Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is not like the others we have seen before. We are currently witnessing Marvel develop a Spider-Man who, as outlined by Cinema Blend, has basically everything handed to him by a mentor in Tony Stark. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Peter we initially knew is forced to face a new level of hardship. We all know that No Way Home broke the world of cinema in half when it first came out. Whether it be the inclusion of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield to the return of classic Spider-Man villains, it was clear from the start that Holland’s Spider-Man is in for a long ride in his future in the MCU.
Along with being obvious fan-service with the inclusion of some previous Spider-Man heroes played by their original actors, we are also introduced to a few interesting dynamics between Holland’s Peter Parker and the villains from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man. However, even with the Multiverse colliding in on itself, the Green Goblin, played by the incomparable Willem Dafoe, takes a leading role in being the main villain of this story. So, why him? From the character development needed from this Peter Parker to Dafoe’s Goblin just being a fan favorite, here is why Green Goblin was the perfect villain in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The Return of a Fan Favorite
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Disney as a company is very familiar with utilizing nostalgia as a plot point in movies. Whether it be cameos or complete remakes of beloved classics, there is something very comforting for every consumer of entertainment when characters we already know and love return. The MCU set up the complete explosion of the Multiverse perfectly and Spider-Man: No Way Home was fan service at its best. Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin is one of the most terrifying and adored villains in the Spider-Man franchise and when paired with the plethora of villains from The Amazing Spider-Man franchise and Sam Raimi's, this movie really just outdid itself. Norman Osborne as a villain has a very close and personal connection to the other portrayals of Spider-Man and up until now, a character that poses a threat like the Green Goblin is essential to driving the growth of Holland's Peter Parker forward.
Peter’s Mirror: The Duality of The Green Goblin
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter is facing a villain with two sides that exist in one man: a seemingly innocent Norman Osborne and his alter ego, the Green Goblin. There is a sense of sympathy Peter develops for Osborne that drives him to see all the Multiverse villains as more than just their problems. He sees the humanity and the cruelty that coexist in all of them, which is a driving force for his decision-making throughout the film. Peter is still a kid in this movie who is finally up against something he is not ready for, and facing a villain like Goblin forces him to the worst and best in himself. There is evil and good that exist in all of us, but is exaggerated in a person like Osborne. He discovers his own inner rage alongside his good, and he has to learn how to navigate both and not lose himself in the process.
Green Goblin is a Wake-Up Call: Time to Grow Up
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The Green Goblin set the tone for some much-needed character development for Holland’s Peter Parker. Up until this point, Peter has always had some sort of mentor or authoritative figure there to guide him and influence his decisions. While that could initiate some growth in his young mind, there is nothing like facing the Green Goblin as the main villain. In No Way Home alone, we see Peter, for the first time, attempting to control his rage and seeing how it translates to his decisions. Peter recognizes the humanity in Osborne when he’s not the Goblin and has to assess his morals and urges despite wanting to get his revenge. The face-off with Goblin marks a turning point for his character. Osborne utilizes all of Holland’s weaknesses, takes away the one stable family member he’s had his entire life, and forces him to face a future where he is alone, a future where he has to discover himself. This, in turn, is also the perfect setup for the upcoming future of Holland's Peter Parker in the MCU, and we cannot wait.