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| “ | Face it, Tiger… you just hit the jackpot! | „ |
| ~ MJ revealing to Peter that she’s Venom; her most famous quote. |
| “ | He always tries to protect me. It's what he DOES. He doesn't understand. It's not that I don't want to be protected, because sometimes I do. But sometimes I want to protect HIM, and I can't do that when he's too busy protecting ME. When he's keeping secrets. But I have to respect his secrets. Because that's what I do. I keep people's secrets. | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson. |
| “ | We're not an it, we're not a monster...and we're definitely not just another symbiote. We're Venom. Don't wear it out. | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson / Venom. |
| “ | It's not about you. It's not about me. It's about us. About two people together and whether that's working. And I wish I could run from that...but I can't. I just can't. Because it hasn't been working now for a long time. I'm sorry, Paul. I'm breaking up with you. | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson to Paul Rabin. |
Mary Jane "MJ" Watson, also known as Jackpot, is a major character in the Marvel Universe, specifically serving as the deuteragonist of the Spider-Man franchise.
She is depicted as a green-eyed redhead and has been the primary romantic interest of Peter Parker dating back to 1966; although initially competing with others for his affection, most prominently with Gwen Stacy and the Black Cat. Mary Jane's relatively unknown early life was eventually explored in The Amazing Spider-Man #259.
Early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man featured a running joke about Peter dodging his Aunt May's attempts to set him up with "that nice Watson girl next door", whom Peter had not yet met and assumed would not be his type since his aunt liked her (in the Parallel Lives graphic novel an identical scenario is shown between Mary Jane and her Aunt Anna).
She made her first actual appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #25 (June 1965); however, in that issue, her face was obscured. It is not until The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #42 (November 1966) that her face is actually seen. On that issue, on the last page, Peter finally meets her and he's stunned by her beauty even as she speaks the now-famous line: "Face it, Tiger... you just hit the jackpot!"
She was created by the late Stan Lee and the late John Romita Sr., and first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #25 in March of 1965, but her full appearance was in Amazing Spider-Man #42 in August of 1966.
Overview[]
Peter begins to date her, much to the annoyance of Gwen Stacy. However, her apparent superficiality proves to be an irritation to Peter that her rival did not share and Peter subsequently chooses to date Gwen. Mary Jane, who becomes Harry Osborn's love interest and girlfriend, remains a close friend to Peter and Gwen. Despite her enjoyment of life, her friendship, and dating, Mary Jane refuses to be tied down for too long. When her relationship with Harry Osborn comes to an end, it has a significant impact on Harry, driving him to a drug overdose.
This in turn creates a boomerang effect, driving his father Norman Osborn to the brink of insanity, temporarily restoring his memories as the Green Goblin. Mary Jane only realizes the true consequences of her lifestyle when she learns of Harry's predicament. Later, when the Green Goblin murders Gwen, MJ stays with Peter during his mourning; though he initially tells her to leave him alone, he becomes interested in her as he recovers.
Their relationship has a few initial hurdles, such as MJ's hot temper and Peter's always dashing off to be Spider-Man. Following the events of the original clone saga, Peter realizes that he loves Mary Jane and the two begin dating again. However, despite loving Peter, MJ does not wish to be tied and when she allows the relationship to progress too far, she's left with a difficult decision when Peter proposes to her.
After taking a short time to consider, she turns him down. Following a series of traumatic experiences involving Peter's absences and his costumed alter ego endangering his Aunt May, a spiritually-exhausted MJ leaves New York for several months. Meanwhile, Peter dates other women, most notably Felicia Hardy. MJ eventually returns, but her behavior showing a marked change with the abandonment of her false front. Following an attack on Peter by Puma, she breaks down and admits her knowledge of Peter's secret identity in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #257.
After learning of her own family history in The Amazing Spider-Man #259, Peter finds new respect for her and begins to truly understand her. But MJ makes it clear to Peter that knowing his identity changes nothing about her feelings and that she only loves him as a friend.
Despite the one-shot graphic novel "Parallel Lives" and Untold Tales of Spider-Man #16 revealing that Mary Jane discovered Peter's secret when she noticed Spider-Man climbing out of Peter's bedroom window, many comics published before this revelation claimed that she had simply "figured it out", with the details of how and when left ambiguous to the reader.
After yet another period of reconsidering his priorities in life, Peter contemplates letting go of the Spider-Man mantle, with Mary Jane backing the decision, but his relationship with Felicia Hardy soon resumes. Feeling lost and guilty, Peter visits Mary Jane and apologizes for an awkward kiss before heading to Berlin with Ned Leeds.
Following Ned Leeds' murder at the hands of the Foreigner, a changed and bitter Peter returns to New York where his lack of direction in life is not helped when Ned is framed as the Hobgoblin and Felicia elects to leave Peter behind as she's tied to the Foreigner. Mary Jane returns to Peter, presumably to patch things up, but Peter surprises her with a second proposal of marriage, which MJ again turns down. She returns to her family to settle old debts with her father, with Peter following her.
After aiding her sister in having her crooked father arrested and aiding Peter against a Spider-Slayer, Mary Jane has an epiphany on marriage and agrees to become Peter's wife.
Biography[]
Background[]
Mary Jane "MJ" Watson was born in Montoursville, Pennsylvania to Phillip and Madeline Watson, being their second daughter after Gayle Watson. Due to his failure as a writer, Phillip abused his wife and daughters out of frustration, resulting in Madeline leaving him with their children. While living with relatives, Watson developed an interest in acting and participated in numerous plays in high school. Before being properly introduced to her future love-interest Peter Parker, she deduced his secret identity as Spider-Man when he returned home one night to get dressed in his costume. Despite learning this, Mary Jane decided to keep it a secret.
