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In Spider-Man 2 (2004), Peter Parker gives up being Spider-Man at some point during the movie, because of certain things happening.

Later during the movie, he decides to pick up his Spider-Man responsibilities again, and while standing on a rooftop, getting ready to do his thing, he psyches himself up with the following words: "Strong focus on what I want".

So now what I don't understand is what is he referring to when he says that? Because what he really wants is Mary-Jane, but he can't have her because she will always be in danger of his enemies (a choice he himself made).

Actual question: What does Spider-Man want, other than Mary-Jane?

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    "Strong focus on what I want" at that situation doesn't mean Mary-Jane or anything else. He was trying to get back as Spider Man, so he meant is - focus on the jump and make it. But he fell! xD
    – J M
    Oct 6, 2017 at 11:00

2 Answers 2

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What he wants was to have a normal life, because a normal life was the way to be in a relationship with MJ. Being Spider-Man moves him further and further way from his own life (family, friends, college, work and, most importantly, Mary Jane). He subconsciously wants to stop being Spider-Man.

After the talk with the doctor he realizes he has a choice, and we can see the confrontation of this yearning of a simple life with MJ against his guilt of not using his powers for good, which is represented by Uncle Ben in the car scene:

MJ gets abducted because of her relationship to Peter (not Spider-Man), so in spite of his choice of not being with her to spare her from being used against Spider-Man, they get to her anyway, and the only way to save her is to be Spider-Man. Here both goals become aligned: wanting MJ and wanting to be Spider-Man are now the same thing.

So to use his powers again and go have her, he needs to focus on what he wants now: be Spider-Man to save Mary Jane.

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    Wow. Perfect answer. The fact that him being Spiderman and him being able to have Mary-Jane gets merged, explains the whole question I was having.
    – instanceof
    Oct 26, 2017 at 8:55
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What does Spider-Man want, other than Mary-Jane?

To have his Spider-Man abilities back..

...which, due to a mental block, he's losing on a temporary basis.

He believes that by strongly focusing on what he wants to achieve he can overcome this mental block and force the abilities to return.

He fails..at least temporarily :)

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    Yeah I know, but what does he want to achieve? I'm just wondering, because at that moment it had to be a very strong motivation...
    – instanceof
    Oct 6, 2017 at 11:41
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    He want's to achieve being Spider-Man and making the jump....and the motivation wasn't strong enough...because he doesn't make it.
    – Paulie_D
    Oct 6, 2017 at 11:45

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