Do you think fans would accept anyone except MJ as the love interest?

[TinkerSpider]

Here's the problem:

MJ wasn't meant to be the love interest. She was meant to be an occasional comedic relief character, but she was so charasmatic and vibrant she stole every panel she was in. And since she wasn't meant to be the love interest, she wasn't forced into stereotypical boxes like Betty and Gwen to make her "suitable" for Peter - she was allowed to have agency and to be independent, to date around, to have a mind of her own and her own career/life aspirations which made her decades ahead of her time - and thus her early stories don't age nearly as horribly as Betty's and Gwen's early stories. And since she wasn't the love interest, no one worried about making her "likeable" - she was written as somewhat thoughtless and careless with other people's feelings, as flighty and self-absorbed - which meant there was plenty of room for a character arc allowing her to mature and grow, to show her true inner self over time.

In other words, MJ - and wholly by accident - was allowed to organically evolve alongside Peter. And as her character deepened, the parallels and contrasts with Peter were deepened, so that it's hard to conceive of another love interest who is so compatible for Peter on a personality and character level - to the point that even when MJ is written out of the book and new love interests were created, from Deb Whitman to Marcy Kane to Betty redux to Felicia to Carlie - writers inevitably end up bringing back MJ (even the writers who profess less than admiration for the character in their interviews) just because she is such the perfect foil for Peter. And inevitably, MJ does what MJ has done since her first full appearance in ASM 42 and she takes over the story - even when written poorly.

Another issue is that Peter's original supporting cast has been so decimated, MJ - along with Aunt May and possibly JJJ - is one of the very few Silver Age/early Bronze Age characters to still be (mostly) in her original role. She's a connection to Peter's early years and a testament to the character's growth - and an important piece of the seminal Death of Gwen Stacy story - and losing her is actively detrimental from a cohesive, historical point of view. MJ is also vital - she is the key to the heart and soul - to the arguably best Spider-Man story of all time, Kraven's Last Hunt. Like it or not, MJ is deeply embedded in the mythos - more so than Gwen, more so than Felicia - simply by virtue of how long she's been in the book and her presence in the classic stories (even post OMD, MJ is vital to stories that earn accolades, such as Spider-Island).

And of course, MJ was Stan Lee's ultimate choice for Peter, and it was Stan who wanted them to be married and did so in his comic strip, and then of course the marriage was returned to the comic strip.

The conditions that made MJ the overwhelming love interest just can't be replicated (although maybe Spencer was playing the very long game by turning Carlie into the goofball friend who could eventually step up when Peter loses MJ LOL). Also? Killing female characters just to make the male character sad is now much more frowned upon than it was when Gwen was killed, so fridging MJ just to have an unencumbered Peter would receive lots of outcry - probably even more today, with the advent of social media, than when she was "killed" by Michelinie/Byrne.

Could MJ be replaced as THE love interest? Sure, I guess, anything is possible. However, I voted no because the movement to replace MJ really isn't about replacing MJ, it's about creating a young, single Peter Parker who bounces around multiple girls - a Peter Parker who never really existed in 616 as Peter has been a serial monogamist from the very beginning and while multiple girls have been depicted as interested in him at the same time (like Liz and Betty arriving at Aunt May's, only to be put off by seeing the partically obscured MJ), Peter has always only dated one woman at a time. He thought MJ was attractive but he already had eyes for Gwen and he eagerly dated Gwen without looking back at MJ when the opportunity came. He was loyal to Felicia when MJ returned. He wasn't tempted by Felicia when she returned after his marriage to MJ.

If the goal is to make Peter Parker a perpetually lovelorn bachelor who can't decide who he wants to be with (or is tempted when the next pretty face shows up) then no one will ever replace MJ as the THE love interest - because having THE love interest is not what Marvel - for some wrongheaded reason that IMO appears to begin with "miso" and ends with "gyny" - wants. If Marvel wanted THE love interest, then they would finally realize they have one of the most popular, resonant, well-known to the general public comic book love interests of all time right in front of them in Mary Jane Watson. And it's really telling that Marvel keeps trying to force this conversation around MJ when DC appears to have very happily accepted Lois Lane's place in Clark Kent's/Superman's life.

