Enter the Green Goblin

**Enter the Green Goblin** is the fourth episode of season three. After an explosion at OsCorp supposedly kills Norman Osborn a new goblin, calling himself the Green Goblin, emerges and abducts the people he blames for Osborn's death. All evidence points toward Harry Osborn who is believed to be seeking revenge for his father's disappearance.

## Plot

One night at OsCorp, Norman Osborn and an OsCorp scientist named Wardell Stromm try to perfect a new chemical weapon. Dr. Wardell tells Osborn that they must stop because they have been working eighteen hours straight. However, Norman replies that they will work another eighteen hours if they have to because the formula must be perfect. Norman then remembers back to a meeting he had with the OsCorp board of directors. Anastasia Hardy shows Norman a Daily Bugle newspaper with an article revealing that he was secretly creating chemical weapons and in the process polluted nearby areas. Anastasia then tells Norman that he may own OsCorp but he is still responsible to the board of directors and humanity. Norman then blames J. Jonah Jameson for leaking the story. However, Jameson replies that he is a journalist first and an OsCorp shareholder second. Anastasia then threatens Norman by saying that she will urge the board of directors to replace him with another CEO at their next meeting.

Norman then hears a nearby computer beeping and goes to it. It is a video call and as Norman answers it he sees Kingpin, who is also on the OsCorp board of directors. Kingpin tells Norman that if he does not deliver the chemical weapon to him he will kill both him and Harry Osborn. Norman then scolds himself and asks why he ever alowed himself to be controlled by the Kingpin. As Kingpin ends the video call Norman tells Wardell that they must finish the gas. However, Wardell tells Norman that they may never get a working sample of the gas in time and if by some chance they did they would have no way of telling how long it's effects will last. Norman is determined to get a working sample of the gas and starts working on it. However, Wardell warns Norman that he didn't secure the airlocks on the gas chamber but it was to late. As Norman begins working on the gas it causes an explosion.

Spider-Man is nearby and sees the explosion and heads that way. Meanwhile, Harry is in his car stuck in traffic and hears about the explosion on the radio. Harry gets frantic and starts worrying about his father. As Spider-Man arrives he rescues Dr. Stromm and goes back inside to save Norman. However, a large container of chemicals falls over and Spider-Man dives through a hole in the floor to avoid it. As Spider-Man crawls out of the hole he sees Harry who is searching for his father. However, Spider-Man's spider sense tingles so he grabs Harry and gets him to safety. As Spider-Man watches from a nearby rooftop he feels sorry for Harry and believes there is no way Norman could have survived.

Two weeks later, the board of directors invite Harry to a meeting at OsCorp. Wilson Fisk tells the board that they must name a successor as the new CEO of OsCorp. J. Jonah Jameson, Anastasia Hardy, and the other board members agree. However, Harry, enraged, is convinced that his father might still be alive because Norman's body was never recovered. Harry continues to tell the board that if Norman really is dead then they are all responsible for driving him to his death. Harry specifically calls out Jameson as he holds up the Daily Bugle edition which ran the expose about OsCorp's chemical weapons. Fisk agrees with Harry and decides to table the issue of replacing Norman until it can be proven if he is actually dead or alive. As Harry leaves the board room, he looks back angrily at the board of directors.

As Kingpin leaves the meeting he calls Dr. Stromm and tells him that Norman's death has diverted everyone's attention away from the chemical weapons which gives him the perfect opportunity to continue his research. Stromm is shocked that Kingpin still wants the gas after everything that has happened. Kingpin then tells Stromm that if he doesn't deliver the gas he will regret it.

A short while later a mysterious figure abducts one of the OsCorp board members while he is dining at a restaurant.

That same day Mary Jane Watson finds Peter at Washington Square Park and asks him to check on Harry because he has not been returning her phone calls. Sometime later Peter goes to Harry's apartment. As Peter knocks on the door he wonders why he always plays match maker between Mary Jane and Harry even though he in love with Mary Jane as well. When Harry answers the door Peter asks if he is okay. However, Harry answers that he isn't alright and wants to be left alone. Harry then walks away and shouts that he doesn't want to talk to Peter or anyone else.

