Doctor Octopus/Variant Doctor Octopus

*"You're flying out into the darkness to fight ghosts."*
―Doctor Octopus to Peter Parker[src]
Doctor **Otto Gunther Octavius** is a nuclear scientist and inventor of a set of mechanical limbs to help his experiments. Unfortunately, the tentacles fused to Octavius' body in a lab accident, and their artificial intelligence corrupted his brain. That terrible disaster would make Otto Octavius became the power mad scientist know as **Doctor Octopus** managing to came into conflict with the superhero Spider-Man. However, after eventually being returned to his senses by spiderman, who revealed himself as Peter Parker, the latter persuades him to redeem himself by destroying his experiment, though this comes at the cost of his life.

Two decades later, a botched spell caused an alternate version of Octavius prior to his redemption and death, to be transported to an alternate universe, due to him being aware that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Unaware he was in another universe, he fought this version of Spider-Man, mistaking it for his own.

He was defeated he was sent to the New York Sanctum. Rather than sending him and the other villains back to their universes to die, Spider-Man chose to cure them, freeing Octavius from his tentacles' control. Octavius then chose to assist Spider-Man, his universe's Spider-Man, and another alternate Spider-Man, in battling Green Goblin and the other villains, until they were all cured and sent back to their respective universes, with this alternate version of Octavius being given a second chance at life in his universe but in a branched/alternate timeline.

## Biography

### Original Version

#### Fighting Spider-Man

*"Spider-Man was trying to stop my fusion reactor, so I stopped him. I had him, by the throat! And then I... and then I was here."*
―Doctor Octopus[src]
Otto Octavius was a brilliant scientist who worked towards researching and building a sustainable fusion power reactor. During his career, he became friends with Curt Connors and Norman Osborn, the founder and CEO of Oscorp, who funded his work via his company, although Octavius deep down considered Osborn, greedy and misguided. He learned of Osborn's identity as Green Goblin and that Osborn had died fighting Spider-Man at some point after Osborn's death in 2002.

Two years later (2004), Octavius met and befriended Peter Parker. To build his reactor and successfully create and sustain the fusion reaction, Octavius developed a set of artificially intelligent mechanical arms and a Neural Inhibitor Chip to prevent the advanced AI of the arms from influencing his mind.

However, during a lab accident, Octavius' mechanical arms were permanently bonded to his spinal column and the neural inhibitor chip was destroyed. Through the loss of his inhibitor chip, Octavius heard the voices of his arms within his head. They played on his vanity and ego, leading to them corrupting his mind and manipulating him to rebuild his reactor at any cost. Octavius was given the name Doctor Octopus, as well as Doc Ock for short, and came into conflict with Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson.

#### Battle at the Fusion Reactor

During his final battle with Spider-Man, who revealed himself as Peter, the latter pleaded Octopus to destroy his fusion reactor. While Octopus responded by grabbing Peter's throat with one of his mechanical arms, Peter got through to Octavius. Back to his old self, Octavius redeemed himself by destroying his fusion reactor, but this came at the cost of his life.

### Variant

#### Spider-Man Multiversal Crisis

##### Brought to an Alternate Universe

*"What have you done with my machine?"
"Your ma— I don't know what you're talking about. What machine?"
"The power of the sun, in the palm of my hand. It's gone."*
―Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man[src]
While holding Peter by his throat shortly before regaining his senses and control of his arms during their final battle, he was accidentally pulled from hisuniverse (Earth-96283) and transported to New York City of an alternate universe (MCU universe), during the year 2024 of that universe, due to a botched spell bringing in people that knew Peter Parker was Spider-Man from every universe within the Multiverse into the MCU Universe. This alternate version of Octavius was brought into the MCU universe alive, as he was pulled before his death. However, he was also pulled before regaining his senses and control of his mechanical arms, so he was still under the control of the arms and going by Doctor Octopus. Unaware that he was in another universe and determined to rebuild his fusion reactor, Otto would look for parts to make his project, however, in his search he would end up reaching the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

After destroying parts of the bridge, Doctor Octopus encountered the MCU Spider-Man. However, believing that he was his Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus demanded Spider-Man to tell him what he did to his reactor. Doctor Octopus then told Spider-Man, who did not know what he was talking about, that his reactor was gone. Unfortunately, Doctor Octopus believed that Spider-Man's confusion to be feigning ignorance and that he was playing games with him.

