How Strong Is Green Goblin? Powers & Abilities Explained

Green Goblin is most notably known for being one of the main opponents Spider-Man faced in his life. His personal vendetta against the popular web-slinger has marked the chapters of comic books and was also depicted on several occasions in live-action movies, among other media. That being said, in this article, we’ll focus on Green Goblin’s power and abilities and analyze how strong he exactly is.

Norman Osborn was very intelligent, resourceful, and cunning even before becoming Green Goblin. However, he gained superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, and speed when he inserted the Goblin Formula, a strength-enhancing serum, into his body. The formula also enhanced his intellect and regenerative abilities but compromised his sanity.

This is just a brief summary of Green Goblin’s abilities, and we’ll get into more details about it in the next few paragraphs. So, if you are interested to learn more about this iconic villain and his strength, keep reading until the end!

Norman Osborn’s greed for power eventually led him to become Green Goblin

What happens to a man who feels neglected as a kid and is a victim of his parents’ failures? He can either follow the same path or make his life’s mission to be someone else entirely. Norman Osborn picked the other option, but somewhere along the line, he lost himself, and everything he had to endure as a kid manifested in his behavior later on.

Before becoming Green Goblin, Norman Osborn was a person who strived toward success. His father abused him as a kid and never believed in him much, so Norman started working while still in school to be successful when the time came.

Norman was always very intelligent and studied chemistry and electrical engineering, and business administration. That will later lead to him becoming a wealthy businessman and industrialist behind the Oscorp company. At first, he did not create the company by himself but had help from his friend and a college professor, Mendel Stromm. Later, Norman wanted the company for himself, so he jailed Stromm for embezzling funds.

As far as being a father goes, it is fair to say that Norman did a poor job raising Harry and repeated many mistakes like his father before him. His wife died when Harry was just one year old, and he never showed warmth and support toward his son and even considered him a failure. That turned Harry into a depressed person, numbing his pain with drugs afterward.

When Norman gained full control of his company, he discovered that his former colleague, Mendel Stromm, was working on the groundbreaking research of creating a strength-enhancing serum. Since Stromm was in prison, Norman thought it was a great opportunity to earn some money on his colleague’s notes. So, he stayed up late in his lab, trying to create the serum. That also meant he would miss another obligation toward Harry, but he did not care.

Green Goblin’s powers come from strength-enhancing serum whose preparation had gone wrong

Eventually, the creation of the formula went wrong; the serum turned green and exploded into Norman’s face. He spent weeks in the hospital, and the doctors considered his brain extremely damaged, and there was nothing they could do. However, the serum that exploded made him even more intelligent than before but also angrier and more ruthless.

Norman considered that with his new abilities, resources, and technology, it would be a great idea for him to become a supervillain. So, he designed the costume, and for his first victim, he chose Spider-Man. He did it because everyone would admire him and praise him if he were the one to defeat the famous web-slinger. That’s what he thought, at least.

The Goblin Serum gave Norman superhuman strength, and it is estimated that he was strong enough to lift around nine tons. While it is true that the serum also enhanced his intellect, that came with a price since Norman became delusional, bipolar, and borderline insane. In his moments of clarity, however, he was still a successful businessman, but with no compassion toward others and would do anything to fulfill his goals.

Green Goblin is known for his green mask and suit; he chose that color because it is his favorite. Apart from costume, he possesses superhuman reflexes, agility, and speed and can regenerate damaged tissue and organs. As for weaponry and gadgets, Green Goblin is known for riding his high-tech Goblin glider and throwing his iconic Pumpkin Bombs.

The Goblin glider makes the Green Goblin a fierce opponent not just because it provides him with the ability to fly but also because it can fly at high speeds, change directions rapidly, and perform acrobatic maneuvers, making it difficult for his enemies to catch or hit him.

As for the Pumpkin Bombs, they also have different purposes as they come in the form of gas grenades, smoke bombs, or explosives. The bombs are incredibly powerful but silent before detonation, making them a dangerous weapon in Green Goblin’s arsenal.

Overall, the main weakness that Green Goblin has is the same thing that makes him so dangerous and unpredictable: his insanity and bipolarity. When Norman became possessed with the Goblin Formula, all he had in mind was chaos and destruction. Constantly fueled by anger and the need for revenge, his decisions weren’t always well-designed, which ultimately led to his demise by his own hand.

We know Norman was not the only Green Goblin out there. After his death, his son Harry sought revenge because he believed Spider-Man killed his father. So, he found the warehouse where his father held all Green Goblin’s stuff and decided to become a villain as well. However, it is fair to say that in terms of experience and overall strength and power, Norman Osborn was the most dangerous Green Goblin and probably the one who hurt Peter Parker the most when he killed Gwen Stacy.

What do you think about Green Goblin and his powers and abilities? If you have something to add, feel free to do so in the comments below!