Mary Jane Watson is one of the main characters in the Spider-Man universe and often Peter Parker's main love interest and best friend. Because she has been around for such a long time and is so vital to Peter Parker's life, MJ has had a ton of things happen to her over the course of their history that has made her grow and grow as a character.
Because of everything that has happened to her, MJ has a lot of abilities and skills that she has developed either through her career or through her closeness with superheroes. The skills often help her get what she wants and aids her in helping Peter, or herself, save the day from evil.
10 She Knows How To Throw A Party
This may seem like not a big deal, but MJ definitely knows how to throw a party. In fact, after the events of One More Day, MJ moved to LA and started her own nightclub that was open every night to partying individuals. In this story arc, her nightclub was used by villains and she managed to singlehandedly take them down and save her guests without many of them even knowing what was going on. Furthermore, because of her nightclub's success and her ability to run a business, she was hired by Tony Stark who liked her style and wanted MJ as his own assistant.
9 She Can Be Heroic Without Superpowers
One of the main things for MJ, that Spider-Man can't do because of his nature, is being heroic without the use of superpowers. MJ has never really had powers, save for a few alternate realities and spin-off series. She is completely normal, yet she still manages to put others' needs before herself when it comes to stopping the bad guys. She will fight against them in her own way, such as running over the Green Goblin with a massive truck, and save people whenever she can.
8 She Can Web-Sling Without Spidey-Sense
It took Spider-Man awhile to figure out the whole web-slinging business, and he really relied on his own Spidey-Sense to help detect incoming dangers while he was midswing. Though MJ doesn't have the abilities that Peter received, she is still able to do a lot of the same things he can, but without the powers.
MJ has learned how to use Peter's web-slingers and is able to swoop into action at a moment's notice in order to save him or anyone else. She used them in the Spider-Island arc and again in Web of Romance when Peter gifted her a pair.
7 She Has Acted In Movies
Above all, MJ is a model and actress and definitely cut out for show biz. MJ's career-focused mind has definitely put a damper on her relationship with Peter more than a few times (which feels a bit like a double standard considering he's Spider-Man), but that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her dreams and acting as the breadwinner while they were still a married couple. MJ has acted in a number of movies, plays, and TV shows throughout her history in the comics.
6 She's A Successful Model
In the comics, MJ's main occupation is being a model. This is important because it shows the MJ is more than just the love interest of a superhero. She is a working woman who really cares about her career, and chose to model and act—her dream job—after studying psychology in college. She worked hard for the status she received and continues to work at it while Peter is off saving the city. She aids him where she is needed but she is also an independent character that can stand well on her own.
5 She Can Beat Chameleon With A Baseball Bat
That being said, MJ can definitely defend herself well too. In a really important story arc, Chameleon poses as Peter Parker after learning of his secret identity. He goes to Mary Jane and Peter's apartment, who are married at the time, and tries to seduce MJ. But MJ is smarter than she lets on, and she manages to trick Chameleon into admitting his own identity. Once he does, she takes a baseball bat and gives him a beat down. She successfully defended herself and rendered the villain unconscious until Peter got home and took the bat from her hands, saying she was safe at last.
4 She Is Incredibly Emotionally Supportive
Above all, MJ is incredibly supportive, both physically and emotionally. Even before she and Peter are really an item, she supports him through the whirlwind of emotions he suffers after losing Gwen. She is accepting that part of his heart will always belong to his fallen love interest, and she takes it like they have that shared loss in common as Gwen was also MJ's friend.
The moment in which Peter tries to kick MJ out of his apartment and spews harsh words was a defining moment of the friendship and relationship in which MJ decided to ignore the cruel words. She knew it was just an emotional reaction and she stayed, refusing to leave Peter alone in his time of grief.
3 She Became Red Sonja
During a small time period, the spirit of the Red Sonja inhabited Mary Jane's body, turning her into the amazing barbaric warrior. As Red Sonja, she worked with Spider-Man to fight against other foes but also fought alone in Mary Jane's body. The two redheads shared a similar feisty fighting spirit that made MJ a perfect host for the warrior's spirit. Red Sonja gives MJ's body back to her after the fight and reunites Peter and MJ for the first (and last) time in a while before she makes a much more permanent return.
2 She's A Great Wife
MJ is an awesome wife to Peter. Through all of their ups and downs, she often acknowledges just how hard it is to balance Peter Parker's life with Spider-Man's. She loves him for him and is constantly supportive even while the two aren't together. Even when she isn't his wife, she supports him and makes sure to brighten his day whenever he needs it. In recent comics, the two are dating long-distance and after a particularly bad day, MJ forces Peter to have a dance party with her over the phone where ever they are. It brings a smile to both of their faces as they continue to fall for one another all over again.
1 Mary Jane Is Spider-Man's Hero
It's rare for a superhero to have a hero they look up to, and for Peter Parker, that hero is Mary Jane. As mentioned, she has always supported him on his good and bad days and makes sure to be there for him when he really needs it. She saves him emotionally and physically pretty often, as is the case in Spider-Island when everyone develops Spidey powers, she swoops in and catches him before he falls while web-slinging. In the panel, he even calls her his hero. And it's not just Peter, but Miles Morales has looked to MJ for help and advice on a number of occasions.