Two iconic super-villains appeared in No Way Home. Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock stole the show. But which No Way Home villain had a better overall story arc?
Green Goblin: A Sense Of Dread Whenever He Makes An Appearance
It was really unnerving a scene to see Dafoe’s Norman Osborn in the MCU. We knew the moment he showed up, something bad was going to happen. Even when Willem Dafoe had the viewers convinced that Norman had turned over a new leaf, we knew something did not feel right. There was an uneasy aura around the character that we all predicted was just a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode. The true Green Goblin was anyways going to show up sooner or later. It was just a matter of time.
Doctor Octopus: Helped The Spider-Men In Defeating The Rogue Villains
Sure Doctor Octopus started out as a bad guy. But as the story progressed and Peter actually found a way to cure him, Doc Ock came around. He was not seen for the major part of the second half of the film. But in the climactic Statue of Liberty battle in No Way Home, Doctor Octopus did show up. But instead of being the bad guy, now that he was cured – he helped the Spider-Men by taking down Electro. If second chances are a thig, then Doc Ock made the most of it.
Green Goblin: Broke Peter Parker
There may be a ton of villains in No Way Home. But the one villain who actually got under Peter’s skin and broke him is Norman Osborn. It was the Green Goblin that killed Aunt May and forced Peter into almost becoming a killer. Peter had lost so much already but the Green Goblin took even more from him. For the first time, Peter realized what it felt to be alone and helpless. That was something he never had to deal with because mentor figures like Tony and Aunt May were always there to watch his back.
Doctor Octopus: Exhibits A Screen Presence Not Many Possess
Alfred Molina managed to break the mold when it comes to live action portrayals of comic book villains. Before Spider-Man 2, most actors who portrayed comic book super-villains either stuck to the comic book source material or tried doing things differently and totally blew it. Doc Ock was one of the first truly terrifying super-villains to grace cinema. And that is in part because of Alfred Molina’s years and years of theatre experience. That is something he carried on to No Way Home. Whenever Molina was in the frame, he stole the spotlight. That’s what teh actor has trained himself to do all these years.
Green Goblin: Dafoe’s Looming Intensity
He was once a successful businessman. Then he became a ruthless madman and developed a split personality that completely took over his mind. Willem Dafoe is a gem of an actor. And his Green Goblin still looks and sounds menacing even after 19 years. As the Green Goblin, Dafoe’s character does not seem too cheesy or campy. It is just the right amount of unpredictability to keep the viewers on edge. And that’s what makes him such an interesting villain in No Way Home.
Doctor Octopus: He Redeemed Himself Not Once, But Twice
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68479622/doc_ock.0.jpg)
Doc Ock had already been the tragic hero, looking for a way to create the perfect, limitless energy source in Spider-Man 2. When his experiment failed, he tried again and he failed yet again. But when push comes to shove to clean his own mess, Doc Ock stood up to the opportunity and helped Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man take down his machine. In No Way Home, Doc Ock redeemed himself yet again after being cured of the voices. He fought for the good guys in Spider-Man: No Way Home, lost one of his tentacled limbs in the process, and was sent back home a hero.