And the other reason why it won't happen is because Marvel refuses to treat Mary Jane with respect but instead they go out of their way to minimize and actively disrespect her. First, there's the disparagement of MJ's looks for being too attractive - as if MJ wasn't designed by men for the male gaze in the first place so really, whose fault is that? Yet the character is so independent, fun and fully dimensional that she appeals to readers of all genders. Also, that's judging MJ only by her appearance, which is highly sexist. Second, there were many, many attempts to actively make MJ unlikeable and unsympathetic throughout Brand New Day and Dan Slott's run, which only backfired on the creators because contrary to what appears to be the belief in the Spider-office, readers aren't stupid and understand when characters are out of character. Zeb Wells is following in their/his previous footsteps by erasing all of MJ's vibrancy and personality, turning her into a catatonic housewife zombie who only comes to life to lecture Peter about responsibility, and that has vastly backfired on him.

If Marvel truly wants to remove Mary Jane from the narrative, they will have to do so in a respectful manner that honors the character and her beloved place in Peter's life. They will need to respect the deep fandom she has earned over decades. But so far, they have proved themselves catastrophically incapable of doing so, choosing instead to tear down the character and actively write her OOC and as a sexist stereotype - MJ Watson! One of the few female comic characters to have agency since her first appearance! - which only puts readers' backs up and turns the reader against the story.

So Marvel would need to swallow its pride - and misogyny, where MJ is concerned - but I just don't see that happening. Not while the current editorial is still in place. Quesada may have been let go, but members of the OMD creative junta are still employed.

[Mercwmouth12]

Here's the problem:

MJ wasn't meant to be the love interest. She was meant to be an occasional comedic relief character, but she was so charasmatic and vibrant she stole every panel she was in. And since she wasn't meant to be the love interest, she wasn't forced into stereotypical boxes like Betty and Gwen to make her "suitable" for Peter - she was allowed to have agency and to be independent, to date around, to have a mind of her own and her own career/life aspirations which made her decades ahead of her time - and thus her early stories don't age nearly as horribly as Betty's and Gwen's early stories. And since she wasn't the love interest, no one worried about making her "likeable" - she was written as somewhat thoughtless and careless with other people's feelings, as flighty and self-absorbed - which meant there was plenty of room for a character arc allowing her to mature and grow, to show her true inner self over time.

In other words, MJ - and wholly by accident - was allowed to organically evolve alongside Peter. And as her character deepened, the parallels and contrasts with Peter were deepened, so that it's hard to conceive of another love interest who is so compatible for Peter on a personality and character level - to the point that even when MJ is written out of the book and new love interests were created, from Deb Whitman to Marcy Kane to Betty redux to Felicia to Carlie - writers inevitably end up bringing back MJ (even the writers who profess less than admiration for the character in their interviews) just because she is such the perfect foil for Peter. And inevitably, MJ does what MJ has done since her first full appearance in ASM 42 and she takes over the story - even when written poorly.

Another issue is that Peter's original supporting cast has been so decimated, MJ - along with Aunt May and possibly JJJ - is one of the very few Silver Age/early Bronze Age characters to still be (mostly) in her original role. She's a connection to Peter's early years and a testament to the character's growth - and an important piece of the seminal Death of Gwen Stacy story - and losing her is actively detrimental from a cohesive, historical point of view. MJ is also vital - she is the key to the heart and soul - to the arguably best Spider-Man story of all time, Kraven's Last Hunt. Like it or not, MJ is deeply embedded in the mythos - more so than Gwen, more so than Felicia - simply by virtue of how long she's been in the book and her presence in the classic stories (even post OMD, MJ is vital to stories that earn accolades, such as Spider-Island).

