Harry Osborn: Difference between revisions

Harry Osborn^[1] (Harold Theopolis Osborn, later changed to Harry Lyman) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Harry is the best friend of Peter Parker (Spider-Man's alter ego), the son of Norman Osborn, and the father of Normie Osborn and Stanley Osborn. He is the second character to assume the Green Goblin alias, after his father, and also donned the Iron Patriot armor to become the superhero American Son. Then he was revealed to be the identity of the demon Kindred.

The character has appeared in many adaptations of Spider-Man outside of the comic books, including various cartoons and video games. James Franco portrayed the character in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy (2002-2007), and Dane DeHaan played him in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014).

Publication history

Harry Osborn first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965),^[2] and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko.

In The Amazing Spider-Man #122 (July 1973), Harry's father, Norman, is killed off, and a subplot leading to Harry inheriting his father's identity as the Green Goblin is introduced. This subplot culminates in The Amazing Spider-Man #136 (September 1974). Writer Gerry Conway said that the idea of Harry Osborn becoming the Green Goblin stemmed in part from a desire to deal with the consequences of the psychedelic drugs Harry began using in The Amazing Spider-Man #96 (May 1971).^[3] Conway said that he had had experience with such drugs himself, and that "with psychedelic drugs, hallucinogens, if they've been misused, there's a potential for additional hallucinogenic experiences that are completely beyond your control or volition. I could imagine Harry getting hit by something like that, in the fragile emotional state following the death of his father, and losing touch with reality, as a result. Besides, I never had any intention of getting rid of the Green Goblin as a concept forever, so it all came together".^[4]

Harry dies in The Spectacular Spider-Man #200 (May 1993). Artist Sal Buscema said that drawing the final two pages of this issue was a deeply emotional experience for him due to how long he had drawn the character, and felt it was appropriate that writer J. M. DeMatteis chose not to add any dialogue to those pages.^[5]

Several years later, the Spider-Man writers made plans to reveal that the mysterious villain Gaunt was Harry Osborn, who was still alive and had orchestrated the entire "Clone Saga", but an editorial edict prevented this from coming to fruition.^[6] However, Harry was eventually revived in The Amazing Spider-Man #545 (December 2007). He received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #5.

Fictional character biography

Harry is the only son of

Upon graduating from high school, he enrolls in Empire State University. Among the wealthiest students in the school, Harry soon becomes one of the most popular as well, despite his aloof manner. He has a clique of rich, popular students around him; one of these is the lovely Gwen Stacy. Gwen is intrigued by a new student: bookish, studious and painfully-shy Peter Parker. Harry takes a dislike to Parker; he resents the attention Gwen pays to Peter, and he assumes that Peter's standoffishness is snobbery. After confronting Parker, Harry realizes that Peter is merely shy and is also worried about his ailing aunt May Parker. Despite this rocky start, Harry and Peter became friends, eventually sharing an apartment.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Harry does not realize that his best friend is the superhero Spider-Man, nor that his father became the supervillain Green Goblin in an accident while attempting to create a super-serum. Moreover, before he became friends with Harry, Spider-Man was unmasked and captured by Green Goblin.^[8] During the subsequent battle, an electric shock removed all memory of being Green Goblin from Norman's mind. Spider-Man then hid all evidence of Norman's double identity, to keep Harry from being hurt by the revelation.^[9]

However, Norman's Green Goblin persona resurfaces from time to time. These are difficult times for Harry, as his father's periodic episodes are unexplainable. He had experimented with drugs in his teens; but he escalates his usage, as well as trying ever-harder substances. This affects his mental stability and his relationships with his friends. Spider-Man uses this to his advantage during one battle with Green Goblin; he is able to stop the fight by showing Norman his son's emaciated condition, brought on by an accidental drug overdose. The sight shocks Norman so much that it brings him back to sanity.^[10]

