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The Green Goblin(alter-ego) The Goblin Gobby Emerald Elf Osborn The Iron Patriot Mason Banks Mr. Osborn The Goblin Lord The Overlord Green Gosborn Norm Scrier Os-Man The Super-Adaptoid The Goblin King Grüner Kobold The Red Goblin Carnage The Hobgoblin Octo-Goblin Cletus Kasady Normie Director Osborn Commander Osborn Great and Terrible Gold Goblin
Founder and CEO ofOsCorp Industries Leader of theDark Avengers(formerly) Crime lord Terrorist Supervillain Criminal mastermind Scientist Businessman Arms dealer Adventurer(formerly) Alchemax Executive(formerly) Director of H.A.M.M.E.R.(formerly) C.S.A. official(formerly) Prisoner(formerly) Employer of the Enforcers Owner of theDaily Bugle(formerly) Initiative P.R. leader and teacher(formerly) Government-appointed leader of the Thunderbolts(formerly) Empire State University student(formerly) Leader of the Goblin Nation(formerly) Member of the Power Elite Member of the Church of the New Darkness(formerly) Leader of theGoblin Army(formerly) Leader of theCabal(formerly) Member of theSinister Six(formerly) Member of theHellfire Club(formerly) Leader of the Brotherhood of the Scriers(formerly) Leader of the Order of the Goblin(formerly) Leader of the Lucky Lobo gang(formerly)
Powers / Skills
Genius-level intellect Leadership Charisma Manipulation Intimidation Strategy and tactics Business management Scientific knowledge Expertise in political sciences Master martial artist Iron Patriot armor Vast wealth and resources Vast technologies Marksmanship Weaponry expertise Goblin Formula: Enhanced strength Enhanced mobility Enhanced resilience Enhanced speed Enhanced stamina Enhanced agility Enhanced reflexes Enhanced durability Accelerated metabolism Regenerative healing factor High-tech weaponry Goblin Glider Carnage powers: Primordial symbiotic costume Shapeshifting Wall crawling Genetic memory Fangs Claws Superhuman strength Superhuman speed Superhuman durability Superhuman agility Superhuman stamina Superhuman reflexes Constituent-matter generation Super-Adaptoid:(formerly) Power mimicry Red Goblin powers:(formerly) Goblin formula-enhanced red symbiotic costume Webbing Wall crawling Pyrokinesis Psychic control Symbiotic expansion Camouflage capabilities Constituent matter generation Constituent matter manipulation Immunity to Spider-Man's senses Fire immunity Sonic immunity
Goals
Kill Spider-Man and everyone he loves(ongoing with Spider-Man; succeeded on some of his loved ones). Expand OsCorp Industries and his own wealth and power. Rule over New York City's entire criminal underworld. Produce a "worthy heir"(all temporarily succeeded). Become a hero in the eyes of the public. Kill every superhero in the world and anyone else who is a threat to him(both ongoing).
Crimes
Organized crime Conspiracy Terrorism Mass murder Infanticide Theft Invasion Pollution Brainwashing Torture Fraud Psychological abuse Assault and battery Child abuse Blackmail Hostage taking Mutilation Defamation Drugging Vandalism Embezzlement Jailbreak Breaking and entering Abuse of power Weapons dealing Slander Soul selling High treason Impersonation Ilegal cloning Animal cruelty War crimes Kidnapping Smuggling Racketeering Forced transmutation Unethical experimentation Forced confinement Resisting arrest Destruction of property Illegal use of weapons Attempted genocide Attempted world domination Crimes against humanity
Type of Villain
Sadistic Mastermind
“
Take alook, Parker, a good,long look! It's the last faceSpider-Man will ever see! It's thereal face of the Green Goblin, the face ofNorman Osborn!
„
~ The Green Goblin revealing his true identity of Norman Osborn to Peter Parker inThe Amazing Spider-Man #39.