That night Spider-Man web slings through New York City and thinks to himself that he knows what it's like to lose both parents but is glad that he always had his Aunt May. Nearby J. Jonah Jameson's limo is attacked. A hand reaches through the sunroof of the limo and pulls Jameson out of the limo and flies away. As the man flies into the air Spider-Man sees that he is on a Goblin Glider and believes that it is the Hobgoblin. As Spider-Man attaches a web line to the glider he climbs up. As Jameson sees Spider-Man he believes that he is involved with his kidnapping. When Spider-Man climbs on top of the glider he sees that is not the Hobgoblin. The new goblin introduces himself as the Green Goblin and grabs both of Spider-Man's wrists and squeezes them. Green Goblin's grip actually hurts Spider-Man and Spidey realizes that the Green Goblin has super strength. As Green Goblin throws Spider-Man he lands on the wing of the glider and tries to shoot Green Goblin with webbing. However, Spider-Man learns that Green Goblin crushes his Web-Shooters when he grabbed his wrists. Green Goblin then separates his small glider from the large glider, which Spider-Man is on, and controls it to crash into a building. Spider-Man is unharmed but Green Goblin is able to get away with J. Jonah Jameson.

The next day Spider-Man is able to fix his web shooters and then heads to OsCorp to investigate. Spider-Man believes that he can find clues there because OsCorp is where the Hobgoblin originally got his weapons from. As Spider-Man looks through a window he sees Harry angrily looking through some papers. When Harry leaves the room Spider-Man enters and looks at the papers. Spider-Man sees that they are blueprints for goblin weapons. As Spider-Man turns around he looks out the window and sees the Green Goblin fly into the sky. Spider-Man then starts to think that his best friend is the Green Goblin.

As night falls Green Goblin goes to the World Trade Center and kidnaps another member of the OsCorp board of directors. A few hours later Spider-Man hears of the kidnapping and goes to the World Trade Center. There Spider-Man runs into Terri Lee. Spider-Man asks if she knows what all the recent high profile abductions have in common. Terri Lee answers that all the police know so far is that all the victims are on OsCorp's board of directors. As Spider-Man asks if she has warned the remaining board members Terri Lee answers that she was about to do that. However, Spider-Man tells her that she may not have time because the Green Goblin moves quickly and he swings away.

Spider-Man hurries to Felicia Hardy's apartment believing that Anastasia Hardy will be the next board member to be kidnapped. However, Spider-Man is to late. As Spider-Man climbs up the side of the building an explosion goes off in Felicia's apartment and Green Goblin grabs Anastasia and flies away on his glider. Spider-Man jumps on Green Goblin's back. However, Green Goblin flies back into the apartment and grabs Felicia and flies into the sky. Green Goblin drops both Felicia and Anastasia and Spider-Man dives and saves Felicia. While Spider-Man does that Green Goblin grabs Anastasia and flies away with her. Spider-Man knew Green Goblin wouldn't let Anastasia die because he wanted to take her hostage. Felicia tells Spider-Man that he must save her mother and Spider-Man replies that he will do his best.

Later that night Kingpin is in his helicopter flying through the sky. As Kingpin looks out the window he sees someone on a glider and believes that it is the Hobgoblin. However, after looking more closely Kingpin realizes that this is a new goblin and he orders his pilot to shoot him down. However, Green Goblin throws a pumpkin bomb at the helicopter and as it explodes it releases smoke which blocks the pilots sight. As Green Goblin rips the door off the helicopter he wraps Kingpin in a metal wire that is attached to his glider and flies away.

The next day Spider-Man learns that Wilson Fisk had been kidnapped and realizes that he has no leads to the Green Goblin. Peter then changes into his street clothes and returns home. As Peter enters the living room he sees Mary Jane sitting on the couch. Mary Jane then reveals to Peter that she believes that Harry is involved in the kidnappings to avenge Norman's death. Peter tells Mary Jane that that's crazy but secretly believes that she might be right. Mary Jane continues to tell Peter that Harry has a dark side that comes from being unloved as a child and that she believes that his dark side has taken over and driven him insane. Peter starts to think that if he told Mary Jane the truth it would make her feel worse about but also wonders if it will make her feel better about him. However, Peter decides not to tell Mary Jane that he thinks Harry is the Green Goblin because Harry is his friend. Peter then tells Mary Jane that Harry needs them to stand by his side. As Mary Jane leaves Peter places a Spider-Tracer in Mary Jane's pack so that he can make sure she stays safe.