Green Goblin

Harry is dumped by

This tranquility is shattered when the aftereffects of the "Inferno" crisis sunder the barrier between Harry's conscious and subconscious minds. Once again, he remembers being Green Goblin—and his hatred of Spider-Man. Harry has now convinced himself that Peter Parker resents the Osborns' "stable family life" due to never having been wanted by his own parents or guardians, when in fact it was the complete opposite. He uses Peter's trust in him to capture him, and subjects him to hallucinogenic gases to psychologically torment him.^[14] He finds himself unsatisfied with this revenge, however, and decides to kill Spider-Man. However, given the opportunity he proves unwilling to kill his best friend.^[15]

Harry investigates his father's old hideouts and notes, and finally uncovers and ingests the formula for the original Green Goblin's superhuman strength. He then kidnaps his wife, son, and brother-in-law Mark Raxton, terrorizing them in an old family mansion. Raxton manages to signal their location to Spider-Man who defeats the Green Goblin and turns him in to the police.^[16] Spider-Man pushes for Harry to get psychiatric treatment from Dr. Ashley Kafka, but he is ultimately transferred to the Vault.^[17] However, the state is unable to put together a sufficient case against Harry, and after just a few weeks in prison, he is released.^[18]

Harry discovers that his father developed an advanced version of the Goblin Formula, but was unable to test it before his final battle with Spider-Man. After testing it, he ingests the new formula. When he spies Spider-Man investigating his townhouse, Harry loses his temper and attacks him as the Green Goblin. He injects Peter with a drug that leaves him immobile and, in a fit of depression, activates timed explosives that he had planted throughout the townhouse, planning to kill both himself and Peter. However, when he realizes that Mary Jane and his son Normie are also in the townhouse, he is shocked back to his normal self. Harry rescues Mary Jane, Normie, and Peter before he collapses. He belatedly realizes that he did not test the new formula diligently enough, and that it is, in fact, lethal.^[19][20]

Post-mortem

Sometime before his death, Harry created a computer system with copies of his and Norman Osborn's minds programmed into it; after Harry's death, the computer system activates and abducts Normie Osborn with the intent of subjecting him to the Green Goblin Serum (the same one that had caused Harry's death) to make into the newest Green Goblin. This computer facsimile of Harry and its robotic drones (which resemble female versions of Green Goblin) were all destroyed by Spider-Man and the

Prometheus X-90, it is revealed later, was developed as a successful cure for Mark Raxton's condition as Molten Man. The only human test subject was Charlie Weiderman, the short-lived second Molten Man, and the only person on whom the serum could be tested. After the cure is administered, Liz finally forgives Harry and gives him back the wedding ring, which she originally claimed she lost.[25]

Renting out all of Liberty Island, Harry takes Lily there and, at the top of the Statue of Liberty, he gets down on one knee and proposes to her.^[26] Lily rejects his proposal because she is not sure where their relationship will lead, which surprises Harry. He later goes to her place to check up on her, and as he enters the room he is surprised to discover Lily wearing the Menace costume.^{[volume & issue needed]}

She found a hidden door in his closet and one of his old journals. She begins giving him a hard time about whining so much about his father. Harry thinks her behavior is because she is sick. She continues to tell him she uncovered one of Norman's secret rooms described in the journal. This explains why she kissed Peter after the Thunderbolts attacked; he almost found the secret trigger to open the room. When she first entered the room, she found the Green Goblin's equipment and some experiments. Knocking over some chemicals, she absorbed them and is now able to transform at will. She explains that she discovered Menace's attacks against her father gives him more public support. She also tells him that she accepts his marriage proposal. After their talk, Harry enters one of his father's weapons caches, takes a glider (filled with bombs and winged bombs), a pair of Goblin gloves, a sword, and a dart gun containing an unknown chemical.^[27] In the midst of a battle between Menace and Spider-Man, Harry confronts and shoots her with that chemical, which is a type of antidote that reverts her back to her human form. He saves Spider-Man from the crowd and leaves.^[28] Lily is incarcerated but later escapes, leaving Harry her ring and a note.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Dark Reign

