Stories by @stevenkelly

Spider-Gwen

Gwen Stacy is a college student struggling to find direction after the death of her father, NYPD Captain George Stacy. Rebellious, impulsive, and consumed by grief, Gwen bounces between hobbies and neglects the people who care about her, including her best friend Peter Parker and her bandmate Mary Jane Watson. After accidentally being bitten by a radioactive spider connected to Dr. Curt Connors' experiments, Gwen develops superhuman abilities and creates the identity of Spider-Woman. Initially, she uses her powers for fame and money, becoming obsessed with her newfound celebrity while distancing herself from Peter and the Mary Janes. But when a monstrous Lizard attacks her college campus, Gwen realizes that having powers comes with responsibility. Soon afterward, Peter disappears, and Gwen discovers that he secretly injected himself with Connors' experimental serum and transformed into the Lizard. Determined to save her best friend, Gwen confronts Connors and develops a cure before tracking Peter into the sewers. In a brutal final battle, Gwen manages to restore Peter to human form, but he dies from his injuries in her arms. Devastated, Gwen blames herself for abandoning him when he needed her most. At Peter's funeral, she vows to ensure his death—and her father's—wasn't meaningless. Gwen finally understands that heroism isn't about fame or recognition, but about being willing to help people when they need you. She repairs the photograph of her father, embraces the responsibility that comes with her powers, and fully becomes Spider-Woman, swinging through New York with a newfound sense of purpose.

Captain Marvel (2019)

Carol Danvers is a gifted but reckless Air Force fighter pilot whose lifelong struggle to prove herself, fueled by an abusive father, ultimately costs her her career. Given a second chance as a security officer aboard a S.W.O.R.D. orbital research station, Carol becomes caught in an attack by Skrull agents that destroys the station's experimental faster-than-light engine. The explosion infuses her with energy from the Tesseract and transforms her into a human-Kree hybrid with extraordinary abilities. Taken to the Kree Empire by scientist Walter Lawson—secretly the Kree warrior Mar-Vell—Carol joins Starforce and becomes an elite soldier in the Kree-Skrull War. But as she travels across the galaxy, Carol begins questioning the Kree's propaganda and discovers that the Supreme Intelligence has deliberately prolonged the war to maintain Kree power. Carol eventually uncovers Mar-Vell's secret connection to the Skrulls: he once fell in love with a Skrull agent named Anelle, and together they had a son, Dorrek, a child born of both Kree and Skrull blood. When Dorrek is captured, Carol realizes that the war has turned innocent people into weapons and sees how closely the Kree's manipulation mirrors the abuse she suffered from her father. During a massive confrontation between the Kree and Skrull fleets, Carol rejects her role as a living weapon and uses her powers to protect civilians and rescue Dorrek. After Mar-Vell sacrifices himself to save her, Carol destroys the Supreme Intelligence and embraces her identity as Captain Marvel. Returning to Earth with Anelle and Dorrek, Carol reconciles with Maria before setting out into space once again—not to prove her worth, but to protect a galaxy filled with worlds that have no heroes.

Spider-Man: Back in Black

Spider-Man 5 takes place after Avengers: Secret Wars and the MCU's soft reboot, with Peter Parker returning to New York wearing a mysterious black suit he acquired on Battleworld. Believing it to be advanced nanotechnology, Peter has no idea that the suit is actually a living symbiote. As Peter and Ned rebuild their friendship while working for the Daily Bugle, Peter becomes caught in a massive gang war between the Maggia, Tombstone, and the mysterious Mr. Negative. His investigation also brings him into contact with Felicia Hardy, the seductive and thrill-seeking Black Cat, while his former love MJ begins dating the Bugle's charismatic new reporter, Eddie Brock. As Peter's jealousy, anger, and newly emerging powers intensify, the symbiote begins learning from his darkest emotions and amplifying them. When Tombstone targets Daily Bugle editor Robbie Robertson and Scorpion attacks the newsroom, Peter's increasingly brutal behavior finally attracts the attention of Daredevil, who realizes that something is wrong with Spider-Man. Peter eventually finds himself caught in the middle of the final confrontation between New York's criminal factions, where the symbiote pushes him toward allowing Eddie to die. Instead, Peter chooses to save both Eddie and Ned, proving that his compassion is stronger than his anger. After rejecting Felicia's offer to abandon his responsibilities and leave New York, Peter realizes how close he came to losing himself. Seeking answers, he turns to Reed Richards, only to discover the terrifying truth: the black suit isn't advanced technology at all. It's a living biological organism—and it has been watching Peter the entire time.