And of course, MJ was Stan Lee's ultimate choice for Peter, and it was Stan who wanted them to be married and did so in his comic strip, and then of course the marriage was returned to the comic strip.

The conditions that made MJ the overwhelming love interest just can't be replicated (although maybe Spencer was playing the very long game by turning Carlie into the goofball friend who could eventually step up when Peter loses MJ LOL). Also? Killing female characters just to make the male character sad is now much more frowned upon than it was when Gwen was killed, so fridging MJ just to have an unencumbered Peter would receive lots of outcry - probably even more today, with the advent of social media, than when she was "killed" by Michelinie/Byrne.

Could MJ be replaced as THE love interest? Sure, I guess, anything is possible. However, I voted no because the movement to replace MJ really isn't about replacing MJ, it's about creating a young, single Peter Parker who bounces around multiple girls - a Peter Parker who never really existed in 616 as Peter has been a serial monogamist from the very beginning and while multiple girls have been depicted as interested in him at the same time (like Liz and Betty arriving at Aunt May's, only to be put off by seeing the partically obscured MJ), Peter has always only dated one woman at a time. He thought MJ was attractive but he already had eyes for Gwen and he eagerly dated Gwen without looking back at MJ when the opportunity came. He was loyal to Felicia when MJ returned. He wasn't tempted by Felicia when she returned after his marriage to MJ.

If the goal is to make Peter Parker a perpetually lovelorn bachelor who can't decide who he wants to be with (or is tempted when the next pretty face shows up) then no one will ever replace MJ as the THE love interest - because having THE love interest is not what Marvel - for some wrongheaded reason that IMO appears to begin with "miso" and ends with "gyny" - wants. If Marvel wanted THE love interest, then they would finally realize they have one of the most popular, resonant, well-known to the general public comic book love interests of all time right in front of them in Mary Jane Watson. And it's really telling that Marvel keeps trying to force this conversation around MJ when DC appears to have very happily accepted Lois Lane's place in Clark Kent's/Superman's life.

And the other reason why it won't happen is because Marvel refuses to treat Mary Jane with respect but instead they go out of their way to minimize and actively disrespect her. First, there's the disparagement of MJ's looks for being too attractive - as if MJ wasn't designed by men for the male gaze in the first place so really, whose fault is that? Yet the character is so independent, fun and fully dimensional that she appeals to readers of all genders. Also, that's judging MJ only by her appearance, which is highly sexist. Second, there were many, many attempts to actively make MJ unlikeable and unsympathetic throughout Brand New Day and Dan Slott's run, which only backfired on the creators because contrary to what appears to be the belief in the Spider-office, readers aren't stupid and understand when characters are out of character. Zeb Wells is following in their/his previous footsteps by erasing all of MJ's vibrancy and personality, turning her into a catatonic housewife zombie who only comes to life to lecture Peter about responsibility, and that has vastly backfired on him.

If Marvel truly wants to remove Mary Jane from the narrative, they will have to do so in a respectful manner that honors the character and her beloved place in Peter's life. They will need to respect the deep fandom she has earned over decades. But so far, they have proved themselves catastrophically incapable of doing so, choosing instead to tear down the character and actively write her OOC and as a sexist stereotype - MJ Watson! One of the few female comic characters to have agency since her first appearance! - which only puts readers' backs up and turns the reader against the story.

So Marvel would need to swallow its pride - and misogyny, where MJ is concerned - but I just don't see that happening. Not while the current editorial is still in place. Quesada may have been let go, but members of the OMD creative junta are still employed.

We've only had Dan, Spencer and the current writer for the past decade it also depends who is writing next after the run ends next year

[Tapioca Blitzkrieg]

So Marvel would need to swallow its pride - and misogyny, where MJ is concerned - but I just don't see that happening. Not while the current editorial is still in place. Quesada may have been let go, but members of the OMD creative junta are still employed.

