Marvel Database
Marvel Database

History

Early Life[]

Much of Norman Osborn's early history mirrors that of his Earth-616 counterpart.

Norman Osborn was once the supervillain known as the Green Goblin. He became a bitter enemy of the hero known as Spider-Man, killing his girlfriend Gwen Stacy. At some point, the Green Goblin was presumed dead, and Osborn succeeded in largely hiding the truth of his past as a supervillain.[1]

Norman Osborn's desire to become a legitimate businessman eventually came to fruition, but did nothing to dull his boundless ambition. He used his knowledge of the supervillains he had once fought alongside to strike against them without mercy. He is known to have killed the Controller, Justin Hammer, Blacklash, Unicorn, and Count Nefaria.[2]

Norman Osborn set his sights on the presidency of the United States of America. Osborn planned the destruction of the Daily Bugle, in order to provide an environment where he would not be under scrutiny for what was to come. He revealed the true identity of Spider-Man to publisher J. Jonah Jameson, well aware that it would lead to the newspaper's ruin since Spider-Man was in fact a Daily Bugle employee.[3]

Mutation of Humanity[]

When the entirety of mankind was mutated due to the Terrigen Mist Osborn was transformed, now closely resembling his old Green Goblin costume. Chaos and anarchy broke out worldwide. While the heroes did their best to help people through the resulting chaos and anarchy, with a group of superhuman scientists led by Reed Richards isolating themselves in the Baxter Building to attempt to reverse the mutations, Osborn carried on his schemes.[4]

Norman Osborn (Earth-9997) from Marvels X Vol 1 6 001

Osborn disguised as his human self

He moved among the mutated mob in his new goblin form, encouraging them to revolt against those who had turned them into monsters. Leading the mob, Osborn stormed the gates of the Baxter Building, before quietly vanishing.[5] As the besieged heroes fought the mob Osborn returned, now at the head of a great host of both heroes, villains and ordinary people. Wearing a mask resembling his old human face, Osborn offered his help, declaring he wished to help restore order and bring the city back to its feet.[6]

S.H.I.E.L.D. was called in to bring order, with Captain America at the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. forces clashing with civilians. Seeing those they had worshiped as heroes beating them up for trying to take what little food remained alienated the greater population to the establishment, pushing them towards the arms of Osborn and his "new America".[3]

Accessing the Bloodstone Files, Osborn created the Hydra, a parasitic hivemind that would subsume and possess its victims. Osborn claimed it was an alien invasion, and managed to bring Tony Stark into a partnership to fight the infestation, bringing the entire city of New York together. When Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. learned the truth behind Hydra and Osborn's schemes, Osborn had the parasites attack S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury was killed, the organization destroyed, and a number of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agents were subsumed by the Hydra.[3]

With nothing else standing in his way, Osborn monopolized American industry, and assumed the presidency with no election, essentially ruling as a dictator, bolstered by his partnership with Tony Stark and his control over the remaining law enforcement agencies in the country.[1]

Rise of the Skull[]

Norman Osborn (Earth-9997) from Earth X Vol 1 9 002

Osborn falls to his death

After nearly two decades of rule, Osborn would be challenged by the Skull, an individual with the ability to bend anyone he encountered to his will. The Skull desired the United States, and starting in California created an army of enslaved superhumans, marching towards New York. He found Osborn in his office, and commanded Spiders Man to use his illusion powers to make it look like Gwen Stacy was the one attacking him. Osborn was pushed out of a window of his building and would get caught on a flag. The sudden stop would snap his neck, just as Gwen Stacy had died.[7]

Osborn's soul would end up in the Realm of the Dead, where it would take up an appearance of his old self when he operated as the costumed Green Goblin. There he would fight the many dead heroes in a never-ending battle. When Mar-Vell managed to kill Death and create his Paradise, Norman was one of many superhumans brought there from the realm of death. There he would consume a shard of the Cosmic Cube to create his own ideal paradise. Norman's fate following the invasion of Paradise by the Kree remains unrevealed.[8]

Attributes

Powers

Norman had similar powers, abilities and equipment as his Earth-616 counterpart. When he mutated further to resemble a real Goblin, Norman appeared to have abandoned his costumed identity, but presumably he still had the same physical attributes and mutations.

When in the Realm of the Dead, Osborn had an appearance similar to his early career and could utilize a goblin glider, pumpkin bombs, and other weapons.

See Also

Links and References

References