Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst)

Character Analysis

Mary Jane Watson is the girl next door. Literally. According to Aunt May, Peter has been in love with her since the moment he laid eyes on her:

AUNT MAY: You know, you were about 6 years old when M.J.'s family moved in next door. When she got out of the car, and you saw her for the first time, you grabbed me and said, "Aunt May, Aunt May! Is that an angel?"

Aw. How cute is that?

M.J. has been the object of Peter's affection since they were playing Red Light/Green Light and snacking on crayons.

Here's what's less cute: that's about all there is to Mary Jane as a character.

She's the object of Peter's affection. She's the object of Harry's affection. She's the target of her dad's verbal abuse. She's the target of her boss' vitriol. She's the target of Norman's misogyny and of the Green Goblin's master plan to take out Spider-Man.

Mary Jane doesn't really do much, aside from being a damsel in distress, lamenting that she didn't become a Broadway star in her first month out of high school, and worrying too much about what Harry thinks:

MARY JANE: Some dream, huh?

PETER: That's nothing to be embarrassed about.

MARY JANE: Don't tell Harry.

PETER: Don't tell Harry?

MARY JANE: Aren't you guys living together? We're going out. Didn't he tell you?

PETER: Oh, yeah. Right.

MARY JANE: I think he'd hate the idea of my waiting tables. He'd think it was low or something.

Who cares what Harry thinks, M.J.? You do you. Or, at least, do something.

It's great that, at its core, Spider-Man is a love story. Peter tells us as much at the beginning of the film when he says that his story, "like any story worth telling […] is all about a girl. That girl. The girl next door. Mary Jane Watson."

It's just unfortunate that Mary Jane is reduced to a supporting role in her own epic romance.