##### Battle at the Alexander Hamilton Bridge

*"You're not Peter Parker."*
―Doctor Octopus to Peter Parker[src]
Doctor Octopus then grabbed two cars with his tentacles as he attacked Spider-Man by throwing the vehicles at him. While Spider-Man was distracted of saving anyone who were in the cars, Doctor Octopus grabbed Parker with his tentacles, asked him if his fancy new suit was going to save him and flung him around the bridge. After flinging him into a UPS truck, Doctor Octopus told Spider-Man that he wished he killed his girlfriend when he had the chance, which infuriated Parker as he thought he was talking about Michelle Jones.

Seeing Spider-Man's own mechanical arms, Doctor Octopus was intrigued to see that and told his tentacles that they have competition. Doctor Octopus continued fighting Spider-Man but grabbed him once more than tried to kill him by using the propeller of a Daily Bugle helicopter. However, when Spider-Man saw that the MIT Assistant Vice Chancellor was in trouble and set out to rescue her, Doctor Octopus tried to stop Parker's efforts but was able to evade him. After Spider-Man stopped the car the Vice Chancellor was in from falling, Doctor Octopus headed for under the bridge and then grabbed Parker once again.

Once he had Parker restrained, Doctor Octopus removed a piece of Spider-Man's Iron Spider armor as he found out that his suit was made out of nanotechnology, which left him in awe. Doctor Octopus then integrated the nanotechnology into his tentacles and told Spider-Man that he overdid himself. After telling Parker that he underestimated him, Doctor Octopus attempted to kill Spider-Man through a sharp part of his tentacles. Unfortunately, Doctor Octopus witnessed the remaining nanites save Parker as they removed Spider-Man's mask to restore the torn piece of his armor.

Seeing this, Doctor Octopus became confused when he saw Spider-Man without his mask as he used his tentacles to bring the latter closer to him for a better look. Doctor Octopus then came to the realization that the Spider-Man he was fighting was not his Peter Parker. However, Doctor Octopus became further confused when he saw that one of his tentacles was moving on its own and asked what was happening.

After Spider-Man used his armor to pair the device through via a Bluetooth connection, due to the integration of the nanotech into them, Doctor Octopus lost control of his tentacles as they turned against him. Seeing this, Doctor Octopus told his tentacles to not listen to Spider-Man and to keep listening to him. Also, much to his annoyances, Doctor Octopus was forced by Spider-Man to rescue the MIT Assistant Vice Chancellor as he used his tentacles to bring them back up to the top of the bridge.

Once he was brought back up to the bridge, Doctor Octopus was scolded by the MIT Assistant Vice Chancellor for almost killing her, which stunned him. When Spider-Man tried to interrogate him, Doctor Octopus attempted to attack Parker with his bare hands, only to fail, after seeing how his hi-jacked mechanical appendages limited his arm's reach. Doctor Octopus was then informed by Spider-Man that he was now in control of his tentacles.

However, they were interrupted when Spider-Man sensed something was coming as he restrained Doctor Octopus with one of his arms. After an explosion went off, Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man witnessed the arrival of Green Goblin. Doctor Octopus recognized Green Goblin as Norman Osborn as he attempted to attack him and Spider-Man. However, before Green Goblin could attack them, Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man found themselves being transported away by an Inter-Dimensional Portal and were both brought to the New York Sanctum by this version of Doctor Strange.

##### Imprisoned at the Sanctum

*"A spell? As in magic? What is this, a birthday party? Who is this clown? What is this madness?"*
―Doctor Octopus to Doctor Strange[src]
Seeing this, Doctor Octopus was in shock to find himself in another location but was placed in captivity by Strange with the previously-discovered Lizard (from Earth-120703, which is another alternate universe). Confused at his present location, Doctor Octopus demanded to be set free and answers as to what was going on, including who Strange was and where he was, but did not get a response. Hearing Parker and Strange discussing the Multiverse, Doctor Octopus was shocked to find out that it was real. Also, Doctor Octopus overheard Parker and Strange talking about the spell that brought him to their universe.

