General Slocum’s threat to withdraw U.S. Army funds from Oscorp spurred Norman Osborn to reckless action. Against the warnings from his chief scientist, Dr. Stromm, Osborn experimented on himself by ingesting the super-soldier formula before it was ready for human use. That formula was the catalyst for the emergence of his particular Alter, Green Goblin.
Norman Osborn’s fear and pain of losing everything paralyzed him emotionally and mentally. He always regarded life as a struggle to survive. In Norman’s drive to succeed at all costs, concepts of good and evil lost all meaning to him as well as his own sense of self. For example, Norman is always putting down his only child, Harry. To survive the catastrophe of losing his business, which is in fact his life, Norman needed to create another existence. This new self would begin anew, unsullied from Norman’s fears of loss. The Green Goblin emerged as another self untouched by Norman’s fear.
“Reflections” by Ang. D.
Within everyone are different selves that take on life. Alters take on different roles and personas. The Protector self keeps the anger of the abused Main personality as well as protects him. The Green Goblin manifests Norman’s homicidal rage at the Oscorp Board of Directors, who wanted Norman out of the company. The Goblin kills them at the Oscorp Unity Festival at Times Square.
In general, these various selves emerge to protect us. Most of the time, we are aware of our angry self or sad self. Most people integrate their angry self into their whole person. However, some people allow the angry self to take over. That self justifies that person’s actions no matter how awful.
While drunk, Norman discovers he is not alone within his own consciousness. The Green Goblin introduces himself through the mirror. Then he reminds Norman of what ‘they’ did - murder the Board of Directors. He convinces Norman that he is only out for their own good.
In Norman’s case, his main self now shares his co-consciousness with the Goblin self. They communicate to each other by Norman conversing with the Goblin mask. In time, Norman cedes more personal responsibility for their acts to the stronger Goblin. He allows the Goblin more access to their body, which suits the Green Goblin just fine. Unfortunately for them both, the Goblin is obsessed with destroying Spider-Man, whom he considers a threat to their survival. In a battle with Spider-Man, the Goblin is killed by his own glider.
A Family Meeting
Picture of "Norman Osborn" copyrighted by "Spider-Man", the Movie, Sony Pictures. Marvel Comics own the copyrights to the characters of Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, Spider-Man, and Peter Parker.
Drawing of "Reflections" copyrighted by Ang. D.
Va. Carper
July 2, 2004