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Comic fans may know that Peter Parker never openly revealed his identity to Mary Jane. She did, however, piece it together over a period of time. That being said, she did find out for sure when a solid piece of evidence came right through the window. I mean that in a literal sense, not metaphorically. When Mary Jane learns Spider-Man’s identity, it is done in a comical way that is meant to be emotionally heard-breaking, but instead comes off as hilarious and ironic.
In Amazing Spider-Man 258, Mary Jane immediately confronts Peter Parker about knowing who he really is. In the previous issue, Parker basically shoved her out of his apartment because his spider-sense was going off, and he knew trouble was coming. As soon as the door closed, fighting began. Even a deaf person could have heard whatever was apparently happening on the other side of that door. At this point, Mary Jane is beyond suspicious. She says that she never said anything about it before because she didn’t want to be lied to. She also understood that to confide in an airhead like her would have been wrong. This shows that she is in an emotionally vulnerable position. Peter prepares to argue with her, but his spider-sense goes off.
Peter begins to panic. Is an enemy going to come through the window? He senses danger. Right as Peter is about to deny being Spider-Man to Mary Jane, The Black Cat enters his apartment window. She calls Peter “lover” before spotting another woman in the apartment. Now he has two problems, both with women! This is how Mary Jane learns Spider-Man’s identity, as there’s no explaining what just happened. Mary Jane flees his apartment in tears. Black Cat is angry and wants to know who the other woman is. Peter reaches out for her as she was leaving, and his symbiote suit unconsciously shoots out and grabs her. Black Cat takes this as a sign that he cares about her more, since he didn’t try to stop Mary Jane from leaving.
To add more context, Mary Jane had been absent from the Spider-Man comics while Peter was in a relationship with Black Cat. The event in this article happens shortly after she returns. She said that she left town because she knew Peter’s secret. This solidifies how Mary Jane learned Spider-Man’s identity. The artwork in Amazing Spider-Man 258 is generally good. The only exception is the way the artist drew Mary Jane’s face, which doesn’t do her justice; she is far more beautiful. Be sure to own this comic (Affiliate Link), since it is a landmark in Spider-Man’s relationship with the woman he will eventually marry.