Literally everything you just said.

my two cents is this:

Breaking up Pete and MJ is as interesting to me as breaking up Sue and Reed. As has been said, it's just too much history. The ''Spider-Man kiss'', for example, is so iconic and indissociable from MJ that i would rather a reboot of spider-man continuity take place than try to de-age peter by erasing his most iconic and defining relationships, because to me thats what our lives are made up of, memorable moments in time with the people around us.

If they would rather erase MJ or pretend she never had the impact on peter's life that she did, why would i ever care about any other girl they try to push if they'd just as easily do the same to her after some time? Or care about any other milestones in peter's story for that matter? It's not even that MJ was a character i held so dearly over the years personally, but it was just so clear she was the one for Peter that i can't help but be of this opinion.

On that matter, a cannot, for the life of me, understand Gwen shippers, i mean jeez, it's been 50 damn years, let the girl r.i.p. , people die and people move on

[Chris0013]

Problem is that they'd have to do that in other forms of media too as all regular people who don't read comics think of Peter and MJ together in some fashion. You have also games and movies that pair them and who know if she'll be in Freshman year as well

Yes they would have to do it across all platforms.

Until they decide to read back issues and trades, and realize "oh s*it, he was married and they never really ever divorced"

Marvel would literally have to stop reprinting every story with her in it for something as outlandish as "replacing" MJ to "work" and I don't think that is a sacrifice they are willing to make, if the Wedding Album is anything to go by. EDIT: Hit the wrong reply button.

Not really...it would just be a matter of MJ being one in a line of women Peter dated...some seriously and others not so much.

[Alex_Of_X]

Fans with a capital F? Probably not.

Then again, to what end, right? I think a Grant Morrison kind of writer could come along, and do to Peter\MJ\Whomever what he did to Scott\Jean\Emma in his New X-Men: break up the OG pairing in favor of something new and daring in a way that sticks even when it doesn't. Even with Jean back, Emma stays around. She's become iconic in her own way.

Ask an X-Fan in 1999 if Scott Summers\Emma Frost are lasting, they'll heckle you. But all you need is a fine story

[Matt Rat]

Not really...it would just be a matter of MJ being one in a line of women Peter dated...some seriously and others not so much.

MJ was his first and only wife. A wife is different than a girlfriend.

She still is his wife in many adaptations and realities, she is the mother of his children, one of whom was Marvel's longest running monthly heroine title

This isn't debatable. She never will be 'one in a line', with her, everyone else goes to the back of the line. It's always going to be her.

On that matter, a cannot, for the life of me, understand Gwen shippers, i mean jeez, it's been 50 damn years, let the girl r.i.p. , people die and people move on

Gwen only gets by on the sheer fact her death encased her in amber and Stan's idealised version has never been tampered with. Bring her back and I gurantee you Marvel would not have a clue what to do with her. Look at Ghost-Spider, a big deal in the movies but her popularity in comics has completely dried up, all she can get compared to Miles and Peter are mini-series

Fans with a capital F? Probably not.

Then again, to what end, right? I think a Grant Morrison kind of writer could come along, and do to Peter\MJ\Whomever what he did to Scott\Jean\Emma in his New X-Men: break up the OG pairing in favor of something new and daring in a way that sticks even when it doesn't. Even with Jean back, Emma stays around. She's become iconic in her own way.

Emma was doing just fine before becoming Scott's rebound.

[Jely4me]

To me, that’s the problem with not aging this characters to an extent. People get married in the real world, get divorced, have money problems, addictions, successes, failures in business, life, what have you. If Peter Parker is supposed to be the Everyman of comics, he can’t stay in the 19-25 demographic forever. He ought to date, good and bad, start a company like Otto did in his guise, watch it surge, lose it all like Stark has, or not. While also keeping his powers versus responsibilities life as well. May Jane is in his life, out of it, Felicia. Bobbi Morse. Carol Danvers. Why not? I remember these comic dweebs railing against Carlie Cooper. Who cares? Fairy tales are just that. Are Peter and MJ destined for each other? Maybe, maybe not. The Scott/Emma/Jean triangle can apply here too. Superman and Lois, Reed and Sue are the classic trope. Reed and Sue had children, Clark and Lois by extension. Bruce Wayne has a son, Wally West. Why not? It’s lazy writing and regressive tendencies to not want to shake-up the status quo. These characters have been around since the 30’s and in Marvel’s case the 60’s. Brand New Day etc. was lame in execution, not the byproduct of the story. Things happen in both real life and the world of fiction.

