Mary Jane Watson

**Mary Jane Watson**, often known simply as **MJ**, is a major character in the *Marvel's Spider-Man* series. She is also a playable character in both *Marvel's Spider-Man* and *Marvel's Spider-Man 2*.

An investigative journalist for the *Daily Bugle*, Mary Jane Watson is a friend and love interest of Peter Parker, aware of his dual life as Spider-Man. She has been friends with Peter Parker and Harry Osborn since middle school. Before the events of *Marvel's Spider-Man*, she and Peter dated, but their relationship ended due to his overprotectiveness. As a journalist, she delves deep into New York City's mysteries, often risking her own safety to uncover significant stories. Despite her daring journalistic pursuits occasionally clashing with Peter's concerns, they ultimately collaborated as partners.

Mary Jane is playable at various key points in *Marvel's Spider-Man*, with her segments involving the use of stealth to get to certain positions.

## History

### Early history

Mary Jane was born in Montoursville, Pennsylvania around 1995. Her early life remains largely unexplored, but it's known she had a strained relationship with her father, a harbor worker laid off when Wilson Fisk bought the harbor for his illicit activities. During middle school, she became close friends with Peter Parker and Harry Osborn, a bond that endured into their adult years. At one point, Harry, MJ, and Peter took a trip to Staten Island to find the best pizza in the city, only to spend ten hours and find burned toast with cold American cheese.

Though the specifics of when she discovered Peter's Spider-Man identity are unclear, the two began dating in their senior year of college and were together for nearly two years. After a particularly intense encounter with Wilson Fisk, an injured Peter ended up in MJ's yard, prompting her to rush him to the hospital using her father's car. Six months prior to events of *Marvel's Spider-Man*, their relationship ended because of Peter's overprotectiveness.

At some point, Mary Jane became an investigative journalist for the New York newspaper the *Daily Bugle*. MJ wrote articles such as "Ten Surprising Ways Millennials Are Changing Manhattan", helping her grow a following, though she disliked writing such pieces as she felt she was wasting her talents.

### *Marvel's Spider-Man*

In *Marvel's Spider-Man*, after Fisk's arrest, Mary Jane probed an auction housing his art in "Don't Touch the Art." Posing as a journalist for *Heritage Arts*, she questioned Rose Rosemann about Fisk's money laundering through art. Upon being expelled, MJ sneaked back in, discovering a file on Devil's Breath. However, the Inner Demons gang attacked the auction house, seeking the same file. Peter Parker intervened, fending off the gang, but the Demons escaped with the file. Later, at Mick's, MJ and Peter reconnected, maintaining a professional rapport.

While tracking the Demons alongside Peter, Mary Jane gained Jefferson Davis' trust to interview him about his encounter with the gang in "Wheels within Wheels", resulting in a viral story. She witnessed Davis's death in a Demons-led bombing at City Hall in "And the Award Goes to...". Discovering Martin Li was the Demons' leader, MJ probed his New York properties. After Peter shared an address, MJ found Tombstone there. Discussing this during "Dinner Date", Peter provided her with lures for future endeavors, and the two agreed to be partners.

Following up on Oscorp's executives to learn about Devil's Breath, in "Uninvited", MJ infiltrated a Sable International compound to find Charles Standish, Oscorp's CFO. Reaching him, Standish mentioned the Demons were plotting something in Grand Central, but before he revealed more, Peter, mistaking Standish for a Sable agent, knocked Standish out and retrieved MJ, infuriating her as she reminded him it was why they broke up. As such, she did not tell him about Li's plans regarding Grand Central, and in "The One That Got Away", went there alone. Held hostage at first, she called Peter Parker and the two worked together to free the hostages, as she was able to stop Li's Devil's Breath bomb. Over text, MJ told Peter she was not ready to talk to him and needed space.

