- NOTE: This page is about the incarnation of Electro from the 2014 and 2021 movies. The mainstream version can be found here: Electro (Marvel).
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| “ | Electro: So everyone in this city is gonna know how it feels to live in my world. A world without power. A world without mercy. A world… without Spider-Man. And everyone will be able to see me for who I truly am. Ashley Kafka: And who are you? Electro: Don't you know? I'm Electro. |
„ |
| ~ Electro talking to Ashley Kafka. |
| “ | What's up Peter? How do you like the new new? Look, you give it to me, I'm gonna destroy it! But I'll let you live. Don't make me a murderer, Peter. | „ |
| ~ Electro threatening the MCU's Peter Parker into giving him the Macchina di Kadavus. |
Maxwell "Max" Dillon, also known as Electro, is one of the two main antagonists (alongside the Green Goblin) of the 2014 superhero film The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the second and final installment in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man film duology, and the secondary antagonist of the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home.
He is a former electrical engineer at Oscorp who had idolized Spider-Man after being saved by the latter during the year 2014, but was transformed into an extremely powerful living electric capacitor after a freak accident. A following incident with Spider-Man, led to the voices in his head manipulating him into believing he had been betrayed by Spider-Man, which enraged him and made him bent on defeating and killing his idol, becoming his arch-rival. He grows ruthless, arrogant and power hungry in his quest for revenge. He eventually meets his end at the power plant, when Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy overload his electricity supply by reflecting his power back to him, causing him to violently explode into millions of particles.
Ten years later, a failed spell by Doctor Strange, caused a past version of Electro, seconds before his death, to be transported to Earth-199999, where he teamed up with one supervillain from his universe and two supervillains from another alternate universe, to remain in Earth-199999 and relish in its advanced power. However, he was eventually cured and returned to his old self. After being cured, he made peace with his Spider-Man. After all the villains were cured, they were then sent back to their universes, where Max would get a second chance at life in a branched/alternate timeline in the Webb universe.
He is portrayed by Jamie Foxx, who also played Bats in Baby Driver. In the video game adaptions, he is voiced Michael E. Shepperd in the Console version and Liam O'Brien in the Mobile version.
Biography[]
The Amazing Spider-Man 2[]
Taking place during the year 2014, Max Dillon lived his whole life without anybody merely acknowledging his existence. One time, the Manhattan hero Spider-Man saves him from an oncoming hijacked truck on the streets and tells him, "You're my guy. You're my ears and eyes on the street". Being the outcast that Dillon was, he was thrilled to have been acknowledged by somebody, let alone the very famous Spider-Man.
As Spider-Man leaves, Dillon starts to believe that he is something of an accomplice to the hero. He goes mad with "love" for Spider-Man, constantly thinking about him and the fact that he could help him in any way. After his mother forgets his birthday, and is told to stay to fix an electrical malfunction Max is placing a large electrical wire into a vent at Oscorp when he is suddenly electrocuted and falls, dragging the wire with him, into a tank full of genetically altered electric eels. They bite him multiple times and the pond shatters from their charge. The genetic transfusion causes Max to become a living electrical generator, surging his body with electricity as he absorbed the charge from the electric eels, turning his skin translucent blue and giving him the power to see and manipulate electricity.
After waking up in the morgue, a confused Max is terrified as to what happened to him and finds himself stumbling into the city. After charging up on electricity at Times Square, his strange appearance and abilities accidentally caused a commotion with the police and New York citizens. While frightened at first and trying to reassure everyone that he doesn't want to hurt anyone, he is suddenly stunned to find himself on the Jumbotron and possibly for the first time in his life, is finally having people "see" him. When Spider-Man arrives, he is shocked that he does not remember him, but after reminding him of who he is, Spider-Man appears to remember him. Spider-Man tries to keep the peace, which he seems to be succeeding at, as he convinces Max to talk. However, a sniper fires at Max, causing him to retaliate, and he ends up being inadvertently humiliated in Times Square by Spider-Man. As Max is being mocked by the public, much to his anger, the voices in Max's head manipulate him into believing that Spider-Man lied to him, which enrages him. Feeling that he is betrayed by Spider-Man, an enraged Max gives in to his voices and attacks Spider-Man with his powerful electrical abilities. After seemingly defeating Spider-Man, the voices in his head manipulate him into believing that the world betrayed him, which causes a more enraged Electro to attack the public. However, Spider-Man returns and sprays him with water, and then has Max sent to Ravencroft. When Harry Osborn is removed as CEO of Oscorp and was framed for being involved in Dillon's accident, he breaks out Electro from Ravencroft and allies with him to overthrow Donald Menken from the board, in exchange for giving him access to Oscorp's power grid, which he designed.