Meeting Peter Parker[]
Peter's aunt May attempted to pair him with MJ but failed numerous times, as Peter was involved with his crimefighting career and romantic interests in Betty Brant and Liz Allen. Once properly introduced, MJ befriended Peter while managing to not reveal her knowledge of his secret identity. Watson also befriended Parker's friends, his girlfriend Gwen Stacy and close friend Harry Osborn, who MJ started to date. However, things changed after Gwen's death during Peter's battle with the Green Goblin, causing Watson to lose her carefree personality.
Portrayals[]
Films[]
- In the Sam Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy, she was portrayed by Kirsten Dunst, who also played Judy Shepherd in Jumanji, Christy Fimple in Small Soldiers, Erin Randell in The Crow: Salvation, Torrance Shipman in Bring it On, and voiced Young Anastasia in the titular animated film.
- Dunst also voiced the character in the Spider-Man 2 video game.
- In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, she was supposed to appear, being portrayed by Shailene Woodley (who also played Amy Juergens in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Tris Prior in The Divergent series, and Jane Chapman on HBO's Big Little Lies), but her scenes were cut out so the film could focus on Peter and Gwen's relationship.
- In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, she was voiced by Zoë Kravitz, who also portrayed Angel in X-Men: First Class, Angela Childs in Kimi and Catwoman in The Batman.
Television[]
- In the 1976 Spider-Man cartoon, she was voiced by the late Peg Dixon, who voiced many superheroes of the Marvel universe in The Marvel Super Heroes, such as Black Widow, Jane Foster, Sharon Carter, Wasp, and many others in the series.
- In Spider-Man: The Animated Series, she was voiced by Sara Ballantine.
- In Spider-Man: Unlimited, she was voiced by Jennifer Hale, who also voiced Cinderella in the Disney's Cinderella series, Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear Solid series, Sam in Totally Spies!, Satele Shan in Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bastila Shan in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Female Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy.
- Hale voiced the character again in the 2000 Spider-Man video game.
- In Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, she was voiced by Lisa Loeb.
- In The Spectacular Spider-Man, she was voiced by Vanessa Marshall, who also voiced Irwin Dracula in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Danica LeBlake in What's New Scooby-Doo, Hera Syndulla in Star Wars: Rebels, and Black Canary in Young Justice.
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, she was voiced by Tara Strong, who also voiced Timmy Turner in The Fairly OddParents, Raven in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Harley Quinn in numerous media.
- Strong also voiced the character in Spider-Man: Unlimited, Lego Marvel Superheroes, and the web series Marvel Rising: Initiation.
- In Marvel's Spider-Man, she was voiced by Felicia Day.
Video Games[]
- In the 2002 Spider-Man video game based on the film, she was voiced by Cat O'Conner, though Kirsten Dunst did provide the likeness.
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, she was voiced by Andrea Baker, who also voiced Clover in Totally Spies!
- In Spider-Man 3, she was voiced by Kari Wahlgren, who also voiced Charmcaster in the Ben 10 series, Mina Monroe in Bunnicula, Starfire in Injustice 2, and Zatanna in 2019s DC Super Hero Girls.
- In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, she was voiced by Dana Seltzer.
- In Spider-Man: Edge of Time, she was voiced by Laura Vandervoort, who also played Kara Kent in Smallville and Elena Michaels in Bitten.
- In 2018s Marvel's Spider-Man, she was voiced by Laura Bailey, who also voiced Rayne in the BloodRayne series, Lust in 2003s Full Metal Alchemist, Helena Harper in Resident Evil 6, Nadine Ross in the Uncharted series, Supergirl in Injustice 2, and Polina Petrova in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Quotes[]
| “ | He should be here with me! There is so much I've got to tell him! About the phone calls, the messages... about it all. I thought they were about-- --but they've been about me! And now Peter is going to be targeted... in danger! I can't believe how rude I've been to him, but then again he -- I'm so confused! So scared! | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson. |
| “ | You're not going to kill me Kaine... you won't even hurt me. You can't. Not if all you've told me is true. If you are a clone of Peter Parker's... then deep down, you're as good as he is. Being a clone doesn't make you... or my husband... any less of a man. You're alive! Where and how you were born into this world just doesn't matter. Peter...my Peter... has always done the right thing... has defined himself by his actions.. not by whether he was born or cloned. He has lived a valuable life for the past five years I've known him. And now I'm carrying his child... I'm not going to let him throw away the life we've shared together. Peter is a person... and so are you! Prove yourself, Kaine! By your actions! Don't let Ben be killed! Don't let the Jackal kill anymore! Do what Peter would do! Do the right thing. You have the Power... now accept the responsibility! | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson. |
| “ | How did I get here? I used to think it was a complicated question. But it's not. My kids were real dammit. I loved them, and they needed my help. So I helped them. And I'm going to help other people too. And that's where I've got an advantage. Peter has said it for years. And now I think I finally understand... with great power there must also come great responsibility. Face it, New York City, you just hit the Jackpot! | „ |
| ~ Mary Jane Watson as Jackpot |
Trivia[]
- She is the most recurring girlfriend to Spider-Man as well as the most significant one despite Gwen Stacy appearing first. Only Black Cat is second to her.
- She designed the costumes of the Hornet, Prodigy, and Ricochet.
- In the novels, she is depicted as shy and insecure, dealing with anorexia and peer pressure, and knew Peter back in elementary.
- Mary Jane's name is a play on the Spanish word "marihuana".