In "Uninvited", MJ sneaked into a Sable International site to speak with Oscorp's CFO, Charles Standish, about Devil's Breath. As Standish hinted at the Demons' plans for Grand Central, a misunderstanding led Peter to intervene, infuriating MJ as who reminded him of the reasons they broke up. Consequently, she withheld information on Li's Grand Central scheme and, during "The One That Got Away", went alone. Though the Demons took her and other civilians, with Peter's assistance, MJ disarmed Li's Devil's Breath bomb, as Peter defeated Li. Afterwards, she texted Peter, expressing her need for space.

After Doctor Octopus unleashed Devil's Breath and freed the prisoners from Ryker's Island and the Raft, Mary Jane reported for the *Daily Bugle*, pointing out Norman Osborn's claims against Spider-Man were baseless and highlighting Osborn's involvement in Devil's Breath's creation. In "...Into the Fire", when convicts set fire to the F.E.A.S.T. shelter, Mary Jane urged Peter to help save May Parker and Miles Morales, who were trapped there but in turn, needed to be saved himself by Miles and Mary Jane. Afterward, Mary Jane, Miles, and Peter decided to take on the new problems of the city together, MJ tasked to look for any antiserum to Devil's Breath.

In "Step Into My Parlor...", MJ infiltrated in Osborn's penthouse, and learned that Devil's Breath was created to cure Harry, who was gravely ill with a genetic condition. In Osborn's secret lab, she picked up one of his genetically modified spiders and successfully found the Devil's Breath lab location. She also learned Devil's Breath's experiment transformed Martin Li into Mister Negative and drove a wedge between Osborn and Otto Octavius. On the way out, she was pursued by Silver Sable until Spider-Man saved her from a fall. When Spider-Man went to the lab but lost the antiserum cure to Doctor Octopus, MJ gave Peter the idea to use his scientific knowledge to defeat him. Furthermore, the spider she had picked up later found Miles Morales and bit him.

After Peter bested Doctor Octopus and obtained the antiserum, he and MJ could not save May Parker, and MJ supported Peter at the funeral. Three months later, she became an associate editor at the *Daily Bugle*. Over dinner, telling Peter the news, she offered him a temporary home with her and the two rekindled their relationship with a passionate kiss.

### *The City That Never Sleeps*

In *The City That Never Sleeps*, Mary Jane investigated rumors of the Maggia syndicate's resurgence after Fisk's downfall. She sent Peter to explore a robbery at the Manhattan MOCA, where Peter learned that Maggia, led by Hammerhead and the Black Cat, was responsible. Black Cat's real objective was to retrieve flash drives hidden in art pieces. Upon learning that Black Cat might be collaborating with Hammerhead due to a supposed son being held captive, Peter and MJ faced tension when he revealed the child might be his. However, they reconciled after acknowledging their dating histories and the fact that they were not together at the time.

MJ later investigated a Maggia base, seeking Black Cat's so-called son, but she only found the location of Hammerhead's vault. There, Black Cat stole her real target, Hammerhead's flash drive, as her "son" was a deception. MJ shared her hunch with Peter that Black Cat had survived and ended on a comforting note, suggesting Peter would be an excellent father someday.

While Yuriko Watanabe clashed with Hammerhead, Mary Jane collaborated with Peter to uncover businesses masking Hammerhead's operations. Although she initially intended to expose them in a *Daily Bugle* piece, she learned about Yuriko's family feud with the Maggia on the way and how it had led her to stop following protocol, realizing it was a more compelling story. Peter concurred. Later, as Peter teamed up with ex-Sable agent David Obademi for Symkarian humanitarian aid, MJ secured Obademi a teaching position with an H1-B visa, enabling him to remain in the U.S. MJ's insights into Hammerhead's conflicts and the turmoil in Symkaria drove her to venture to Symkaria to report on its war.

During the events of *Miles Morales*, MJ left New York for Symkaria, bringing Peter along as her photographer for a working vacation.

