Green Goblin (Spider-Man TAS)

'Note: This article is about Green Goblin from Spider-Man: The Animated Series. For mainstream Green Goblin, see: Green Goblin.'

"How observant you are! No, I'm not the Hobgoblin, meddler! I'm the Green Goblin! Not that you'll live long enough for it to matter!"

- Green Goblin introducing himself to Spider-Man

Norman Osborn a.k.a The Green Goblin is one of the the two main antagonists of Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Spiderman: The Animated Series
Norman Osborn was the owner of Oscorp Industries, along with his assistant Wardell Strom

After the slayer caught the wrong person, Spider-Man and the first Spider Slayer, the Black Widow fought in Oscorp, which exploded, leading everyone to believe, Spencer, who was trapped Norman Osborn created Hobgoblin to kill The Kingpin, who was continually applying pressure to both Norman and Oscorp, his business. Due to Peter Parker's interruption, and a run in with Spider-Man, he failed and Osborn fired him.

The Kingpin later fired him for double-crossing him in order to get more weapons from Osborn. Norman Osborn was attempting a hostile take over of Adrian Toomes’s company, Toomes Aerodynamics. This put him at odds with Vulture. In season three, an explosion of chemicals at Oscorp created a dual persona for Osborn, the Green Goblin. He kidnapped the Oscorp board of directors who had threatened to replace him if he continued to manufacture weapons earlier and brought them to an underwater cavern. He also briefly kidnapped Felicia Hardy and threw her off of his glider. She was saved by Spider-Man, who, later defeated the Goblin and Osborn had a very faint memory of the event. The next day Osborn announces he will no longer be manufacturing weapons. In the limbo, Dr. Ohn's time dilation accelerator device is randomly creating portals. It escapes through one where it is picked up by an old man looking to make some money at a pawn shop.

At the same park, Mary Jane believes that Peter isn't safe because she attracts the likes of Dormammu, Mordo, Hydro-Man, and even Venom. Peter reassures her that as long as they love each other everything will be fine. Peter then sees the new portal and Mary Jane begrudgingly lets him leave. Spider-Man saves the old man and the pawn shop owner and tries to grab the device. But Hobgoblin arrives to take the device for himself and flees. While escaping from a bank robbery Hobgoblin's cap is cut off when the portal closes. Realizing the device is low on power Hobgoblin goes to his Kingpin informant to get another power supply. However, it's the last one and Kingpin won't make more. Hobgoblin confronts Kingpin with a proposition. Hobgoblin will help Kingpin with theft and smuggling as long as Kingpin provides the necessary power packs for the device. After Hobgoblin leaves Kingpin laments having to work with him. Landon says they would need to know his secret identity to stop him for good. Felicia and Jason have an engagement party with all their friends and associates. Peter claims that although Felicia looks beautiful he has the prettiest woman in the room. Harry yells at Peter for stealing his girl. Mary Jane goes off to talk to Harry and Felicia drags Peter to talk to Jason. When Jason and Peter are about to shake hands Peter's Spider-Sense goes off. Wilson Fisk arrives and assume he set it off.

Fisk then leaves to talk to Norman Osborn. Kingpin is demanding Norman's help. He wants to know the true name of the Hobgoblin. Kingpin then threatens to hurt Harry and Norman agrees to tell him everything. In the bathroom Norman's reflection changes into the Green Goblin and the two begin a conversation. Green Goblin convinces Norman that people like Kingpin and Spider-Man are trying to hurt him and Harry. Norman agrees and lets the Green Goblin take over. At Kingpin's hideout, Hobgoblin uses the device to get Kingpin's men into the Federal Depository. Kingpin and Hobgoblin get the upper hand until Green Goblin shows up and attacks Hobgoblin. Kingpin lets the two fight thinking they'll eventually destroy each other. Hobgoblin is amazed that Norman gave his technology to anyone else and that Green Goblin is stronger than he.

