Gwen Stacy

The daughter of police captain John Stacy, Gwen was a rebellious girl who dressed for attention and used her intellect and wit to keep it. Transferring to Midtown High, she was among the handful of teens who chanced to meet the X-Men at a local mall, unaware that she was far closer to another costumed adventurer, her fellow student Peter Parker who was secretly Spider-Man. Soon after, she made a more negative impression on the student body when she pulled a knife on Kong Harlan after he assaulted Peter. Having thus earned a dangerous reputation, she soon befriended Peter and his girlfriend Mary Jane and was grudgingly accepted by most her fellow students. When Gwen's irresponsible mother ran off with another man, the near-suicidal girl sought reassurance from Peter, whose Aunt May took Gwen under her wing and helped her deal with her family problems. Days later, when it became clear that Mrs. Stacy was not returning, May offered to let Gwen stay at the Parker home when necessary so that Captain Stacy, plagued by a police officer's unpredictable routine, would know that she was safe in his absence. Gwen's presence inadvertently drove a wedge between Peter and Mary Jane, who was unnerved by the beautiful blonde's proximity to Peter.

Unfortunately, Captain Stacy was killed by a criminal imprisonating Spider-Man, and Gwen, formely a supporter of costumed heroes, nurtured a hatred for the hero which not even the imposter's exposure could wholly diminish. When her mother refused to take custody of her, Gwen remained with the Parkers, whom she came to regard as a surrogate family. When she accidently discovered Peter's secret identity, Gwen, still unsure of just which Spider-Man had murdered her father, confronted him at gunpoint, tearfully demanding justice, but Peter convinced her of his innocence. Gwen's knowledge of his secret drew her closer than before to Peter and Mary Jane, who was assured by Gwen that she was no competition for Peter's heart. Gwen even confessed to Mary Jane that she considered Peter to be like her little super-hero brother.

Tragically, Gwen Stacy was slain by the creature called Carnage, who had been drawn to the Parker home; her death was a stunning blow to Spider-Man, and its long-term emotional impact has left an even larger wedge between him and Mary Jane.