There are movies that speak to us differently. Sometimes the filmmaking can speak to someone. Filmmaking that creates unique worlds that people can be captivated by. Some can be engaged thanks to having another great movie added to the superhero genre. Some can just love the art direction of the movie. Something about this movie that has made me rewatch it so many times is the film's exploration of identity, but specifically biracial identity in ways that spoke to me that I did not expect. In my master's program, I love looking at research that explores how people who are not white navigate through a world where some feel that they sometimes do not belong to. How Miles goes from a neighborhood that he feels excepted, to a different world of academia where he feels like an outsider, to the superhero world where who he is in the world is challenged. There is something I want to even though I hate the fact I have to say what I am about to say. In this analysis of the movie, I will be bringing up a lot of stuff about the movie in regards to how it explores identity. I will be bringing up a lot of stuff in regards to how the movie explores biracial identity and how said identity navigates through a world of whiteness that challenges their identity. I know bringing up “whiteness” makes people uncomfortable or upset, but I think it is important to explore that stuff in the world of film. I believe if we do not then we are further perpetuating rhetorical messages that silence nonwhite critics who have these perspectives. I normally am silent about this information with certain groups, but it is honestly difficult to be silent about this type of information. I think its time for our voices to no longer is silenced. It time we come into our instead of trying to be like the majority. Its time we become our own spiderman and take our leap of faith. I will be using a combination identity relation theory’s in the context of larger institutions and how those are who not white overcome obstacles to determine how to navigate through institutions that they are not normally represented in. I believe an analysis like this for the spider verse is important because it can reveal the rhetorical strategies the narrative presents that other filmmakers can learn from in order to present effective representation while telling an effective story anyone can relate, instead of tokenizing their characters.

Spider-Man has become mythic, and myths are mutable, changeable. It can wrap around different people, it can surface in different ways, but the basic elements are the same. Each retelling of it can evolve it to a place where it becomes more relevant for the people telling the story
I love the opening sequence of the movie. We are introduced to a blonde Peter Parker. One who has been spider man for so long but still enjoys being someone that people can look up to. He is a great physical manifestation of the superhero genre itself. He has become so comfortable doing the same thing over and over again. It can be a good examination of how the superhero genre as a whole has become so comfortable with doing the same thing for so long. The fact that this spider-man has been doing this for 10 years and the MCU at the time of this movie’s release going on for 10 years could be viewed as a nice jab at how the MCU has been doing the same formula since people have gotten comfortable with it. But the thing is, he enjoys. The people who love him enjoy it. I find it fascinating that they made this peter parker “perfect” by visually making him blonde with blue eyes. A stereotypical depiction of the “perfect” type of person, which can give the idea that people not only want the same thing from the superhero genre visually but are too comfortable with the same type of person as their heroes since not many people are questioning it. Nobody wants to question it since it is not doing anything harmful. This Peter Parker is a great hero in his own right, but his depiction is the images that some people see so often due to not seeing themselves as a superhero. This small little sequence at the beginning is a celebration of spider man and the superhero genre while ironically showing through visuals why it may be time to move on to a different character's story. This short little intro shows how spider man is capable of navigating through the hegemonic restraints of the superhero, which has made him remain so timeless, but it also shows how these restraints of the genre can be overcome by someone else who will discover themselves, just like Peter did a long time ago.

We then cut over to Miles. It was really refreshing for some reason for me to see a character in the superhero genre listening to some r&b music. It is a good way of characterizing Miles, especially with you can tell he does not feel trapped in his current world. How the shots are framed when we see Miles in his room and then interacting with him his parents in their home shows how free he is to be himself, especially when we hear Miles speaking Spanish to his mom. It is a small nod to how he speaks Spanish s due to part of his heritage, in comparison to how in certain scenes later, we do speak as much Spanish or display his blackness due to trying to navigate in a world where whiteness limits who he can be. The biracial theory is present in the movie, especially when we are introduced to Miles since he seems to not have to choose between which parts of himself he identifies with. The camera is moving around freely as Miles is interacting with those in his neighborhood. It really captures how Miles is an agent who has full agency over himself since other people treat him as an individual, allowing him to no censor part of who he is.

Miles having a conversation with his dad about the school is extremely effective due to how Miles, our agent we follow throughout the movie is now beginning to display emotion about not wanting to go to the school. Miles going to this particular school is something I believe contributes a lot to the story of the film that I think should get brought up in more discussion Past and present research shows that Black/White biracial students experience invisibility within curriculum and instruction. This invisibility often leads to marginalization and oppressive conditions within the classroom and beyond. Something worth noting about the education system is that it is known for perpetuating certain behaviors that due not allow for minority students to be who they are. Normally, they have to adopt whiteness behavior to not only fit in but to fit the shoes of those they view as a possible role model. Role models are extremely important for biracial and monoracial individuals to develop their identity and succeed in school. Miles believes he does not fit into this elitist school, so he tries to get himself removed by failing an assignment. I think it is interesting how it seems to depict how he is forcing himself not to belong. I think from an afro-centric perspective, the scene is showing how the education system not only does not understands the struggles of someone who is biracial trying to become familiarized with a dominant institution's norms but also how they unintentionally perpetuate an environment of non-acceptance unless they conform to their norms. Miles at the beginning of the movie was in the pre-encounter stage of biracial identity development (Will talk about the other stages later on). He is being indirectly told to deemphasize his own identity since if he is struggling to himself within a larger institution that is far away from where he is normally comfortable.

The scene where Notorious BIG plays was a unique choice to have in the movie. The whole idea behind what that song means to the original of the song can easily relate to Miles. Biggie, the original creator was someone who went from rags to riches; going from nothing to something. The song helps the listener know that everyone is capable of following their dreams and even people who are not blessed like others they may encounter, they are still capable of shaping their own path to greatness. It is as if the movie is telling Miles that we will be able to achieve greatness, no matter who you are. The Chorus in the song presents how someone with dreams of making something out of themselves, even when the world is questioning them. The song was a way for Biggie to confess his insecurities but also how he is unapologetic. It’s a good way to symbolize how Miles’s insecurities will be displayed later on, while he is still trying to figure out how to navigate his dual identity in a world that he is still learning about.

The rest of my analysis will come later. I am going to give a rough idea of what my conclusion will be.

By the end of the movie, Miles comes into his own as a spiderman by accepting both his identity as a civilian and as a superhero. Two identities that reflect his black and Latino identity. We see Miles suppressing his black and Latino sides once he gets into the school. He then tries to try to navigate through the institution of not only the school but the superhero world by adopting the dominant behaviors that he thought he needed to mimic in order to wear the mask. He starts to accept who he is once he is recognized by his father. Getting that recognition from his positive role model who looks like him reminded him that he can be who he is. Having his own style that is different from the other spider characters to display his own unique personality. He even speaks Spanish and displays his black behavior again once he takes his leap of faith. This movie means so much to me being black and Puerto Rican like Miles. Seeing a great coming of age story so multi-layered about identity and Miles navigating through the dominant expectations of the world speaks to how I feel very often. Such an overall great message about how anyone can be a hero.