Electro causes a citywide blackout, challenging Spider-Man. However, with the help of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man defeats Electro at the power plant by overloading his electricity supply by reflecting his power back to him, causing him to violently explode into millions of particles.
Marvel Cinematic Universe[]
Spider-Man: No Way Home[]
Due to a botched spell by Doctor Strange in an alternate universe (MCU/Earth-199999) during the year 2024, an alternate version of Electro, seconds before exploding to death, is transported to MCU/Earth-199999.
Electro is in the woods near some electric wires with no memory that he was about to explode to his death, and his last memory being stuck in the grid while he was fighting his Spider-Man. The power of the MCU/Earth-199999's electricity, however, makes him become more enhanced than ever. He promptly faces off against the MCU Peter Parker, who is defended by Sandman (from the Raimi/Earth-96283 universe, which is another alternate universe), to which Spider-Man brings down two towers to de-power Electro.
Being de-powered restores Electro to his physical form and original appearance, much to his surprise. When Peter tells him he is in another universe, Electro states that's what he feels because the power feels different. Peter soon gives him an outfit after he points out he's nude and sends him to be imprisoned in the Sanctum, where he encounters alternate versions of Doctor Ock (from Sandman's universe) and Dr. Curt Connors, the latter being Electro's former Oscorp colleague from his universe (Webb universe).
Electro is shocked to see Connors. He explains about Connors turning himself into a Lizard and attempting to turn everyone into Lizards. After hearing that Norman Osborn (from the Raimi universe, like Sandman and Ock) and Doctor Ock died fighting Spider-Man in their universe and listening to Doc Ock explain his last memory before ending up in this universe, Electro recalls his fight with Spiderman, but is unable to remember what happened after he got stuck in the grid, which causes him to realize in shock that he was about to die.
His revelation leads to Connors asking him if he dies. When Strange intends to send all the villains back to their universes, Electro is against this because he knows he'd meet his tragic fate. Feeling that he can't send them back to their universes because some of them will go back to die, Peter steals the box that contains the botched spell to cure every one of them and rehabilitate them.
Unlike most of the villains, Electro wasn't willing to cure himself due to loving how powerful he feels in this universe, refusing to leave. He has a friendly conversation with Sandman on how they got their powers. He then takes keen interest on the Arc Reactor Tony Stark built, marveled by how powerful it is. Electro then accepts Peter's attempts to cure him, who places a device that would drain most of the electricity from Max's body, but before it nearly completes, the Green Goblin takes control over Norman Osborn's body again and convinces him and Sandman to turn against Spider-Man and return to villainy. Electro destroys the device on him and steals an arc reactor. Doc Ock confronts him about his actions and Electro responds with, "I liked you better before." Electro defeats Doc Ock after regaining his power, pushing him out of Happy's apartment.
Eventually, his Spider-Man and the Raimiverse Spider-Man, both of whom had been transported to Earth-199999 as well, come and join forces with the MCU Spider-Man to face off against all the villains, providing them a tough battle to fight, with Electro not wanting to be cured of his powers and being powered by an Arc Reactor that he'd stolen. Electro defeats all three versions of Spider-Man with ease. Eventually, Doctor Ock comes and pretends to help Electro by grabbing the Raimiverse Peter and Electro's Peter with his tentacles, before revealing his deception by grabbing Electro with another of his tentacles, removing his Arc Reactor and replacing it with the device that Peter had created to drain Electro of all of his extra electricity.
Feeling powerless and a nobody again, his Spider-Man comes to reconcile with him, encouraging him a second chance and redeeming himself. In turn, Max realizes his mistakes and thanks his Spider-Man for assuring him he isn't a nobody even with or without his powers, though does express a surprise that he wasn't African American like he is, and Max also theorizes that a black Spider-Man is somewhere in the Multiverse.
After all the villains are cured, Max and the rest of the villains are returned to their universes, with Max likely being given a second chance at life in a branched/alternate timeline of the Webbverse, but at the cost of everyone in MCU forgetting who Spider-Man truly is.