As the sun starts to rise Mary Jane goes to OsCorp. As Mary Jane goes inside she hears someone coming and hides. Mary Jane looks to see who it is and realizes that it is Harry. As Harry walks into another room Mary Jane follows him. However, the wooden planks on the floor break and Mary Jane falls into the lower levels of OsCorp. Green Goblin is down there and takes Mary Jane hostage. However, Spider-Man followed Mary Jane and witnessed Green Goblin take her. As Green Goblin flies out of OsCorp he presses a button on his belt and a submarine emerges and Green Goblin goes inside with Mary Jane. However, Spider-Man sticks to the outside of the sub and holds his breath as the submarine dives. The submarine then goes to a large under water base beneath OsCorp.

As Green Goblin gets inside the base he shackles Mary Jane to the wall along with the members of the OsCorp board of directors. Green Goblin then starts a kangaroo trial and says that they are all guilty of ruining Norman Osborn. Green Goblin blamed J. Jonah Jameson for pretending to be Norman's friend and filling the Daily Bugle with lies to ruin his reputation. Green Goblin said that Anastasia Hardy called Norman a threat to humanity but used the Hardy Foundation to fund Doctor Octopus whom he calls one of the greatest criminals of all time. Green Goblin then walks up to Wilson Fisk and calls him the worst of them all. Green Goblin says that they will suffer for their crimes against Norman Osborn.

However, Spider-Man arrives and tackles Green Goblin. As they fight Green Goblin produces a blinding flash of light from a device in his gloves and breaks free of Spider-Man's grasp. Green Goblin gets on his glider and starts throwing pumpkin bombs at Spider-Man but Spider-Man is able to dodge them. As Spider-Man climbs onto the ceiling he crawls onto a glass window. Green Goblin throws another pumpkin bomb and Spider-Man once again dodges it. However, the explosion from the pumpkin bomb causes the window to shatter and the base starts to flood with water from the sea. Spider-Man then breaks Mary Jane and the OsCorp board members free of their shackles. Spider-Man then escorts J. Jonah Jameson, Wilson Fisk, Mary Jane, and the other board members to a submarine and tells to to get inside and get to safety. As Mary Jane asks if Spider-Man is coming with them Spider-Man answers that he has to capture the Green Goblin. As Spider-Man heads back through the tunnel to fight Green Goblin, Wilson Fisk uses a laser on the submarine to blast the tunnel and the falling debris blocked the passage way. As Jameson asks Fisk why he did that Fisk replies that he had to rid the world of both those maniacs. Jameson then pilots the submarine to safety.

As Spider-Man goes back for the Green Goblin he sees that Green Goblin is trapped under debris. Spider-Man removes Green Goblin's mask and expects to see Harry Osborn. However, Spider-Man is shocked to discover that the Green Goblin is really Norman Osborn who was believed to have died in the OsCorp explosion several weeks earlier. Norman then revealed that the when OsCorp exploded he breathed in the chemical he was working on and it caused him to develop a split personality. One of his personalities being the gentle Norman Osborn and the other being the more violent Green Goblin. Norman then told Spider-Man that the gas gave him super strength and he took possession of Hobgoblin's costume and weapons which were stored there at OsCorp. Norman then breaks free from the debris and demands Spider-Man give him back his mask. However, Spider-Man says that he doesn't need it because it represents the evil side of his life. Norman then throws another pumpkin bomb at Spider-Man. However, the explosion knocks Norman back and a statue falls on top of him. Norman attempts to move it but he can not. Norman then realizes that the effects of the gas are wearing off and he no longer has his super strength.

