Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson have a rocky relationship. That’s one of the important plot points that Marvel’s Spider-Man explored, as the game started with MJ and Peter being exes. While the two would end up rekindling their relationship by the end of the game, longtime Spidey fans know that this is just the start of their romantic drama. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 could make a cheeky reference to the latest Amazing Spider-Man comic run by alluding to the possible romantic tension between Peter, MJ, and a newcomer named Paul.
Marvel recently released a free companion comic for the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 game, which provided a glimpse into the state of Peter and MJ's life together since the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There's some unspoken tension between the two, with cracks appearing in their relationship once more. The couple's on and off relationship has been a central plot of various Spider-Man comic runs, like the latest Amazing Spider-Man, where Mary Jane ends up with a mysterious man named Paul. Many fans loathe this character, and the game could capitalize on the current discourse by adding him in the game for players to poke fun at.
Why Paul Is Public Enemy Number One for Spider-Man Fans
The current Amazing Spider-Man run puts Parker through the wringer again, as he’s seen falling from the sky in Pennsylvania after a huge explosion. He’s jobless and mysteriously shunned by his friends and superhero allies. To add insult to injury, Mary Jane Watson has broken up with him and is now married and had kids with someone named Paul.
How these circumstances happened was a secret to fans until issue #22. It was revealed that a symbiote-obsessed villain named Benjamin Rabin sent Peter and MJ to another dimension ruled by a god named Wayeb. While fighting for their lives, they met a researcher named Paul, who was also sent there by Rabin and was his former colleague. With his help, Peter was able to create a gadget that could bring back one person, likely MJ, to their home dimension.
However, in a tense encounter with Wayeb, Mary Jane got a hold of the device and brought Peter back home instead. The webhead eventually finds a way to get back to the alternate dimension using a specialized Spider-Man suit, just in time to stop Rabin from killing the two. However, he was years too late for a romantic reunion with Mary Jane.
MJ and Paul have been trapped in the post-apocalyptic dimension, where time works differently, for years. They eventually fell in love and started a family, to Peter’s surprise — and to fans’ chagrin. Mary Jane also developed superpowers from this experience, which she uses to fight crime in Mary Jane & Black Cat.
How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Could Reference Paul
Saying that many long-time Spidey fans dislike the events of the latest Amazing Spider-Man run is an understatement. A large contingent of readers hate Paul with a passion for ending up with MJ. The game could poke fun at Paul through dialogue, with Peter remembering one of Mary Jane's loser exes from college as someone named Paul. A mission could also involve the real Paul asking Spidey to do something for him for his symbiote research, with Peter's spider-sense making him uneasy and annoyed during their conversation.
The latest Amazing Spider-Man run is reminiscent of Avengers: Infinity War’s Blip, as Peter grapples with the reality that MJ went on with her life without him. It's a heavy and polarizing story, which may not be the best storyline to adapt in the Marvel's Spider-Man sequel. The game could give fans an escape from the current run by keeping Mary Jane and Peter steady for now while making Paul the butt of a joke.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 releases in 2023 for PS5.
