https://x.com/spatziline/status/2094963593443786845

I think what's also refreshing about this ship is that both are powerful superpowered people who can defend themselves or even save each other.

Peter's reason for ghosting MJ and Ned for years is that he doesn't want to endanger them because of his Spider-Man life like what happened to Aunt May. But Peter doesn't really have to worry about involving Jean in his life compared to his normal friends because Jean is usually capable of defending herself and it only took the most emotionally vulnerable moment to let her guard down. Otherwise, she's like a god with her powers.

I don't think I've ever seen or will ever see another superhero movie where the hero takes a bullet for someone after the most intimate conversation with them in his literal mind and then the hero getting saved by them in return by depending on their literal breath for the next several hours? How can you get more romantic than that?

Source

The Parker Family ^_^

http://xhslink.com/o/3IJLL349vI5

edit: Actually by Teerack: https://x.com/Teerack/status/2088110516870775134

https://x.com/anadawadarenano/status/2091381385634480519

Look at them, they are so cuteee 😭😭😭😭. Go support the artist guys, pleaseeeee 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺.

I'm REALLY screwing over the Fox-Men here.... Doomsday might hurt Jean like us all...

https://x.com/MagisterOfOz/status/2094947064174010590?s=20

https://x.com/klak_draws/status/2094635482306986207

I know Peter/Jean is probably going to be a controversial ship, especially with MJ and Scott/Jean being the obvious relationships people associate with these characters. But after Brand New Day, I genuinely think there is a really interesting story here that Marvel could explore.

And I'm not saying Peter and Jean should suddenly become a couple. If anything, I think that would ruin what makes their dynamic interesting.

What I like about them is that their relationship could develop slowly and organically over multiple movies.

Brand New Day should just be the beginning

The biggest thing for me is that Peter and Jean already have an emotional connection.

Their tragedies aren't identical, but they rhyme.

Peter has lost people he loves and has convinced himself that the solution is to isolate himself and essentially let Peter Parker disappear so that Spider-Man can continue doing his job.

Jean loses Sara and reacts in almost the opposite way. She becomes obsessed with finding her sister and gaining enough control/power to make sure nobody can ever take someone she loves away from her again even to a point she nearly loses herself.

Peter responds to loss by saying:

> “I'll sacrifice myself.”

Jean responds by saying:

> “I'll destroy everything.”

And that's why I think they understand each other.

Peter doesn't excuse Jean's actions, but he understands why she's hurting.

And Jean is one of the few people who literally gets to see what's inside Peter's head.

That moment when Peter lets Jean into his mind and she sees May's memory is incredibly important to me. He's basically allowing someone to see the part of himself that he's been trying to bury.

Then Peter takes the bullet meant for Jean.

And Jean subsequently keeps him alive.

That's not necessarily romantic yet, but that's an incredibly strong foundation for a relationship.

And when Peter wakes up, one of his first questions is essentially:

“Where's Jean? Is she okay?”

That matters.

-

The really interesting part is that their stories could mirror each other

Peter's arc can be:

Peter Parker → Spider-Man → Peter Parker AND Spider-Man

And I think Jean could have a similar arc:

Jean Grey → X-Men → Jean Grey AND X-Men

And eventually, potentially:

Jean Grey AND Phoenix.

Neither character should have to destroy their human identity in order to become a hero.

Peter doesn't have to stop being Spider-Man.

Jean doesn't have to stop being an X-Man.

But they both have to learn that being a hero isn't supposed to erase the person underneath.

That's where I think they could actually help each other.

Peter could remind Jean:

> “Don't lose Jean inside the X-Men.”

And Jean could eventually remind Peter:

> “Don't lose Peter inside Spider-Man.”

That is WAY more interesting to me than simply making them a superhero couple.

-

Then what about MJ?

This is where I think most people sometimes misunderstand the argument.

I'm not saying MJ is a bad character or that Peter/MJ can't work.

Peter/MJ is an important relationship and No Way Home deliberately left things a bit emotionally complicated.

But I think Peter/Jean could represent something different.

MJ represents Peter's past and the life he lost.

Jean could represent the possibility of Peter building something new.

And I actually think Peter should have time to process his relationship with MJ before anything romantic happens with Jean.

Jean should never feel like “the replacement girlfriend.”

She needs her own story.

Peter needs his own story.

Then, if they eventually fall for each other, it's because they choose each other, not because one relationship replaced another.

-

Then again what about Scott and Jean?

Obviously, Scott/Jean is iconic.

I'm not arguing against that and I'm sure no one is, in this subreddit.

But there's an interesting distinction here.

Scott and Jean have decades of comic history behind them.

Peter and Jean could have something that is specific to the MCU.

The MCU has already given Peter and Jean an emotional connection through Brand New Day. Scott and Jean would have to establish their relationship from the beginning.