Personality[]
In the beginning, Max was an awkward and lonely man who longed to be acknowledged and appreciated by people. He is constantly pushed around by those around him, with his superiors stealing his plans for the new power grid, leaving him to constantly feel powerless. These experiences led to Max repressing a great deal of anger, one instance in which he imagines violently berating his boss for not believing that the power grid’s designs were his and jokingly claiming to be Spider-Man. After Spider-Man saves Max’s life, along with giving him a pep talk to boost his confidence, Max, finally feeling as though someone acknowledges him, begins to idolize him to an almost obsessive level having a shrine dedicated to him in his room.
After his transformation into Electro, Max was initially scared and confused, not understanding what was happening to him. Once entering the city, he is mesmerized with the sight of his face broadcasted all over city, believing that now people finally “see” him. This is short-lived as when Spider-Man came to help, a cop shoots a sniper at Max, causing him to retaliate, and he ends up being inadvertently humiliated in Times Square. The voices in his head then manipulate him into believing that Spider-Man had lied to him and the world turned their backs on him, resulting in all the resentment and rage inside Max to boil over as he attacks his former idol and the public. At this point, Max has fully accepted his transformation into Electro, and is no longer the meek man he once was, now boasting a much cockier and more arrogant attitude. He vows to get back at the world who took so much from him, and to show everyone what life will be like feeling powerless and helpless all the time, with only him and no Spider-Man. He grows drunk with power in his quest for revenge.
Upon regaining his human body after being transported to the Earth-199999 universe, the alternate version of Max becomes more stable and calm. However, he still craves energy like his original version, as he begins to crave the energy of the Earth-199999 universe. While reluctantly agreeing to be cured by the Earth-199999's Spider-Man in order to prevent his death after being returned to his universe, his desire for power led to him being persuaded by the urging of the alternate Green Goblin, to shake abandon the idea of being cured, so he fight back. During the Battle on the Statue of Liberty, he is shown to be drunk with power. However, he can be seen as gullible, as he was deceived by the alternate Otto Octavius into believing he was still Doctor Octopus, leading to the cured villains injecting the cure in Electro. Upon being cured, Max becomes saddened by the fact that he has lost his powers and become a nobody again. However, his spirits were lifted by his universes' Spider-Man, to whom he exchanged a good conversation and reconciled with. Much like his original version, Max looked up to his Spider-Man.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Electricity Manipulation: Electro possesses the ability to generate bodily electrostatic energy which he can release or harness, after being electrocuted with genetically-modified Oscorp electrical eels. He would later be asked to use a device to drain his excess electrical powers, but would later remove it, before being completely cured of his powers by Otto Octavius.
- Flight: Electro's body was transmuted into pure electrical energy, rendering him virtually weightless and granting him the ability to fly.
- Teleportation: Electro can break down his body into electricity and teleport himself anywhere before reforming himself.
- Lightning Bolt Projection: Electro can blast electrical energy from any part of him.
- Energy Blast/Projection: Electro can channel all of his body's electrical energy, and focus into any part to give out immensely powerful energy projections. Electro can also focus into any part to create devastating electrical blasts that a normal human could not survive.
- Electrical Absorption: Electro can absorb an external electrical power source to recharge his body's energy reserves. Electro can absorb electrical energy that's around him.
- Electroreception/Electrical Detection: By sending an electrical current, Electro can perceive what it hit. Electro's electrical powers grants him certain sensory and manipulative abilities. Electro can override systems and make electrically-powered devices obey his mental commands. He was able to sense the electric difference when he entered a new universe.
- Electricity Immunity: Electro's body is immune to the effects of its electricity and that of other sources as well.
- Charging: Electro can charge himself up to reach high maximum voltage.
- Exceptional Intelligence: Max's intelligence is close to genius levels. He came up with the idea of a power grid, it was such an intelligent idea that his co-workers stole the idea from Max. As well as that, working as Oscorp as an electrical engineer isn't an easy job to land. Due to his knowledge on electricity, Max is able to take full control of an Arc Reactor and make him a major threat to those who stand in his way.
- Expert Engineer: Max was a high-ranking member of Oscorp, his position was an electrical engineer and despite never using an Arc Reactor he was able to master the usage of one.
