Top 10 Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse Moments

Anyone can wear the mask. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” Moments.

For this list, we’re taking a look at the most humorous, exciting, and poignant moments that earned “Into the Spider-Verse” an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. If you haven’t seen the film yet, keep in mind that there will be spoilers.

Sticking around for the post-credits scene has become a Marvel movie tradition and “Into the Spider-Verse” delivered one of the best ever. Set in Nueva York, we’re introduced to Miguel O'Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099, who receives a gizmo that allows him to hop across different dimensions. The scene draws us in with slick visuals and a mysterious ambiance, getting us pumped for the next “Spider-Verse” movie. In what could’ve been pure sequel bait, though, the scene ultimately builds to a priceless payoff. Miguel ventures to the beginning on Earth-67, which turns out to be the first animated “Spider-Man” series. He crosses paths with his retro doppelganger, parodying the infamous Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme. It’s a hysterical in-joke that ingeniously brings Spidey’s legacy full circle.

This scene marks the first time our six heroes fight together as a team, showcasing each of their unique styles in a brawl against Octavius, Tombstone, Scorpion, and Prowler. Every second bursts with vibrant imagery and entrancing fight choreography as the scene plays out in Aunt May’s living room. The filmmakers clearly put meticulous thought into every frame of animation, making the audience feel as if a comic book has sprung to life. The highlight pits Miles against Prowler, who discovers his nephew is the one behind the mask. Our hearts practically stop as Aaron contemplates what to do. While he ultimately does right by his family, Aaron pays the ultimate price at Kingpin’s hands, leading to a tragic yet crucial moment in Miles’ origin story.

Even when “Into the Spider-Verse” treads on familiar territory, the filmmakers approach each trope with a fresh perspective, demonstrating that no two webs are the same. Take this scene for example, in which Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider. Instead of lurking around an Oscorp lab, Miles encounters the spider in an abandoned subway as he bonds with his uncle over his art. The scene not only provides insight into Miles’ colorful personality but his family’s complicated history as well. When the spider finally creeps up and sinks its fangs into Miles’ hand, the visuals emphasize the enormous life changes our hero is headed for. Miles is none the wiser, however, hilariously swatting the insect-like it’s an ordinary spider. This, of course, leads to Miles developing his abilities, and to some hilarity at his school.

Seeing Peter Parker turn to dust in “Infinity War” was gut-wrenching, but “Into the Spider-Verse” perhaps packed an even more powerful punch. Shortly after meeting Miles and Peter finds himself down and out. Kingpin finishes Peter off with a single crushing blow, causing the audience to collectively gasp. Seriously, who knew that an animated “Spider-Man” movie would be more brutal than some of the live-action ones? Although we didn’t know this incarnation of Peter for long, we immediately connected with his charisma, humor, and bravery. We share in the grief Miles and the rest of New York experience as they learn of Spider-Man’s passing. Peter Parker may be fictional, but the way his death brings a community together echoes many real-life tragedies.

Peter’s death is only made more powerful thanks to an appearance from Stan Lee, who passed away just a month before the film’s release. Lee voices a costume store cashier who expresses how much he’s going to miss the web-slinger. This ironically and poetically mirrors the sorrow we all felt upon hearing of Lee’s death. Being one of Lee’s final cameos, this scene captures a sense of loss that not even the filmmakers could’ve anticipated. At the same time, Lee’s words tie into Miles’ character arc as he adapts to change and accepts the responsibility that comes with his new powers. When Lee sells Miles a Spider-Man mask, it’s as if the torch has been passed to the next generation… and all sales are final.

Fisk’s chief scientist seems fairly harmless until she breaks out the tentacle arms. Revealed to be this dimension’s Doctor Octopus, Olivia Octavius pursues Miles and Peter through the research facility and into the woods. Doc Ock nearly recovers her stolen data, but she’s ultimately thwarted by a third masked figure with Spidey abilities. Although Gwen Stacy had already appeared in other movies, this marked the big screen debut of Spider-Woman, or as fans like to call her, Spider-Gwen. Gwen takes a moment to summarize her entire origin story, which easily could’ve come off as too rushed. In just over a minute, though, Gwen shows and tells us everything we need to know about her, making for an epic superhero introduction.

With the portal open, Miles bids his friends a fond farewell, serving as a final curtain of sorts. His goodbye to Peter is especially satisfying, as both give each other the reassurance needed to press forward. Miles is left to square off with Kingpin on his own as reality literally begins to collapse. The whole climax is a surreal work of art that pops off the screen. Kingpin almost takes another Spider-Man’s life in the process, but Miles is motivated to finish the fight with some support from his father. Although his opponent is built like a brick wall, he manages to best him with a shoulder touch. Stopping the accelerator and saving the city, Miles earns his Spidey stripes.

In addition to Miles and Spider-Gwen, “Into the Spider-Verse” spins together a web of obscurely awesome characters we never thought would make the leap from the printed page to the silver screen. Descending into the Spider Cave, Aunt May introduces Peter, Miles, and Gwen to three more Spider-People: the black and white Spider-Man Noir, the anime-inspired Peni Parker, and the looney toon-ey Spider-Ham. Between these three character introductions, this scene is basically a love letter to fans who know Spider-Man inside and out. Even if you’re unfamiliar with these alternate versions of Spider-Man, their distinctive personalities instantly win the audience over and their natural comradery makes for one of the best superhero team-ups in ever.

What’s amazing about “Into the Spider-Verse” is that it packs in so many characters, but never feels overstuffed. Nowhere is this better exemplified than through Peter B. Parker’s backstory. Shortly after first encountering Miles, Peter gives the rundown on how he fell in love, saved the city numerous times, and eventually hit rock bottom. You’d think it would take multiple movies to do his life story justice, but Peter somehow condenses everything into a brief recap. In this short amount of time, we feel for Peter as his marriage deteriorates, but also can’t help but laugh at how pitiful he becomes. It’s a take on the character that is completely unique while maintaining all the elements that make Peter Parker who he is.

Although Miles gets his powers early on, he doesn’t truly become Spider-Man until the third act. No longer living in somebody else’s shadow, Miles dons a mask of his own and takes a leap of faith off the side of a building. Although it looks like Miles is falling down, he’s actually rising up, answering his city’s call for a hero. Even before the script was finished, the filmmakers knew this upside-down image would be integral to the story. The exhilarating visuals are brilliantly accompanied by the song “What's Up Danger,” as Miles fearlessly taps into his Spidey sense and demonstrates what he’s capable of. If this scene doesn’t give you chills, you might want to check your pulse.