Gwen Stacy Profile

Real Name:

Gwendolyne Stacy

Location:

Deceased

First Appearance:

Amazing Spider-Man #31 (1965)

Created By:

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Powers:

Gwen Stacy has no known powers.

Team Affiliations:

Gwen Stacy is not affiliated with any team, but was the love interest of Peter Parker for some time.

Currently Seen In:

Although Gwen Stacy is not seen in any current regular series. She is often referred to in the Spider-Man series of comic books.

Interesting Fact:

The death of Gwen Stacy was replayed in the first Spider-Man movie, however, the damsel in distress was not Gwen Stacy, but was romantic rival Mary Jane. Unlike the comic book, Mary Jane did survive the fall.

Origin:

Peter Parker first met Gwen Stacy while attending Empire State University. The popular Gwen who was majoring in science as well and took a liking to the shy Peter. At first, Peter spurned any interest in Gwen, first by being an absent minded science type and later due to the fact that his role as Spider-Man would put any loved one in danger.

It wasn’t until Peter later defeated the Green Goblin and decided that he deserved a chance at some of the good things in life that Peter received Gwen’s advances and started a relationship. That relationship was challenged when the woman who would become Peter’s wife, Mary Jane Watson, appeared and also took in interest in Peter. Gwen and Peter’s love won out though, and the two furthered their relationship.

Their love would be struck a blow, however, when Gwen’s father was killed in a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. Gwen was convinced that Spider-Man was the cause of her father’s death and although she didn’t know that Peter was Spider-Man, it put a strain on their budding romance. Because of this, Gwen moved to Europe to heal and stay with relatives.

After a revelation that Spider-Man could not have killed her father, Gwen returned to New York, and to Peter Parker. Their love would have a tragic end that would haunt Peter Parker for the rest of his life.

Norman Osborn, also known as the Green Goblin, knew about Spider-Man’s secret identity. Knowing of Peter and Gwen’s relationship, he decided to use their love as a way of getting back at Peter for the long history of bad blood between the two. Norman kidnapped Gwen and took her to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. When Spider-Man arrived, he was too late as the Green Goblin pushed Gwen off the bridge.

Spider-Man attempted to save her, shooting out a line of webbing and grabbing her by the ankle and stopping her before she hit the water. When he pulled her up, she was dead.

Gwen’s death rocked the comic book world. Before this, few characters had died, and even less in such a harsh and violent way. What made the situation worse was that it appeared that Spider-Man himself was responsible for her death as she broke her neck when he stopped her fall.

The death of Gwen Stacy has stayed with Peter Parker. Many wonder if Gwen was the girl that should have been with Peter in the long run and not Mary Jane. Because of her death, Mary Jane and Peter were drawn together and eventually married.

Gwen has made many appearances in the Spider-Man comic. Most during flashbacks or retelling sequences. There was a clone that appeared, created by the villain the Jackal, that brought the whole experience back to the surface. There were also a set of twins that were the children of Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn that were written into the continuity of the Spider-Man comic book. Although Gwen Stacy is dead and remains so, her impact is still felt in the Spider-Man universe.