Gwen's appearance originally drawn by Steve Ditko

Origin

Gwendolyn Stacy went to Standard High School during her teenage years. She was known as the "beauty queen" in high school with her lavish beauty. After high school, Gwen enrolled in Empire State University where she majored in biochemistry. She took a class with a professor named Miles Warren. Gwen would later befriended a fellow science major named Harry Osborn and a jock named Flash Thompson. Flash would try to introduce his new friends to his high school classmate named Peter Parker who is also majoring in biochemistry. Gwen's initial impression of Peter were mixed feelings. She liked him but Peter was more worried about his sick Aunt May, who was poisoned by radiation. Also, with the complications of his alter-ego Spider-Man, he would pay little attention to his friends. Since Peter did not tell them what was going on, Gwen felt insulted that Peter did not pay attention to her. While Harry and Flash also took it as an insult which leads to them bullying Peter. Eventually the misunderstanding would be cleared through time and Peter would join their circle of friends. Gwen and Peter would begin to grow closer with one another. Even though Harry and Flash kept picking on Peter, it did not change Gwen's impression of Peter. She still had mixed feelings about him. Spider-Man recently defeated the Green Goblin so Peter felt real good about himself. He decided to show up at Empire State University on a motorcycle. Gwen was surprised by Peter and this was when Gwen showed a deep romantic interest for Peter. The reason that Gwen is so attracted to Peter is because he is also a Science Major and loves his intelligent personality, which is different from Flash (who was a typical jock), and Harry (although a fellow science major, he was the typical rich boy).

Gwen and Peter

Peter on his motorcycle trying to impress Gwen

This happy couple will not last any longer

However, Peter became distracted by the famous Mary Jane "girl next door" introduction. Mary Jane quickly became competition for Peter's affections against Gwen. Peter began to show interest in Mary Jane and the two dated for a while, causing Gwen to become jealous. She became so jealous that she decided to date Harry Osborn to make Peter mad. However, fortunately for Gwen, MJ was too much of a party girl for Peter. He would return to Gwen and the two would eventually give in to the love that had been building between the couple, however they did not officially date yet. Gwen would later finally meet Spider-Man in person when Spider-Man battled Kraven The Hunter. However, Gwen still had no knowledge of Peter being Spider-Man. Later, Peter asks Gwen to attend a science exposition with him in which he received tickets from Professor Miles Warren. Gwen and Peter finally begin to officially date each other. The couple's relationship was not a steady one though, Peter constantly missed dates and always had lame excuses for Gwen. She was constantly hurt by Peter's mysterious disappearances and felt he was never there for her. However, despite all this, Gwen's father, George Stacy, would still approve Peter dating his daughter. It was hinted that it is possibility that George Stacy knew that Peter was Spider-Man. He had a great deal of respect for Spider-Man and is a possibly the reason he wanted Peter to continue dating his daughter. Gwen would later meet Spider-Man face to face and was initially angry at him, she believed that Spider-Man kidnapped Peter. Peter eventually reappeared and she was relieved. Later, The Kingpin brainwashed George Stacy into stealing police documents. However, Peter was able to capture photos and they were published, exposing the Kingpin. The Kingpin then kidnapped both George and Gwen. Spider-Man along side with Norman Osborn (Osborn had lost his memories as the Green Goblin during this time) went and rescued the Stacys. Afterwards, her feelings towards Spider-Man would change as she thanked him for saving her and her father. Gwen also thanked Norman while showing signs that she was attracted to him.

During a fight between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus Gwen's father, George Stacy, was killed by trying to save a child from falling debris. On his dying breath, George Stacy reveals that he knew Peter was Spider-Man all along, he then asked Peter to take care of his daughter. This put a bigger strain on their relationship because Gwen blamed Spider-Man for her father's death even though she knew there was a possibility that Spider-Man had not intended to let George Stacy die. Now without parents, Gwen received an invitation to live with her Aunt and Uncle in London. Peter let her go because he did not know how he could convince her to stay without revealing that his alter-ego was the man she despised. Gwen would leave for London, but she was silently hoping Peter would propose to her before she left. Peter was so miserable without Gwen that he flew to London on assignment for the Daily Bugle. He would try to convince Gwen to come back, but when the local papers had pictures spotting Spider-Man, he went home fearing that it is to coincidental for him and Spider-Man to be in London at the same time. With the appearance of Spider-Man doing good deeds in London, Gwen's Uncle Arthur convinced Gwen that Spider-Man could not have been responsible for his brother's death. He also told her that she was expecting too much out of Peter since they were still so young. Gwen would return to New York and Peter, happily welcomed her back. She discovers many changes when she returned to New York. Harry had turned to the LSD drug to escape reality, while his girlfriend, Mary Jane, constantly flirted with Peter made Gwen extremely angry. Gwen and Peter continued their relationship and eventually were invited on an expedition to the Savage Land with J. Jonah Jameson. Gwen was the model while Peter was the photographer. However, Gwen was soon kidnapped by a beast named Gog. Gog took her back to his master, Kraven the Hunter. Kraven had intended to make Gwen his queen. However, Spider-Man teamed up with Ka-Zar and the two defeated Kraven and his pet Gog to rescue Gwen.

