"Do I get to say 'thank you' this time?"
- Mary Jane telling the school bus driver to stop and pick up Peter from the bus stop. It's bad enough many kids want to make fun of him, like in the comics, but as usual MJ always stands up for Pete.
- After graduation as a guilt-ridden Peter is mulling over his Parting-Words Regret to Uncle Ben, May is quick to comfort him, assuring Peter that Ben knew his nephew loved him and always believed in him. Her uplifting words leave Peter contemplating how to honor his beloved uncle's memory... leading to the birth of a hero. A subtle, yet profound example of Upbringing Makes the Hero.May Parker: You loved him... and he loved you. He never doubted the man you'd grow into. How you were meant for great things. You won't disappoint him.
- When Spider-Man first makes his appearance, all of the people he saved are thanking him on television. One man even creates a country music song for him!
- At the Unity Parade, there are many moments.
- Harry tries his best to rescue MJ from the balcony. Sadly, he gets knocked out by rubble, but it shows where his standards are.
- Before he takes on the Goblin, Peter uses his webs to pull a couple away from falling rubble and saves their lives. Then he goes for a kid that freezes as a parade float is about to crash on him and delivers him to his mother's arms.
- Stan Lee makes a cameo as a Heroic Bystander pulling a little girl out of the line of fire. And this is without powers!
- When Spider-Man saves Mary Jane, he takes her for a long ride through the city, before safely landing in a garden. He then quips that this is a better way to get around New York, which coaxes a laugh out of her. When she asks who he is, he just says he's your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man before swinging away, leaving MJ in awe at his modesty.
- The crowd cheers on Spider-Man after he successfully fends off the Goblin and sends him flying out of control. Jameson may claim that Spider-Man is a menace, but New York knows better.
- A minor one, but when J.J. first meets Peter, not even knowing his financial status. He offers him a box of Christmas meat along with the freelance pay. He may be a Cheapskate, but he's at least generous enough to offer him pay and food.
- J. Jonah Jameson is Stan Lee's Self-Deprecation showing — a "cantankerous, money-hungry old man". He also has standards. Case in point. Costumed psycho blows right through the wall of his office, grabs him by the throat with obviously superhuman strength...Green Goblin: [grabbing Jameson by the throat] Jameson, you slime! Who's the photographer who takes pictures of Spider-Man?
J. Jonah Jameson: I don't know who he is! His stuff comes in the mail!
Green Goblin: YOU'RE LYING!
J. Jonah Jameson: I swear!
Green Goblin: He's the one who can take me to him!
J. Jonah Jameson: I don't know who he is!- Please note that Peter is staring right through the window on JJ's office door at that very moment, yet Jameson doesn't even catch his eye. Jerkass he may be, but the man's got a set of balls on him that a krogan would envy. It's probably why Parker never gives Jameson's defamation of Spider-Man another thought (apart from webbing that windbag's mouth shut when he instantly accuses Spidey of colluding with Green Goblin the moment the superhero gets him free).
- After Spider-Man saves Mary Jane from a gang of rapists, the two end up sharing a now-famous kiss in the rain, complete with Danny Elfman's tender, romantic score.
- What makes this scene heartwarming is that it comes right after Goblin's speech telling him that Humans Are Bastards and Jameson's first Smear Campaign against Spider-Man, which shakes Peter's faith in what he does. The fact that in the middle of all that, MJ tells Spider-Man that he's a hero no matter what the world says is quite special and likewise inverts the tired Loves My Alter Ego trope, since MJ loves Spider-Man precisely when he is distrusted and not when he's popular and adored.
- And of course, from Peter's point of view, this is not only a kiss from the love of his life, given his nerdy reputation and so on, this is probably his first kiss with any girl in this universe. And it's a kiss of such a kind as to make up and erase for lost time.
- Also for MJ, Spider-Man is, sad to say, the first man in her life to go out of his way for and come and save her. He saved her in the Unity parade, and then from a bunch of muggers, and he turns out to be a humble, funny guy in a strange mask as opposed to the jerks she generally meets, and like her is constantly misunderstood and belittled by everyone.
- Peter and Mary Jane's friendship throughout the film is heartwarming, especially when you look at it from MJ's point of view. Mary Jane grew up in a broken home, raised by a toxic, abusive father who destroyed all her self-worth growing up. Over the years, she had it drilled it into her head that she's worthless and she'll never amount to anything, so she's very self-conscious about her talents (or lack of), who she dates and where she works. MJ seems to drift towards guys who are 'important' in some way or another, guys who are going places, like the popular Flash or the rich Harry, but their relationships are always loveless and unfulfilling. As she becomes closer friends with the nerdy and seemingly normal Peter, they confide in each other about things they've never told anyone else, and they try to physically and emotionally support each other whenever they can. MJ steadily falls in love with Peter because throughout the movie, he's always kind, respectful, supportive and attentive to her. He's one of the only people who's really interested in knowing the real her beyond her looks. Peter helps her to understand what actual love is, and MJ lets him know that when she confesses her feelings in the final scene. Peter rebuffs her for the time being, in a perfect example of a Bittersweet Ending, but even then, it's shown in the next film that Peter still had a lasting influence on her life.
- Even more in the novelization where MJ's perspective is explored.
- After moving to the city, she regards Peter as one of the few positive things about home. Despite what Peter thinks, MJ is not oblivious to him or his kindness towards her. She even actively seeks Peter out by calling his house and visiting his apartment, with the implication that had she not found Harry instead, she would've gotten together with Peter then and there.
