Since The Marvels writer Zeb Wells launched his Amazing Spider-Man run, fans have questioned what led Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson's relationship to come to such an abrupt end.
Despite the fact the wall-crawler was getting ready to pop the question when Nick Spencer's time on the title ended, MJ now has a new boyfriend called Paul and two young children who call her "mommy." Spidey, meanwhile, is dating Black Cat again, and today's issue #25 of Amazing Spider-Man finally revealed what led to their controversial breakup.
Despite Peter's best efforts to return to the dimension where MJ was stranded with Paul, what was less than a month for Spider-Man was more like four years for her. During that time, the supermodel seemingly fell in love with her fellow survivor and adopted two orphaned children they found.
It's never explicitly stated that MJ and Paul are romantically involved, but back on Earth-616, she tells Peter that she has a family now and isn't going to leave her new partner for Spidey. He's heartbroken but, after stealing tech from the Fantastic Four and Iron Man in order to save his girlfriend, the hero soon finds himself confronted by both Captain America and Marvel's First Family.
Despite his recent actions, they leave him be, even after a brief tussle with the team. However, this moment finally explains why none of his fellow heroes wants anything to do with the web-slinger, solving one of Amazing Spider-Man's biggest lingering mysteries.
Issue #26 is going to feature the death of a major character in an issue Marvel Comics claims is as shocking as the death of Gwen Stacy 50 years ago. While this comic ends with the villainous Benjamin Rabin vowing to murder MJ so he can finish his ritual and achieve Godhood, the prevailing theory online is that the real plan is for Norman Osborn to meet his maker (again).
Time will tell on that front, but Spider-Man is about to lose someone important in his life and Norman's death would likely see him placed in charge of Oscorp, an exciting status quo shift. What we do know is that Marvel Comics is still doing anything and everything to keep Peter and MJ's marriage from ever returning!
Amazing Spider-Man #25 is now available to purchase in comic book stores everywhere.