the tradition of alternate versions of Spider-Man across different dimensions, Gwen’s powers originated from a radioactive spider bite. In her own universe, she assumed the mantle of Spider-Woman, surpassing Peter Parker, her close friend. Gwen dedicated herself to combatting crime while successfully balancing her relationships with Peter, Aunt May, and her father, Captain George Stacy of the police force. These events unfold prior to the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, wherein a traumatic incident in Gwen’s life shapes the narrative of both that film and its subsequent sequel.
Gwen’s Tragic Role: Peter Parker’s Transformation and Demise as the Lizard
In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, it is revealed that Gwen experienced the loss of Peter Parker in her universe. However, the exact circumstances leading to his demise were not explicitly shown in the film. Similar to how Miles mourned the loss of his uncle and the various iterations of Peter Parker who lost Uncle Ben, Gwen’s loss of Peter became one of the driving factors behind her transformation into Spider-Woman. Nonetheless, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse sheds light on the events surrounding Peter’s death in Gwen’s universe during the film’s opening act.
Within Gwen’s reality, Peter inadvertently undergoes a transformation, becoming the Lizard—a well-known adversary of Spider-Man in the comics and a source of numerous Easter eggs in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Driven by good intentions and a desire to become extraordinary, Peter loses control of himself and assumes the persona of the villain. As the Lizard, he launches an attack on Gwen’s school during prom night, leading to a confrontation between Spider-Woman and the transformed Peter. Following a brief battle, Gwen unintentionally kills the Lizard by inadvertently causing debris to crush him. As the villain reverts to his true form as Peter Parker, Gwen realizes the profound impact of her actions and the unwitting role she played in Peter’s demise.
Gwen’s Tragedy: Peter’s Death and the City-Wide Manhunt
Gwen, overwhelmed with grief, cradles Peter’s lifeless body in her arms while George Stacy, her father and a police captain, arrives at the school. Witnessing Spider-Woman standing above Peter’s corpse, George assumes she is responsible for his death. Although Gwen inadvertently caused Peter’s demise without realizing his transformation into the Lizard, she did not intend to kill him. Nevertheless, George Stacy tries to apprehend Spider-Woman, but she manages to escape, torn between whether she should reveal her true identity to her father.
This tragic incident triggers a city-wide manhunt for Spider-Woman, which persists for months following Peter’s death. Remarkably, the manhunt remains ongoing as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse begins, indicating that George Stacy’s pursuit of Spider-Woman has endured for over a year. Several months after Peter’s demise, Gwen is unexpectedly transported to Miles Morales’ universe, setting in motion the events depicted in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Gwen’s Loss and Pursuit: A Troubled Return
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse narrates the story of how Gwen, Peter B. Parker, Penni Parker, Peter Porker, and Spider-Man Noir’s Peter Parker ended up in Miles’ universe. When the Peter Parker of Miles’ world encountered Kingpin’s super-collider, his Spider-Man genetic material attracted this group of Spider-People into his and Miles’ reality, including Gwen Stacy. This event occurs at an unspecified time after the demise of Peter in Gwen’s universe, which means that George Stacy’s relentless search for her was still ongoing when Gwen disappeared.
The events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse then unfold, with Gwen forming a newfound friendship with Miles, marking their first connection since her Peter’s passing. Following the conclusion of their adventure, Gwen is sent back to her own universe, where she experiences a deep sense of sadness due to losing not just Peter but also Miles and the other newfound friends she made during their first encounter. This despair is further amplified by her father’s relentless pursuit of her, unaware of her true circumstances.
Gwen Stacy Is Caught By Police And Reveals Her Identity To Her Father
In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, it is implied that Gwen spends approximately the same amount of time back in her own universe as Miles has been Spider-Man (around a year and four months). During this time, she grapples with the challenges of maintaining a balance between her life with her father, her grief over Peter and Miles, and her crime-fighting duties as Spider-Woman. In the early stages of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Gwen encounters a version of the Vulture from the Renaissance era, leading to a clash with her father once again.
When George confronts Gwen, he fires a warning shot and instructs her to surrender. Realizing that she cannot reach her father as Spider-Woman, Gwen removes her mask and reveals her true identity to him, pleading with him to understand that she didn’t intentionally cause Peter Parker’s death. With hesitation, George attempts to arrest her. However, Gwen’s encounter with Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman and Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 ultimately helps her evade her father’s judgement.
Gwen’s Inclusion in the Spider-Society Unveiled in Across the Spider-Verse
Upon hearing Gwen’s heartfelt pleas to her father, Jessica Drew is deeply moved and develops sympathy for her. Recognizing Gwen’s potential, Jessica urges Miguel to consider allowing Gwen to join the Spider-Society, a collective of Spider-People from various dimensions dedicated to safeguarding the multiverse. Eventually, Miguel agrees, granting Gwen permission to depart with them and evade her father’s arrest. This pivotal moment sets the stage for the core narrative of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, where Gwen serves as an initiate of the Spider-Society for several months.
While Gwen’s initial exploits as a member of the Spider-Society are not explicitly depicted, the film follows her journey as she reunites with Miles when she is sent to his universe to investigate the Spot. This encounter forces Gwen to confront her own identity, navigate her relationships with her father and Miles, and, much like Miles’ own character development, discover the true essence of being Spider-Woman in the face of opposition from within the Spider-Society. The ultimate resolution of these storylines remains uncertain, as the release of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is slated for 2024. Nonetheless, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse skillfully lays the groundwork for the final chapters of both Miles and Gwen Stacy’s narratives.