A new trailer forSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseswung its way onto the web earlier this week, showing off plenty of new characters like the Scarlet Spider, Mayday Parker, and the film’s main villain, the Spot. In addition, the trailer also provides a closer look at the sequel’s multiverse-spanning story, which puts Miles Morales at odds with an interdimensional alliance of Spiders in the wake of an unexpected tragedy.
However, one of the most fascinating details in the new trailer comes from a single line delivered by Miguel O’Hara (voiced by Oscar Isaac ofDune,Moon Knight, andStar Warsfame), the Spider-Man of 2099. In one scene, Miguel makes an offhand reference to the events ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, mentioning “Doctor Strange and the littlenerd back on Earth-199999.” The name Earth-199999 is obviously meant to refer to the main timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — however, this designation may contradict previous revelations from the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.
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What is Earth-199999?
Within its first year of existence, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was given the designation of “Earth-199999” within a 2008 edition of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe — a guidebook dedicated to cataloging the history of the Marvel Universe and its many characters. While the world of Marvel Comics rarely crosses over with its many adaptations, it’s common for other media to receive their own official numbered Earths within the Marvel multiverse. For instance, the originalX-Menfilms take place on Earth-10005, while the current series ofSpider-ManPlayStation games from Insomniac Games exists on Earth-1048.Even theX-MenandSpider-Mancartoons of the 1990s have their own official reality number with Earth-92131.
For the first decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, hardcore fans took it as a basic fact that the MCU takes place on Earth-199999, within the larger multiverse of Marvel Comics. While the designation was never acknowledged within the MCU itself, the name was never disputed either — after all, the MCU had yet to even acknowledge the existence of a multiverse. However, that would change in the wake ofAvengers: Endgame.
InSpider-Man: Far From Home, Mysterio claims to be a dimensional traveler from Earth-833, and states that the main MCU timeline is Earth-616. This is of course a reference to the comics, in whichthe main Marvel Universeis designated Earth-616. However, it’s soon revealed that this is just another part of Mysterio’s ruse, meaning that the MCU timeline isn’t really Earth-616 at all — it was just a nod to the comics, not affecting the MCU’s official designation as Earth-199999. Or at least, that’s how it seemed at first.
In 2021, Phase 4 of the MCU kicked off what would become known as the Multiverse Saga. Season 1 ofLokiintroduced the concept of the multiverse to the MCU, which would soon be expanded on inSpider-Man: No Way Home. Then, in 2022,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessfeatured an encounter between Doctor Strange and the Illuminati of Earth-838, who referred to Strange’s home reality as Earth-616 — the samenumber as the Marvel Comicsuniverse. And thus, the true numbering of the MCU Earth was called into question.
Is the MCU Earth-616 or 199999?
The MCU Earth being officially declared as Earth-616 on-screen makes sense, in a way. Its familiarity to comic fans makes it an effective bit of shorthand for designating the main Earth of the MCU. However, it’s also stirred up quite a bit of controversy among Marvel fans. Some considered it a fun reference to the comics, or even preferred the simplicity of “616” compared to the comparatively clunky “199999”. However, many others found it confusing or even insulting to the comics, questioning how more than one Earth-616 can exist within the same multiverse. A few fans have gone as far as to wonder if the MCU exists within acompletely separate Marvel multiverseas the one in the comics. Even Iman Vellani — Ms. Marvel herself — has weighed in on the debate, adamantly declaring that she still considers the MCU to be Earth-199999.
One popular fan interpretation is that the Illuminati of Earth-838, much like Mysterio, are unreliable narrators when it comes to objective universe numbering. The Marvel Comics Earth was originally dubbed Earth-616 by the Captain Britain Corps, which protects and catalogs every Earth in the multiverse. Meanwhile, the Illuminati are only based in a single universe — thus, their judgments should not be treated as objective fact. TheAcross the Spider-Versetrailer lends credence to this perspective, with Miguel O’Hara clearly referring to the MCU as Earth-199999 despite the Illuminati’sclaims to the contrary.
With the “Earth-199999” designation finally being used on film for the first time, this new revelation seemingly settles the debate once and for all. However, it’s worth mentioning theSpider-Versemovies aren’t a reliable authority when it comes to universe numbering either. An easter egg inInto the Spider-Verseshows Kingpin’s supercollider listing the home universes of Miles, Peter, and Gwen as 1610, 616, and 65, just like in the comics. And in the first trailer forAcross the Spider-Verse, Miguel’s portal device lists his reality as Earth-928, as it is in the comics. But, of course, these aren’t the exact same characters featured in the comics,merely adaptations of them.Thus, if every Marvel Comics adaptation is meant to coexist within the same multiverse, these numberings cannot be taken as gospel.
Unfortunately, the idea of all Marvel Comics properties across all mediums taking place within the same multiverse falls apart if one thinks about it for too long. After all, both theSpider-Versemovies and Multiverse Saga are adapting comic storylines that span all realities. If similar events had indeed transpired before within the same multiverse, it’s strange that no one involved would comment on it. In the end, while contradictions between universe numbers may be annoyingto the devoted fans,it’s probably best not to dwell on it too much. Whether the MCU is Earth-616 or 199999 doesn’t ultimately alter the franchise either way. And even ifAcross the Spider-Verseisn’t the final word when it comes to numbering universes, that’s no reason not to be excited for it.
