The Spider Within is a short film in Sony’s Spider-Verse universe. It follows Miles Morales as he has an anxiety attack due to the pressures of balancing his responsibility as Spiderman and his responsibilities to his parents and friends as Miles.
This short film focuses on how Miles feels like he is not enough. He constantly hears his parents’ voices ringing in his head as he takes hit after hit. He’s under so much pressure because if his parents knew his secret, they’d be more understanding of him, but he can’t reveal that.
I like the manifestation of his anxiety becoming a spider. Having watched both Spider-Verse movies more times than I can count, Miles being bit and becoming Spider-Man was incredibly stressful and life-altering. Not that his parents wouldn’t be holding him accountable if he was just a normal guy, but he’d be able to dedicate more of his energy to being a better student as he prepares for college and the real world. As the saying goes, the great power of being Spider-Man comes with great responsibility of doing what’s right.
The short is only around 5 minutes when you take out the intro and credits so it has to be quick with its themes. But what is important is the conclusion. Miles realizes he doesn’t have to take on his anxiety all by himself. His father is a resource for him to talk to and to talk through what’s on his mind. You don’t have to deal with your problems alone, and the strongest thing you can do is to allow yourself to be vulnerable to others who can help you.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Spider Within is a quick, effective way to deliver a powerful message. You can be the strongest hero alive but you don’t have to fight your battles alone. Mental health is something that is finally being talked about more openly and destigmatized, and the best thing you can do is talk about it with people who know and care about you. It’s always nice to hear Shameik Moore and Brian Tyree Henry again as Miles and Jeff and this is a great watch.
