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Green Goblin’s return was a major development, marking a major change to the narrative of Spider-Man as a whole for the first time – but it was also divisive. While many fans who had been around for the Goblin’s day were thrilled to see him return, newer fans were less excited and, honestly, for good reason. Bringing back Green Goblin was the worst thing Marvel could have done with Spider-Man. He’s a villain that should have stayed dead.
Green Goblin’s Return Ruined Character Motivations for Everyone Involved
Going past the shock value of Green Goblin’s return, the character coming back represented something larger. This was the first sign that death and finality in Marvel comics meant utterly nothing in the grand scheme of things. Green Goblin’s death was significant. Not only did it show a villain perishing because of their own hubris and providing stark consequences for his actions (in this case, the death of Gwen Stacy), but Green Goblin’s death also meant something for Spider-Man. For the hero, while Spider-Man wanted him dead, it actually happened, proving to be a hollow victory, and it fundamentally changed Peter. Bringing back the character left all of that development in a weird, unsettled πlace.
There’s also the matter of how it impacted Spider-Man’s other villains. By the time of Green Goblin’s return, Doc Ock had become the main antagonist of Peter and was the perfect foil to him. As an intelligent scientist creating real issues for Peter, Doc Ock’s danger was much more refined than anyone else Spider-Man faced. Now his urgency was gone because the original foe was back, changing the dynamic and the stakes.
There is also the matter of how gimmicky Green Goblin’s return really was. It was just a quick way to drum up a buck and give the “Clone Saga” a shocking ending. It’s shocking, alright, shocking how much this is in bad taste for all those involved. Peter’s character feels flat anytime he meets Norman now; Gwen’s death feels more standard among the “fridging” trope, and it’s an insult to the fans who’ve enjoyed Peter’s growth beyond Norman Osborn. And beyond that, there was already a perfect replacement for the sort of villain Green Goblin was.
Hobgoblin Already Proved the Goblin’s Legacy Continues
Hobgoblin was the true successor to Green Goblin. Even with all of the feuds behind who should have been behind the mask, Hobgoblin gave readers a new villain following in the footsteps of the Green Goblin, and it wasn’t Harry Osborn. It was another character completely, and that gave the general concept something new and interesting that fit brilliantly in the further development of Spider-Man’s story. Hobgoblin sought to take out all of the threats of crime as a new take on the Green Goblin, giving Spider-Man someone new to battle, but also functioning as an “improved” version of an iconic threat. It worked very well and was proof that there was no need to bring back Green Goblin.
