In a few months, Spider-Man: No Way Home will officially be one-year-old, and it's now being re-released in theaters with more footage. Even before this new version was announced, the film was easily the most discussed Marvel Cinematic Universe project in years, largely due to the nostalgia of three generations of Spider-Men and the film's epic conclusion. Said ending is especially the subject of debate, namely for its implications on Spider-Man's supporting cast going forward.
No Way Home ended with the world forgetting Peter Parker ever existed, though Spider-Man is still public knowledge. Peter's former girlfriend MJ obviously no longer remembers him, but according to a new fan theory, that might not be the case for her time with his alter ego. This could ironically create a classic love triangle familiar to the superhero genre in general and the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie in particular.
Even After No Way Home, MJ May Still Remember Her Time With Spider-Man
At the climax of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange successfully cast a spell that made the world forget who Peter Parker was and the fact that he was Spider-Man. This included Peter's friends MJ and Ned, Iron Man's former bodyguard Happy Hogan and fellow Avengers like Strange himself. Now, ripped of his very identity, Peter is forced to start from nothing. This new reality truly dawns on him when he goes to a coffee shop to try and possibly explain things to Ned and MJ. Neither of them recognizes him, and he realizes how much safer they'll be because of it. Thus, Peter leaves his two best friends behind, their time together literally erased from the world's collective memory.
While MJ doesn't recognize Peter or their love for each other, she could still somewhat remember Spider-Man. Spidey is still a public hero, and it's only his alter ego that's been erased from public consciousness. Thus, MJ will likely recall times when Spider-Man was miraculously wherever she was, saving her or those around her in the nick of time. This situation could reignite her love for the man behind the mask, all the while recalling something that the Raimi movies did with Peter's love life.
MCU MJ May Fall in Love With Spider-Man Like Kirsten Dunst's Version
In the initial Sam Raimi Spider-Man film, Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson is the next-door neighbor of Peter Parker. Despite his harboring a crush on her for several years at that point, she's completely oblivious to the hopeless nerd. When Peter becomes Spider-Man, however, she's instantly drawn to his swashbuckling alter ego. She shares an iconic kiss with the partially masked man, and her growing feelings for him jeopardize her relationship with Harry Osborn. The set-up was very much a play on the classic superhero love triangle concept best exemplified by classic versions of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Though arguably somewhat outdated, the idea may be making a return in the MCU version of Spider-Man and MJ.
A theory put forth by Reddit user Chronon_Field suggests that MJ's memories of Spider-Man's heroism post-No Way Home will rekindle a similar attraction in her. Though she might not quite remember the man under the mask, she does recall elements of his character and spending time with him in some capacity. In doing so, she'll fall in love with Spider-Man without ever realizing anything about Peter Parker himself. This would be just like the events of the first Raimi Spider-Man and how it portrayed the Spider-Man/Mary Jane romance, further putting the MCU Peter on a more traditional Spidey path after erasing his far too close ties with Iron Man.
Of course, there are issues with this theory, as pointed out in the Reddit thread itself. MJ didn't spend that much time with Peter as Spider-Man, so she likely wouldn't have developed any strong feelings for him. At the same time, she could still tell in Spider-Man: Far From Home that Peter was Spidey all along, so it's not that mysterious to her. Likewise, if she's continually plagued by dreams and visions of her memories with Spidey, no matter how brief they are, it might be enough to make her fall for him in some way. If this idea is taken forward, the Raimi movies could live again in some way, all while Peter Parker is forced to confront what may have been his biggest mistake yet in the MCU.