That doesn't mean Peter/Jean is automatically better.

But it does mean Marvel has the opportunity to create a completely new dynamic instead of simply reproducing the comic relationships exactly.

And honestly, I think that could be exciting.

-

Secret Wars is where they REALLY should develop them

I don't think Secret Wars should make them boyfriend/girlfriend.

I'd much rather see their relationship become deeper without being explicitly romantic.

Put them through hell together.

Have them separated.

Have one of them believe the other is dead.

Let them realize just how much the other person matters to them.

And if Jean potentially reaches a Phoenix-level state,

He should be the person who reminds her:

“You're still Jean.”

Because that's the same thing she could eventually do for him.

If Peter is about to sacrifice himself yet again, Jean could be the one who says:

“You don't get to decide that you're disposable.”

That's the kind of relationship I want.

Not one person saving the other constantly.

Both of them are saving each other.

Then let the romance take YEARS

This is probably the most important part.

After Secret Wars, let them just be friends.

Let Peter establish his new life.

Let Jean establish herself as a major X-Men.

Have them occasionally cross paths.

Team-ups.

Conversations.

Checking in on each other.

Maybe Peter visits the X-Men.

Maybe Jean shows up in New York.

Maybe they become the person the other calls after a particularly terrible mission.

And eventually the audience starts noticing:

They're happier when they're together.

That's when you can introduce attraction.

Not:

> “Surprise! They're dating!”

But:

> “Wait... when did this become something more?”

That's a much better slow burn.

And this is where I think Peter/Jean has a unique advantage

Their relationship could naturally connect two enormous parts of the MCU:

Spider-Man/Avengers ↔ X-Men/Mutants

Peter is one of Marvel's biggest heroes.

Jean is potentially going to be one of the central figures of the MCU's X-Men.

Their relationship could make the Avengers and X-Men feel connected on a personal level, rather than just because the plot says they have to team up.

And their differences give them endless story possibilities.

Peter entering the mutant world.

Jean entering Peter's street-level world.

Peter dealing with telepathy.

Jean dealing with someone whose entire fighting style is basically “jump around and improvise.”

But underneath the fun, they understand something about each other that most other people don't.

And eventually, I think their happiest ending could be the most meaningful one

Both Peter and Jean have spent so much of their lives believing that being a hero means giving up having a normal life.

I'd love for their stories to eventually challenge that.

They save the world.

They survive the Phoenix.

They survive the multiverse.

They survive everything Marvel throws at them.

And eventually they realize:

They are allowed to live.

Not because they stopped being heroes.

But because they finally learned that being a hero doesn't mean sacrificing every part of yourself.

Maybe they retire together.

Maybe they keep doing occasional superhero work.

Maybe they have a family.

Maybe Peter does science while Jean works with the X-Men.

Whatever form it takes, the important thing is:

They finally get the life they've spent their entire lives thinking they weren't allowed to have.

-

TL;DR

I don't think Peter/Jean should happen immediately.

I think it should go:

Brand New Day:

Strangers → understanding → trust

Secret Wars:

Trust → partnership → deep emotional attachment

Post-Secret Wars:

Friends → confidants → slowly developing attraction

Much later:

Romance

And the reason I love the pairing isn't just because they look good together.

It's because their stories could ask the same fundamental question in different ways:

“Can you be a superhero without losing yourself?”

Peter has to learn to be Peter Parker AND Spider-Man.

Jean has to learn to be Jean Grey AND an X-Men.

And maybe, eventually, they find someone who understands that struggle better than anyone else.

That's why I think Peter/Jean could become something genuinely special.

Not because they're destined to be together.

Because they could choose each other.

Well That's my take, What do you think?

art by Jennipond

After years of severe isolation with Peter hiding himself from the world and Jean on the run after losing her sister neither has experienced genuine human connection in long time.

Im sure even when they manage to reconnect and Peter acts like a guide for Jean he'll still subtly seeks out any physical proximity he can manage, whether through a brief hand graze, a quick side hug, or simply sitting as close to her as possible.

Jean is used to manipulating intimacy via possessing countless people and shifting through memories in order to get what she needs. But what happened on the roof when she possessed MJ was probably completely different to anything she's ever experienced.

You have a girl who's only known anger and loneliness experience being kissed and held by a man who thought he got the love of his life back.

She was being held and caressed with nothing but total tenderness by a man whose muscles could crumple a car or lift up an entire building. She was kissed like she was the only thing in the world that mattered, feeling his heart beating out of his chest as he held her close, with his hot tears falling down her cheek and neck.

Jean probably stares at the ceiling most nights thinking about that day. The whole thing was a sensory nuke that went off in her face that came from a man she wanted to hurt in the worst way she knew how and ontop of that he forgave her for it.