Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony PicturesAcross the Spider-Verse hit theaters this week, pulling Miles Morales and the rest of Spider-Man’s variants into a new adventure across a colorful comic-book-inspired adventure. Although Into the Spider-Verse gave fans a taste of alternative Spider-Men, the new film pulls out all the stops and reveals a new side of the multiverse.
While we’re excited to see on-screen versions of Spider-Punk, Scarlet Spider, and Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099, the film might have revealed one of the multiverse’s biggest unshakable elements. Spoiler alert, it’s not Peter Parker.
Spider-Man Isn’t Marvel’s Most Consistent Character
Mild Spoilers for Across the Spider-Verse!
In Across the Spider-Verse, we’re introduced to something called a “Canon Event,” a moment, event, or sequence that happens every time across the Multiverse. Think of it as Loki needing to die in order for the Sacred Timeline to remain undisturbed. Where multiple universes have their own version of Spider-Man, all of which have different flavors and interpretations, one element remains the same across all variants, even in the MCU.
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Every universe has a Spider-Man, pure and simple. It might not be Peter Parker, a radioactive spider, or even a human incarnation of the character, but there will always be a Spider-Man in some form or fashion. The same thing cannot be said of J. Jonah Jameson.
The Unshakable J. Jonah Jameson
The three certainties in life are death, taxes, and J. Jonah Jameson, and the Spider-Verse proves it. The mustachioed rage machine running the Daily Bugle is present in nearly every Spider-Man variation, in and out of the MCU. When we say Jameson remains significantly unchanged across the multiverse, we mean it.
Across the Spider-Verse had more than a fair share of easter eggs, but the most frequent presence is J. Jonah Jameson, reprised by J.K. Simmons in nearly every variation. Simmons has played the role since the Sam Raimi films and continues to give the character his gruff voice and curmudgeonly charm, but he might also link the entire multiverse together.
Simmons’ performance as J. Jonah Jameson is unforgettable, but that might also be why he remains the Multiverse’s constant in a realm of variables. Jameson remains largely unchanged, whether its in live-action, animated, or even in Lego form.
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While many are definitely thrilled to see his familiar face in this new chapter of the Spider-Man saga, this is clearly more than just a Marvel easter egg. Jameson might be more than just Peter Parker’s hard-nosed employer.
Is there more to J. Jonah Jameson than meets the eye? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!