The Green Goblin is a character who wants to devour the world for his own pleasure, a revenge fantasy for Osborn. 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing The stiffness and confusion of Osborn's body language are swapped for the animalistic body language of Goblin that parallels Spider-Man's body language. It didn’t take much to convert Norman from his self-pitying rant about “how much sacrificed” after the government defunded his research just as it didn't take more than a heartfelt note to cause Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) grief and sacrifices to imprison an entire town in her grief fantasy.Īs the Goblin begins to take hold of Osborn's consciousness, Dafoe's ability to switch characters seamlessly through staging or the subtle change in body language becomes an important detail for the audience and camera to notice. The Green Goblin is Osborn’s unchecked power fantasy, an easy turn for any person with superpowers, something that is often explored through the MCU's heroes. He is defined by a sense of arrogance and superiority, leading Osborn to have a very cold worldview. Not only does Osborn reflect the ruthless march of industry, but he also reflects the way money and power can lead to a warped sense of exceptionalism. Osborn is the embodiment of the technological and the material, the pursuit Peter (Tobey Maguire) is after that ultimately leads to the death of Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin in 'Spider-Man' Credit: Sony Pictures The film is set in a technological world with technological problems and a technological villain to contrast Spider-Man’s organic powers, a Spider-Man power that the other two versions of the character do not possess. The first Spider-Man puts a heavy emphasis on the rise of the digital age and the exclusion of those unable to keep up with modern technology.

Green goblin actor