- Peter turning up for MJ after her failed audition begins to make her realize the difference between just being happy to be with someone in the first place, and being with someone who actually makes her happy whenever she’s with him. This is no doubt the turning point that culminates in her choosing Peter in the end.
- The scene in the backyard, where they tell each other about their respective dreams. Mary Jane seems a little embarrassed by admitting she wants to act, but the way her face lights up when Peter exclaims, "That's perfect!" and how she responds, "Really?" when Peter tells her how great she was in all the school plays speaks volumes. She's likely never had her dreams validated before, and is clearly very moved by Peter's earnestness.
- When Mary Jane is feeling discontent with her lot due to her Burger Fool job and rejected audition, Peter is able to lift her spirits with patience and understanding, convincing her to open up and not hide her problems. And it's apparent how much MJ enjoys his company, being delighted to run into Peter both times and eager to catch up, even inviting him to tag along on a dinner date. Peter never needed money, a fancy car, or even Spider-Man to win Mary Jane's love — he just needed to be himself.
- As several viewers have pointed out, MJ initially covers up her waitressing uniform with her coat upon exiting the diner, but after talking to Peter, she lets her arms down and leaves her coat open.note
- Even more in the novelization where MJ's perspective is explored.
- When Spider-Man shows up to a burning building and saves a woman's baby, he's initially accosted by a police officer who charges him with arrest, but then everyone hears what seems to be one last victim inside the building. Spidey immediately says that he's going, and the cop struggles a bit before saying, "I'll be here when you get back." Spidey says he isn't coming back, but instead of getting angry at the remark and trying harder to stop him (in fact, he looks knowingly-resigned, like he knew he'd say that), the cop implores him to hurry and save the woman inside. Definitely on the good side of To Be Lawful or Good.
- When he saves the woman's baby, she tearfully thanks him with a "God bless you, Spider-Man... bless you!" This is after the Green Goblin told him that he'll be vilified for his actions and he sees a headline in the Bugle denouncing him yet again. Spider-Man's encounter with MJ definitely helped, but the woman's expression of gratitude is probably one that he very much needed to hear after all of that.
- Before the final fight, Norman and Harry share a scene in which the former apologizes and promises to make right for his distance and cruelty in the past. The Goblin voice promises Norman power and control over his life, and it's clear that he doesn't want to use it for entirely selfish purposes.
- In particular, Norman tells Harry he is proud of him and gives him a big hug. As he does so, a tear falls from Harry's eye. While there are hints of the Goblin bubbling underneath the surface in the scene, this seems like the real Norman getting to tell Harry how he feels one last time.
- The novelization reveals Norman is also motivated by his regret at prioritizing Peter/Spider-Man over Harry. In a twisted way, Norman does care about his son, even if he has trouble showing it.
- Even if the Goblin tried to weaponize the sentiment against him, Norman does genuinely show affection towards Peter throughout the film and treats him like a son. At his and Harry's graduation, Norman offers Peter condolences following Uncle Ben's death yet encourages him to enjoy the day and even tells him to simply call if he ever needs anything. Norman also readily offers to make some calls to get Peter a job when after graduating when Harry brings it up, and when Peter declines to make it on his own two feet, Norman praises him for his independence. It does make you think that had the Goblin never existed, Norman would've easily become another father figure for the young Spider-Man.
- During the bridge scene, when the Goblin takes a cable car of kids hostage, they immediately start calling Spider-Man for help. Jameson's Smear Campaign didn't work; enough people in New York have enough faith that their spider will save the day. Their faith is rewarded.
- On the bridge, during the Goblin fight. The Goblin is gloating at the Sadistic Choice he's created for Spider-Man, when he's suddenly pelted with debris. Then, a Moment of Awesome ensues for a crowd of extras, proving the Goblin's prediction that the city has turned on Spidey wrong, at least when the going gets tough.The crowd: Leave Spider-Man alone! Ya gonna pick on a guy tryin' ta save a bunch of kids?!
Oh yeah, I got something for your ass! You mess with Spidey, you mess with New York!
You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!- The final line of those quoted is even more heartwarming when you realize it was put in as a tribute to the togetherness and toughness of New York after 9/11. If you're from New York in general, the effect of the scene will likely carry over; New Yorkers are very tribal.
- The bargemen also deserve a mention. They saw Spider-Man was struggling and immediately hurried to help.
- Then they all cheer when Spider-Man successfully lands the cable car and Mary-Jane onto the barge that comes to help. Mary Jane then stops smiling when she sees Goblin going after Spider-Man and shouts for him to watch out. He only gets a few seconds of warning before Goblin snatches him, but it shows where Mary Jane's priorities are.
- "I had a father... his name was Ben Parker." This is very significant since before Uncle Ben died, Peter yelled at him to stop pretending to be his father.
- Even after all the Green Goblin did, Spider-Man still strips off the armor and brings his body home to Harry. He's also one of the few people who attends his funeral.
- Peter and Harry's close friendship in this movie, with them always being happy to see the other and hang out, which provides a respite to their troubles at school and/or home. Despite Harry's growing jealousy of Norman and Mary Jane's interest in Peter, it's clear he holds his best friend in high regard, defending him from bullies and encouraging him whenever he can. At graduation, they express excitement about their future, and in the end, Harry declares Peter the only family he has left. It makes what happens in the later films hit harder, and the revelation that Peter would still consider Harry a friend decades after his death all the more bittersweet.
