“Fionna and Cake,” “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse,” “Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Rick and Morty” and “Mortal Kombat 1”; What do these pieces of digital media have in common? They all revolve around the theory of a multiverse.

In recent years, there’s been a rise in the amount of multiverse plotlines within modern media. While it is not a new idea, the multiverse theory, also known as modal realism, is the belief that our universe is just one of many parallel universes in existence. An increasing number of studies have investigated the plausibility of the multiverse theory, sparking intrigue. Just this year, researchers at NASA and the University of Sydney Australia published a paper using the multiverse hypothesis to make predictions about potentially habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars. With researchers studying more and more about this theory, it’s no wonder that films and video games alike are obsessed with the multiverse. Despite being an interesting concept, its usage has become an overused crutch for writers, losing any sense of novelty it previously held.

The concept of the multiverse can be found across various platforms and genres, from TV shows to video games to sci-fi and comedies. The idea of multiple parallel universes, once fresh and unique, has now become the norm. While others may argue that this preoccupation with multi-verses brings about new and exciting narratives, modern media’s obsession with these alternate realities is excessive and diverts focus from crucial elements of storytelling.

It is important to recognize the drawbacks associated with this reliance on multi-verses in modern media. Firstly, it often leads to a dilution of essential aspects necessary for compelling storytelling- character development being one prime example.

When writers choose to focus on constructing intricate multiverse frameworks filled with countless variations of their protagonists’ lives or worlds at large, they risk underdeveloping their characters’ emotional journeys or personal growth arcs. Neglecting these important developments compromises audience engagement levels and generally makes characters feel one-dimensional and unrealistic.

Additionally, introducing an aspect or character from another universe provides a lack of fulfillment. Rather than allowing the characters to come up with a solution to their conflict, the writers create a deus ex machina to magically solve any concerns or strong emotions the audience may have. The power of killing off a character or making huge changes to the plot is pretty much extinct because nothing is absolute. An excellent example of this is Iron Man’s death in “Avengers: Endgame.” The plot builds up to the very high stakes of the final battle, where, ultimately, Iron Man decides to sacrifice himself to save Earth. The drawn-out death scene is followed by a heart-wrenching funeral, making even the toughest of fans shed a tear. In newer movies, creators have revealed that there are other multiverses within the Marvel Universe, with multiversal characters who are able to be played by the same actor. If they used this canonical logic, they could introduce another Iron Man played by Robert Downey Jr. once again. Doing this would make the pain and stakes of the earlier movie feel almost insignificant. Most modern media using this technique feels obsessed with fan service and nostalgia rather than creating something actually new and contributive.

There’s also an unnecessary confusion that comes with multi-verse plots. Having such an excessive reliance on multi-verse narratives can result in convoluted plots where clarity becomes lost within tangled timelines and paradoxical events. These overly-complicated plotlines are too complex for viewers who seek casual entertainment and don’t want to bring a notepad to understand what they’re watching.

The constant reprisal of multi-verse storylines also hinders originality and creativity within media. While it is true that exploring alternate realities allows for innovative ideas to flourish, an excessive focus on this concept risks overshadowing other potential narrative directions. By focusing solely on multi-verses, creators may limit their ability to explore fresh themes or develop unique storytelling techniques.

This isn’t to say that multiverses can’t be a good thing. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” were brilliant examples of how the multiverse can be used effectively. By focusing on the characters and storyline first, the creators were able to include the multiverse plot without making it mucky. Additionally, these movies don’t take themselves too seriously. The idea of a multiverse can sound a little crazy, so if that’s the main hook, it puts a lot of pressure on the sheer excitement of the multiverse to keep people engaged. In the case of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” the audience experiences the story through the main character, Evelyn. As viewers go through the complexities of different universes, she keeps us grounded and focused on the plot with her at the center. When written into the plot with specific aspects carefully planned to cater to the story, the multiverse can become a powerful metaphor rather than a popular gimmick.

Unless modern media slows their obsession with it, the multiverse will risk becoming as staid and derivative as time travel or fish-out-of-water storylines. One universe is plenty for me.

Gillian Farinella can be reached at fari3725@stthomas.edu.