The wait is finally over: Spider-Man: No Way Home, the most highly anticipated Marvel movie since Avengers: Endgame, is here at last. When the first trailer for the third installment of the MCU's Spider-Man dropped and confirmed the return of Spider-Man's most iconic villains, including Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), the Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), there was one nemesis that broke the internet with just one pumpkin bomb: the Green Goblin.
Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, aka Norman Osborn, was the first — and arguably most beloved — villain in Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man trilogy. Although it's been kept tightly under wraps what role Dafoe's Goblin will play in No Way Home, there is one thing we know for sure: it is going to be explosive.
It's been almost 20 years since the release of Raimi's Spider-Man, so you might need a little refresher on good 'ol Gobby. Luckily, we've got you covered! Without further ado, here's a quick recap on everything you need to remember about Willem Dafoe's iconic performance as the Green Goblin.
Who is the Green Goblin?
The Green Goblin's true identity is Norman Osborn, the father of Peter Parker's (Tobey Maguire) best friend, Harry (James Franco). Norman is the wealthy founder and CEO of Oscorp Labs, a major chemical corporation with a specialty in military technology. He immediately takes an interest in Peter after Harry introduces them, impressed with Peter's scientific intelligence. Norman looks at Harry as a major disappointment and wishes he were more like Peter, a sore spot for Harry who longs for his father's approval.
Although Norman hasn't become the Goblin yet at the beginning of Spider-Man, his desire for success — no matter the cost — is clear from the start when he tests an unstable chemical on himself in order to secure an important military contract.
How did Norman Osborn become the Green Goblin?
Oscorp has a contract with the U.S. army, led by General Slocum (Stanley Anderson), to create a super-soldier serum. After repeated failed tests on human subjects in which the subjects are driven insane, General Slocum, who already has vocalized his disdain for Norman and his corporation, threatens to terminate the contract unless Norman can produce a successful human trial. Norman, desperate not to lose the contract, enlists his colleague Dr. Stromm (Ron Perkins) to help him inject the serum into himself. Norman immediately goes insane, killing Stromm before stealing the exoskeleton suit and the jet glider from the lab. He wakes up in his home with no recollection of what happened.
Over the course of the movie, Norman suffers from his split personality as he slips in and out of the Goblin with no memory of what happened to him. He interrupts a military test at Oscorp's rival company Quest Aerospace, killing several people including General Slocum. Later when he learns Oscorp is selling the company to Quest and forcing him out, he kills the entire board of directors at the World Unity Fair where he faces off with Spider-Man. He tries to entice Peter to join him, claiming that with their combined power they would be unstoppable. Peter refuses.
After another face-off with Spider-Man, Norman figures out that the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is none other than Peter Parker.
What happened to the Green Goblin?
Osborn met his fate in his final showdown with Peter at the end of Spider-Man. After failing to force Peter to make a terrible choice between saving a tramway car full of children or saving Mary-Jane (Kirsten Dunst), he viciously beats Peter in an abandoned building. Norman seemingly begins to emerge from under the Goblin's control as he reveals himself to Peter. He claims that he thinks of Peter as a son and begs him to forgive him while secretly controlling the glider at the same time. Hovering in the background, the glider comes flying full speed at Peter, who jumps just in time, only for the glider to impale Norman instead. Pinned against the wall by the glider, Norman utters his final words: "Don't tell Harry," before he dies.
Peter, still in his Spider-Man costume, takes Norman's body back to the Osborn mansion just as Harry walks in and sees him, standing over his father's body. Although Peter's mask is torn, it's just dark enough that Harry can't make out his true identity. He vows to take revenge on Spider-Man for killing his father.
Given the Goblin's demise at the end of Spider-Man, it's unclear how Norman Osborn makes his highly anticipated return in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Thankfully, we don't have to wait to find out! Grab your popcorn and your spandex suit because Spider-Man: No Way Home is out in theaters now.