“
You thinkthis ends it,Spider-Man? Not a chance! Never! Never!Never! You think you can killme? You cannever kill me! I'm the thing thathaunts your dreams -- gives youno peace! And Iwill be back! I willalways be back! Besides… I've alreadywon!Take your pyrrhic victory! You have noidea what I've taken from you!NONE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
HA HA HA! You're outmatched, Parker! Outsmarted, outgunned, and sh-t out of luck! And look at you. Still holding back. Afraid of the full powerthatsuit could give you! That's your problem. There's no killer in you! Now, me? I have that edge! Which is whythis shall be my greatest moment of triumph! Finally, the day has come! Behold…Norman Osborn! Victorious!
„
~ Norman Osborn as the Red Goblin to Spider-Man.
Dr. Norman Virgil Osborn, also known by many other identities, mostly theGreen Goblin, is one of the main antagonists of theMarvel Universe, specifically serving as the main antagonist of theSpider-Man franchise and one of the main antagonists ofThe Avengers franchise.
He is the former head of the multinational corporationOscorp and father ofHarry Osborn, who became the first and most well-known incarnation of the Green Goblin after ingesting a serum that increased his physical abilities yet in the process drove him to insanity.
He is widely recognized asSpider-Man's greatest, most persistent and most personal arch-nemesis, even more so thanDoctor Octopus,Venom,Carnage, andMorlun, having been responsible for more hardship and grief in the hero's life than any of his other villains (most notably the murder ofGwen Stacy; the first woman he ever truly loved), other than, arguablyMephisto.
Although he is well-known as the Green Goblin, he has also gone by several other villainous alias includingIron Patriot,Super-Adaptoid,Red Goblin, andGold Goblin,
Despite his status as Spider-Man's arch-nemesis, Norman has also made various appearances antagonizing other heroes, such asthe Avengers.
Don't be a fool! Norman Osborn's only genius was for ripping off the ideas of others.
„
~Adrian Toomes foreshadowing Norman Osborn's nature.
Osborn initially started off as an uncaring and manipulative, yet troubled, paranoid, disturbed and anti-social businessman, willingly sacrificing others for the sake of his goals or out of delusion someone wants to get to him. He was an ambitious and overly obsessive man who chose work over his own son Harry Osborn. Even though he was callous toward him, he did show that he cared about him to a degree. He also liked Peter Parker, alias Spider-Man, as he saw him as the son he never had. He also secretly despised his business partners as well as the rest of the upper class in general, believing them to be weak, lazy and distrustful leeches undeserving of the wealth they inherited, while he worked extremely hard from the bottom up to earn it back as wall paranoid they would take all he worked for away from him.
When he became the Goblin, Norman's fears about himself as well as the vindictive hatred towards his business rivals (both confirmed and perceived, due to his paranoia) he emotionally repressed for a life time took over. Becoming unpredictable, unhinged, and deranged. This unstable sense of liberating himself from his repressed urges gave him the feeling that he finally had the power to enact revenge on those who wronged him, perceived or confirmed. He also wanted to prove himself as the most powerful individual in the world, by defeating Spider-Man. That desire turned into obsession, as he attempted time and time again to defeat him, but the thing that makes him unique from the other villains Spidey faced is that he is ruthless, yet also maniacal in his pursuits, especially after learning that Spidey is really Parker.
He set many goals to tear his nemesis apart from the inside out, by orchestrating the Clone Saga, killing his friend/clone, Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider just to spite his nemesis, and most infamously, killing his girlfriend Gwen Stacy by throwing her over a bridge, which subsequently led to his own death. When his healing factor brought him back to life upon death, any of Osborn's redeeming qualities were completely destroyed, as he later embraced being the Green Goblin and became a sadistic, monstrous, arrogant, narcissistic, unsympathetic, heartless, deceitful, vengeful, temperamental, and completely wicked madman with an even more inflated sense of ambition, and the ego to go along with that, as well as a complete lack of empathy for anyone, even his own son and Parker.
He became outright unhealthily obsessed with absolute power and dominance over everything and everyone, all at the expense of others if it was so necessary. Also, he has dissociative identity disorder, split between him and his Goblin persona, which is the more aggressive persona, and has been "telling him to do bad things". He is willing to force his minions and other villains into working for him, using threats, charisma, blackmail, extortion, bargaining, and torture to do so. His own megalomania became so apparent that he even fused with the chaoticCarnage symbiote as a means of getting absolute power.