[Kevinroc]

Fans with a capital F? Probably not.

Then again, to what end, right? I think a Grant Morrison kind of writer could come along, and do to Peter\MJ\Whomever what he did to Scott\Jean\Emma in his New X-Men: break up the OG pairing in favor of something new and daring in a way that sticks even when it doesn't. Even with Jean back, Emma stays around. She's become iconic in her own way.

Ask an X-Fan in 1999 if Scott Summers\Emma Frost are lasting, they'll heckle you. But all you need is a fine story

I think people are looking at this from the perspective of keeping them together forever, but that's not what I'm talking about with this thread. I'm sure we'll see future writers pair him up with someone (whether that be a pre-existing character or a new character), but I think the reception to the Wells run really cements that this is easier said than done. Even Black Cat can't fill that spot. Never mind the reception to Carlie (who was a new character) back during the BND/Big Time era.

[TinkerSpider]

Fans with a capital F? Probably not.

Then again, to what end, right? I think a Grant Morrison kind of writer could come along, and do to Peter\MJ\Whomever what he did to Scott\Jean\Emma in his New X-Men: break up the OG pairing in favor of something new and daring in a way that sticks even when it doesn't. Even with Jean back, Emma stays around. She's become iconic in her own way.

Ask an X-Fan in 1999 if Scott Summers\Emma Frost are lasting, they'll heckle you. But all you need is a fine story

X-Men is an ensemble book. Scott/Jean/Emma/Logan are not the sole focus of the story. In fact, I’d say there are as many if not more anti-Scott fans (and anti-Jean fans) than Scott and Jean fans.

Also, Scott and Jean are now pretty solidly a married couple. The X-office winks at polyamory but in recent issues it’s been Scott and Jean in bed together (and plotting together) with Emma - to her anger - filled in later. For example, the Hellfire Gala issues. And in Judgement Day, Scott tells the Progenitor only his wife, meaning Jean, can judge him.

So in the scheme of things, Jean has not been replaced as THE love interest of Scott. To the point that Maddy is still whining about it in Dark Web lol.

[Mercwmouth12]

X-Men is an ensemble book. Scott/Jean/Emma/Logan are not the sole focus of the story. In fact, I’d say there are as many if not more anti-Scott fans (and anti-Jean fans) than Scott and Jean fans.

Also, Scott and Jean are now pretty solidly a married couple. The X-office winks at polyamory but in recent issues it’s been Scott and Jean in bed together (and plotting together) with Emma - to her anger - filled in later. For example, the Hellfire Gala issues. And in Judgement Day, Scott tells the Progenitor only his wife, meaning Jean, can judge him.

So in the scheme of things, Jean has not been replaced as THE love interest of Scott. To the point that Maddy is still whining about it in Dark Web lol.

Which makes Cable role in all of this what?

[Kaitou D. Kid]

Here's the problem:

MJ wasn't meant to be the love interest. She was meant to be an occasional comedic relief character, but she was so charasmatic and vibrant she stole every panel she was in. And since she wasn't meant to be the love interest, she wasn't forced into stereotypical boxes like Betty and Gwen to make her "suitable" for Peter - she was allowed to have agency and to be independent, to date around, to have a mind of her own and her own career/life aspirations which made her decades ahead of her time - and thus her early stories don't age nearly as horribly as Betty's and Gwen's early stories. And since she wasn't the love interest, no one worried about making her "likeable" - she was written as somewhat thoughtless and careless with other people's feelings, as flighty and self-absorbed - which meant there was plenty of room for a character arc allowing her to mature and grow, to show her true inner self over time.

