Sony released a Spider-Man short film connected to its Spider-Verse franchise that has shed new light on a major plotline from the second film.

Sony recently released a Marvel short film, The Spider Within, which has shed new light on one plot point from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The short follows Miles as he is trying to deal with the impact that being Spider-Man is having on his mental health. Miles initially blows off his dad’s offer to watch movies together, before a Spider-fueled nightmare convinces Miles that maybe he should talk through some issues with his dad.

The short does a good job showing the toll that Miles’ Spider-Man responsibilities are having on him, and it firmly establishes the support that his dad offers him. Apart from making Miles’ dad’s potential death in the Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse movie even more tragic, the short also sheds some light on a certain scene from the most recent Spider-Verse film. More specifically, it explains how Miles’ parents react to his new friend.

The Spider Within Explains Why Miles’ Parents Have Their Reaction To Gwen

Miles’ Parents Are Suspicious Of Gwen In Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

When Miles’ parents first meet Gwen in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse they seem very suspicious of her. While there are some hints at possible reasons for this reaction, particularly Rio Morales’ comment that she bets Gwen doesn’t speak Spanish, The Spider Within gives another potential reason for Rio and Jefferson Davis’ reactions to Gwen. At the end of the short, Miles begins talking to his dad about why he is stressed out, and it is clear that he is about to talk to his dad about Gwen.

Miles obviously can’t tell his dad everything about Gwen, otherwise he’d be giving away his secret identity. This means Miles likely has to be vague, talking about how he doesn’t get to see or talk to her very often. Jefferson may get the impression that Gwen could be causing Miles stress by being intentionally distant, instead of the truth that she’s from another dimension. Jefferson and Rio would then naturally want to make sure Gwen wasn’t having any negative effects on their son, especially if Miles already hinted to Jefferson that issues with Gwen were the reason he was feeling down.

How The Spider Within Improves Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’s Story

The Spider Within Explores Miles’ Relationship With His Da

The Spider Within does a good job fleshing out Miles’ parents’ motivations in Across the Spider-Verse when they meet Gwen. Instead of coming off as simply overprotective, this scene can now be read as them being appropriately worried that spending time with Gwen may be hurting Miles. Aside from just this scene, The Spider Within also raises the stakes for the entire movie.

It’s easy to just assume that Miles loves his dad, but by showing what their relationship is like, and how much Miles relies on his dad for support, The Spider Within makes viewers even that much more concerned about what will happen if Jefferson Davis dies. The central conflict of Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse revolved around Miles trying to prevent this canon event from happening, and now audiences have an even deeper understanding of what Miles’ dad means to him. As such, The Spider Within has now made the wait for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse even more stressful.