His only two weaknesses are his own complete instability and ego, which has clouded his judgement and progressed with insanity frequently. He believed that he is so powerful and above everybody else, that it makes him underestimate his enemies, and believe that "not even death can defeat him", which oftentimes can be exploited and leads to his defeat. Also, his own megalomania can be a major weakness, as his desire to become powerful can be exploited against him. This was evident in his change into the Red Goblin, from his fusion with Carnage.
Biography[]
Early Years[]
Norman Virgil Osborn was born in New Haven, Connecticut as the son of Amberson Osborn, an inventor, who was a grandson to Alton Osborn, a magnate who created the Osborn family fortune. However, Amberson's inventions were stolen, his manufacturing company shut down, and his family came close to bankruptcy. Norman was subjected to abuse by his father, who became an alcoholic to cope with his losses. Stressed by the state of his family, he murdered their dog, claiming it was "one less mouth to feed", as well as developing an obsessive desire to reclaim his family's lost wealth. At some point, Amberson had decided to lock Norman in the basement of one of their old homes to cure his fear of the dark. However, Norman saw a greenish-monster lurking in the basement, scaring him so much that he wished for the dark to never go away. This would inspire him for later years.
Norman attended the Empire State University in New York, getting a degree in chemistry and electrical engineering. As such, he also took a course in business administration. There, he met Emily, who provided some balance in the money-obsessed man. They would marry and have a son named Harry. Norman and Emily were very much in love, and Norman was extremely devastated when Emily passed away. This drove him to bury himself in his work, becoming emotionally neglectful of Harry as his son grew up.
Later on, Norman would foundOscorp with his old teacher, Professor Mendel Stromm, with the former serving as CEO and President. The company would emerge as a successful chemical-engineering corporation, and Norman had finally achieved his goal of regaining his family's fortune. Despite his success, Norman wanted full control over his business. The opportunity arose when he discovered that Stromm was embezzling Oscorp funds and turned him over to the police, becoming OsCorp's sole owner after Stromm's shares are sold to him.
Following Stromm's arrest, Norman discovered that his former colleague had been researching on an experimental formula that would enhance the subject's strength and intelligence. In his attempt to create the formula himself, it turned green and exploded in his face, knocking him unconscious. When he woke up in the hospital, Norman discovered that his intelligence and physical attributes had increased as the formula had intended, but also drove Norman to self-destructive insanity. As such, the Green Goblin was born.
Supervillainy[]
Using his newfound power, Osborn plotted to become a powerful crime lord by uniting all of the smaller crime rings together. Wanting to get Spider-Man out of the way, he sent two supervillains,Headsman and Scorcher, after the web-slinger, but they were defeated. As such, Osborn decided to take matters into his own hands.
He made a rubber suit and a bat-shaped glider equipped with many deadly weapons, including razor-bats, electric gloves, knockout gas, and his signature Pumpkin Bombs.
Enlisting the help ofthe Enforcers, who had fought Spider-Man before, he went to Spider-Man and tricked him into acting in a movie with him about the web-head. At the set in New Mexico, the Goblin and the Enforcers battled Spidey, forcing him to flee to a nearby cave, which, unbeknownst to any of them, was occupied by the Hulk. While Spider-Man was busy fending off the Jade Giant, the Goblin made his escape.
Green Goblin later reappeared several times in attempts to deface Spider-Man and boost his own reputation, despite always being connected to the crime ring.
After all of these defeats, the Goblin became obsessed with destroying Spider-Man, and Osborn put all of his time into focusing on conquering the web-slinger.
The Green Goblin unmasked?[]
A turning point came when Green Goblin figured out a way to find out Spider-Man's identity. He made a special gas that nullified Spidey's spider-sense, and followed him without detection back to Peter Parker's house. He then easily captured Spider-Man and brought him to his lair, where he revealed himself as Norman Osborn. After making the mistake of untying Spider-Man so as to gloat and prove his superiority, Spidey fought and beat him by sending him into some electric wires that were covered in chemicals. Osborn lost all of his memory of the Goblin, and Spider-Man, satisfied with that, burned the Green Goblin costume.