Although he was skeptical, Doctor Octopus asked Strange about the spell and magic but did make a snark comment. However, Doctor Octopus was asked by Strange, in an effort to prove that he was from another universe, if he knew a Peter Parker who was Spider-Man, which he confirmed. Doctor Octopus then denied to Strange that the Parker in front of him was the one he knew. Also, Doctor Octopus saw Strange perform magic, which surprised him.

After seeing Parker return with his friends, Doctor Octopus asked him who those two were, and was introduced to Michelle Jones and Ned Leeds. Doctor Octopus then introduced himself as Doctor Otto Octavius, which Parker, Jones, and Leeds found funny, much to his annoyance. Although he was still confused of his situation, Doctor Octopus overheard Parker talking to his friends about Norman Osborn, as he deemed it impossible that it was his friend and fellow scientist that he saw before. When Parker questioned him, Doctor Octopus confirmed to him that he knew Osborn and explained his background in his universe.

However, on behalf of his tentacles, Doctor Octopus had an outburst on Parker as they were both sick and tired of his questions. Fortunately, Doctor Octopus was quick to settle down then told Parker and his friends that it could not be Osborn. When Jones asked what he meant by that, Doctor Octopus explained to her, Leeds and Parker that Osborn, to his knowledge, had died years ago. Also, Doctor Octopus warned Parker that either what they saw before on the bridge was someone else or he was going out there to fight a ghost.

After Spider-Man teleported another alternate universe displaced men to the basement and into a cell, Doctor Octopus meets Electro (from Lizard's universe) and waved to him when he looked over to his direction. Doctor Octopus then witnessed Sandman (who was from his and Osborn's universe) appear in another cell, as Spider-Man teleported him to the basement as well. Also, Doctor Octopus was surprised that Electro knew Lizard as the latter told him and everyone in the room that his real name was Doctor Curt Connors and explained his background from their universe. Hearing this, Doctor Octopus was surprised that another version of Connors existed in the other universe.

##### Learning of His Fate

*"A couple of years later, you, Doc Ock, drowned in the river with your machine"*
―Sandman to Doctor Octopus[src]
That next day, Doctor Octopus was looking at the wall of his cell until he heard a familiar voice and turned around to see Norman Osborn right in front in him, who had been brought to the Sanctum Sanctorum by Spider-Man, as they reunited with each other. Doctor Octopus then realized that it was Osborn that he saw before on the bridge as Green Goblin. When Osborn, who was stunned to see a pair of mechanical tentacles on his back, asked him as to what happened to him, Doctor Octopus did not give his friend an answer.

After telling his friend that he was the walking corpse, Doctor Octopus explained to a confused Osborn that he had died some years beforehand while fighting their Spider-Man. When Spider-Man overheard their conversation, Doctor Octopus was confronted by Parker as he told him that Osborn was not dead and was standing right in front of them. However, Doctor Octopus, Osborn and Parker were told by Sandman that what the latter was saying was true about Green Goblin's death.

Doctor Octopus was then told by Sandman that he himself had died while fighting their Spider-Man as he found out about his and Osborn's death through the news in their universe. Also, Doctor Octopus was told by Sandman that he died when he drowned in the river with his machine. Refusing to believe Sandman's claim, Doctor Octopus told the latter that was nonsense and then explained to everyone in the room that his Spider-Man was trying to stop his machine and that he had him by the throat. However, Doctor Octopus became shocked when he realized that was the last thing he remembered before being brought to this universe. Through this realization, Doctor Octopus realized that Sandman was telling him the truth that he did indeed die and was spared from death by the spell. Doctor Octopus then witnessed Doctor Strange return with an ancient relic, known as the Macchina di Kadavus, and listened to his intentions to reverse Spider-Man's corrupt spell, which would send the group back to their universes.

Hearing this, an angry Doctor Octopus asked Strange if he and the rest of the villains were going to perish once they returned home. Doctor Octopus then became nervous and uneasy when he saw Strange's attempt to send them back to their universes to meet their fates. However, much to his shock, Doctor Octopus witnessed the MCU Spider-Man take the Macchina away from Strange and left the room, which led to a battle between the two superheroes.