Harry is approached by Norman with the offer of a job within the Dark Avengers. Harry initially declines, but accepts his father's offer after learning that Lily Hollister is pregnant.^[29] Norman welcomes Harry into Avengers Tower, wanting to make his son into the American Son. Harry is shown to have an ulterior motive, however, based on his compulsion to protect Lily and his child. Disabling the camera in his room, Harry sneaks off.^[30] He finds a cure for Lily's condition that will be safe for both Lily and the baby, but Lily pushes him away. Lily reveals that it is a ruse to coerce Harry into taking on the American Son armor, whom Norman had plotted would die in a tragedy to increase sympathy for Norman and the Dark Avengers. Lily also reveals that the baby is not Harry's but, in fact, Norman's. In retaliation for this, Harry dons his American Son armor, and fights Norman in his Iron Patriot armor.^[31] During the battle, Norman declares that Harry is no longer his son, and that Norman has bred a better child to replace the 'failure' of Harry. After further taunts from Norman, Harry lashes out and defeats his father, declaring "I was never your son!". When Harry has the option of killing Norman, Spider-Man tells him to decapitate Norman, since his father's healing factor may repair a blow to the head. Spider-Man also cautions Harry that killing Norman will cause Harry to "become the son Norman always wanted". Seeing what he may become with his actions, Harry instead backs down, and turns away from his father forever.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Harry is next seen in a psychiatrist's office, claiming to be getting over the effects of a medical treatment he received. The doctor offers to prescribe him oxycodone but it is not revealed if Harry takes the prescription.^[32]

Afterwards, Harry is cut off financially and is forced out of his penthouse apartment. He moves into Peter's old room at May Parker's.^[33] He also begins secretly dating Amy Reilly (Peter's cousin).^[34] After May returns and is corrupted by Mister Negative, she kicks Harry out of the house, forcing him to move in with Mary Jane Watson.^[35]

Heroic Age

After Norman's

Trying to make sense of everything, Harry visits May Parker's work where he plans to volunteer. On his way, he realizes that he is being followed by the FBI. It is then revealed through FBI security footage that Gabriel is the one who stole the American Son armor and has been using the armor all along. Meanwhile, Gabriel confronts the American Son armor and is revealed to have developed a split personality similar to Norman's after his exposure to the Goblin Formula. This split personality explains to Gabriel that it represents all that is good in his soul and will use the American Son armor to undo each of Gabriel's crimes. After an intense psychological battle, Gabriel appears to gain the upper hand and proceeds with his plan.^[volume & issue needed]

Still attempting to understand Gabriel's plans, Harry determines that, in order for Gabriel to truly hurt him, he will attempt to abduct an innocent person and lay a trap. Harry then rushes to find Norah. Meanwhile, the police arrive at Gabriel's hideout, but are unable to rescue Norah because of the American Son's interference. Harry manages to sneak in through one of his father's secret tunnels and confronts his half-brother.^[38] As the police prepare to make another attempt to save Norah, Harry frees her and gets the young reporter to safety. With Norah out of harm's way Gabriel and Harry engage in an epic battle. During the fight, Harry attempts to convince Gabriel that Norman is evil and that attempting to follow in his footsteps is madness. Gabriel refuses to listen and continues his attempts to kill Harry. Saddened by his brother's choice, Harry hacks the American Son armor and knocks Gabriel unconscious. The battle causes the warehouse to go up in flames, trapping Gabriel and Harry inside, but Spider-Man arrives and saves them. Afterward, Norah visits Harry in his coffee shop, and notices a bottle of oxycodone in Harry's things. Troubled by what she finds, Norah concludes that Harry has a drug problem and resolves to help him through it.^[39]

After many near-encounters, Carlie Cooper and Peter Parker meet at the coffee shop. Harry and MJ are there and the four are talking when Lily bursts through the wall, followed by an attacking team of supervillains. MJ asks Harry to help Lily Hollister who has gone into labor, but they are held captive by Doctor Octopus.^[40] Spider-Man manages to save them and rescue Lily's newborn baby from the supervillains. Harry and MJ take Lily to get medical care, but Carlie was too angry with Lily to accompany them.^[41] When Spider-Man secures the baby from Doctor Octopus he runs an analysis on a sample of the baby's DNA and finds it matches Harry's, and thus he is the child's true father. Spider-Man encourages Harry to raise his son on his own and start a new life.^[42] Soon thereafter, Harry prepares to leave New York with the baby named Stanley. At his going-away party, Harry encounters former NYPD officer Vin Gonzales reveals he has a Green Goblin tattoo. After Gonzales relays a message from Norman, Harry shocks the man with a taser and beats him.^[43]

