It's been nearly 20 years since Peter Parker and Mary Jane's marriage was dissolved by Mephisto. Ever since then, Marvel fans have been eagerly crossing their fingers, waiting for the two characters to find their way back to each other. There have been teases for it throughout the years, and they've even rekindled their romance multiple times. Unfortunately, no matter how many times their hearts interlock, their paths always end up diverging.
Things got even more complicated when Mary Jane found a new love interest in the form of Paul. Recently, though, the House of Ideas rewarded readers' patience by having MJ end the relationship. The pivotal moment seemed to point things in the right direction for her and Peter. However, a new development has occurred that seems to indicate Spidey and MJ's road to reconciliation will take longer than initially expected.
A New Love Interest for Spidey
Spider-Man is currently on one of his wildest adventures yet, being stuck in space after a brutal battle with the villain Hellgate. He now travels the cosmos accompanied by a ragtag group of individuals from across the universe that he rescued from the mad scientist Xanto. Now, Amazing Spider-Man #15 has given Peter and one of his new teammates an unexpected romantic bond.
In the story, Spidey found himself in a gladiatorial match to clear Rocket Raccoon (one of his teammates, by the way) of debt. During the death match, Peter realized his brand-new Technarchy suit (in case you're wondering, yes, that is the same race as the New Mutants' Warlock), which has greatly enhanced his powers, was actually a living being. Upon realizing that, Peter set his costume free right in the midst of the fight. One of his crew, Raelith the Wretched, was touched by seeing his unwavering self-sacrifice, and after Spidey and Rocket (now a free raccoon) got on the ship, Raelith pulled Peter aside.
The warrior asked him why he had set the Technarchy life form free, to which he replied it was the right thing to do. Upon hearing this, Raelith kissed Peter. She pulled away quickly and apologized for not asking for his permission for the kiss; but, forgetting he has a soulmate back on Earth that millions of people want to see him back with, said she did have permission, and they continued to kiss.
Peter getting a new love interest is not that surprising, given that he constantly finds himself in new romantic entanglements. However, what is surprising is him finding love with a new character, when it looked like he and Mary Jane were finally going to get back together after her breakup with Paul. Admittedly, the situation with Raelith may not be a longterm one. Given their vastly different lives (and ZIP codes), it could be that they decide not to let things get more serious between them. Furthermore, perhaps their kiss will just be a one-time thing, and won't even lead to a relationship in the first place.
That would be good news for fans who've been waiting years for Peter and MJ to get back together. Having said, to play devil's advocate, it would be interesting to see where a relationship between Raelith and Spidey could go. Raelith is a fascinating character. She is a vicious warrior with a propensity for violence and no issues with torture. Yet, there is a vulnerability and self-hatred to her personality. Afraid of disappointing those she appreciates or coming across the wrong way, she constantly apologizes for her actions, and blames herself for almost every step she takes.
Bringing her together with Pete— who is a walking billboard for self-loathing, self-doubt and low self-esteem—would likely lead to an interesting dynamic between the two. Now, as much as this new relationship may upset Marvel fans, let's face a fact: Mary Jane and Peter are meant for each other. Ultimately, it's quite clear that, despite the many setbacks in their relationship, they are what you'd call "endgame." As such, the web-slinger's potential relationship with Raelith may be a speed bump, but it likely won't be a full-on roadblock in the way of Peter and MJ finding their way back to each other.
Amazing Spider-Man #15 is on sale now.
What do you think about Spidey's new love interest? Would you like him and Mary Jane to get back together? Drop your thoughts in the comments!