In other words, MJ - and wholly by accident - was allowed to organically evolve alongside Peter. And as her character deepened, the parallels and contrasts with Peter were deepened, so that it's hard to conceive of another love interest who is so compatible for Peter on a personality and character level - to the point that even when MJ is written out of the book and new love interests were created, from Deb Whitman to Marcy Kane to Betty redux to Felicia to Carlie - writers inevitably end up bringing back MJ (even the writers who profess less than admiration for the character in their interviews) just because she is such the perfect foil for Peter. And inevitably, MJ does what MJ has done since her first full appearance in ASM 42 and she takes over the story - even when written poorly.

Another issue is that Peter's original supporting cast has been so decimated, MJ - along with Aunt May and possibly JJJ - is one of the very few Silver Age/early Bronze Age characters to still be (mostly) in her original role. She's a connection to Peter's early years and a testament to the character's growth - and an important piece of the seminal Death of Gwen Stacy story - and losing her is actively detrimental from a cohesive, historical point of view. MJ is also vital - she is the key to the heart and soul - to the arguably best Spider-Man story of all time, Kraven's Last Hunt. Like it or not, MJ is deeply embedded in the mythos - more so than Gwen, more so than Felicia - simply by virtue of how long she's been in the book and her presence in the classic stories (even post OMD, MJ is vital to stories that earn accolades, such as Spider-Island).

And of course, MJ was Stan Lee's ultimate choice for Peter, and it was Stan who wanted them to be married and did so in his comic strip, and then of course the marriage was returned to the comic strip.

The conditions that made MJ the overwhelming love interest just can't be replicated (although maybe Spencer was playing the very long game by turning Carlie into the goofball friend who could eventually step up when Peter loses MJ LOL). Also? Killing female characters just to make the male character sad is now much more frowned upon than it was when Gwen was killed, so fridging MJ just to have an unencumbered Peter would receive lots of outcry - probably even more today, with the advent of social media, than when she was "killed" by Michelinie/Byrne.

Could MJ be replaced as THE love interest? Sure, I guess, anything is possible. However, I voted no because the movement to replace MJ really isn't about replacing MJ, it's about creating a young, single Peter Parker who bounces around multiple girls - a Peter Parker who never really existed in 616 as Peter has been a serial monogamist from the very beginning and while multiple girls have been depicted as interested in him at the same time (like Liz and Betty arriving at Aunt May's, only to be put off by seeing the partically obscured MJ), Peter has always only dated one woman at a time. He thought MJ was attractive but he already had eyes for Gwen and he eagerly dated Gwen without looking back at MJ when the opportunity came. He was loyal to Felicia when MJ returned. He wasn't tempted by Felicia when she returned after his marriage to MJ.

If the goal is to make Peter Parker a perpetually lovelorn bachelor who can't decide who he wants to be with (or is tempted when the next pretty face shows up) then no one will ever replace MJ as the THE love interest - because having THE love interest is not what Marvel - for some wrongheaded reason that IMO appears to begin with "miso" and ends with "gyny" - wants. If Marvel wanted THE love interest, then they would finally realize they have one of the most popular, resonant, well-known to the general public comic book love interests of all time right in front of them in Mary Jane Watson. And it's really telling that Marvel keeps trying to force this conversation around MJ when DC appears to have very happily accepted Lois Lane's place in Clark Kent's/Superman's life.

And the other reason why it won't happen is because Marvel refuses to treat Mary Jane with respect but instead they go out of their way to minimize and actively disrespect her. First, there's the disparagement of MJ's looks for being too attractive - as if MJ wasn't designed by men for the male gaze in the first place so really, whose fault is that? Yet the character is so independent, fun and fully dimensional that she appeals to readers of all genders. Also, that's judging MJ only by her appearance, which is highly sexist. Second, there were many, many attempts to actively make MJ unlikeable and unsympathetic throughout Brand New Day and Dan Slott's run, which only backfired on the creators because contrary to what appears to be the belief in the Spider-office, readers aren't stupid and understand when characters are out of character. Zeb Wells is following in their/his previous footsteps by erasing all of MJ's vibrancy and personality, turning her into a catatonic housewife zombie who only comes to life to lecture Peter about responsibility, and that has vastly backfired on him.

