In Marvel Comics, Peter Parker fell in love with a girl named Gwen Stacy, and it wasn't until she died that he met Mary Jane Watson and started one of the greatest love stories in comic book history. However, for many fans who never read the comics, it was the opposite, with Peter and Mary Jane dating in the first trilogy of Spider-Man movies and then Gwen showing up in the next iteration of the franchise.
Mary Jane Watson made her debut in Amazing Spider-Man #42, where she spent much of her early existence as Peter's friend before the two finally begun dating years later. Their relationship grew so strong that fans rebelled when Marvel ended their marriage and it looks now like they finally might get their second chance at love in the comics.
She Knew Peter Parker Was Spider-Man All Along
When Peter Parker was in high school, before he met and started dating Gwen Stacy, Aunt May tried to play matchmaker and set him up with her friend's niece, Mary Jane Watson. MJ lived by Peter and she was looking the night that Uncle Ben died and saw Peter Parker run into his house and then Spider-Man swung out.
From that moment on, Mary Jane knew that Peter was Spider-Man. There were times she denied knowing and hid it even from herself. However, she was the first person that learned Peter's secret and kept it to herself for years.
She Dated Harry Osborn First
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson share one of the greatest love stories in all Marvel Comics. Their marriage was one of the best in Marvel history and they stuck together for many years. However, Peter wasn't who MJ first dated in the comics.
With Peter dating Gwen, Mary Jane dated his best friend Harry Osborn. This wasn't a healthy relationship as Mary Jane often taunted Harry and dismissed him, even flirting with Peter in front of him. It drove Harry to depression and eventually a drug overdose before he finally turned evil and became Green Goblin after his dad's death.
Mary Jane Had An Intense Fear Of Venom
Mary Jane mostly backed Peter Parker's career as Spider-Man. There were times that the role of a superhero came in between them, but she never really had fear of his villains, as she was as tough as they come. There was one exception, though, as MJ was terrified of Venom.
Much of her fear came because the Venom symbiote was part of Peter Parker at one time and controlled him in many ways, even changing his personality for the worse. When Eddie Brock took on the Venom symbiote, he terrified Mary Jane to the point where she begged Peter not to wear a black costume because it reminded her of the trauma.
Mary Jane Became A Soap Opera Star
From the time that Mary Jane first appeared in Marvel Comics, she was an aspiring actress. She ended up working several stage plays when she was dating Harry Osborn and continued on with her career when she was with Peter Parker.
After Mary Jane and Peter Parker got married, she achieved her biggest success. She got a role in a popular soap opera called Secret Hospital. Sadly, she had to quit the job when an obsessed fan tried to kill her because of actions her character took on the show.
She And Peter Lost Their Baby
Mary Jane and Peter Parker received some great news when they learned she was pregnant and was having a baby. The pregnancy caused Peter to quit his role as Spider-Man and they moved to Portland to live as husband and wife. However, this ended up as one of the most tragic moments in Mary Jane's life.
Sadly, one of Green Goblin's associates poisoned Mary Jane and the baby was stillborn. There is a mystery here, though, as the woman took away the baby and it was never seen again. In another timeline, Peter and MJ had a baby named May Parker.
Her Marriage To Spider-Man Was Erased
Peter Parker revealed his secret identity to the world during the Civil War storyline when Iron Man convinced him it was the right thing to do. However, Spider-Man soon decided he was not on Tony's side in this war and he switched sides, causing the government to send people after him.
His Aunt May was shot as a result. With Aunt May dying, Spider-Man went to Doctor Strange for help. When he found no help there, Mephisto showed up and offered a deal to Peter Parker and Mary Jane. If they gave up their marriage he would save Aunt May, and they both accepted, their marriage wiped out of existence, and One More Day began.
She Gained Super Powers In Spider-Island
Spider-Island started when Jackal released a serum all over Manhattan that turned everyone into mutated spider-creatures. With everyone running loose with spider powers, it was up to Spider-Man and his friends to stop them and bring things back to normal.
One person who remained good was Mary Jane Watson. She was in New York City when it happened, but she was slightly immune to the virus thanks to her past relationship with Peter Parker. While everyone else mutated into giant spiders, she remained in human form, albeit with the powers, and helped save the day.
Mary Jane Worked For Tony Stark
Mary Jane had a series of bad luck spells, with her New York City club destroyed during an event and then her Chicago club also destroyed thanks to a battle with Iron Man, Doctor Doom, and Madame Masque. It was around that time that Tony Stark offered her a job as his personal assistant at Stark Industries.
She did a lot of work with him after that, saving his company for him at one point when the board tried a hostile takeover. She was also there to keep things together when Stark ended up in a coma after Civil War II.
She Made A Movie With Mysterio
Mary Jane Watson received her own comic book series in 2019 titled The Amazing Mary Jane and in this series, she took a job in a movie about the Sinister Six. What no one knew was that the director, Cage McKnight, was actually Mysterio in disguise.
Mary Jane knew all along, but she played it off like she had no idea it was Mysterio. However, when she told him she knew, they kept working to make the movie, with Mysterio wanting a fresh start and Mary Jane giving him the opportunity.
Mary Jane Is Part Of Mephisto's Future Defeat
The most recent Spider-Man storyline had him battling a demonic villain known as Kindred. For much of the story, Spider-Man thought the demon was Harry Osborn, gone bad again. However, there was a lot more to it than that and it turned out to be clones, brought back from Mephisto's realm of Hell to defeat Spider-Man.
In the end, it was Mary Jane who helped Spider-Man survive the attack. When Doctor Strange asked Mephisto why he was so obsessed with Peter Parker, he revealed it wasn't Peter he was scared of. It was May Parker, the future Spider-Girl, a hero destined to defeat him. It is why he wanted to end Peter and Mary Jane's marriage and why he brought in Kindred to kill Spider-Man. Mary Jane Watson and Peter Parker's daughter is still coming and will be the downfall of Mephisto.