Months later, Harry is shown in Seattle, Washington living with his son. He is shown to have completely changed his appearance, having shaved his head and grown a beard.^[44]

All-New, All-Different Marvel

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel branding, Harry Osborn and his young son Stanley finally came out of hiding, following his father's, the Goblin King, defeat. Going back to his usual look, Harry started using his mother's maiden name of Lyman and has started working at Parker Industries where he is in charge of Parker Industries' New York office when revealed to the Human Torch by Spider-Man.^[45] His sons Normie and Stanley like Regent, until the time when all superhumans are disappearing without a traces caused by a superhuman known as the Regent, while Harry is meeting with Mary Jane and Betty Brant, Harry stumbles upon seeing a same logo as the Regent's on Augustus Roman's Empire Unlimited company, and soon realizes, along with Mary Jane, that when he saw a logo beneath Augustus' ripped shirt during the time of Zodiac's attacks on the opening of Horizon University that Augustus is, in fact, Regent, thus sending Betty to meet Augustus to prove if he is Regent or not. As Harry realizes that, Augustus kidnaps Betty. Harry must do it himself to save Betty and the other captured superhumans, knowing that he may be captured soon enough, but manage to contact Spider-Man with Parker Industries' webware created by Clayton/Clash before Regent captures him immediately. With a portion of Clayton's Clash soundwave tech on Parker Industries' webware, Harry manages to break free and contact Spider-Man again before the Empire Unlimited's guards capture him, until Spider-Man arrives and soon releases the other superhumans and Betty, surrounding Regent for good.^[46]

Later in the storyline "Go Down Swinging", Harry returns, using the Osborn name after his father again terrorizes the city as the Red Goblin using the

During the "Hunted" storyline, Spider-Man had a vision of Mary Jane being killed by the demon.^[55] As it turned out, Kindred was, in fact, watching over Mary Jane commenting on her to his centipedes, with one of his centipedes injuring Mary Jane.^[56]

Kindred resumed tormenting Mysterio and came to him during a therapy session between "Mysterio" and "Dr. Ludwig Rinehart", in actuality, Mysterio as the doctor who had convinced his own doctor that he was instead Mysterio. When Kindred sensed that Peter Parker was dreaming about this scene, he killed the doctor posing as Mysterio, since he knew about Kindred's name. After killing Dr. Reinhart, Kindred directly threatened Peter that he will get his revenge on him.

After Peter Parker left Norman Osborn for Sin-Eater, Kindred senses this happening from his lair in the cemetery and states that he did one wrong to do so much right. In addition, Kindred states that Spider-Man still hasn't learned the lesson that his sins don't stay buried.[62]

After Sin-Eater purged Norman Osborn of his sins at the start of the "Last Remains" storyline, Kindred appeared and berets him for his own sins. Then Kindred killed Sin-Eater by causing him to erupt demonic energy after serving his purpose. This demonic energy was then used by Kindred to take control of

Kindred controlled Silk into attacking Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Spider-Man admitted the truth to Doctor Strange and begged for mercy on the other Spiders causing Kindred to withdraw Silk from the Sanctum Sanctorum. When Spider-Man finally confronts Kindred at the cemetery where Gwen Stacy and George Stacy are buried, he finds that Kindred had dug up the bodies of Uncle Ben, Ned Leeds, J. Jonah Jameson Sr., Jean DeWolff, and Marla Jameson and sat them around a dinner table with the corpses of Gwen Stacy and George Stacy.^[64]

