In “The Amazing Spider-Man” #35, Queen Goblin, Mary Jane Watson, and Paul confront a corrupted Spider-Man. Queen Goblin, who knows what it’s like to be infected with Norman’s sins, tries to free Peter Parker from their dark influence. However, Spider-Man is fueled by hate, the thoughts of Mary Jane and Paul’s betrayal feeding his rage. He accuses Paul of stealing MJ from him, leading her to activate her own superpowers to save Paul from Peter. Queen Goblin interrupts the fight, attempting to kill Spider-Man in her bid to regain Norman’s sins. But before she can strike a killing blow, MJ knocks her to the ground, allowing Peter to break free, grab Paul, and dangle him upside down from atop a power line.
As Peter is about to drop and kill Paul, Kraven the Hunter arrives at the scene with Norman. A bloody fight breaks out and Norman uses the Queen Goblin’s spear to absorb his sins back into the weapon. Peter’s normal self returns, and as his bloodthirsty anger disappears, he hugs MJ and tells her she didn’t do anything wrong despite his recent actions and comments. MJ comforts Peter, telling him Spider-Man’s dark actions weren’t his, as he wasn’t in control.
The scene between Peter and Mary Jane features a version of Peter that readers have sorely missed during the current run. His guilt over something happening that he had absolutely no control over, his immediate apology to and concern for MJ, and putting her feelings ahead of his own are all trademark traits of Peter. The situation he’s found himself in with Paul and MJ isn’t his fault, yet his selfless nature refuses to blame anyone but himself for everything that has happened. For better or worse, this is Peter Parker.
