Michelle Jones/Peter Parker

Pairing
Pairing:	Michelle Jones/Peter Parker
Alternative name(s):	Peter/MJ, Spideychelle
Gender category:	Het
Fandom:	Spider-Man: Homecoming, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Canonical?:	canon
Prevalence:	high
Archives:	Michelle Jones/Peter Parker Works on AO3
Other:
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Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, also known as Peter/MJ or Spideychelle, is a canon het pairing in the Spider-Man: Homecoming fandom and the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. It came into being following the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming and the popular fan reception of the character Michelle Jones, played by actress Zendaya.

Although the Michelle/Peter ship is currently not officially canon, many fans speculate that it will be, due to Michelle's statement in the film that her nickname is MJ, and the confirmation by producers that her character is an homage to Mary Jane Watson.

Canon

Michelle and Peter are classmates at Midtown Tech, the prestigious high school which Peter Parker attends in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and teammates on the Academic Decathlon team. They are shown to be at least acquaintances, if not friends, with Michelle sitting at the same table as Peter and his best friend Ned Leeds at lunch, claiming that she sits with them because she "doesn't have any friends".

The two share relatively little screen time, but Michelle is shown to have a (possibly romantic) interest in Peter early on, commenting that he has dropped out of two of his extra-curricular activities (although she claims that she is "not obsessed with him, just very observant"). They also interact while Peter is in costume as Spider-Man, directly before he saves the rest of the Decathlon team from the crumbling Washington Monument.

In one of the final scenes of the film, Michelle presses Peter about what he is "hiding", before giving him a long look as he rushes off, in an exchange which has prompted many fanworks creators to speculate that Michelle knows about, or will soon work out, Peter's secret identity. [See: MJ knows in Fanworks & Popular Tropes]

Fanworks & Popular Tropes

Fanfiction

• Social justice: MJ is established in the film as a socially aware activist who is unafraid to call other people out over issues of politics or social justice (such as her comments about the Washington Monument being built by slaves), and fics frequently reference this trait, for example in her choice of reading matter, bedroom decorations, or via her internal narration.
• MJ knows: Many fic writers run with the premise that MJ knows, or works out, Peter's secret identity due to her established observant nature (or possible obsession with Peter) and her high intelligence. In fanworks where Peter doesn't know that she knows, this results in an interesting inversion of the usual superhero trope where the hero hides their identity from the love interest.

Fanfics which feature this trope include:

• do you ever get the sense, you're watching someone else? by inmoonlightigetseasick Michelle has a theory. It’s one of her less researched, more mystical-intuitive ones, but a theory nonetheless. It has something to do with putting together the pieces, something to do with observation.

It’s junior year, but her SATs are the least of her worries. She’s the captain of the decathlon team and her star player is always skipping meetings with covers worse than whatever he uses to hide the scrapes and bruises he comes back with.

• i never planned on no one like you by CrimsonPetrichor You would think that a person who can mentally run quadratic functions while swinging across the New York City skyline would be a little quicker on the uptake.
• Five Times MJ Doesn't Need Rescuing by nire and one time she still doesn't, but someone else does.
• A Little Light Protesting by FrostyEmma, Michelle had long since figured it out. Of course she had. Peter's not nearly as clever as he thinks he is.

• Sketching: In reference to a scene in which MJ states that she "sketches people in crisis", sketching is frequently one of MJ's hobbies in fic, and she often sketches Peter.

Fanfics which feature this trope include:

• Drawing by JohnAlpaqa Set after action of the movies, Michelle and Peter are dating for some time, I think they are 17 or something in this fic. Michelle draws her boyfriend.
• cramps by gingergenower Tylenol’s not even dented the pain. This was supposed to be a date. This was supposed to be fun. Fuck everything.

• MJ Doesn't Need Rescuing: In an inversion of the classic "damsel in distress" trope (which was particularly prevalent in the previous Sam Raimi Trilogy with Mary Jane Watson), MJ is frequently shown to be capable of getting herself out of dangerous situations (despite what Peter may believe), and even rescues Peter instead. She is usually depicted carrying pepper spray as a means of self-defence.

Fanfics which feature this trope include:

• Five Times MJ Doesn't Need Rescuing by nire and one time she still doesn't, but someone else does.
• if i roll my eyes it means i love you by AppleJuiz But he never starts a conversation. With her, at least, though she can't really remember ever seeing Peter Parker start a conversation, except maybe with Ned but she doesn't count that.

She's very observant, she notices these things, stacks them away, carefully adding and organizing information, fitting together tiny pieces of a cosmic puzzle. She's not obsessed with him. She just notices things.

(Well, she is a little obsessed with him which is the root of this whole problem.)

• Panic attacks/Peter has PTSD: Peter is often depicted as suffering from claustrophobia, panic attacks or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming, during which he is almost crushed underneath a collapsing building. Peter's panic attacks, nightmares and trauma from the experience are frequently the subject of hurt/comfort fanfics.

Fanfics which feature this trope include:

• heartstrings by drewgon Peter is good at a lot of things. Honesty, emotions, asking for help -- none of those make the list.

(Alternatively: three weirdos hang out in the morning before SATs.)

• and if you have nightmares, we'll dance on the bed. by overtures Because getting a parking garage dropped on you will have lasting impacts, superhero or not.
• I'll Be Right There With You by kornerbrandon Peter has a panic attack when New York City has a minor earthquake. Thankfully, his girlfriend is on hand to comfort him
• fifteen, there's still time for you by brahe Peter's not quite cut out for "life on the ground," but he thinks that if he can figure out how to be a superhero, being a teenager can't really be that hard. Right?

Or, a series of events where Peter deals with nightmares and flashbacks and the all-important question of what it means to be fifteen. (Pre-relationship, but the sequel fifteen, i'm alright with you is full Peter/MJ)

Fanart

• yall mind if i scream over these cuties real quick by hohnoni
• When is Spider-Man: Prom gonna drop? by thegreatmart
• no way is peter catching up on his missed decathlon work on his own by come-on-get-loud
• 🗣🗣🗣 I LOVE MY KIDS AND CANT WAIT TO SEE HOW THEY GROW by transpeter
• michelle is the badass heroine protagonist and peter is the love interest by baomien

Mood Boards/Aesthetics

• I’m not obsessed with him, I’m just super observant. by apoulos
• I just like coming here to sketch people in crisis. by vvondertrev

Fanvids

• peter & mj; their story. by wendy bijellberg
• peter and mj being a comedic and awkard duo for almost six minutes straight by maria
• Peter & MJ | Wildest Dreams by Franco MS Edits

Archives and Links

• Michelle Jones/Peter Parker tag at Archive of Our Own
• Peter + Michelle at FanFiction.net
• Search results for #Spideychelle on Wattpad