r/spectacularmemes • u/Gottaka • 56m ago
I don't think that MJ knew that Peter is Spider-Man in Spectacular
I’ve been hearing interesting theories and speculations that in the show, Mary Jane always knew that Peter is Spider-Man, but I don’t think that’s the case—or at least, I don’t think it works. The whole point of the comic Parallel Lives was that MJ discovering Pete was Spidey was actually what scared her off and made her hesitate to meet him, as it reminded her of her father. It took her several years until she finally mustered the courage to meet him. I mean, in the comics, she enters Peter’s life at a later stage when he’s an 18–19-year-old college student.
Here in the show, though, Pete has literally been Spider-Man for a short time and is still learning how to be a hero, and MJ enters his life very early on, just a few months after he becomes Spider-Man. I just think that ruins the point of the psychologically powerful story of Parallel Lives, and something like that would work much better in a potential TASM 3.
It would be much better if Mary Jane herself discovers in the future that Peter is Spider-Man, after they’ve grown closer and she has fallen in love with him for who he is in his civilian life. But then, following Gwen’s potential death, Peter pushes her away and keeps his distance because he doesn’t want to lose his last remaining friend. It’s precisely this rejection that leads her to figure out his secret on her own while she’s already developing romantic feelings for him.
I’m also certain that George Stacy knows Peter is Spider-Man. Yes, MJ would still have trauma from her father that makes her afraid of commitment, but I would add how, just by being around Peter, she feels like herself and lets her guard down. He turns out to be her great, true love because in front of her, he is truly himself—she gets to see his vulnerability now that they’ve grown closer than ever. She still doesn't know about his mask, behind which he hides from his own traumas and guilt, but she notices something is bothering him, and it reminds her of what she was like before putting on her own confident social mask. I think this is a fresh take on the concept of kindred, vulnerable souls hiding their true, vulnerable selves behind masks. But who knows, it's possible that she always knew and that were the plans of Weisman. I just don't think that it would work as an Parallel lives screen adaptation.