### *Marvel's Spider-Man 2* (comic)

During *Marvel's Spider-Man 2* (comic), Mary Jane was interviewed by J. Jonah Jameson about her book, *Perilous: A Journey Into War-Torn Symkaria*, on his *Just the Facts* podcast. Their heated exchange was interrupted when the Spider-Men and Tarantula crashed the scene. Later, MJ, Peter, and Miles gathered at May Parker's old residence, where Peter now lived. Miles presented modified lures that Peter had previously given MJ, suggesting they could be weaponized. This led to a visit to an electronics store. Together, the trio confronted and interrogated "The Hood" at the same store following a break-in. At the end, MJ and Peter mutually apologized for their recent tensions, with her book and Peter's insecurities being focal points of their conversation.

### *Marvel's Spider-Man 2*

Section incompleteThis section is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the *Marvel's Spider-Man* Wiki by writing it.
## Characteristics

### Appearance

Appearance*MSM*

*MSM 2*

Mary Jane is 5'8", with a slim build, weighing 120 lbs. She has blue eyes and copper-red hair, the latter of which she keeps in a ponytail, with her bangs almost covering her right eye. When out in public, she typically wears a brown leather jacket coupled with an orange scarf, a green collared shirt underneath, as well as a white shirt underneath that, blue jeans, and a pair of brown ankle boots.

### Personality

Mary Jane Watson is a determined, diligent, and resourceful investigative journalist. Her acute observational skills enable her to read and understand people effectively. This knack allows her to earn trust through either genuine honesty or strategic deception, and also allows her to discern underlying motives and intentions in others. Beyond her professional life, Mary Jane has a spirited personality, cherishing humor and the company of her loved ones.

> **Peter Parker:** This is all my fault...**Mary Jane:** No, not that song again. You're not alone anymore, Pete. Let Miles and me look after F.E.A.S.T. You find Norman. You find the cure.**Peter Parker:** Thanks... partner.*Marvel's Spider-Man* § "Step Into My Parlor"

At her core, Mary Jane is driven by an unwavering commitment to truth, firmly believing in journalism's role in informing and protecting the public. This both drives her tenacity and often leads her into perilous situations, which in turn has caused tension in her relationship with Peter due to his overprotectiveness — a factor that contributed to their six-month separation. Her determination has paved the way for pivotal revelations, such as unearthing the Devil's Breath lab's location and uncovering the secrets of Hammerhead's vault. Touched by the hardships of Symkaria during its civil war and the lack of media attention it received, MJ's altruistic spirit compelled her to travel there to cover the conflict.

Mary Jane's admiration and love for Peter stem from his passion and selfless drive to help others. This is likely what inspires her own, but has also caused tensions due to her lack of superpowers making her more vulnerable than him. The two resolved their differences when she encouraged Peter to accept help, and to stop blaming himself too heavily, at which point they became equal partners. Outside of this, MJ has expressed longing for the simpler times when she, him, and Harry could waste ten hours in Staten Island.

### Abilities

Mary Jane Watson has ascended the ranks of journalism, progressing from an intern to a staff reporter, and ultimately to an associate editor. Through her work, she cultivated a robust network of sources and has a skill for earning people's trust, either through genuine honesty or strategic deception. Her keen intuition allows her to discern underlying motives, setting her apart from the more gullible Peter.

Fearless in her pursuit of the truth, MJ often chases stories wherever they lead, occasionally against her editor's wishes. Without the benefit of superpowers, she has infiltrated high-risk locations such as Tombstone's lair, a Sable International base, and Mayor Norman Osborn's fortified penthouse, consistently extracting pivotal evidence. In these endeavors, she has employed Peter's spider lures and a handy stun gun.

## Gameplay

Mary Jane Watson is playable at a few points in *Marvel's Spider-Man*, and in "The Heist" from *The City That Never Sleeps* DLC. These are linear stealth sections in which players must pursue an objective (pointed out by a waypoint) without being seen by guards. Though initially, Mary Jane can only make use of the environment to create distractions, she gains access to spider lures for "Uninvited" and a stun gun in "Step Into My Parlor...".

