Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse confirms the MCU is Earth-199999

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s new trailer is beautiful, and it’s also kicked a very nerdy hornets’ nest. How? Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, tosses off a casual line about how annoying Doctor Strange and “the little nerd back on Earth-199999” were. He’s talking about Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in Spider-Man, There’s No Way Home.

And yeah, if we were trying to safeguard the multiverse, we’d be pretty mad at Peter Parker and Stephen Strange for mucking it up for two whole movies. But by referring to the MCU’s setting as “Earth-199999,” Miguel has thrown down a gauntlet of technically epic proportions. Because the MCU would like you to think it doesn’t take place on Earth-199999, and reader, we must resist that at all costs.

Are you ready for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Earth-199999 to be revealed?

To make sense of its many multiverses, Marvel Comics began ordering them with number designations in the 1980s, claiming “Earth-616” for the main setting. Since 2008’s Official Handbook of the Marvel UniverseMarvel Comics designated Earth-199999 as the location of the MCU movies. Marvel Studios, however, has recently reaffirmed their position.

The MCU insists that there be at least two films. They are Earth-616 — a clerical technicality from which forum wars are born.

Sony Pictures took the initial shot for the Earth-616 war. It was a blurred line. Spider-Man is Far From Home. Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio — who falsely claims to have traveled between multiverses — refers to the MCU’s Earth as Earth-616. Of course, the easiest (and most correct) explanation of this is that Mysterio was a fraud, the line is just an Easter egg for fans, and it’s just a coincidence that he happened to pick the name of the main Marvel Comics universe.

Marvel Studios decided to double down on the disambiguation idea, proving disappointing for all those who loved it. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of MadnessIn this episode, the Doctor visit Earth-838. There, that universe’s version of his old flame, Dr. Christine Palmer, tells him that his home universe is designated Earth-616.

In response, nerds across the web have, to paraphrase Nick Fury, recognized that the MCU decided to designate itself Earht-616, but given that it’s a stupid-ass decision, they elected to ignore it. From Ms. Marvel’s lead actress herself to the editors behind the Marvel Database, people will not have it.

Thankfully, Across the Spider-Verse’s new trailer sets the record straight — which it gets to do as the biggest multiverse movie so far, and the best Spider-Man movie.

All of that is irrelevant at the moment. But as the multiverse ramps up, and Kang’s story keeps getting more complicated, it’s possible Marvel will have to start being a little more specific with which Earth is which. Please, for everyone’s mental well-being and the health of those who write about these settings. Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios be proud Different numbers.