"Death" of the Green Goblin[]
Norman's memories eventually returned somehow, and as the Green Goblin he kidnapped Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker's love interest, and forced Spider-Man to battle him on a bridge. The Goblin then threw Gwen off the bridge, and Spider-Man, desperate to save her, shot his webbing down and grabbed her, but it was too late. The force of the webbing snapped Gwen's neck, and Peter brutally attacked the Goblin, nearly killing him. But Osborn had one last play to make, and he remote-controlled his glider to come up behind Spider-Man and attempted to impale him from behind. But Spidey's spider-sense warned him and he dodged out of the way. The glider blade instead was driven into the middle of Green Goblin's chest, and he was seemingly killed.
"After his "death", several other people took on his identity, including his sonHarry, who become the Green Goblin II. Another goblin-themed villain, theHobgoblin, was born after Roderick Kingsley stumbled upon one of Osborn's hidden Goblin lairs and took his basic weapon set, using a different costume and name.
Norman Osborn's return[]
He returned alive in the Clone Saga, after his resurrection due to a chemical in his goblin formula which regenerates fatal injuries he murdered a man who looked enough like him and placed him in his coffin, he then formulates a plan to get revenge on Peter Parker, he causes a series of problems for Spider-Man, including hiring assassins to try and kill him, he hires a woman to poison the latter's new girlfriend Mary Jane Watson who was pregnant at the time forcing her into labor and seemingly giving birth to a stillborn baby whom is later revealed to be alive, he also has Peter convinced that his clone Ben Reilly is the real Peter Parker, he also drugged Flash Thompson and caused him to get into an automobile accident giving him brain damage. After a series of events he eventually reveals himself to Spider-Man who is shocked that he's alive, they have a battle and like before he attempts to kill him once again with his goblin glider, Ben Reilly dives in front of him taking the hit and dying, in response. Spider-Man hurls a web full of pumpkin bombs at him, seemingly killing him again.
Norman Osborn created several teams to take out several other superheroes. Some examples are the Thunderbolts, the Dark Avengers and theDark X-Men. At one point he joined and became the leader of theSinister Twelve. When he was the leader of the Dark Avengers, Osborn changed his costume and became an evil Iron Man/Captain America combination known as the Iron Patriot.
The Thunderbolts, the Dark Avengers, and the Dark X-Men[]
Norman Osborn created several teams to take out several other superheroes. Some examples are the Thunderbolts, the Dark Avengers and theDark X-Men. At one point he joined and became the leader of theSinister Twelve. When he was the leader of the Dark Avengers, Osborn changed his costume and became an evil Iron Man/Captain America combination known as the Iron Patriot.
Superior Spider-Man[]
After the events of Dark Reign Norman Osborn eventually returned to his Green Goblin persona albeit calling himself the Goblin King.
Temporarily Powerless[]
After the events of Superior Spider-Man and Secret Wars, Norman returns as an arms dealer then goes to get revenge on Spider-Man, but ultimately fails due to his lack of powers. Since then Norman, had been trying to get back his powers by any means necessary.
Red Goblin[]
In an attempt to regain his powers, Norman uses the Carnage symbiote and later combines his Goblin formula to remove Peter's cure of him becoming Red Goblin. Norman also remembers that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. He also killed Flash Thompson and was defeated.
Absolute Carnage[]
Norman, suffering amnesia was visited by Kindred, who somewhat helps him remember, then meets Carnage, who turns him into a replica. He would later fight Spider-Man again and Venom, but he escaped after Carnage’s death and regained his memories.
Power Elite[]
At some point, Norman joined the Power Elite and was later seen reopening Ravencroft.