## Original appearance

For more background of Mary Jane Watson throughout comic book history, see **all appearances of Mary Jane Watson** and the **original appearance of Mary Jane Watson** on the **Marvel Database**
Mary Jane Watson's first appearance was in *Amazing Spider-Man* #25 (June 1965); however, her full reveal was in *Amazing Spider-Man* #42 (November 1966). She was the enigmatic niece of Anna Watson, a good friend and neighbor of May Parker. The pair tired to set up Mary Jane with May's nephew, Peter Parker, numerous times, but he constantly either found a way out or found himself too busy with Spider-Man responsibilities. They were eventually able to finally meet when MJ came to the Parker Residence for dinner, introducing herself to Peter with her famous catchphrase: "Face it, Tiger... you just hit the jackpot!" Despite hitting it off, they initially remained friends and she joined his group, with included Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and Flash Thompson. Mary Jane would begin to curb her party girl lifestyle and become closer to Peter after Norman Osborn murdered Gwen. She and Peter slowly fell in love and be wed. Their marriage survived many trials and tribulations, Aunt May was shot by a hitman hired by Kingpin. Exhausting all other options, Mary Jane and Peter agreed to sell their marriage to Mephisto in order to save May. Despite this, Mary Jane didn't leave Peter's life and the two engaged in an on-again, off-again relationship.

Mary Jane becoming a symbiote host first occur in fourth season of the animated series *Ultimate Spider-Man*, where she became current prime host of Carnage symbiote, first infected as **Carnage Queen** in "The Symbiote Saga: Part 3" (July 17, 2016), before reforming under a super heroine moniker **Spider-Woman** "The Spider Slayers: Part 1" (October 8, 2016).

### Development

In developing *Marvel's Spider-Man*, Insomniac Games aimed for Mary Jane Watson to be a playable character beyond just a sidekick. They wanted to depict Peter Parker's realization that despite his powers, he needs help, positioning Mary Jane as central to this theme. To better achieve this, diverging from her comic portrayal as an actress, they reimagined her as an investigative journalist. Insomniac's intent was to elevate her from just a love interest or damsel in distress, making her integral to the story and a key ally to Spider-Man, while also offering players insight into the lives touched by a superhero.

Mary Jane Watson is voiced by Laura Bailey, while her face model is Stephanie Tyler Jones.

### Reception

Mary Jane's portrayal mostly received positive reception. Ernesto Camacho IV from *Screen Rant* lauded her as a "well-rounded lead" due to her newfound independence as a person with her own goals, emphasizing proof that adaptations have room to evolve characters. Charles Pulling-Moore of *Kotaku* echoed this sentiment, noting her depth in comparison to earlier comic portrayals in which her attractiveness was her defining trait. However, De'Angelo Epps from *Comic Book Resources* critiqued her decision-making, noting her running into danger and becoming angry at Peter displayed "no common sense", deeming her one of the weaker versions of the character.

While her character writing was mostly well received, critics were less favorable toward her gameplay. Kyle Gratton from *Screen Rant* noted that, while compelling narratively, her gameplay was "exceptionally boring" compared to Spider-Man's, hoping it would be changed or removed for the sequel. Erik Kain from *Forbes* called them "awful" and said he could not "imagine another living soul" describing them as fun. Conversely, Leon Hurley of *GamesRadar* and Edmond Tran of *GameSpot* felt the sections did not overstay their welcome, and were worthwhile due to the payoff and creating an attachment to the characters.

## Notes

### Annotations

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Because Mary Jane's intrinsic bravery mirrors Peter's, but without his superpowers, Peter became overly protective, leading to their breakup. The exact details around this prior to *Marvel's Spider-Man* are unclear, but Peter describes a "fight to end all fights" and MJ felt treated her "like a baby". However, residual feelings remained, and after addressing their issues and collaborating professionally, MJ happily rekindled their relationship.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mary Jane employs varied tactics to gain trust. She secured Rose Rosemann's interview through deceit and outsmarted the Inner Demons to ensure her safety, but also appealed honestly to Jefferson Davis to obtain his interview.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mary Jane was quick to recognize Felicia Hardy's intentions towards Peter long before he could.
4. ↑ Mary Jane lit up when Peter passionately talked about his work with Otto Octavius, impressed by how Peter foregoes better pay in favor of something he believes in firmly. She is very supportive of him both as Peter Parker and as a superhero, and affectionately calls him "tiger" before his battles.

