Phil Urich: Secret Villain? (MC2 Theory)

 

 

Phil Urich is something of an anomaly in the generations-long line of Green Goblin’s. Despite his alias, he strived to be heroic and help others. But what if I told you, that may not have always been the case in the history of the MC2? Today I want to discuss a theory that I am sure some readers have had. This theory might have even proved true at some point in the Main Marvel Universe’s own history, if not for editorial interference: Was Phil Urich secretly a villain?

 

First, a brief history lesson! Phil Urich was the fourth character to take up the mantle of the Green Goblin, but the first to primarily use his abilities for good. First appearing in Web of Spider-Man #125, we don’t learn Phil’s origin until his solo title in the pages of Green Goblin #1. While helping his uncle reporter Ben Urich investigate an old hideout of Harry Osborn’s during his latter stint as the Green Goblin, Phil inadvertently uncovers a hidden cache containing new Goblin equipment, costumes and designs. One such design of Harry’s included a Goblin mask which directly stimulating their brain to activate the wearers Goblin Formula-derived powers. Phil is accidentally drenched in the Goblin Formula and shortly after uses the high-tech Goblin mask to save his Uncle Ben by scaring the gang members and Phil makes the decision to use these powers for good. One of these new abilities includes his distinctive ‘Lunatic Laugh’.

 

After a brief stint as the good Green Goblin, including encounters with the likes of Angel Face, Phil’s Glider and Goblin mask was irreparably damaged during a battle with a Sentinel amid the events of Onslaught. Seemingly unable to access his Goblin powers without the mask to activate them, Phil soon after retired from heroics and returned to college after losing his intern job at the Daily Bugle (Green Goblin #12-#13, Amazing Spider-Man #422, #425).

 

The last time we see Phil Urich in the Main Marvel Universe prior to the major divergence of events we know occurred to lead into the MC2 is a small appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #433. Here’s where I pivot and discuss a mysterious new Green Goblin who debuts in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #88. This Goblin is next seen in Sensational Spider-Man #25; their face obscured as they are subjected to a ‘final treatment’ by Norman Osborn’s agent Dr Angst which will enable them ‘to become [The Green Goblin] again!’ Shortly after, Norman Osborn arranges for this Goblin to kidnap his own grandson Normie Osborn as part of a plot to distance himself from his villainous identity in the minds of the public. Notably, this new Goblin is a poor combatant and has difficulty on his glider.

This Green Goblin was also used by Norman Osborn during his conflict with the original Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley in the fantastic ‘Goblin at the Gate’ story seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261. During this arc, we see more of this Green Goblin’s less than stellar ability in combat and while riding his glider but more importantly, he is apparently very much under the control of Norman Osborn. After performing poorly against Kingsley and being unmasked (though not identified) by Spider-Man, Norman threatens to ensure he ‘loses something far more valuable’.

 

This is the last time we see this incarnation of the Green Goblin prior the Spider-Man titles reboot where after going unmentioned for some time and despite the clues provided previously, the character is revealed to be literally no one at all; a genetic construct of Norman’s. Not only was this an unsatisfying resolution, it ignored the established information readers were given (Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol.2) #18).

 

Now let’s look at an alternative resolution to this mystery, one that could have played out in the Main Marvel Universe if not for editorial interference and one that just might have occurred in the MC2! A flashback in Spider-Girl #97 depicts a scene from Spectacular Spider-Man #261 confirming that at least the events established prior to this occurred in both the MC2 and the Main Marvel Universe. What’s interesting- though possibly unintentional -is that the Green Goblin’s glove is depicted as fingerless thanks to the colouring. This is curious because Phil was the only Green Goblin to use fingerless gloves.

 

In Part 33 of the brilliant Life of Reilly column (which can still be found online here and here) editor and writer Glenn Greenberg discussed with Andrew Goletz his brief mention of Phil’s Green Goblin in the one-shot Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal (I refuse to misspell it!) and his personal belief that Norman should have ‘taken action against Phil for daring to take on the Goblin identity’. Further to this, Greenberg adds he ‘had plans for this to happen in a later Spider-Man story line I wrote, called “Goblins at the Gate.” The story line saw print, but the Phil Urich element was dropped at the request of the editor.’ With this in mind, Norman’s new Green Goblin lackey makes far more sense, don’t you think? Due credit, this point was brought up by Minor Irritant in a profile for this fifth Green Goblin over on the Marvel Appendix.

 

So, I propose that Norman Osborn took his revenge on Phil Urich for taking on the mantel of the Green Goblin and stealing from his son Harry’s hideout by either coercion or brainwashing. This would not only provide Norman a method for distancing himself from his villainous identity in the public eye, but also allows him to psychologically target the reporter largely responsible for outing him to the public: Ben Urich, Phil’s own uncle. Obviously, this is just a theory that fits nicely with the ongoing stories being published at the time but I feel it does help to fill in the gaps for Phil’s own curiously undisclosed past in the MC2 between his tenure as the ‘good’ Goblin and his later attempt at heroism as the Blue Wail (Spider-Girl #3).

 

Considering we never learn how Phil regained his ability to use his ‘Lunatic Laugh’ without his Goblin mask (as seen in Spider-Girl #5), nor the details of how he obtained the distinctive scar upon his right cheek I feel there is a lot that could be explored here. If Phil were the fifth Green Goblin, it would stand to reason that he had some or all of his abilities reactivated following the treatments by Dr Angst and new gear provided by Norman Osborn. Supporting this, Norman’s grandson, Normie Osborn states ‘He [Norman Osborn] designed the special mask for us’ (Spider-Girl #93).

 

What doesn’t fit here is that the hideout containing the mask was Harry’s, not Norman’s. But Normie was a child at the time and wouldn’t know all the details, so why does he think Norman designed the mask at all? It would make sense for Norman to make his own version of the hi-tech mask so that the treatments Dr Angst used to re-empower Phil could be just as easily stripped away, allowing him more control over his lackey? I can certainly imagine a climactic battle wherein Phil’s mask is again damaged (and along with it his face scarred) in battle with Spider-Man. Wild speculation here but this could also help to strengthen the connection between Peter and Phil, explaining how they came to be such close friends and colleagues.

 

As I mentioned, I can’t take credit for this one because I’m certainly not the one who conceived of the idea but it is one I enjoyed expanding upon and working into an MC2 theory. It neatly ties up loose ends from a period in the Spider-Man books that were abruptly cut short. Furthermore, I like the way it deepens Phil’s connection to the Goblin legacy without him being outright evil and it would go some way toward explaining his overwhelming desire to do good afterwards under various monikers. Anyway, it’s just a theory, an MC2 Theory. Thanks for reading!

 

Until I find a crazier theory to outdo this one, I remain

 

frogoat