Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has undoubtedly been a major triumph for Sony Pictures Animation, with the film surpassing the original’s story, themes, and artistic vision in wholly mind-bending ways.
It is also a box office hit, with the film making over US$ 569 million, quickly becoming Sony Pictures Animation's highest-grossing film and already the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2023 with chances of it becoming fifth coming soon.
One of the coolest things to come out of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s release was the theatrical poster made for the Chinese market, which depicts the cast of the film paying homage to the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West.
After watching the film numerous times, it turns out this cultural crossover runs deeper upon further examination. The plot and themes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have some chilling parallels to the plight of everyone’s favourite Monkey King, Sun Wukong.
Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and speculation on Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.
Stone Monkey
The first Spider-Verse film sees the rise of Miles Morales as Spider-Man, beginning with him getting bitten by a radioactive spider, uncovering Kingpin’s interdimensional plot, and meeting other Spider-People from different universes.
The sequel sees the wider universe of Spider-People, led by Spider-Man 2099 a.k.a Miguel O’Hara, who all seek to contain Miles as he is seen as an interdimensional anomaly. Considered an “undeserving Spider-Man”, Miles goes against his fellow Spider-People to reclaim his destiny and take control of his life.
On the flip side, we have Sun Wukong, a monkey born out of a magical stone, similarly seen as an anomaly by the Jade Emperor. Seeking power and the ability to cheat death, Wukong goes on a journey to learn incredible abilities, which soon earns him and invitation to live in Heaven.
This is of course a ruse by the Jade Emperor to contain the Monkey King’s, and his heavenly title, Protector of the Horses, is just a means to keep him as a stable boy. When Wukong finds out he’s been duped, he naturally goes on a rampage.
Maximum Spider
Miles’s escape from the Spider-Society headquarters is similar to Sun Wukong’s rampage in heaven, with the two heroes beating up everyone that comes their way. What is different is the point these events take place within the context of each story.
For Sun Wukong, this happens during the early part of his origin story, which ultimately results in his 500-year imprisonment beneath a mountain. Once released, Wukong joins the pilgrimage to the West with the monk Tang Sanzang.
As for Miles Morales, this escape happens at the climax of Across the Spider-Verse, with him learning the fate of his father and how he was not supposed to be Spider-Man in the first place. While Gwen Stacy and Peter B. Parker try to placate Miles, he ultimately decides to take things into his own hands and goes back to his universe.
Within both stories, these series of moments act as a showcase for both Miles Morales and Sun Wukong’s unique brand of power. Their inherent otherness is seen as a threat to their peers, and the “havoc” they cause is proof that both Miles and Wukong deserve to be in the same league as them.
Golden Cicada
The Monkey King and Spider-Man represent those who break the mold, the atypical few that can never truly belong in society but still deserve a place in them and contribute in their own special way.
The consequences of these events are also where both heroes experience a massive downfall but see a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Wukong soon joins the journey to the West and gains enlightenment. For Miles Morales, however, this remains to be seen as he finds himself in an alternate dimension face-to-face with an evil version of himself.
Perhaps the rest of Sun Wukong’s journey can inform us about what will happen in the upcoming sequel, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. With a team of Spider-People coming to save Miles, Gwen Stacy’s Spider-Woman can be seen as Tang Sanzang, Spider-Ham is the pig demon Zhu Bajie, and Hobie Jones’ Spider-Punk is the team’s sandy Sha Wujing.
Beyond the Spider-Verse may see Miles also learning humility and responsibility as Wukong did throughout the journey to the West. Whether he does earn some sort of enlightenment from saving his father and defeating the Spot remains to be seen, but we know this is the film where Miles will come full circle as the Spider-Man his universe needs.
