The Osborn Legacy: Green Goblin as Spider-Man’s Maniacal Mortal Enemy

The Green Goblin glides into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: No Way Home, laughing all the way as Norman Osborn once again proves he’s Spider-Man’s archenemy — in every universe. At the heart of the Spider-Goblin feud spanning generations and decades of Marvel comics and adaptations: it’s personal. In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Osborn (Willem Dafoe) is a neglectful father and the CEO of Oscorp Industries, whose death in battle with Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) spawns a vendetta adopted by his son Harry Osborn (James Franco). In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it’s Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) scorned best friend Harry (Dane DeHaan) destined to be the Goblin tormenting Spider-Man on the night Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) dies. 

This is the Osborn legacy — or curse — as a deal with the devil turns Norman Osborn into Spider-Man’s maniacal mortal enemy: the Green Goblin. These are their greatest battles.

“The End of the Green Goblin”

After clashing for the first time in The Amazing Spider-Man #14, the Green Goblin returns (The Amazing Spider-Man #17) and becomes a recurring foe for Spider-Man (The Amazing Spider-Man #23, #26-27). When he captures and unmasks Peter Parker (The Amazing Spider-Man #39), the Goblin reveals himself to be Norman Osborn before he’s defeated — the Goblin persona seemingly destroyed (The Amazing Spider-Man #40). 

“The Goblin’s Last Gasp!”

The amnesia-stricken Norman Osborn’s memories of the Green Goblin — and Peter Parker’s secret identity — won’t return until some time later amid Harry’s worsening drug addiction (The Amazing Spider-Man #96). With his son in the hospital, the Goblin battles Spider-Man across city rooftops until the sight of the desperately ill Harry seemingly shocks Norman back to normal (The Amazing Spider-Man #98). 

“The Green Goblin’s Last Stand!” 

Harry recovers but eventually relapses as Norman suffers a mental break, restoring his memories of Spider-Man’s secret identity and his own hidden identity: the Green Goblin. Blaming his mortal enemy Spider-Man for the Goblin being locked away in Norman’s mind, and blaming Peter Parker for Harry’s ailment, the returned Goblin declares their cursed enemy must die. 

The Goblin kidnaps Peter’s love, Gwen Stacy, who dies when Spider-Man fails to save her from being thrown off the George Washington Bridge (The Amazing Spider-Man #121). In the Green Goblin’s last stand, a raging Spider-Man nearly beats the Goblin to death as the Goblin’s remote-controlled glider goes unnoticed. His spider-sense triggered by the danger, Spider-Man’s spider reflexes instinctively react as the glider’s blade pierces the Goblin — killing him and avenging Gwen (The Amazing Spider-Man #122). 

“The Green Goblin Lives Again!” 

The Green Goblin lives again when Harry, having discovered the secrets of his father and best friend Peter, renews the animosity between the Spider and the Goblin when he becomes the Green Goblin II. Battling Spider-Man to avenge his father’s death, the new Green Goblin menaces Peter’s loved ones: his Aunt May, Mary Jane, and friend Flash Thompson (The Amazing Spider-Man #136-137).

The Goblin persona subdued yet again inside Harry, by this point driven mad, the green-and-purple-suited supervillain resurfaces once more — only to be revealed as the imposter Barton Hamilton, Harry’s psychiatrist (The Amazing Spider-Man #180). 

“The Goblin War!”

In the years after Norman Osborn’s death, a new goblin takes to the skies: Roderick Kingsley and Jason Macendale are among the costumed criminals to take on the mantle of the Hobgoblin. After a recovering Harry settles down with Liz Allan, welcoming their son Normie Osborn, he’s forced to don the Goblin gear to defend his family from the Hobgoblin (The Amazing Spider-Man #312). 

Harry considers a superhero career as the Green Goblin, but after a battle with Spider-Man, his suppressed memories of Peter’s identity return (Web of Spider-Man #67). Haunted by the delusions he believes to be the ghost of his father, an unhinged Harry attacks Spider-Man for a final showdown between Osborn and Parker (The Spectacular Spider-Man #180-184). Refusing to fight his best friend to the death, Peter allows Harry to kill him — only for the Goblin to refuse, instead vowing to hate Peter forever. 

“Best of Enemies”

When Harry hopes to honor both the Goblin and Osborn legacies by holding his family hostage, blaming Spider-Man for ruining the Osborns, a defeated Green Goblin threatens to expose Peter’s secret identity (The Spectacular Spider-Man #189). After showing up in Peter’s life and taking Mary Jane to the bridge where Gwen Stacy died, Harry denies accusations the improved goblin formula has driven him insane. 

Harry wants Spider-Man and the Goblin to die together from a bomb set to self-destruct but comes to his senses when he realizes MJ and his son Normie are on the premises. Harry saves the innocents — and Spider-Man — just before collapsing, poisoned by the goblin formula. Peter makes peace with Harry as his best friend dies in his arms (The Spectacular Spider-Man #200). 

“The Osborn Conspiracy”

Sometime later after the death of Peter’s Aunt May, it’s revealed a returned Norman Osborn survived his apparent death at the end of his goblin glider, healed by the regenerative abilities of his original formula (Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal). Back from the dead — and back as the Green Goblin — Norman exposes his manipulations of the Clone Saga as Peter learns the real May is still alive as Norman’s captive (The Spectacular Spider-Man #263). Spider-Man once again defeats Norman, who is temporarily driven totally insane (Spider-Man #97-98). 

Norman resumes his feud with Spider-Man, even after Doctor Strange erases the memory of Spider-Man’s secret identity from the world. Most recently, Spider-Man and Norman Osborn faced a reckoning at the hands of the demon Kindred in a battle for Harry Osborn’s soul. 

More ComicBook CRAM Presents Spider-Man: No Way Home: 

Back Issues: Norman Osborn, The Green Goblin

Back Issues: Doctor Strange Solves Spider-Man’s Identity Crisis

Back Issues: Spider-Man’s Strangest Tales With Doctor Strange

Back Issues: Spider-Man’s Deadliest Foes Form the Sinister Six

Back Issues: The Death of Spider-Man’s Aunt May

Back Issues: Matt Murdock Defends Peter Parker and Spider-Man In Court