Spider-Man then removes the Green Goblin costume from Norman and tries to find a way out of the base. Spider-Man goes to an exit but sees that it is blocked by debris. As Spider-Man tries to move it water rushes toward them. However, Harry arrives and opens a hatch in the ceiling and Spider-Man goes through it with Norman. The three of them get into a vehicle and Harry drives it and gets them out of there. Harry then tells Spider-Man that he found out about the weapon testing site while he was going through his father's files at OsCorp and realized it was the only way his father could have survived the explosion. As Harry asks Spider-Man how he found the weapons testing site Spider-Man answers that he followed a kidnapper called the Green Goblin. Harry asks if he caught the Green Goblin. At that moment Norman wakes up with no memory of him being the Green Goblin. Spider-Man then tells Harry that he won't need to worry about the Green Goblin because it looked like he was killed.

Later that day Norman Osborn holds a press conference at OsCorp and announces that is company will no longer manufacture chemical weapons. Wilson Fisk steps forward and agrees to what Norman said. However, Fisk whispers to Norman that this is only temporary. Norman then announces that he wants Harry to run the company with him. This excites Harry. Peter is in the audience taking pictures when he is approached by Mary Jane. Mary Jane tells Peter that even when she lost faith in Harry he stood by him the entire time. Mary Jane also said that Peter is a great friend and Harry is lucky to have him in his life. After Mary Jane leaves Felicia walks up to Peter and hands him a piece of paper and asks him to give it to Spider-Man.

Later that night Spider-Man goes to Felicia Hardy's apartment and asks why she wanted to see him. Felicia tells Spider-Man that she wanted to thank him for saving her mother. Felicia then pulls up Spider-Man's mask to just above his mouth and kisses him.

## Cast

### Cameos

* Unnamed OsCorp board member #1
* Unnamed OsCorp board member #2
* Unnamed OsCorp board member #3
* Ned Leeds (Byline on a Daily Bugle article)
* Richard Parker (Mentioned only)
* Mary Parker (Mentioned only)
* May Parker (Mentioned only)
* Hobgoblin (Mentioned only)
* Doctor Octopus (Mentioned only)

## Locations

* Earth-92131

* New York City

* Manhattan

* OsCorp

* OsCorp weapon testing site

* Bridge
* Restaurant
* Washington Square Park

* Washington Square Arch

* Central Park

* Harry Osborn's apartment

* World Trade Center
* Felicia Hardy's apartment

* Queens

* Parker house

## Items

* Goblin Formula
* Web-Shooters
* Goblin Glider
* Goblin armor
* Pumpkin bomb
* Titanium cable
* Spider-Tracer
* Submarine
* Shock gloves

## Continuity

* After first seeing the Green Goblin both Spider-Man and Kingpin believed that the Hobgoblin had returned.

* Spider-Man last fought the Hobgoblin in Mutants' Revenge.
* Kingpin last had dealings with Hobgoblin after Hobgoblin briefly took control of his criminal empire. This happened in The Hobgoblin, Part II.

* During the mock trial Green Goblin mentions that the Hardy Foundation funded Otto Octavius' research. This was revealed in the episode, Doctor Octopus: Armed and Dangerous.

## Trivia

* Originally John Semper Jr. was going to have Green Goblin appear in Spider-Man: The Animated Series before Hobgoblin like it was in the comics. However, Martin Pasko, who was the story editor before Semper, changed the order. Semper wanted to change it back but was stopped by Avi Arad because his company, Toy Biz, had already made a Hobgoblin action figure and Arad wanted the toy to be released around the same time Hobgoblin appeared on Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

* John Semper Jr. then tried to have Norman Osborn be the true identity of the Hobgoblin. However, Stan Lee did not like that idea and was able to prevent it from happening.

* In this episode, Spider-Man states that he saved Terri Lee's life two times. This actually not true. Spider-Man only saved Terri Lee in the episode, The Menace of Mysterio. In that episode Mysterio suspended Terri Lee above a bed of spikes and dropped her. However, she was saved by Spider-Man. The second time Terri Lee was almost killed was when Michael Morbius flew into the air with Terri Lee and dropped her. However, this time Terri Lee was saved by Blade not Spider-Man.
* Peter Parker says that Harry Osborn is innocent until proven guilty. The phrase "innocent until proven guilty" was coined by William Garrow (April 13, 1760 - September 24, 1840) who was a British politician and judge known for his indirect reform and advocacy system, which helped usher in the adversarial court system that is used in most common law nations today.
* This is one of the few episodes where the word kill is used. The network censors usually forbade words like kill, death, or die to be said on Spider-Man: The Animated Series. When Green Goblin catches Mary Jane at OsCorp he says "curiosity killed the cat."