The Death of Gwen Stacy

Goblin kidnapped Gwen

The "snap" effect and possibly the reason Gwen died

This was a two issue story arc entitled "The Death of Gwen Stacy" For a short period of time Norman Osborn had lost his memories of everything relating the Green Goblin. Harry began using drugs and Norman blames Peter, MJ, and Gwen for for his son's problems. Norman soon found out he was about to go into bankruptcy and because of this, it triggered his subconscious Green Goblin memories. He then proceeds to make life miserable for Peter Parker. He begins his sadistic plan to hurt Peter by kidnapping Gwen and held her hostage on the tower at the Brooklyn Bridge. Gwen was unconscious from the time Spider-Man arrived till her untimely death. Spider-Man arrives and the Goblin would hold Gwen and mock him. The two battle each other, and just when Spider-Man was about to get a hold on Gwen, the Goblin throws her off the bridge. Spider-Man shoots his webs towards Gwen and catches her by her heel. At first it looked like he successfully saved her, but when he got an up close look it was obvious that Gwen was dead. During the catch, the panel in the comic showed a "SNAP" sound effect next to Gwen's neck. It was never fully revealed if that was the cause of her death. Some argue that Gwen could have been dead before Spider-Man even arrived. Gwen Stacy was one of the first victims of Women in Refrigerators.

Aftermath

Mary Jane was also a character who was deeply affected by Gwen's death because despite their rivalry for Peter's affection, the two were pretty close friends. Her death caused MJ to become a more serious character. After killing Gwen, Green Goblin has arguably become Spider-Man's number one archnemesis. The Punisher made his first appearance in the Amazing Spider-Man comics and was created for the sole purpose of hunting down Spider-Man. The Jackal, who was secretly Professor Miles Warren manipulated the Punisher into believing that Spider-Man killed Gwen Stacy. Miles Warren, who was Gwen and Peter's biochemist professor, had an obsession with Gwen. The obsessed Jackal would then proceeded to create a clone of Gwen.

Miles Warren cloning Gwen

Clones

The clone of Gwen would later reappear two comic book years after her death. She arrived with no knowledge of her death or the Jackal. The Gwen clone would soon be kidnapped by High Evolutionary, the teacher of Miles Warren (Jackal). He wanted to find out how Warren was creating perfect clones. In the process he found out Warren developed the Carrion Virus. In the Clone Saga during the 90's, Gwen clone married a clone of Miles Warren (who named himself Warren Miles). They moved out of New York City for awhile. Then they find a photo book with pictures of Spider-Man by Peter Parker. This triggered bits of memories of who Gwen actually was. Gwen returns at the end of the clone saga to see Peter, she then leaves his life for good and has not been seen since. However, she has made bits of cameos often confused about her being a clone.

Sin's Past

Gwen and Norman doing the naughty

Sins Past

It was during this story arc that revealed Gwen and Norman had twins together during her time in Europe mourning for her father. It was also revealed that Gwen had found out that she was pregnant right after Norman regained his memories as the Green Goblin. Gwen had fled to Paris prior to her death, where she gave birth to twins named Gabriel and Sarah. Norman was prepared to finance the twins in Paris, but Gwen did not want Norman raising the children because of the way he treats Harry. She told him that she is going to reveal to Peter about this and was confident that their love would overlook this tragic mistake. Gwen wanted to raise the twins with Peter and would not allow Norman to see the twins. Norman wanted the children and this could have been a motivation for the Green Goblin killing Gwen. The twins aged faster then normal due to Norman's goblin enhancement. Norman proceeded to raise them and claimed that Peter Parker was their father and was the one responsible for the death of their mother. The twins name were Sarah Stacy and Gabriel Stacy. The twins attacked Spider-Man and he found out their identity, but Spider-Man wanted to confirm their identity. So, he dug out Gwen's grave and took a sample for a DNA analysis. Apparently Mary Jane knew about Gwen's involvement with Norman but never told Peter because Gwen asked her not to tell him. Spider-Man told the twins the truth and Sarah believed him but Gabriel didn't. Gabriel became the Grey Goblin and attacked Spider-Man, but Sarah shot his goblin glider and it exploded and Gabriel was washed out on a beach, suffering from amnesia.

Characteristics

Alternate Universes

Gwen in 1610 universe

Gwen transferred to Midtown High School where Peter and MJ went. She would become close friends with Peter after she pulled a knife on someone bullying Peter. With their friendship becoming what seemed like more, MJ thought she had to compete for Peter's affections. Gwen's dad died when he was trying to stop a robber wearing a Spider-Man costume. Aunt May took her in after Gwen's mother did not want her. Gwen started to blame Spider-Man for her father's death. This made it awkward and complicated for Peter since the two were living together. Eventually Gwen found out Peter was Spider-Man and she pulled a gun on him. He convinced her that he was not the one to blame for her father's death, and Gwen agreed to keep his identity a secret. Gwen made peace with MJ when she told her that she was not interested in Peter and only thought of him as a close friend. Unfortunately she died soon after at the hands of Carnage outside the Parker home. At school Flash made a joke about the death of Gwen in front of Peter and it led to a fight. Flash then admitted that he had a crush on Gwen and is disappointed he never got the nerve to ask her out. Gwen would later mysteriously reappear. However, she had no memories of her death and her eye color were different. Later she transformed into something that looked like Carnage and ran away. Later Richard Parker(a Peter clone) revealed that she is just an experiment of stem-cell research. During a fight between Peter, Carnage(Gwen) and the spider slayers S.H.I.E.L.D. got ahold of the Stacy clone and held her along with Scorpion in SHIELD. When the Green Goblin escaped from there SHIELD the figure of Gwen Stacy is seen for for a moment. She left leaving her location for the moment uknown.

During the events of House of M, Gwen was never killed. Peter and Gwen were happily married and had a son. She was a scientist during this event. At the point when Peter was forceully reminded of his "true" life he relived his now wife's death. When the world turned back to normal, Peter still has memories of this life that could have been.

In the Age of Apocalypse reality, Gwen Stacy was not killed by the Green Goblin. She creates a rebellion group to fight against Apocalypse. This results in Apocalypse executing Peter Parker because he was a potential ally to Gwen Stacy. Gwen is also a Human High Council Agent.