Uncanny X-Men (MCU)

In the aftermath of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the world is terrified by the emergence of mutants, with Jean Grey's destructive display becoming the catalyst for a growing anti-mutant movement. Having sensed Jean's immense power, Charles Xavier brings her to his newly established school, a sanctuary where young mutants can learn to control their abilities and accept themselves. Jean becomes a mentor to students like Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Hank McCoy, Bobby Drake, and the troubled Rogue, recognizing in them the same fear and isolation she once experienced. As mutant disappearances increase, Jean believes Xavier's students can no longer remain hidden and convinces them to become public heroes—the X-Men—following the example of Spider-Man, who taught her that compassion and connection can overcome anger and fear. The X-Men soon discover that the disappearances are connected to Nathaniel Essex, the immortal geneticist known as Mr. Sinister, who has spent centuries manipulating mutant evolution through experimentation. Working through the powerful Hellfire Club and corrupting organizations such as Damage Control, Sinister exploits humanity's fear of mutants to create trauma he can use to strengthen and manipulate them. His ultimate goal is to unlock the genetic potential of Jean and Scott, whose combined DNA he believes could create the next stage of mutant evolution. With the help of the conflicted telepath Emma Frost, the X-Men confront Sinister and rescue his mutant victims. Jean ultimately rejects Sinister's belief that trauma must define mutantkind, helping Rogue overcome her own darkness and proving that mutants can choose compassion over violence. Though the world remains divided, Xavier's dream has taken its first real step forward: the X-Men have been born.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Following the destruction of Starkiller Base, the First Order is fractured, but the war continues. The Knights of Ren launch brutal raids across the Outer Rim, destroying settlements and kidnapping Force-sensitive children for indoctrination. Rey and Chewbacca travel to Ahch-To, where Rey finally finds Luke Skywalker. Expecting him to return to the fight, she instead learns that Luke has abandoned the Jedi Order. After years studying the Force, Luke believes the Jedi's rigid division between light and dark helped perpetuate the cycle of conflict that has consumed the galaxy. Meanwhile, Rey's mysterious Force connection with Kylo Ren reveals the truth about Ben Solo's fall and his connection to the Knights of Ren. Kylo also discovers that his master, Supreme Leader Plagueis, intends to destroy the galaxy's political order rather than rule it, plunging the galaxy into chaos. While Rey trains with Luke, Leia's son Sam struggles to become the leader the Resistance needs. When Admiral Holdo's desire for revenge leads her to endanger civilians and the kidnapped children, Sam rejects blind obedience and takes command of the fleet. Rey ultimately leaves Ahch-To to rescue the children, choosing compassion over becoming a traditional Jedi. During the climactic battle on Crate, Rey defeats the Praetorian Guard and frees the prisoners while Sam successfully leads the fleet against the First Order. Meanwhile, Kylo kills Plagueis and becomes a true Sith Lord before confronting Luke and the Knights of Ren on Ahch-To. Rather than kill his nephew, Luke sacrifices himself to destroy the ancient Jedi sanctuary, ending the Knights of Ren and the Jedi Order with it. In the aftermath, Leia recognizes Sam as the leader she always believed he could become, while Rey takes the rescued children aboard the Millennium Falcon. But Kylo remains determined to find her, setting the stage for a final struggle over the future of the Force and the generation that will inherit it.