The following contains spoilers for Amazing Spider-Man #21 from Marvel Comics.

Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man #21 reveals Benjamin Rabin, a villain with close ties to a Mayan god named Wayeb, may be behind Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson's breakup.

Amazing Spider-Man #21 comes from writer Zeb Wells, penciler John Romita Jr., inker Scott Hanna, colorist Marcio Menyz and letterer VC's Joe Caramagna. At the start of the issue, Mary Jane Watson is spending the day with her new partner, Paul, and children, Stephanie and Owen, when a villain named "the Scribble Man" unexpectedly appears. Panicked and clearly recognizing the Scribble Man as a serious threat, Mary Jane sends her family away before calling Peter to warn him "he came back."

RELATED: Marvel Crowns [SPOILER] as the Spider-Verse's New Queen

spider-man mary jane break-up rabin wayeb emissary

The issue then cuts to one year prior and begins to tell the story of how Mary Jane and Peter broke up. The two were in their apartment one day when they were attacked by a man named Benjamin Rabin. Created by Wells and Chris Bachalo, Rabin first appeared in 2008's Amazing Spider-Man #555 and is a former mathematician who wants to become a powerful being known as "Kuhul Ajaw" by merging with the Mayan god Wayeb.

Spider-Man's Villain Is Searching for a Sacrifice

Rabin explains to Spider-Man that if Wayeb finds him "worthy," he'll evolve and become known as "the Emissary." In order to prove his worthiness, Rabin marks Spider-Man for "vengeance" and another unidentified person for "sacrifice." Prior to this, Rabin also showed Mary Jane -- who was about to let Peter move in with her before the chaos began -- a vision of him "flooding the world with blood."

RELATED: Spider-Man’s Infamous Broadway Musical Is Explored in Bendis' New Series

At the end of Amazing Spider-Man #21, Peter and Mary Jane suddenly find themselves in a different, frightening world courtesy of Rabin. The story continues on Mar. 22, 2023, with Amazing Spider-Man #22. The synopsis for the issue reads, "Who is this mysterious figure and what do they have to do with Peter’s and Mary Jane’s disappearances?!" In a letter at the end of Amazing Spider-Man #21, editor Nick Lowe promised fans that the current story arc -- which concludes with May 31, 2023's Amazing Spider-Man #26 -- will answer all their questions as to what happened between Peter and Mary Jane and what Spider-Man did that made everyone turn against him. "You may also be crying," Lowe warned. "I know I was when Zeb walked me through the story."

Amazing Spider-Man #21 features cover art by Romita Jr., Hanna and Menyz and variant cover art by Jan Bazaldua, David Curiel, Vitale Mangiatordi and Dustin Weaver. The issue is on sale now from Marvel.

Source: Marvel