* Curiosity killed the cat is a proverb used to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation. The earliest printed reference to the original proverb is attributed to the British playwright Ben Johnson in his 1598 play, Every Man in His Humour, which was performed first by William Shakespeare. The original saying was "Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care will kill a cat, up-tails all, and a pox on the hangman."

* During the mock trial Green Goblin says that justice is blind no longer. This saying justice is blind comes from the poem, Hudibras which was written by Samuel Butler in 1663. The actual quote from the poem is "For justice, though she's painted blind, is to the weaker side inclin'd."

* During the mock trial, Green Goblin also reveals that he has a statue of Lady Justice but with his face on the statue.

* Lady Justice is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems. Her attributes are a blindfold, a balance and a sword. She often appears as a pair Prudential who holds a mirror an a snake.

* Season three had fourteen episodes but only eight of them dealt with sins committed by fathers. This episode dealt with the sins committed by Norman Osborn. When Norman began kidnapping people as Green Goblin, Peter started to believe that Harry Osborn was really the Green Goblin.

## Episode review

**A review by Amazing Spidey from Marvel Animation Age**

This is where the purists thought of the writers screwed up. There is the argument that the Green Goblin should have premiered before the Hobgoblin, after all, in the comics, Green Goblin premiered 20 years before Hobby, by the time Hobby showed up, Norman was long dead. Only not really, as Marvel, geniuses that they are, brought him back in the 90's.

As faithful as the series liked to be with the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita Jr. stories, I'm personally glad they didn't here. Norman was already a well developed character before he put on those silly goblin boots; he was a titan of industry, and an overworked on at that. I thought this series absolutely nailed the Goblin too. Given how bad his character would later become in the comics at the time, I was just happy to see that this version was thoroughly entertaining. Neil Ross also brought the perfect voice to the character. He could seemingly transform from Osborn back to Goblin. The split personality version of the Green Goblin has always been my favorite even topping Mark Millar's awesome, ruthless Goblin in his run on Marvel Knights: Spider-Man. Highly recommended reading there, for those interested in the Spider-Man comics.

One of the things noticeable things about this episode is it's pacing, it's much slower than most of the episodes, especially the later season two episodes, which were told at a breakneck pace. The mystery is also well done, especially with Harry's attitude throughout the episode. He actually showed backbone! Barley any of the annoying characteristics he showed were displayed here. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said when he would become the Green Goblin.

The animation was gorgeous throughout; it almost matched Night of the Lizard. Very little repeated animation was used here; it was obvious someone in charge wanted a better-looking episode. The majority of the Goblin episodes were above average both in writing and animation. It's obvious someone on the staff had great love for him.

On a final note, it was an exceptional episode, which stood out as one of the best the series ever did. If this type of quality control had been carried out on all the series, it would've been so much better.

## Quotes

*"You're running out of time, Osborn."*

*"Why did I ever allow myself to be controlled by you?! Now I could lose everything!"*

*"Most unfortunate. However, discontinuing the manufacture of the gas is not an option. While as Wilson Fisk, I must pretend to loathe it, as the Kingpin, I require the gas for my various enterprises. If you do not deliver it quickly you will be useless to me, and you know what that will mean, to you, and your loved ones."*

**- Kingpin & Norman Osborn**
*"I barley survived that inferno! It doesn't look good for Osborn."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"Hey, wait a second! They never recovered a body! There's still a chance my father survived."*

*"Don't torture yourself with false hope, my boy."*

*"Don't call me boy! I am every bit the man my father was! He considered you all his friends! And look how you betrayed him! If he really is gone, then you are all guilty of driving him to his destruction!"*

**-Harry Osborn & J. Jonah Jameson**
*"Why do I always find myself playing matchmaker between Harry and Mary Jane even though I'm in love with her, too?"*

**-Peter Parker**
*"Alright, Hobgob. . . Your not the Hobgoblin."*

*"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!"*

**-Spider-Man & Green Goblin**
*"Agility one point, gravity zero."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"I still can't believe it! Now there are two goblins? And what does this one want with old flattop?"*