Upon taunting Spider-Man into attacking him, Kindred overpowers him and shows him the carnage caused by him controlling the Order of the Web. Spider-Man begs for Kindred to remove his control over the Order of the Web. Upon doing that, Kindred used his centipedes to hold Spider-Man and then snap his neck completely around so that they can face the truth together.^[65] While putting Peter's soul through the reenactment of Harry Osborn's return, Kindred paid a visit to a sleeping Normie. Then he returned and revived Spider-Man. When Spider-Man was unsure that Kindred and Harry were connected, Kindred removed the bandages on his head revealing that he is Harry Osborn as he quotes "Gotcha!"^[66] Still shocked at this revelation, Spider-Man tries to talk Harry down only for Harry to attack. While stating that he is no longer chained to Norman Osborn, he does want Spider-Man to understand something as he keeps killing and reviving him upon becoming Kindred again. When Spider-Man claims that suffering your sins is a punishment in Hell, Kindred claims that what happened to his loved ones is all on Spider-Man and even mentioned that he revived Sin-Eater to end Norman. In addition, the Order of the Web were possessed by the combined evils of Norman and Stanley Osborn as Peter tried to make a bargain instead of facing the consequences. Then Kindred shows Spider-Man the mirror that is showing Sin-Eater cleansing Morlun of his sins and also awaiting for the Order of the Web to arrive in the cemetery. When Spider-Man brings up their deal, Kindred asks him what else he did to bring unintended suffering on others. He asks him to answer quickly as a large mirror is showing Mary Jane Watson entering the cemetery.^[67] After Sin-Eater turns the gun on himself following his fight with the Order of the Web, Madame Web tries to resuscitate him and she fails as Kindred captures the Order of the Web.^[68] After Kindred catches Spider-Man's attack, Mary Jane shows up and works to get through to Harry. As Kindred prepares to kill the Order of the Web after recapping his early life and his father operating as Green Goblin, Mary Jane begs for Kindred to kill her instead. Before Kindred could do that, Norman appears in his Green Goblin attire and throws a Pumpkin Bomb near Mary Jane much to the dismay of Spider-Man and Kindred as Green Goblin states that the choice isn't Kindred's choice. When Kindred attacks Green Goblin, Mayor Wilson Fisk is given the signal by Green Goblin to activate the trap. This causes a supernatural darkness to engulf the tomb and everyone inside.^[69]

Powers and abilities

For most of his life, Harry Osborn had no superhuman abilities.

As Green Goblin

After exposing himself to his father's formula, he takes the reins of the second Green Goblin, causing him to become much stronger, cunning and agile. However, he seemingly lost his powers after he returns. The glider he carries has swords, along with usual Goblin technology.

As American Son

He also had temporary access to the American Son armor.

As Kindred

When Harry was reborn as Kindred, he gained a demon physiology where he possesses immortality, super-strength, and control over the centipedes like the ones that can protrude out of him. In addition, he can perform magic and revive the dead.

Other versions

MC2

In the MC2 universe, Harry's death in Spectacular Spider-Man #200 remains valid and he does not return from the dead. His widow Liz continues her relationship with Franklyn Nelson and raises her and Normie (Harry's son), but she later succumbs to a fatal illness; her death sends Normie over the edge and, like his father and grandfather before him, takes up the Green Goblin mantle and vows revenge on Peter Parker. After several emotionally charged encounters with Spider-Girl, Normie eventually reclaims his sanity and the blood feud between the Parkers and the Osborns is finally brought to an end.

Ultimate Marvel

The

In the simplified re-telling of the Clone Saga, Harry secretly survived his final battle with Spider-Man and has Kaine under his employment. He appears to still be mad from the Goblin Formula and clones his deceased father, who apparently was indeed killed by his Goblin Glider in this reality. Harry soon heads out to attack Ben Reilly in the guise of the Green Goblin. His plans are thwarted when Kaine switches sides. The Norman clone, who is not insane due to not being exposed to the Goblin Formula, tries to convince Harry to stop before sacrificing himself by jumping in front of the moving Goblin Glider (akin to Ben Reilly's death in the main universe). The series concludes with an irate Harry swearing vengeance.^[78]

