'Marvel's Spider-Man 2' Explained: Who Is Mary Jane Watson?

Not every hero needs a genetically engineered spider bite to become a hero, and no one in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 embodies that better than Mary Jane “MJ” Watson. A high school classmate of Peter Parker and Harry Osborn, MJ went on to become the best investigative reporter in New York City after completing her college degree at Empire State University. More than just a talented writer with a knack for finding big scoops, MJ often puts herself in harm’s way to get to the bottom of a story, as resourcefully formidable as she is fearless.

MJ continues to play a major role throughout Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, getting in on the action as New York faces villains of all shapes and sizes in the universally acclaimed PlayStation 5 game. Here’s MJ’s role across the Marvel’s Spider-Man series and how it compares to her extensive history in the comics.

What Happened to Mary Jane Watson Before Marvel’s Spider-Man 2?

By the time Marvel’s Spider-Man begins, MJ is already aware Peter is Spider-Man. After dating him seriously, she broke up with him because of the pressures his double life brought to their relationship. A rising investigative journalist for the Daily Bugle, MJ takes point in looking into Mister Negative and the Inner Demons’ activities across Manhattan, as well as Norman Osborn’s unscrupulous secrets as the head of Oscorp. After Spider-Man defeats Doctor Octopus and his cadre of villains, Peter and MJ decide to give their romantic relationship another chance.

At the start of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, MJ decides to take an extended special assignment embedded in the midst of the Symkarian Civil War in Europe. She and Peter travel to Europe for several weeks, with MJ providing frontline coverage of the unfolding conflict for readers back in the United States. Upon returning to New York with Peter, MJ writes a nonfiction book based on her experiences abroad which, while critically acclaimed, does not sell as well as she or her publisher had hoped, and she resumes working at the Daily Bugle.

Mary Jane Watson’s Role in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Though Peter and MJ remain committed in a loving relationship at the start of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, she is unsure about the prospect of moving in with Peter after he inherits Aunt May’s home in Queens. With J. Jonah Jameson back in charge of the Daily Bugle, MJ struggles with staying on the curmudgeonly editor’s good side to avoid the latest wave of job cuts at the outlet. MJ reveals that she underwent combat training directly under Silver Sable while in Symkaria, which comes in handy when she becomes involved in Kraven the Hunter’s attack on New York.

After Harry is overwhelmed by the symbiote treating his life-threatening condition and transforms into the ravenous villain Venom, he infects MJ with a portion of the symbiote to turn her into Scream. Driven out of control by the symbiote, MJ’s latent frustrations with her life and career violently manifest themselves, forcing Peter to fight her to restore her to her senses. After the Scream symbiote is purged from her, MJ helps Peter and Miles Morales defeat Venom. In the aftermath, MJ quits her job at the Daily Bugle to start her own news podcast and finally moves into Peter’s home.

Mary Jane Watson’s History in the Comics

After years of having her debut teased, Mary Jane Watson made her first full appearance in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #42. Created by Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr., MJ was more of a vivacious social butterfly than the rest of Spider-Man’s supporting cast at the time, always looking to party with her friends. Though romantically interested in Peter from the start, MJ and Peter didn’t start seriously dating until they commiserated together in their grief of losing their friend—and Peter’s girlfriend—Gwen Stacy to the Green Goblin.

Embarking on a successful acting and modeling career, MJ was unsure about entering in a committed relationship with Peter because of how it could potentially affect her professional life. MJ eventually overcame these anxieties and married Peter, with the two living together in Manhattan and weathering life’s many ups and downs as a loving couple. After Aunt May was gravely wounded in an attempt on Spider-Man’s life by the Kingpin, MJ made a deal with Mephisto to save her life in exchange for her marriage to Peter, with the eager demon using his hellish powers to rewrite reality and undo their wedded bliss.

Despite this dissolution of their marriage, Peter and MJ remain close friends and confidantes, occasionally getting back together as a couple before deciding to pump the brakes on any budding romances between them. Inspired by Peter’s career as Spider-Man, MJ starts her own career as a costumed hero, with help from Peter’s other ex, the Black Cat. Dubbing herself Jackpot, MJ helps keep New York safe, keeping in mind Peter’s lifelong axiom that, with great power, there must also come great responsibility.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now only on PlayStation 5. Order the title on PlayStation Store, PlayStation Direct or your friendly neighborhood retailer!

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