**-Spider-Man**
*"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! My collection is almost complete. Soon, the final judgment can begin!"*

**-Green Goblin**
*"So far, all we know is that the victims are all on OsCorp's board of directors."*

*"Have you warned the remaining members?"*

*"I was just about to."*

*"You may not be fast enough! This kidnapper moves like lightning!"*

**-Terri Lee & Spider-Man**
*"Didn't count on me having super strength or titanium cables, did you, big boy?"*

**-Green Goblin**
*"These kidnappings in the news, I think Harry might be involved in them to avenge the death of his father."*

*"Mary Jane, that's crazy! And maybe close to the truth."*

*"You don't understand. There's a dark side to Harry that he keeps hidden. It comes from the anger he felt about growing up unloved, lonely. I've tried to be there for him but even I can't help him sometimes. What if that anger has taken over and driven him insane! Don't you think it's possible?"*

*"If I told her it would only make her feel worse about Harry. But would it make her feel better about me?"*

*"Peter. What's wrong? Talk to me."*

*"No. I can't do it. Harry was, is my friend. He's also innocent until proven guilty. I don't know what to think Mary Jane. But I do know this. If we love Harry we have to trust him and stand by him now when he needs us the most. Where are you going?"*

*"I've got to be by myself and do some thinking. Peter, even though things didn't work out between you and me you really are a good friend."*

(Peter places a spider tracer in Mary Jane's pocket.)

*"I care about you, too, Mary Jane. And I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Just in case Harry has gone off the deep end."*

**-Mary Jane Watson & Peter Parker**
*"Well, well. Someone spying on me. Didn't you know that curiosity killed the cat?"*

**-Green Goblin**
*"As with the others, justice will be meted out to you in due time, my little miss! But first, I must call this court to order. You are all charged with the crime of hypocrisy! A crime that destroyed Norman Osborn! You claimed to be his friend! Yet you filled your newspaper with stories to ruin his reputation!"*

*"That's a lie!"*

*"You called Osborn a threat to humanity! But who was it that funded Dr. Otto Octavius?! One of the greatest criminals of all time!"*

*"You're mad! Let us go!"*

*"And you. The worst of them all. Your sins are exceeded only by your gut!"*

(Kingpin tries to break out of his shackles.)

*"Good thing I made your shackles out of indestructible titanium too, eh! Justice will be served! And all of you will suffer for your crimes against Norman Osborn. For justice is blind no longer!"*

**-Green Goblin, J. Jonah Jameson & Anastasia Hardy**
*"All you megalomaniacs have such a weird sense of humor."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"Blast! Looks like a mistrial. This court is adjourned!"*

**-Green Goblin**
*"What's your angle in this?"*

*"Saving your ungrateful life."*

**-J. Jonah Jameson & Spider-Man**
*"I have a goblin to catch."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"Jonah, we have to rid the world of both those maniacs."*

**-Wilson Fisk**
(Spider-Man removes Green Goblin's mask.)

*"Okay, Harry, now we. . . Norman Osborn!"*

*"No! No! That weakling was destroyed in the explosion! The same explosion that gave birth to me! The exploding gas gave me great strength! And, of course, the Hobgoblin's weapons were right there at OsCorp. Ripe for the picking. But they no longer were meant for him. The gas saw to that. There was only on true goblin. The Green Goblin! Give me my mask! I must have it!"*

*"You don't need this! It represents the evil, ugly side of your life. Let it go."*

*"I can't!"*

*"You have to, for yourself, and for Harry."*

**-Spider-Man & Norman Osborn**
*"You won't have to worry about the Goblin anymore. It looks like he was destroyed back in that complex."*

**-Spider-Man**
*"I was wrong about Harry. You stood by him all the way. Your a heck of a guy Tiger. He's lucky to have you as his friend."*

*"He's even luckier to have you."*

**-Mary Jane Watson & Peter Parker**
*"Parker gave me your note. It said you wanted to see me. What for?"*

*"To thank you for rescuing my mother. And for always being there for me."*

(Felicia pulls up Spider-Man's mask to just above his mouth.)

*"You can't! Hey, wait!"*

(Felicia kisses Spider-Man.)

**-Spider-Man & Felicia Hardy**