##### Being Offered a Cure

*"You could have just left us to die. Why didn't you?"*
―Doctor Octopus to Spider-Man[src]
After Peter Parker returned with the Macchina and trapped Doctor Strange in the Mirror Dimension, Doctor Octopus expressed how surprised he was that Spider-Man came back and would go out of his way to save them. Also, Doctor Octopus told Parker that it would had been easier to just leave them to die in their own universes, as he asked him as to why he did not send them back like Strange intended, but Michelle Jones told him that it was not what Spider-Man would do.

Doctor Octopus then listened to Spider-Man's intentions to help him alongside the group of villains be free of their mental and physical issues. Also, Doctor Octopus and the group were told by Parker that when they would go back to their universes, they may not die fighting their version of Spider-Man. In addition, Doctor Octopus and the group of villains were told by Spider-Man that part of his plan to help them was through his universe advanced technology.

Doctor Octopus then made a snarky comment to Parker and told him that he refused to be fixed by him. After Spider-Man's friends left, Doctor Octopus and the rest of the villains were asked by Parker if they were coming with him. Despite being skeptical in coming with Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus decided to accept his offer when he saw that Osborn was willing to go with Parker. Doctor Octopus and the rest of the villains were set free from their cells by Spider-Man.

##### Staying at Happy Hogan's Condominium

*"So this is your plan, Peter? Hmm? No lab, no facilities, just performing miracles in a condominium? Hmm? What, are you gonna cook up some cures or some frozen burritos in a microwave?"*
―Doctor Octopus to Spider-Man[src]
Once he was released from his cell, Doctor Octopus with the other villains were brought by Spider-Man and his aunt to a condominium owned by a friend of the Parkers'. Being restrained by one of his tentacles, Doctor Octopus asked Parker that using a condominium was his plan instead of a lab or facility to cure him and the other villains, while also making a sarcastic comment to Spider-Man. Also, Doctor Octopus told an obviously Osborn, who overheard his and Parker's conversation, that Spider-Man was going to kill them all.

Doctor Octopus was then informed by Parker that he was the first to get cured, as he and Osborn, who was assisting Spider-Man in his plan to cure him, himself and the other villains, headed for the back room. Hearing this, Doctor Octopus protested to Parker and told him that he did not need fixing, especially by a teenager who was using scraps from someone's junk drawer. However, Doctor Octopus became surprised when Electro defended Parker because he realized that he had something in the back room.

Doctor Octopus then became startled when he heard a noise in the back room as he became fearful that Parker was going to kill him and the other villains. Due to being restrained by his own tentacles, Doctor Octopus ultimately had to suffer through the humiliation of not being able to fight back, as he quietly stood in the living room. However, when Parker's aunt offered him a glass of water, Doctor Octopus politely accepted her offer. Doctor Octopus then became confused when Parker's aunt asked him if he wanted freshwater or salt, as she thought he was part Octopus, but changed the subject when she saw his confusion.

##### Getting Cured

*"It's so quiet... Those voices inside my head. I'd almost forgotten."
"Otto?
""Yes. Norman. It's me."*
―Otto Octavius and Norman Osborn[src]
After Peter Parker and Norman Osborn were able to create a new inhibitor chip made from using a Stark Industries Fabricator, Doctor Octopus was set up by Parker's aunt so Spider-Man could remove the old chip and install the new one to the back of his neck. Unfortunately, Doctor Octopus continued resisting Parker's attempts to help him, even brushing off Osborn's reassurances when he reminded him of his actions that created his Green Goblin identity.

However, after Spider-Man grabbed him by the head, Doctor Octopus had his new chip installed to the back of his neck, but lost consciousness, which had the group worried. Just before Spider-Man was going to see if Doctor Octopus was okay, Octavius regained consciousness in a panic until he calmed down when he realized that the voices from his tentacles were not inside his head anymore, as the new chip worked in restoring his mind. Through this realization, Octavius was on the verge of tears of having control of his own mind again.

Hearing Osborn calling out to him, Octavius happily assured his friend that he was truly back to himself again. Octavius then returned the nanites that his tentacles absorbed from Spider-Man's Iron Spider Armor during their fight on the bridge back to Parker, which ended up creating the Integrated Suit. After returning the nanites to Spider-Man, Octavius expressed his gratitude to Parker for his help in giving him control of his mind back.