### Citations

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `character bio`
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Step Into My Parlor..."
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Don't Touch the Art"
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Heavy Hitter"
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Strong Connections"
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Pax In Bello"
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Wheels within Wheels"
8. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Couch Surfing"
9. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Hidden Agenda"
10. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Dinner Date"
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "The One That Got Away"
12. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "The One That Got Away"
13. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Out of the Frying Pan..."
14. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "...Into the Fire"
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "The Heart of the Matter"
16. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "The Maria"
17. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Like Old Times"
18. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Trail of the Cat"
19. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Pursuing the Truth"
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Newsflash"
21. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Follow the Money"
22. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Hammerhead Fronts"
23. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Olympus Hideouts"
24. ↑ *Miles Morales* script § "Hold Onto Your Web-Shooters"
25. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man 2 comic*
26. ↑ *Marvel's Spider-Man* script § "Pursuing the Truth"
27. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #15
28. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #25
29. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #42
30. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #122
31. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man Annual* #21
32. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #538
33. ↑ *Amazing Spider-Man* #545
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Hilliard 2018
35. ↑ Shanley 2018
36. ↑ Leri 2023
37. ↑ Camacho 2022
38. ↑ Pulliam-Moore 2018
39. ↑ Epps 2020
40. ↑ Gratton 2022
41. ↑ Kain 2018
42. ↑ Hurley 2018
43. ↑ Tran 2018

## References

Video games
* Insomniac Games (2018). *Marvel's Spider-Man* [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 4.
* Insomniac Games (2018). *Marvel's Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps* [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 4.
* Insomniac Games (2020). *Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales* [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 5.

Books
* (2023). *Marvel's Spider-Man 2* [Book]. Marvel Comics.

Websites
* Hilliard, Kyle (2018, April 18). "Everything We Know About Mary Jane Watson In Spider-Man". From *Game Informer*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Shanley, Patrick (2018, August 2). "‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ Director on More Mature Peter Parker Story in New Game". From *Hollywood Reporter*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Hurley, Leon (2018, September 4). "Marvel’s Spider-Man review: “About as good as superhero gaming gets”". From *GamesRadar*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Hurley, Leon (2018, September 4). "Marvel’s Spider-Man review: “About as good as superhero gaming gets”". From *GamesRadar*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Tran, Edmond (2018, September 4). "Marvel's Spider-Man Review - Amazing Fantasy". From *GameSpot*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Kain, Erik (2018, September 6). "'Spider-Man' (2018) PS4 Review: The Good, The Bad And The Spidey". From *Forbes*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Pulliam-Moore, Charles (2018, September 26). "In Marvel’s Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson Is The Most Compelling She’s Ever Been". From *Kotaku*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Epps, De'Angelo (2020, March 10). "Spider-Man: 5 Best Versions Of Mary Jane (& The 5 Worst)". From *Comic Book Resources*. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023.
* Camacho, Ernesto IV (2022, March 15). "Marvel's Spider-Man Was Right To Change Mary Jane". From *Screen Rant*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Gratton, Kyle (2022, June 11). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Must Find Something Else For Mary Jane To Do". From *Screen Rant*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.
* Leri, Michael (2023, July 24). "The Spider-Man 2 Mary Jane Face Model Hasn’t Been Swapped, Says Insomniac". From *Game Informer*. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023.

## External links

* Mary Jane Watson on Marvel Database
* Mary Jane Watson on Wikipedia
* Mary Jane Watson on Marvel.com