Weaknesses[]
- Arrogance: Although he is powerful, Electro is very arrogant developing a god complex that rivals that of the Green Goblin this caused him to be easily defeated by his Peter and Gwen when they overloaded him with Electricity in the Original timeline and depowered in the MCU by Otto.
- Inferiority Complex: Due to being an ordinary Electric engineer, Max develops a huge case of inferiority Complex to the point that he thinks he's a nobody without his powers. This leads him to be easily manipulated by both Harry Osborn and the Green Goblin of the Raimiverse becoming their pawn against both Webbverse Peter and MCU Peter.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Harry Osborn/Green Goblin - Freer and Former Situational Ally
- Curt Connors/The Lizard - Former Colleague and Situational Ally
- Peter Parker/Spider-Man - Idol,Friend, Former Arch-rival, Former Attempted Victim and Former Attempted Killer
- Peter Parker/MCU Spider-Man - Former Enemy
- Flint Marko/Sandman - Situational Enemy and Situational Ally
- Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus - Former Enemy and Curer
- Ned Leeds - Temporary Enemy
- Michelle Jones - Temporary Enemy
- Norman Osborn/Green Goblin - Situational Ally
- Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange - Temporary Enemy
- Peter Parker/Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - Temporary Enemy
Enemies[]
- Gwen Stacy † - Former Coworker and Attempted Killer
- Alistair Smythe - Former Superior and Bully
- New York City Police Department
- Ashley Kafka † - Victim
- Donald Menken
- Man in Black Suit † - Victim
- MCU May Parker †
- J. Jonah Jameson
Trivia[]
- In a 2012 Twitter post, Jamie Foxx teased that he "dressed up as Electro for Halloween" and that the "costume fit well".
- Foxx also stated that the costume for the movie would not be green and yellow, like it is in mainstream comics. Instead, it would have been a sleek black, similar to the "Ultimate Marvel" comics.
- After being chosen for the role, Foxx stated to Entertainment Tonight that he likes Electro as a character and was excited to play him.
- This version of Electro is different from his comic book counterpart. In the film, he is sympathetic and has no friends, while in the comics, he was a normal employee who suffered the accident to become Electro.
- This version of Electro has similarities with the New Animated Series version. Both are portrayed in a sympathetic manner and are social outcasts.
- His sympathetic side may be a nod to his Spectacular Spider-Man version.
- Although Foxx did his Electro voice in several interviews, his voice was edited slightly to sound 'electrically distorted'.
- Electro is the first villain in the Amazing Spider-Man series in which his transformation into the villain is accidental.
- The lightning bolts on his cake is a reference to his classic comic design, which makes an appearance in No Way Home.
- His appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is based off of his Ultimate comics incarnation. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, the advanced electricity grids of Earth-199999 and the Arc Reactor propel him to a new design that resembles his classic comic book look: yellow electricity and his trademark mask, represented by flashing sparkles on his face.
- Since Doctor Strange said, that the spell brings people who know Peter Parker is Spider-Man into the MCU, and yet, Electro never found out his Peter was Spider-Man. So its unknown on how he ended up to get pulled in the MCU. Maybe it wasn't the same Electro but a different variant from a different Andrew Garfield Spider-Man universe.
- If excluding No Way Home entirely, then he is the only main antagonist within a live action Spider-Man movie who did not knew Peter's secret Identity as Spider-Man.
- Ultimately his betrayal of MCU Peter is a repeat of his conflict with his own Peter: In that he lets a Green Goblin (In this case, Raimiverse Peter 's Green Goblin) manipulate him by preying on his insecurities so that the Goblin would get what he wants. (Which is to spite both MCU Peter and Raimiverse Peter for their drive to help people and refusing to join him.)
- In Spider-Man: No Way Home upon being cured of his powers, Max expresses disappointment that his Spider-Man wasn't black, then saying "There's gotta be a black Spider-Man out there somewhere", which is possibly a reference to Miles Morales.
- In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter told the Raimiverse Peter that Max was "the sweetest guy ever" prior to becoming Electro, showing that even after all the years that passed, Peter never forgot about Electro and the effect his death has on him.
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was internationally titled The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro.
External Links[]
- Electro on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
- Electro on the Spider-Man films Wiki
- Electro on the Marvel Wiki
- Electro (No Way Home) on the Marvel Wiki
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 Cinematic Villains
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