Kindred Rising[]
After being made director of Ravencroft by Mayor Fisk, Norman became a target of the Sin-Eater, who was resurrected by the Demon known as Kindred. The Sin-Eater had the power to cleanse evil from criminals with his bullets and shot Norman with one such bullet, removing all of Norman's depravity and evil, leaving him with a deep sense of remorse and repentance. Norman has since tried to reach out to Harry and reconnect with his grandson, Normie.
Norman's disembodied evil was at some point captured by Maxine Danger of the Beyond Corporation, who exposed Doctor Ashley Kafka to it, infecting Kafka with all of Norman's malevolence and transforming her into the Queen Goblin.
Becoming Gold Goblin[]
Norman would become Peter's boss and give him a new suit with a Spider-Glider called "Bug" and bombs that explode with miniature bugs that attack their prey. While investigating a case with Roderick Kingsley and Ned Leeds after one of them supposedly became the Hobgoblin again, Spider-Man was beaten when it was revealed both of them were Hobgoblin. Watching Peter get beaten up at his hospital, Norman decided to use a work in progress Spider-Suit to save him, becoming the Gold Goblin.st by trade. After taking the OsCorp serum, his body was capable of quickly regenerating fatal wounds, enhanced muscle power and greater mobility, as well as advanced intellect and insanity. He also has a high-tech glider, high-tech Iron Patriot armor and high-tech weaponry. He has all of OsCorp's nigh-limitless funds and advanced technologies at his disposal.
Powers and Abilities[]
A marvelous businessman, corporate monger and a brilliant scientist by trade. After taking the OsCorp serum, his body was capable of quickly regenerating fatal wounds, enhanced muscle power and greater mobility, as well as advanced intellect and insanity. He also has a high-tech glider, high-tech Iron Patriot armor and high-tech weaponry. He has all of OsCorp's nigh-limitless funds and advanced technologies at his disposal.
Goblin Formula: Thanks to the chemical composition of the Goblin Formula, Osborn gained the following abilities:
Superhuman Strength: Osborn can easily overpower humans by lifting them up with one hand or by hurling them around. He and can also lift extremely heavy objects, crush and break through wood panels and templates, bend metal, and can punch through glass without gaining injury. As shown on many occasions, Osborn could match Spider-Man even before bonding with the Carnage symbiote.
Superhuman Speed: Osborn can run and operate at superhuman speeds.
Superhuman Stamina: Osborn can operate or maintain his movements for up to a day without exhausting himself.
Superhuman Durability: The formula also fortified all of Osborn's bodily tissues, making them far tougher and more resistant to injury than normal humans. While Osborn can be injured by something along the lines of a knife or small conventional bullets composed of conventional material, he is very resistant to great impact forces and blunt trauma. He can withstand powerful impacts, such as falling from several stories or being repeatedly struck by a superhuman enemy, that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to himself.
Regenerative Healing Factor: If Osborn does sustain injury, his body's increased metabolism allows him to heal damaged tissue much faster and more extensively than a normal human is capable of. While not nearly as efficient as the healing powers possessed by Wolverine, he can heal from injuries that would prove lethal to an ordinary human. For example, Osborn survived being impaled by his Goblin Glider and made a full recovery with only a scar left on his chest. He also recovered from having over a dozen of his bombs explode while webbed to his chest.
Superhuman Agility: Osborn's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.
Superhuman Reflexes: His reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.
Quotes[]
“
Did you expect the Green Goblin to let Spider-Man live?
„
~ The Green Goblin to Spider-Man
“
I'm glad I never washed this costume. It smells like death, blondes, and victory.
„
~ Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin reflecting on his murder of Gwen Stacy.
“
How did someone like me ever have a snivelling weakling of a son like you?!!
„
~ Norman Osborn disowning his son, Harry.
“
They have Osborn blood, and Osborn blood... is SPECIAL blood.
„
~ Norman Osborn
“
Fool! Your power is nothing compared to mine! Your strength is nothing, your intellect is NOTHING!