Green Goblin eventually opens a hole in the roof and he, Hobgoblin, and Spider-Man escape. Hobgoblin eventually uses the device to escape leaving Spider-Man to attack Green Goblin. Green Goblin knocks Spidey into the water and goes after that rank amateur and impostor Hobgoblin. At Jason's mansion, Felicia is going over his study. She finds a secret room containing the Hobgoblin's costume and Goblin weapons. Hobgoblin appears behind Felicia and reveals himself to be her fiance Jason. Jason tells her that he was once a petty crook and that everything he has now is because of crime. Now that Felicia knows the truth Jason can't let her not marry him or else he would have to kill her. Green Goblin arrives and Jason is no match for him. Green Goblin has been studying Ohn's technology and forces Felicia and Jason through a portal to Oscorp. Green Goblin rigged Felicia and Jason above a vat of boiling acid. Jason tries to bargain with Green Goblin but Green Goblin's only in this to make things easier for Norman Osborn. Spider-Man arrives to stop Green Goblin but he still manages to begin lowering Jason and Felicia into the vat. Spider-Man tries to stop save the two but Green Goblin uses the device to cut his webbing and grab him. Spidey enters the portal and defeats Green Goblin and saves the two. Spidey then uses the Goblin's weaponry to damage the device. There's still enough power to create one more portal. Spider-Man warns against entering but Green Goblin would rather be trapped in limbo than be defeated by him

With just enough energy Green Goblin manages to return to Oscorp. He's going to seek revenge on those like Kingpin, Hobgoblin, and especially Spider-Man and plans to make his own modifications to the device. Since he and Mary Jane are in love Spider-Man does not have time for this "big battle" that she's preparing him for. He has everything he wanted, his life is complete. Madame Web then warns him that he will want her advice when the "two-headed monster returns from the netherworld." At Oscorp Norman Osborn is making another one of Ohn's Interdimensional Portal devices for the Green Goblin, though he can't guarantee it's stability. Green Goblin doesn't care. Green Goblin promises to crush Spider-Man and Kingpin. Osborn is worried because Spider-Man knows the truth of his existence. But the Goblin goes off through a portal to make him suffer dearly for that. In the streets of New York City Green Goblin attacks a bank vehicle in order to attract Spider-Man's attention. Spider-Man falls for it but Green Goblin slips away. Spider-Man searches at Oscorp and Osborn's mansion but there's no sign of the Goblin. Swinging through the city Spider-Man's Spider-Sense goes off but no sign of what did it. Unbeknownst to Spider-Man Green Goblin has been appearing and disappearing behind Spider-Man without him seeing. Spider-Man's Spider-Sense goes off again but without seeing anything he thinks it's just acting up. Spider-Man still wants to meet with Mary Jane whether his Spider-Sense is acting strange or not. Green Goblin manages to sneak up on Spider-Man just as the wallcrawler takes off his mask.

Spider-Man's Spider-Sense goes off once more causing him to turn around allowing Green Goblin to finally see who he is. Green Goblin is stunned that a mere boy could cause him so much trouble. Norman recognizes him as Peter Parker, his son's best friend. Green Goblin convinces Norman that Peter must have been using Harry to get to him. Green Goblin plans to play that game too and disappears. Peter's Spider-Sense stops going off and he thinks it's over.

Arriving at the party Peter thinks about how he can observe Norman without him realizing Spider-Man is watching. Peter and Mary Jane try to be nice to Harry but Harry isn't so pleasant. Harry only invited the two because his father insisted, telling him to "show a little backbone." Harry storms off and Mary Jane goes to talk to him. Norman Osborn enters the room and seems overly happy to see Peter, much to the confusion of Peter. The two shake hands but Norman's grip is so great that he would have crushed Peter's hand were it not for his exceptional strength. Norman then announces that dinner is served and again seems far too happy around Peter. At dinner, Norman comments on Peter and Mary Jane's new relationship and that they must have "been conspiring to get together for some time." Before Peter can respond Norman comments on another one of Peter's famous Spider-Man photos in The Daily Bugle.

He then asks how he gets those wonderful angles but Mary Jane comments that not even she knows his trade secret. Norman tells the party that he and Peter share a little secret and neither Mary Jane nor Peter seem to know what he's talking about. Norman plans to tell everyone their secret over dessert. Peter realizes that Norman does know his secret.

He needs a distraction so he throws some of his web cartridges into the fireplace. Norman is about to tell them all when the fireplace explodes and the place fill with smoke. Everyone runs out to the front lawn but Peter goes back in under the disguise of saving Norman. In the house the Green Goblin confronts Peter for pestering him as Spider-Man and hurting his son as Peter. Green Goblin knocks him out into the back yard and Peter tries to retaliate but doesn't have his webshooters on. Peter is outclassed by Green Goblin and is tied up to be dragged behind the Goblin Glider. Peter remarks that Madame Web was right, the two-headed dragon was really someone with two identities. Green Goblin takes Peter to the George Washington Bridge. Peter manages to pull one of his webshooters out and crashes the glider on top of one of the towers.

