Dictionary

canon event en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Originating from the film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) in which each universe's Spider-Man experiences certain "canon events" that lead to them becoming Spider-Man. Popularized on TikTok and on other social media in mid-2023.

Meanings

1. (Internet) An unpleasant but unavoidable event which has a significant effect on someone's life or personal development.
   • The format is simple enough: a few seconds of the poster's face looking regretful with an ominous tone from the film's soundtrack playing underneath. The text on screen describes how it feels to watch someone make a terrible or embarrassing decision, but are unable to do anything to interfere because it is a "canon event". 2023 May 15, Matilda Boseley, “'A form of acceptance': TikTok's new trend of 'canon events'”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Dec 2023:
   • Sure, it feels like we had a new canon event every day during our teenage years, but early adulthood is filled with plenty of unavoidable life experiences, too. 2023 July 5, Jillian Giandurco, “What's Your Canon Event? TikTok Wants To Know”, in Bustle, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2023:
   • Full of unexpected gore, off-color jokes, and gay canon events, "Bottoms" balances a refreshing authenticity with an unwavering ability to keep viewers on their toes. 2023 December 27, “Top 10 Films of 2023”, in The Harvard Crimson, Cambridge, M.A.: Harvard Crimson, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 January 2023-01-17:
   • Those TikToks, a mixture of concern and schadenfreude, are a few of the thousands of videos powering a trend that has catapulted a new phrase into the pop culture lexicon: the "canon event," a pivotal moment that must happen in order for people to mature into their future selves. [2023 July 11, “'Canon Event' TikToks Use a 'Spider-Verse' Phrase That Almost Didn't Make the Film”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jan 2024:

Forms

Relateds

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wikipedia: Spider-Man · wikipedia: TikTok · wikipedia: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse