Mary Jane Watson is best known as Peter Parker/Spider-Man’s number one gal, but she has never been limited to love interest. She has followed many career paths over the years, including being a stage actress, a soap opera star, owner of a nightclub, executive assistant at Stark Industries, and even started a production company called Watson Productions. In her 60 years in comics, M.J. has also had powers and taken on the role of superpowered beings – like Red Sonja.

M.J. Transforms into Red Sonja

In Marvel Team-Up #79 (March 1979), it was revealed that Mary Jane was the descendant/reincarnation of Red Sonja. Mary Jane discovered that she could become the warrior whenever she held the original Red Sonja’s sword.

The story began at the Daily Bugle Christmas party when Peter Parker bumped into Mary Jane Watson, who he hadn’t seen in a while. Joe Robertson got a call about trouble at the Metropolitan Museum, so he, Peter, and Mary Jane headed to the museum. When Peter realized that the trouble was very dangerous, he changed into his Spider-Man suit and headed inside. While Spidey did battle with Kulan Gath’s grotesque demons, Mary Jane grabbed a sword from an exhibit to help him. A glow surrounded Mary Jane and then she transformed into Red Sonja.

She quickly dispatched the demons, before a wizened figure hit her with a burst of energy that carried a spell. Spider-Man caught her with a web-strand to pull her away from the magic, but she was disoriented and thought he was a demon too. She struck him in the head with the hilt of her sword, and they both fell to the floor unconscious.

Overcoming Kulan Gath

They woke up bound to crosses and Kulan Gath revealed his plans to resurrect the N’Garai Elder Gods. The group was still inside the museum, and Spider-Man knew that some of their surroundings were stage settings. He shot webs up to the plywood “ceiling” and dropped it into the pit that Kulan Gath had opened. Spidey freed himself and Red Sonja, as the enraged wizard ordered his demons to attack them.

The two heroes broke through a window and were followed by Kulan Gath, who was immediately disoriented by how much the world had changed since he last lived. Spider-Man took advantage of the distraction, knocking him out and then Sonja told him to remove the amulet that Kulan was wearing.

Kulan vanished without the magic, and with her mission complete, Red Sonja transformed back into M.J. She confided that the events of the evening seemed like a dream, so Peter took her home to rest. Once Mary Jane was safe, Peter threw the amulet into the ocean.

M.J.’s Other Personas

Turning into Red Sonja wasn’t the only time that M.J. became a superpowered being. She became Iron Spider in Amazing Spider-Man #15 (September 2016), and debuted as the superhero Jackpot in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (October 2023). She transformed in Venom in All-New Venom #1 (February 2025) and was then unmasked in issue 5 (April 2025).