"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
I just see it as Peter sacrificing his own happiness to save someone's life.
But Peter doesn't think of it in those terms. He's constantly sacrificed his own time, resources, and relationships to be Spider-Man because if he doesn't people may be hurt or killed. He feels guilty about the effect it has on friends and loved ones, but that doesn't stop him. Sacrificing his marriage to save Aunt May not because he didn't care for Mary Jane, but because it was the very last chance after exhausting every other option. Saving people's lives is his first goal ahead of everything else.
And May's age would never be a factor in Peter's decision making. We have never once seen him prioritize who he saves based solely on age.
I have a question for those who think Peter should have let May die. What if it was Mary Jane that was shot? What if the story progressed the same, Peter desperately looking for a way to save her, comes up with nothing, the Mephisto appears to offer him the same choice. Peter can save Mary Jane if he sacrifices his marriage to her. Do you think Peter would hesitate to save MJ's life? Do you think he should let MJ die?
I think what you should really ask yourself is would Peter want to save MJ even if MJ told him to let her go rather than give in to the devil's whims.
It's moot anyway, according to the BS in OMIT, MJ was confident Peter would NOT give in to Mephisto's demands under his own power and that SHE had to tell him to go through with it, and encouraged him by giving him the ''love will conquer all'' speech.
The choice would be obvious there, because he's trading a certainty of losing MJ for a chance at getting her back.
The only conflict would be whether he trusts Mephisto, rather than weighing two difficult decisions.
For more parity, it could be that rather than MJ facing doom, she faces the possibility of it, for example: if she was shot, and going into surgery, with a three in four chance of survival. That would be a more difficult choice for Peter.
Sincerely,
Thomas Mets
If May knew her happiness with Jay came at the cost of Peter's own happiness and the unravelling of reality, she probably would have some words with him...she might even come to the conclusion most of the Marvel landscape being as unheroic as it is has been over the last decade has everything to do with how much power Peter let Mephisto's brand of chaos have with his decision. She could blame herself and be overwrought with guilt.
She also lost Jay with Peter being at fault for it. She found happiness, but ultimately it proved fleeting. Where does she go from here? Go through the same cycle she went through with Nathan, Jarvis, and then one step further with Jay? She's had her time, and she was prepared to accept it in OMD, the same must happen now. She needs to move past this life.
The only other interesting thing you can do with her is to turn HER against Peter.
Last edited by Miles To Go; 08-11-2017 at 11:00 AM.
As I said above, May has been disappointed with Peter before. But she still loves and supports him. I doubt she would feel personally guilty about his choice.
Happiness is fleeting for everyone. What matters is that she found some after many readers had written her off.
How was Jameson Sr's death Peter's fault? He died from a hereditary disease.
Last edited by Rincewind; 08-11-2017 at 11:09 AM.
You know, I've had this sort of conversation with my wife. Not about a deal with the devil, mind you, but I am nothing without her. I don't want to live without her.
This is a great hypothetical, because I do think it would make for a terrible dilemma for Peter.
If MJ's death was certain, Peter would have to choose her life over her death. But if it was merely possible, I think he would have to respect her wishes and her autonomy. From the beginning of their relationship and marriage, MJ knew that being with Peter would have risks. She decided it was worth it, and it was her decision. Your hypothetical condenses that decision into a single moment of choice, but it's not Peter's decision. It's Mary Jane's.
In the heat of the moment, if MJ was incapacitated and the decision was entirely in his hands, I'm not sure whether Peter would respect MJ's decision if she chose to risk death over losing their marriage. But if she was able to speak her mind to him, Mary Jane would be too strong to allow Peter to take the decision away from her.