The serpent in the Mexican coat of arms is held in the eagle’s beak and talon. In many modern explanations, the eagle overcoming the serpent is read as the triumph of good over evil or as the defeat of enemies. This is the kind of symbolic answer learners may see in civic-study materials.

It is also important to know that the serpent belongs to the larger founding image: eagle, cactus, lake, and island. The exact interpretation has varied over time, but for a citizenship learner, the safest practical takeaway is that the serpent is part of the Mexica omen and is commonly interpreted as an enemy or negative force overcome by the eagle.