Wanting to help save the villains, especially Osborn, and indebted to Parker, Octavius offered his assistance to his friends in creating cures for the rest of the group. Later, while Parker was working on curing Electro, Octavius had a short conversation with Osborn, who was working on his own cure, as he asked his friend on how it would feel to no longer have the Green Goblin identity within him, as the latter turns around to give him a slight smile.

##### Escape from Spider-Man

*"Oh my God. What have you done?""*
―Otto Octavius to Electro[src]
However, seeing Spider-Man get up because of his Spider-Sense being set off, Octavius and Osborn noticed this and expressed concern for Parker. Following Parker to the living room, Octavius looked around for danger and noticed Osborn walking towards Dum-E. After Spider-Man found out that Green Goblin had taken over Osborn's mind and webbed his hand to Dum-E, Octavius and the Parkers realized that it was their friend's alter ego that was talking to the group and not the scientist himself.

Octavius and the Parkers listened to Green Goblin taunting them for believing that he let them and Osborn remove him from their friend's mind. Also, realizing that Green Goblin was manipulating the other villains into turning on Spider-Man, Octavius tried to stop him and attempted to reach out to Osborn, but to no avail. After the other villains turned against him and the Parkers, Octavius and Spider-Man witnessed Electro take the Arc Reactor from the Stark Industries Fabricator.

Seeing this, Octavius asked Electro what he had done and then tried to stop him from leaving. However, Octavius was incapacitated by Electro and used his electricity to blast him out of the condominium. Managing to break his fall with his tentacles, Octavius was left with no choice but to swiftly retreat from the scene, hopping across the buildings while J. Jonah Jameson watched from below and recorded for *The Daily Bugle*.

##### Battle at Liberty Island

*"The power of the sun..."
"...in the palm of your hand."*
―Otto Octavius and Peter Parker[src]
Octavius intervened in the battle at the Statue of Liberty by tricking Electro and the three Peter Parkers' (MCU Peter, his Peter, and the Earth-120703 Peter) into thinking he had reverted to Doctor Octopus once again. However, Octavius quickly revealed his deceit by removing the Arc Reactor and attaching Electro's cure to him. After setting a cured Max Dillon down with his tentacles, Octavius marveled at the Arc Reactor, impressed that someone had managed to harness the power of the sun in the palm of his hand, as he had tried to do before.

When one of the Spider-Men came to see him and he heard his voice, Octavius recognized him as he realized that he was his Peter Parker and reunited with him. Octavius expressed how glad he was to see his Parker again and commented that he had grown up since the time they had last met. When he asked how the latter had been, Parker responded that he was trying to do better, echoing what he had told him the first time they had met, which Octavius remembered fondly.

However, they were interrupted by the arrival of Doctor Strange, who was able to escape the Mirror Dimension and was brought to the Statue of Liberty by Ned Leeds, and Octavius watched as his Parker went to defend their friend from the latter as he scolded him for trapping him at the Grand Canyon for twelve hours. Octavius then saw the other Spider-Man arrive as he, with his and the young Parker, talked with Strange. When Green Goblin reappeared to attack the group, Octavius defended Strange from his Razor Bats by grabbing them with his tentacles.

After Green Goblin stole the Macchina di Kadavus, Octavius was able to stop him from leaving by grabbing his Goblin Glider with his tentacles, but Green Goblin spun the glider around and sliced off the tentacle. Strange was able to retrieve the Macchina di Kadavus; however, he failed to notice that Green Goblin placed one of his Pumpkin Bombs inside the device, which exploded.

As the scaffolding around the Statue of Liberty began to collapse as a result of the unstable spell being unleashed, Octavius carried Dillon down to safety with his remaining tentacles. He is present when Osborn is cured of the Green Goblin persona for good. When Strange cast a new spell that would make everyone in that universe forget about the MCU Peter Parker's existence, Octavius, Osborn, Flint Marko, Connors, Dillon and their Spider-Men were all sent back to their universe just before the spell was completed, with his fate altered and the Arc Reactor in his possession.

### Fate

The alternate version of Octavius returned to his universe, but this would be a branched/alternate timeline of the Earth-96283 universe. As he returned with the arc reactor, this could give him the chance to destroy his machine without sacrificing his life, unlike his original counterpart in the original timeline. If Octavius survived, he would a second chance at life, but would likely have to go into hiding, as his crimes were known.