Brand New Day Kiss Is A Lesson In Consent
This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. You’ve been warned!
There’s a moment in Spider-Man: Brand New Day where Peter Parker (Tom Holland) finally gets MJ (Zendaya) back… or so he thinks. After saving her from Jean Grey‘s (Sadie Sink) clutches, MJ appears to remember who he is, and the pair share a loving kiss. Soon, it’s revealed that Jean is in MJ’s mind, and Peter’s ex still has no memory of him.
When Peter is eventually reunited with the real MJ, he apologises and admits to kissing her while she wasn’t present. Although MJ has no memory of this, fans have latched onto how Peter’s apology is a good depiction of consent. For a superhero movie to break down stereotypes of toxic masculinity and show a character like Peter Parker embracing emotions and genuinely being a good guy, it’s somewhat refreshing.
Angelique Wan, co-founder and CEO of Consent Labs, told Refinery29 Australia the reason it’s resonated with so many people is that it feels familiar to many people. “The scene reflects the reality that harm is not always obvious or intentional, and that conversations about consent are rarely black and white. People don’t always have all the information they need to make fully informed choices,” she said.
Peter and MJ aren’t presented as ‘heroes’ or ‘villains’ in this kiss situation, because it’s a grey area. “These nuanced, everyday scenarios make the scene so relatable and open the door to meaningful conversations about consent. It’s also worth noting that the film doesn’t extend the same nuance to Jean Grey, who acted with full knowledge of the situation,” Wan added.
Fans praise Spider-Man: Brand New Day scene
On Threads, people have praised Spider-Man: Brand New Day for including the scene where Peter apologised to MJ. At no point does he dismiss or minimise her experience, and instead, he takes responsibility. “[This] reinforces that consent is ongoing and dynamic. Just because Peter and MJ were previously in a relationship doesn’t mean consent can be assumed,” Wan explained. “The wider storyline also highlights that consent depends on informed choice, reminding us that deception or withholding important information can undermine someone’s ability to give affirmative consent.”
The expert told R29 that stories like this on the big screen (especially ones as popular as this) can demonstrate what accountability looks like in practice. Peter’s acknowledgment that his actions could have hurt someone else, regardless of intention, sends an important message about owning your mistakes. “By centring the experiences of those affected by our actions, we can take accountability and practice relational skills that cultivate healthier relationships,” she said. “It also encourages people to speak up when something doesn’t feel right and to think about how their own actions can affect others.”
While Spider-Man is fiction, the real-world lessons it teaches young people are very real. Whether it’s about consent, respect, or healthy communication, it helps start a conversation and makes the tough conversations less awkward.
If this topic raises issues for you around consent or sexual harassment, please call 1800RESPECT at 1800 737 732. If it is an emergency, call 000.
This article was originally published on Refinery29 Australia.