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Thirty years after the fall of the Empire, the galaxy enjoys an uneasy peace under the New Republic. But the authoritarian First Order has risen from the remnants of the old regime, determined to restore the Empire and find the missing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. When the First Order raids a Republic archive on Coruscant, young Republic pilot Sam Solo, the son of Han and Leia, becomes caught in the conflict. During an attack on Endor, Sam encounters R-A-2187, a stormtrooper who has defected from the First Order. Revealing her name as Rey, she helps Sam escape with a mysterious map connected to Luke's disappearance. Their search leads them to Han Solo, now a Republic ambassador, who joins them in aiding Leia's Resistance. At the Resistance base on Takodana, Rey struggles with her fear of the First Order and discovers Luke's lightsaber, awakening a connection to the Force. When Captain Phasma betrays the Resistance and the First Order attacks, Rey chooses to stop running and joins the fight. The Resistance discovers that the First Order plans to destroy Coruscant by triggering a catastrophic chain reaction within the planet's reactor infrastructure. As Han, Sam, Rey and Chewbacca launch a mission to stop the attack, Han encounters Kylo Ren and discovers the terrifying truth: Kylo is his son, Ben Solo, who was corrupted by the mysterious Darth Plagueis and became obsessed with Darth Vader's legacy. Han tries to bring Ben home, but Ben kills him. As the reactor collapses, Rey confronts Kylo and embraces the Force to protect Sam. The First Order retreats, Coruscant survives, and the Resistance mourns Han's sacrifice. With the galaxy on the brink of war, Leia sends Rey to find Luke Skywalker. She finally reaches the isolated Jedi Master and offers him his lightsaber, beginning a new chapter in the legacy of the Jedi.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Three years after the death of Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne has become a darker and more obsessive Batman, increasingly questioning whether his refusal to kill is actually protecting Gotham. When the Joker returns and causes another mass-casualty attack, Bruce's resolve is challenged by both Tim Drake and the public. At the same time, Bruce is confronted by Talia al Ghul, who reveals that he has a son: Damian Wayne, a fiercely trained assassin raised by the League of Assassins. As Damian struggles to adjust to life with his father and the Bat-Family, a mysterious vigilante called Red Hood begins executing Gotham's most dangerous criminals. Batman soon discovers the horrifying truth—Red Hood is Jason Todd, resurrected through the Lazarus Pit and consumed by anger over Bruce's refusal to kill the Joker. Jason kidnaps the Joker and attempts to force Batman to confront the failure of his moral code, while Lady Shiva and the League of Assassins manipulate the chaos to reclaim Damian. As the Bat-Family fractures over whether Batman's methods are truly just, Bruce is forced to confront the trauma he has spent years avoiding. In the climactic battle at the warehouse where Jason died, Bruce refuses to kill the Joker but finally admits that he never stopped loving Jason. Meanwhile, Damian rejects Shiva's philosophy and chooses to become Robin on his own terms. Jason ultimately escapes rather than forgiving Bruce completely, while the Bat-Family begins rebuilding. The film ends with Bruce and Damian patrolling Gotham together, with Jason watching from the shadows—still conflicted, but finally seeing that his younger brother may have a chance to become something better.

