Amazing Spider-Man #800 May Lead to Undoing 'One More Day'

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for Amazing Spider-Man #800 by Dan Slott, Nick Bradshaw, Humberto Ramos, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stuart Immonen, Marcos Martin, Victor Olazaba, Cam Smith, Wade von Grawbadger, Edgar Delgado, Java Tartaglia, Marte Gracia, Muntsa Vicente and VC’s Joe Caramagna, on sale now.

Throughout Dan Slott's astonishing Amazing Spider-Man run, there have been plenty of references to the tragedy that struck Peter Parker's relationship with Mary Jane Watson at the end of the infamous "One More Day" storyline (by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada), which occurred a little over a decade ago. The arc saw Peter Parker's Aunt May fatally injured as a result of Peter's decision to reveal his secret identity to the world prior to the first "Civil War." In the end, Parker and Mary Jane decided to strike a deal with Mephisto, who offered to save Aunt May in exchange for permission to erase Parker's marriage to Mary Jane.

It was said that the iconic marriage was erased in order to keep Peter Parker relatable to reader. This is why the two characters have been kept from reconciliation, though several writers have teased and seemingly built toward an end to their separation. Though once feasible, the relatability excuse has recently been effectively obliterated by the reception of similar such relationships in DC's comic line, particularly Superman and Lois Lane having a son, and Batman being poised to marry Catwoman. Relationships don't prevent characters from being relatable. In fact, they tend to have the opposite effect.

Someone at Marvel might have realized this in recent years, because despite the initial reasoning, there has been a clear effort to remind readers that Peter and MJ were once an iconic comic book couple. It's why Amazing Spider-Man (and occasionally other comics) keeps coming back to their relationship.

There was the "Renew Your Vows" miniseries, which in turn led to the current ongoing comic which explores the relationship that never happened in our reality. Then we have MJ's admission that she has always loved Peter at the end of "Dying Wish," her attempt to reconcile with Peter when the latter had been possessed by Doc Ock in Superior Spider-Man, and most recently, after she helped fend off a Hobgoblin attack at the end of "Threat Level: Red," she and Peter spent a night together, as implied by a scene that very clearly alluded to MJ's famous first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #42 (written by Stan Lee, artwork by John Romita Sr.) in which she said her famous line, "face it, Tiger...you just hit the jackpot!"

The tense relationship the two once had after striking their deal with Mephisto has seemingly disappeared. They've grown closer once again, and constantly seem to be on the brink of getting back together. It's almost as if Slott has been subtly building toward the reunion fans have been dying to see for ten years now.

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The wait, though long and often painful, just might have been worth it. Both Peter and Mary Jane have had a chance to grow on their own, which means if they do find themselves together again, their relationship would almost certainly be built on a new dynamic because both of them have changed and matured.

Since "One More Day," Spidey has lost friends, has technically died and returned, and he has found wealth and power only to surrender it all for the safety of humanity. He's not the same person he was during Straczynski's run, and neither is Mary Jane. In fact, MJ has developed quite a lot as a character over the past decade. She started Slott's run as Peter's lost love, but found independence as a character after distancing herself from the Octavius-possesed Peter and starting her job as executive assistant to Tony Stark. With access to Stark tech and an immersion in the world of superheroes, MJ has found new strength and confidence, which has led to her fighting alongside Spider-Man and growing closer to the man from which she'd originally distanced herself.

For a quite a while now, beginning with the awkward party in Amazing Spider-Man #789 (written by Dan Slott, art by Stuart Immonen and others), the two have begun to reminisce about the romantic moments they remember. Since then, they've done so more and more, leading some to believe that it would culminate in something especially now when they're clearly in each other's lives again and Spidey's relationship with Mockingbird is over and done with. There's a chance for reconciliation here... which brings us back to Amazing Spider-Man #800.

In an effort to hurt Peter as cruelly as possible, Red Goblin goes after Mary Jane (and pretty much everyone else Peter cares about). Knowing this, Venom rushes to Stark Tower at the behest of J.Jonah Jameson, where he's attacked by MJ, who assumes Venom is working with Red Goblin, not against him. When Red Goblin arrives, Venom proves her wrong by protecting her as best he can until Spider-Man shows up and joins the fight. After a brutal battle against the Goblin and Stark Tower's defense system, Brock gives Spider-Man the symbiote so he can chase after the Goblin, who fled after injuring MJ with thorns composed of the Carnage symbiote.

Beneath all the action and drama of the issue is a defining moment for the red-headed fan-favorite. She faces Venom and Red Goblin without hesitation and without fear, even though she's been traumatized by Venom in the past, something she alludes to later in the scene, when she encourages Peter to accept the symbiote. She's clearly a different person now, one that recent issues seem increasingly interested in allying with Spider-Man, ergo, hinting at a different kind of relationship dynamic.

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So while, at a glance, Amazing Spider-Man #800 did very little to further that relationship, it may have actually helped set up a big moment for the next issue, which happens to be Slott's last. After the Red Goblin attack at Stark Tower, we don't see MJ again for the rest of the story, even at the very end at Flash Thompson's funeral, which is odd since they were all close friends.

What does that mean for Amazing Spider-Man #801? Well, we're hoping that the 80-page climax to "Go Down Swinging" failed to explore the relationship because it's saving a big moment for Slott's final issue. There's still the aftermath of the Stark Tower attack to be dealt with, after all, and MJ's post-battle condition is certainly a big part of that.

This is all pure conjecture at this point, partly built on the observation that the threat of the Red Goblin is almost definitely over and we're still due for something huge to mark Slott's concluding issue. There has always been hope for Peter and Mary Jane. Even in in that controversial issue, Amazing Spider-Man #545, Mary Jane assured Peter that nothing, not even the Devil himself, could keep them apart forever. Slott clearly knows that, so we're hopeful that his last issue will end on the high note thousands of fans have been waiting over a decade to read.

Amazing Spider-Man #801, by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin, arrives in stores Wednesday, June 20.