WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Amazing Spider-Man #10 by Nick Spencer, Humberto Ramos, Michele Bandini, Victor Olazaba, Edgar Delgado, Erick Arciniega and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.


When Nick Spencer took over the writing duties on Amazing Spider-Man, he began his tenure by teasing a reunion between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. As badly as fans may want to see the duo back together again, Marvel has managed to keep Peter and Mary Jane apart and out of a long-term relationship.

Of course, the entire reason Peter and Mary Jane are no longer married is because of the 2008 controversial story arc, "One More Day." Wanting to take Spider-Man back to his roots as a struggling bachelor, Marvel made the decision to end their marriage through the machinations of the publisher's resident devil, Mephisto. Peter's Aunt May was injured and near death, so he made the decision to trade his marriage to Mary Jane in exchange for his aunt's life, which Mephisto agreed to.

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The marriage wasn't the only thing that was altered because of the deal -- over the years, Spider-Man had become cavalier in regards to safeguarding his secret identity. The most glaring example comes from his public unmasking during the first Civil War event series. The number of people in the Marvel Universe who knew Peter Parker was Spider-Man had gotten out of hand, and "One More Day" provided a convenient avenue to put the genie back in the bottle.

One of the characters impacted by the universe-wide memory wipe was Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. Spider-Man and Black Cat were once in a relationship, but lately she's spent her time as a crime boss. However, the reintroduction of the Thieves Guild's new leader, Odessa Drake, has Black Cat returning to her more heroic ways. The Thieves Guild has stolen the property of almost every hero in the Marvel Universe, with Spider-Man and Black Cat teaming up to steal it back.

Once their mission is over, the Spider and Cat have a heart-to-heart discussion that brings "One More Day" back to the public discussion.

Spider-Man Is Revealing His Secret Identity Again

Sitting on a rooftop, Spider-Man and Black Cat mutually agree that they shouldn't be a couple again. While Peter is currently involved with Mary Jane, Felicia is also dating someone. She explained how she originally thought her path down the dark side began when Doctor Octopus was masquerading as Spider-Man. The truth is it dates back to her memories of who Spider-Man is under the mask being erased.

Even though Spider-Man tries to explain his reasoning for making his identity a secret to the world again, Black Cat was still offended. It may not seem like a big deal, but Felicia knowing who was under the mask was a big deal to her. It's like a part of her that she considered special was stolen right from under her (there's your one cat burglar reference for the column).

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Peter can see the sincerity on Felicia's face, which is what prompts him to undo a side effect of "One More Day" and reveal his identity once again. This is a pretty big deal considering how few people know the truth, and shows Peter's faith in Felicia keeping it a secret. Black Cat is genuinely touched, as she could be seen shedding a tear before they hug it out.

Slowly but surely, items that were taken out of continuity because of "One More Day" have started to make their way back into the Marvel Universe. Of course, we can't expect Spider-Man to call a news conference and unmask himself to the world, but this is still a significant development. Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson relationship experts will count this as another example of the two getting closer to being boyfriend and girlfriend again, thus closer to marrying once again.

And right when fans get their hopes up the most, expect Marvel to toss in a curveball to crush their spirits yet again. The publisher has made a habit of dangling the marriage-carrot on a couple of occasions, so everything could be building to one humongous event that settles the debate once and for all -- or cause a riot online.

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