Spider-Man: Life Story

Spider-Man: Life Story features an alternate continuity where the characters naturally age after Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man in 1962. In 1966, Peter has Norman arrested to prevent the Green Goblin from hurting anyone, leaving Harry in charge of Oscorp. In 1977, Harry is engaged to Mary Jane, but shows signs of a drug addiction brought upon by the stress of his position and his father's imprisonment. Norman convinces Harry to attack Miles Warren as the Black Goblin to retrieve his clone, but Harry discovers that Miles also cloned Peter and Gwen Stacy in the process. Harry realizes Norman cloned Peter because Norman still considered Peter the more worthy heir and attacks him. After Peter convinces Harry of his father's manipulations, Harry blows up the facility, killing all the clones except Peter's. However, Miles reveals that the "Gwen" Peter was with was actually her clone while the real Gwen died in the explosion, leaving Harry wracked with guilt. A year later, he broke up with Mary Jane and left her with a significant amount of money before disappearing. In 1995, Otto threatened Harry into using Oscorp so he could use the equipment to study Peter and his clone, Ben, to find a way to clone himself. Chaos erupts after he discovers that Peter is supposedly the clone while Ben is the original. When Otto attempts to kill them both, Harry sacrifices himself to save Peter. As he dies in Peter's arms, he apologizes for being weak with Otto and his father, though Peter reassures him that he wasn't.^[79]

Spider-Gwen

In this version, Harry Osborn was a social outcast at high school. Peter Parker said that rumor has it that he tried to burn his old prep school down. Flash Thompson bullies him and nicknames him the "Green Goblin" based on his wealth and when people saw him carrying role-playing dice. Gwen Stacy and Peter befriend him out of pity, and Harry asks Gwen out to the prom, angering Peter. He witnesses Peter transform into the

• During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, the Earth-44145 version of Harry Osborn arrives at Oscorp and makes his way through the building. The narration is in the form of a letter to Harry from Peter Parker on what is happening at Oscorp. As a six-armed Norman Osborn is informed of Harry moving through Oscorp and having been secretly armed, he is told that Harry is on the 15th floor near Mr. Warren's lab. Becoming Spider-Man and arriving where a warped Cosmic Cube is located, Norman confronts Harry who dons the Kobold armor. It was revealed during the fight that Norman killed Peter Parker as a badly-injured Harry fires a laser beam at the warped Cosmic Cube.^[82]
• During the return of the Inheritors, Spider-Gwen's device to travel through the multiverse got destroyed by Verna and then Gwen got stranded in an alternate universe.
  Green Goblin started to fight crime together, until during a fight with the Sandman, both Harry and Gwen's father got killed.^[84]

During Infinity Wars, when the universe was folded, Harry's father, Norman is fused with Jack Russel and became Goblin by Night. Harry is best friend with Peter Spector and they work together in their company. Harry is also Peter's partner, since he knows Peter's secret identity as Arachknight. When Peter tried to kill Norman, since Norman killed Peter's family, Harry intervened and saved his father. While Harry was taking care of his father, Norman lost control and bit Harry, passing the curse to him. Harry now as the new Goblin by Night, starts using the Glider that Peter built to him prior to becoming the Goblin, leaving Norman free from the curse and being forgiven by Peter and decide to find a way to cure Harry.^[85]

In other media

Harry Osborn has been adapted to other media including cartoons, films, games, toys, collectibles, miscellaneous memorabilia, and has appeared as a supporting character in numerous

In television, the character first was featured in Fox Kids' Spider-Man (1994–1998) voiced by Gary Imhoff, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003) voiced by Ian Ziering, The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009) voiced by James Arnold Taylor, Ultimate Spider-Man (2012–2017) voiced by Matt Lanter, and Spider-Man (2017–present) voiced by Max Mittelman.

The character was also featured in a trilogy of live-action films directed by Sam Raimi and played by James Franco, and the 2014 film The Amazing Spider-Man 2 portrayed by Dane DeHaan.

The character cameos in the 2018 video game Spider-Man and its 2020 sequel Spider-Man: Miles Morales, voiced by Scott Porter.

References