Originally Posted by
Ursalink
In USM, Mary Jane didn't need powers to be relevant. The problem here is that Peter Parker had, at some degree, became the "tutor" of SHIELD's young recruits (Nova, White Tiger, Power Man and Iron Fist), and that put aside Peter's regular cast aside. Besides, for some stupid reason, in these series they wanted to avoid any "romantic stuff", which is a stupidity. I mean, how can you write a story with teenagers and the main characters but make them ignore their "hormones". If they have allowed romantic elements in the series, MJ could have become more regular. Besides, if the Green Goblin would have learnt Peter's identity before, quite sure both Aunt May and Mary Jane would have be more in danger.
Finally, I personally have nothing against MJ having powers, but I definitely didn't like the source of her powers being the Carnage's symbiote. Many compared her to Flash as Agent Venom, but Carnage is a way worst symbiote that Venom ever was, so I don't see possible for something good coming out of it. Maybe Toxin, or any other symbiote, but definitely, not Carnage. Also, haven't noticed what they tried with this incarnation of MJ as Spider-Woman? She was actually a living reference to May "Mayday" Parker, Peter and MJ's daugther in MC2. Mayday has Peter's powers and brain, along with MJ's personality. Also, MJ's costume was based on Mayday's costumes too. You didn't notice it?