„
~ The Green Goblin to Spider-Man
“
Secret Subway line, Underground Kingdom... so theatrical. And pointless. What was I thinking? The strength and healing powers of the Goblin Serum are gone from my system... but for the first time in ages, so too is the madness. I won. I got exactly what I wanted. Alchemax has been secured for my heir and my legacy. And next time? I'll return with a new plan... and a new face. All these years, Spider-Man and his kind have dealt with a giggling lunatic. A madman. You've never faced the real Norman Osborn, a man with all his wits about him. Poor fools. Next time you'll never see me coming.
„
~ Norman Osborn, following the collapse of the Goblin Nation and his return to sanity.
“
Far from it. Nothing keeps me down, Kingsley. Not death. Betrayal. Even the entire world against me! Every time I rise back up! Stronger than before! Every time!
„
~ Norman Osborn, revealing his identity after his battle with Hobgoblin.
“
I made Harry... and I can do any damn thing to him I want.
„
~ Norman Osborn on Harry.
“
Hah! I've had it wrong for years. I didn't have to go after that Stacy girl back then... or the Thompson boy just now. Because you care, you honestly care about all of these idiots. Every single one of these innocent lives. All this time, all I had to do to hurt you was to just start killing...EVERYONE!
„
~ Red Goblin
“
For every life you save... there's a million new ways to die.
„
~ Norman Osborn
“
Ha! The tide turns, spider! The natural order is restored, and all is as it should be. Bless you, Peter. You were right. This is better. Taking your life with my own hands. And, by God, this won't end like the last time. All your friends are down. Or dead. Thanks to me! No one's coming to save you. That's the difference between the two of us. I've always been the stronger man! Needing no one else! And willing to do whatever it takes to win!
„
~ Green Goblin to Spider-Man in their final battle.
Comics journalist and historian Mike Conroy writes of the character: "Of all the costumed villains who've plagued Spider-Man over the years, the most flat-out unhinged and terrifying of them all is the Green Goblin". Norman Osborn was ranked #13 on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Villains" list and #19 on Wizard Magazine's "Top 100 Villains" list. IGN also ranked him as twenty fourth on their top 100 villains list in 2016 being the third highest Marvel Comics supervillain on the list afterMagneto andDoctor Doom and the fifth highest comic book supervillain with DC Comics supervillainsthe Joker andLex Luthor being the only other higher ranked.
Green Goblin is the 47th stamp in the Series A collection of Marvel Value Stamps, published in 1974.
Norman Osborn's identity as the Green Goblin was revealed inAmazing Spider-Man Vol 1 #39.
Norman Osborn's killing of Gwen Stacy is highly significant and shocked the American comic book community.
Previously, it had been unthinkable to kill off such an important character — the girlfriend of a protagonist with a large fanbase. Generally, a superhero did not fail this disastrously unless it was part of his or her origin story.
This story arc has been proposed as a marker of the end of the Silver Age of Comic Books, and the beginning of the darker, grittier Bronze Age.
The Green Goblin was originally rumored to be a mythological monster that escaped from an Egyptian tomb before he was revealed to be Norman Osborn.
Due to his popularity and influence over the series overall, Norman Osborn/Green Goblin is considered to be one of Spider-Man's archenemies alongside Doctor Octopus and Venom. He is often seen as the most dangerous and evil among the three; this varies in the incarnations but in the main comics,Ultimate comics andThe Spectacular Spider-Man series, Norman is definitely more evil.
All incarnations of Norman Osborn possess similarities to Dr. Jekyll andMr. Hyde where his persona of the Green Goblin represents the latter.
Stan Lee and Steve Ditko reportedly disagreed over Norman Osborn being the Green Goblin's secret identity; Ditko believed it would be more realistic if the Green Goblin was somebody Spider-Man did not know, while Lee believed that such a move would be insulting to readers. However, Lee admitted that due to his poor memory, he could not remember whether he and Ditko had been talking about the Green Goblin or another character, or whether Norman being the Green Goblin was his idea or Ditko's. Ditko's replacement, John Remita. Sr., claimed that Lee would not have tolerated it if Ditko had revealed the Green Goblin to be anyone other than Norman Osborn.
Norman Osborn/Green Goblin has become one of the mascot villains of Marvel thanks to his appearances in media andDark Reign giving him more spotlight with successful adaptions.
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