Having to be precise, Peter uses the glider's thruster to cut the rope tying up Peter and finally manages to change into Spider-Man.

After a scuffle Green Goblin pulls out the Time Dilation Accelerator and uses it to escape. Green Goblin doesn't think he made Spider-Man suffer enough and since Peter came into Norman's home he's going to return the favor. Spider-Man races off to Aunt May's knowing the Green Goblin could be there in microseconds. At the Watson home Mary Jane is explaining to her aunt what happened.

The firefighters found something strange smoldering in the fireplace. The party goers assumed Peter took Norman to the hospital but don't know why he wouldn't call. Anna Watson says it's because Peter is thoughtless and irresponsible and again Mary Jane says how wonderful he is and that she loves him. Spider-Man returns home and finds that Aunt May is perfectly fine. His Spider-Sense goes off and Green Goblin appears from a portal above her bed. Green Goblin says that she's sleeping so peacefully he shouldn't disturb her. He says that he'll go after his other co-conspirator. Aunt May wakes up just as he disappears and Peter, minus the mask, tells her everything's fine. Spider-Man wonders what Green Goblin meant my "co-conspirator" and realizes that he means Mary Jane.

Spider-Man arrives and find Green Goblin leaving with the unconscious Mary Jane in his arms. Spider-Man follows Green Goblin back to the George Washington Bridge. Spider-Man tries to reason with Norman but Green Goblin is in control. Spider-Man then reminds him that he's about to hurt the only people Harry really cared about. Norman briefly gains control and attacks him while distracted and knocks away the time dilation device. Spider-Man and Green Goblin fall over the side onto one of the suspension ropes. Norman calls for help and Spider-Man saves him but Green Goblin regains control and attacks Spider-Man.

Mary Jane wakes up and trips over the side and Spider-Man quickly comes to her rescue. Spider-Man comforts her and while waking up Mary Jane briefly thinks she's talking to Peter. Green Goblin uses his remote control for his glider to attack the two. The glider launches a missile and cracks the tower. The tower becomes unstable and the time dilation device falls over the side opening a portal. Mary Jane also falls off the tower. Spider-Man leaps to the side to save her but his webs hit nothing. Try as he might, Spider-Man is unable to find her so he leaps into the water below. Back on his glider, Green Goblin graps the time dilation device. Spider-Man desperately searches the water but can find no trace of Mary Jane. Spider-Man surfaces where the Green Goblin teases him about now having any quips or comebacks now. Spider-Man snags a webline onto the Goblin's glider and begins climbing. Green Goblin tries to knock him off but his weaponry is damaged and Spider-Man is too fast. The glider is losing fuel and going down. Spider-Man vows to take Green Goblin down even if he has to go down too. Green Goblin tries to use the time dilation device but it too is not working. Green Goblin lands and tries to fix the device. Spider-Man swings down yelling "You'll pay, Osborn!" Green Goblin activates the device but there is a gravitational imbalance and the portal begins sucking everything in sight. Green Goblin tries to run away but Spider-Man lands and stops him. Green Goblin almost falls into the portal. Spider-Man is fine because he can stick to the ground thanks to his powers.

Green Goblin begs for Spider-Mans help when his mask falls off and Norman regains control. Norman then begs for help to which Spider-Man almost refuses, but he knows he can't stand by and let this happen despite what he's done. Revenge is never justified. Spider-Man tries to grab Norman but Green Goblin surfaces and uses his remote to call his glider. The glider doesn't save Green Goblin but instead knocks him into the portal. With the Green Goblin and the time dilation device inside the portal closes, including any chance Peter may have of saving Mary Jane.

Green Goblin was able to contact his son while in the limbo. He convinced Harry to inhale the same gas he did and take on the Goblin mantle. Harry attacked Spider-Man but thanks to the Punisher was able to defeat him. Green Goblin then saw what he assumed was Mary Jane walking around New York City.

Green Goblin once again contacted his son when Peter was to marry Mary Jane but Harry again failed to defeat his father's nemesis. It is unknown if the Green Goblin ever got out of the limbo or if he spent the rest of his life there.

Trivia

 * Green Goblin was one of the two main antagonists of the show, because he is the one who tried to kill the Kingpin (the other main antagonist) twice and also the one who battled Spider-Man most times. With Doctor Octopus as the secondary antagonist, and Hobgoblin, Venom, Alistair Smythe, and other villains as recurring or minor antagonists.
 * This version of the Green Goblin is very similar to the movie's version of the Green Goblin. They both have split personalities and they have similar origins.