If Marvel truly wants to remove Mary Jane from the narrative, they will have to do so in a respectful manner that honors the character and her beloved place in Peter's life. They will need to respect the deep fandom she has earned over decades. But so far, they have proved themselves catastrophically incapable of doing so, choosing instead to tear down the character and actively write her OOC and as a sexist stereotype - MJ Watson! One of the few female comic characters to have agency since her first appearance! - which only puts readers' backs up and turns the reader against the story.

So Marvel would need to swallow its pride - and misogyny, where MJ is concerned - but I just don't see that happening. Not while the current editorial is still in place. Quesada may have been let go, but members of the OMD creative junta are still employed.

I hate to be "that guy" and go against this otherwise-excellent post (seriously... great job), but I think it's important to remember that MJ WAS meant to be THE love interest in the Ditko days. Her becoming the main love interest after Gwen's death was her reclaiming that role, and not her stepping in it for the first time.

[Spider-Tiger]

Depends what you mean by accepted. I think fans could "accept" another love interest temporarily if written well enough, but I think MJ is pretty much ingrained in the mythology as Peter's "true love". So my answer to the poll is that she can't be replaced.

I also think fans would be more willing to accept a new love interest in something like an AU or an adaptation of Spider-man without the baggage of OMD from the 616 comics. It's an uphill battle for any new relationship after that.

I also think the trifecta of Spider-man relationships: Gwen Stacy, Felicia Hardy, and Mary Jane pretty much run the gamut in terms of the types of stories that can be told with a new love interest. Any new relationships would likely be derivative of those three in some way.

[Mercwmouth12]

Depends what you mean by accepted. I think fans could "accept" another love interest temporarily if written well enough, but I think MJ is pretty much ingrained in the mythology as Peter's "true love". So my answer to the poll is that she can't be replaced.

I also think fans would be more willing to accept a new love interest in something like an AU or an adaptation of Spider-man without the baggage of OMD from the 616 comics. It's an uphill battle for any new relationship after that.

I also think the trifecta of Spider-man relationships: Gwen Stacy, Felicia Hardy, and Mary Jane pretty much run the gamut in terms of the types of stories that can be told with a new love interest. Any new relationships would likely be derivative of those three in some way.

But if they wanted to show someone else then why not do that more in AU stories. They've all been MJ and none really ever have been with Felecia

[TinkerSpider]

Which makes Cable role in all of this what?

Not sure I understand the question nor why it pertains to a discussion of love interests.

I’m nowhere near as up on my X-Men lore as I am Spider-Man, so I’m sure a more active fan might have a better answer. But Cable was raised in the future by Jean and Scott, waaaaaay back in the Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix miniseries. So while Maddy gave birth to him - in fact was engineered by Sinister just for that purpose - Jean raised Cable.

And then in X-Men 7 by Hickman, published in 2020 and thus during the Krakoa era - Scott refers to him and Jean taking the “kids,” meaning Cable and Rachel, to the beach on the moon (and asks Logan to come along - maybe Logan is Scott’s true love after all LOL. And Logan does come to family day on the beach in X-Men 10).

[Spider-Tiger]

But if they wanted to show someone else then why not do that more in AU stories. They've all been MJ and none really ever have been with Felecia

I mean theoretically they could. Bendis introduced Kitty as a new love interest for Peter in Ultimate. Even if it was only temporary, I've seen quite a few fans of that pairing.

It's just that Mary Jane as Spider-man's love interest is so widely recognizable and iconic. The iconography and popularity of the Spider-Man-MJ pairing is probably what prevents her from ever being fully "replaced" as Peter's endgame. Even in those AUs.