What if I Never Get to Grow Up

For anyone that hasn’t heard of the Spider-Man: One More Day storyline, I’ll explain below. If you have heard of it, skip the next little section. If you’ve read it, skip the next two sections.

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Spider-Man: One More Day
After his Aunt May has been shot, Spider-Man seeks help to save her life. He encounters the demon Mephisto, who offers to save her life if Spider-Man gives him his marriage. Spider-Man and his wife Mary Jane Watson agree, and this part of their history is erased so that, effectively, they have never been married.

Editor and Chief Joe Quesada said that this was done to save the Spider-Man comic franchise for the next 20-30 years. They had wanted to break MJ and Peter up for years before, but didn’t want to make them get a divorce.
“Cause that isn't as bad.” Quesada went on to say, “Peter and MJ didn't quit on their love, they sacrificed it to save a life, that to me is a pretty heroic story. But remember, I'm an idiot.”
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So, Mephisto didn’t just up and show his ugly demon head when he made this offer. Peter first meets this little girl who seems like a very smart and sweet person. At the mention of her parents she suddenly tells Peter that he’s selfish and she leaves. (Peter than unknowingly runs into other versions of himself one of whom is filthy rich, but unhappy).
This is when Mephisto makes his offer to Peter and Mary Jane. As soon as they agree to it, Mephisto takes the form of the little girl that Peter ran into earlier. When they ask who she is she answers, “I’m the daughter that you’ll never have. I would have been the best of both of you.”
Then the universe shifts and Spider-Man and MJ were never married and Aunt May is alive and well.
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This is the little girl that Peter met. This is the daughter they never had (not Mayday IMHO. She actually was born in the mainstream, but died). Just when the horrors that Mephisto was unleashing were at their worst, he rubs salt in the wound by bragging about the destruction of this innocent girl.

I know many would argue that she was never born and therefore didn’t die or anything, but does that lessen the horror of this revelation? Not for Peter, he’s about ready to jump up and punch the demon in the face at this news!

There’s been some speculation as to why Mephisto would want to dissolve their marriage. He’s a monster. Plain and simple. The death of innocents is more than enough of a victory for him.

I know that many Brand New Day fans will probably be mad at me for this. If you are a BND fan, please don’t comment angrily about how close minded I am. This story was a tragedy! (Definition: A serious play with a tragic theme, often involving a heroic struggle and the downfall of the main character.) And I’ve never been one to enjoy tragedies.

Character (C) Marvel Comics