Wonder Woman (DCU)

In this reimagining of Wonder Woman, Diana Prince is already an established superhero and Themysciran ambassador, known as much for her compassion and diplomacy as for her legendary strength. When she rescues a mysterious young woman named Donna Troy from the sorceress Circe, Diana invokes the ancient Hecatea oath and becomes magically bound to protect her. Donna's existence proves impossible to explain, and Diana's investigation leads them to Themyscira, where Donna's stolen memories reveal that she is actually Troia, a second clay-born champion created by the Titans to oppose Zeus. When Zeus discovers Donna's existence and attempts to execute her for the murder of Hercules, Diana allies herself with Circe and journeys through the mythical world to save her. The conflict ultimately becomes a test of Diana's philosophy. While Circe believes fear and violence are necessary to change the world, Diana refuses to abandon her belief that compassion is the greatest form of strength. After escaping the Labyrinth with the help of the reformed Minotaur Ferdinand, Diana confronts Zeus and chooses to protect Donna even after the Hecatea is broken, proving that her heroism comes from choice rather than obligation. Diana and Donna fight together as sisters, forcing Zeus to end his pursuit of Troia. With Donna beginning her own heroic journey and Ferdinand joining the Themysciran Embassy, Diana believes peace has finally been achieved—until Ares reveals that he has secretly manipulated events to encourage conflict, setting the stage for a much larger war.

Snow White (2025)

Ten years after her father’s death and her kingdom’s fall under the rule of the ruthless Evil Queen, eighteen-year-old Snow White lives in the castle as a lonely scullery maid, stripped of her identity and forgotten by her people. Her life changes when she encounters Jonathan, her childhood best friend who has become a rebellious smuggler helping starving families. After he shows her the suffering caused by the Queen’s regime, Snow White realizes that the kingdom she once knew is still worth saving. When the Queen discovers through her Magic Mirror that Snow White has become the fairest in the land—and that her goodness threatens the source of the Queen’s power—she orders Snow White killed. The Huntsman secretly spares her, forcing Snow White to flee into the Enchanted Forest, where she finds refuge with the Seven Dwarves and begins rediscovering the courage and compassion she had nearly lost. Reunited with Jonathan, Snow White gradually becomes a symbol of hope for the oppressed kingdom, winning over villagers, bandits, and former rebels through kindness rather than force. But just as a rebellion begins to grow, the Evil Queen disguises herself as a peddler and tricks Snow White into eating a poisoned apple, placing her into an enchanted sleep while Jonathan and the resistance are captured. Inspired by the childhood promise they made beneath an apple tree, Jonathan escapes and awakens Snow White with a kiss. Remembering who she truly is, Snow White leads the dwarves, woodland creatures, bandits, and resistance back to the kingdom. Rather than destroy the Queen, Snow White defeats her by refusing to become what she hates. When the Queen's own vanity turns the Magic Mirror's power against her, she is destroyed, and Snow White is restored to the throne. With Jonathan at her side, she becomes the ruler her kingdom needs—a queen who is truly kind, brave, and true.

Scream 7

Years after surviving multiple Ghostface massacres, Sydney Prescott has finally built a quiet life in Pine Grove, Indiana, with her husband Mark and teenage daughter Tatum. But Tatum resents living in her mother's shadow and being treated as though she is destined to become the next victim of the Prescott family curse. When a new Ghostface begins murdering people and claims to be the supposedly deceased Stu Macher, Sydney's carefully constructed life collapses. As the killer uses terrifying AI recreations of Stu, Dewey, Jill, Roman, and Maureen to psychologically torment Sydney, suspicion falls on Tatum, whose unexplained whereabouts during the murders make her a potential suspect. The killings become increasingly personal, claiming Tatum's friends and eventually putting her entire family in danger. Sydney and Gale Weathers attempt to uncover the killer's identity while Tatum struggles to prove that she isn't responsible for the bloodshed surrounding her. Their investigation ultimately leads to a horrifying confrontation at Tatum's school auditorium, where the truth is revealed: the supposed Stu Macher is an elaborate deception, and three people—Chloe Parker, Sydney's neighbor Jessica Bowden, and drama teacher George Willis—are behind the new Ghostface attacks. Their goal is to reinvent Ghostface as "pure" terror, without the personal trauma or complicated motivations that characterized the previous killers. In the climactic battle, Sydney, Tatum, Gale, and Chad fight back against the killers, forcing Tatum to finally step out of her mother's shadow and become her own survivor. Although the massacre leaves devastating casualties—including Mark and Ben—the surviving characters emerge determined to end the cycle of Ghostface violence once and for all.