What surprises fans is the similarities between The Flash and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. No, we are not speaking from the point of view of the Multiverse alone, but rather the path they choose when faced with their evil alter selves. Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) and Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) must deal with the death of a loved one. Parent in both cases. Throughout the film, they try to undo this fate, including not only Barry’s mother and Miles’ father, but others who have fairly minor roles. However, as we have seen, reversing this is inevitable as reversing this often creates a space-time rift.
However, it’s worth noting that the film has a completely different theme. Both characters’ learning is very different. But the question arises as to which one is “better” than the other.
In The Flash, Barry creates an alternate timeline while trying to save his mother from death. This leads to the resurrection of General Zod, who is ready to kill humans to reclaim his seeds. While he is trying to save everyone, one of his variants becomes obsessed with saving everyone, resulting in him returning and wandering out of time and space again and again. In this version, the writers introduce an important point that Barry must learn. It means that one must experience painful memories rather than erase them. And those who cannot understand it cannot accept reality.
Barry eventually comes to his senses and comes to terms with his mother’s death. He sorts out his grief by seeing his mother one last time and gradually moves on.
In Spider-Verse, Morales must come to terms with his father’s death. If he refuses this, his world will collapse. But despite this, Miles wants to save his father anyway.
In the movies, Miguel O’Hara, also known as Spider-Man 2099, is an antihero who wants to make sure that canonical events happen exactly as they appear. As a result, he too must accept the same fate as Barry. There, O’Hara tries to distract Miles from his father’s death, but Miles understands and tries to return to his father. So the theme of this painting is not to let fate rule your life, but rather the consequences of how your life is ruled.
While The Flash describes how villains are created, Across the Spider-Verse comments on comic books. The latter says that for sympathetic superheroes to be born, sad stories should not be given and we need to rethink and heed such stories. Also, you can’t make good characters, which is becoming a cliché now. The movie sums it up in a scene in which the Spider-Man variant tells a therapist about Uncle Ben and the former says, “Hmm, let me guess. Is he dead?”
The Flash, on the other hand, really fits this cliché. Barry had to let his mother die and could not atone for his father’s sins. So both movies have very different philosophies. I can’t say if it’s right or wrong. They just see things differently.