Gallery
In the oddest attempt at knocking a character off her pedestal, Peter learns that Gwen had sex with Norman Osborn before she died. Even more bizarrely, she procreated with him, which means that they probably didn’t use protection. Personally, I can’t think of anything seedier than unprotected sex with an Osborn, but this story is so much more than just a gross, unbelievable affair. There are a number of negative repercussions, including two of the most unnecessary villains that Spider-Man battles and, even more importantly, a complete devolution of Gwen Stacy. Throughout this arc, Gwen’s past is revealed to strip away her redeemable qualities and ultimately transform her death into a penance for her sins.
I may not agree with the decision to couple Norman and Gwen and believe this arc really diminishes her character, but what I find significantly more troubling is this new spin on her death. She no longer dies because she associates with Spider-Man; she dies because she unknowingly slept with Green Goblin. As Peter realizes throughout “Sins Past,” Norman was intent on killing Gwen no matter what. Throughout his life, a huge cornerstone in Spider-Man’s story after the death of Uncle Ben has been his part in Gwen’s death. Nevertheless, with her affair coming to light, Peter is absolved of his guilt because it is evident that her own poor choices lead to her demise. The blame is taken away from Peter and shoved onto the girl who broke his heart. Gwen is punished for having sex, she is punished for making a mistake, and her death is now her own fault.
