Gwen Stacy (Spider-Verse)

Gwen Stacy, also known by her alias Spider-Woman, and colloquially as Spider-Gwen, is a character appearing in the Spider-Verse film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics Multiverse character of the same name by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, in-turn inspired by the original Gwen Stacy comic book character by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. In her origin story, Gwen gets her superhuman spider-powers and abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers include superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, stamina, durability, coordination, and balance; clinging to surfaces and ceilings like a spider; and detecting danger with her precognition ability called "spider-sense", using wrist-mounted "web-shooter" devices to shoot artificial spider-webs of her own design, which she uses both for fighting and for web-swinging across New York City. Gwen originally used her powers with reckless abandon in fighting crime, but after accidentally killing her best friend Peter after he was transformed into the Lizard, she began to use her powers more carefully, closing herself off from others. She thereafter learns to reconnect with others on meeting Miles Morales, Peni Parker, and alternate versions of Peter, later joining the Spider-Society.

Voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, the character first appears in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Steinfeld reprised her role in the sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), and is scheduled to further portray the character in the upcoming Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and Spider-Woman (both TBA).

The character has been generally received positively by audiences and critics alike, who consider her as helping transform the Gwen Stacy character into having a more prominent role in Spider-Man lore. Her expanded role in Across was particularly commended, with much discussion about her arc in the film being a queer coded allegory for the transgender experience. Those who asserted this interpretation praised Gwen as a positive media portrayal of a trans allegory, even if the character is not depicted as trans.