You cannot stop the Spider-Verse 'canon event' trend (it's a canon event)
The release of Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse has not only been a massive success at the box office and taken the world by storm, but it has also sparked a new social media trend centered around the film's concept of "canon events", giving rise to a treasure trove of memes that explore and make sense of people's personal travesties.
In the Spider-Verse, canon events are pivotal, shared moments that connect the different Spiders across the multiverse. They represent key experiences that shape one's identity.
SPOILER WARNING
(If you’ve been living under a rock and have somehow managed to go two whole weeks without having experienced the Spider-Verse on the big screen, turn away now).
For those who haven't seen the movie, canon events play a crucial role in Across The Spider-Verse. These events are the shared experiences that bind the Spider-Verse together and define each Spider's identity.
"Oh God no! Uncle Ben!"
— Akuma (@Akumabat) June 8, 2023
"It's okay Peter this is a cosmic event, it's canon"
"What are you talking about?"
"This is your Uncle Ben moment Peter the multiverse must remain together"
"Uncle Ben i think this is the blood loss talking stay with me!" pic.twitter.com/UzQUb3Cm44
Within the context of the film, a certain loved one’s tragic demise is what makes all the Spiders who they are. They trauma bond over their shared personal losses - be it an Uncle Ben, a Gwen Stacy or even a Peter Parker. While not all Spider-Men experience the same canon events, they are fundamental to their individual stories. Interfering with or preventing a canon event could lead to the unraveling of the Spider-Verse.
Supaidaman's canon event...😭 pic.twitter.com/kDi90UNGl8
— Josh-Parker (@WebHeaded_Josh) June 12, 2023
For the film’s protagonist Miles, the prospects of losing his father, Captain Jefferson Davis, under the pretext of a ‘canon event’ seems unacceptable for him, even if it means risking the fate of the multiverse in the process.
A canon event is an inevitable and unchangeable occurrence that often carries bittersweet or comical undertones. It is a recognition of the impact of peculiar phases or challenging situations in one's life and the inability to spare others from going through similar chapters.
Social media creators, inspired by the film, have embraced the idea of canon events and started identifying their own in their lives and communities.
It also reflects on the communal rites of passage that seem to repeat themselves across generations. By using pop culture terminology, such as ‘canon events,’ this trend helps individuals make sense of their own terrible, everyday experiences. Since the film's release, the concept of canon events has quickly transformed into a meme trend that people use to make sense of the tribulations of their own lives.
The format often follows a standard structure, where a video describes a situation from the creator's past or observations, emphasizing that no one can interfere or change the outcome, and concluding with the phrase "it's a canon event" in parentheses.
These videos are commonly accompanied by the menacing track from Daniel Pemberton’s score, "Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara)", to signify the eponymous character’s ominous presence and by virtue of which, the gravity of the ‘canon event’.
POV: you disrupted a canon event #AcrossTheSpiderVerse #MiguelOHara pic.twitter.com/zWSZIAhP3X
— MAXIE • Максим (@Maxieverse) June 10, 2023
The trend has gained popularity as individuals share their darkest memories or quirky personal experiences and present them as canon events that cannot be altered. It provides a humorous way for people to reflect on the formative or awkward moments in their lives, all while acknowledging that interfering with these events may risk disrupting the delicate balance of the multiverse.
The ‘canon event’ trend, inspired by Across The Spider-Verse, has generated a wealth of memes that serve as a comedic outlet for individuals to explore and make sense of their own life experiences.
Harambe was my canon event pic.twitter.com/0PSD4p2B2W
— Joe Many Liberals (@JoeManyLiberals) June 6, 2023
By embracing the notion of canon events, people are finding moments of levity and humor in their past and present situations, using Spider-lingo to connect and share their stories with others.
When I’m finally happy and my phone reads “canon event disrupted”. pic.twitter.com/z0rdZqlshs
— Mr. Wayne🦇 (@ArkhamNumb) June 4, 2023