Just then, an enigmatic character known as the Green Goblin shows up kidnapping the stockholders.
This episode provides examples of:
- Adaptational Late Appearance: The Green Goblin is usually one of Spider-Man's earliest foes, it took Norman three seasons to finally become the Green Goblin, with the Hobgoblin debuting before the Green Goblin.
- Asshole Victim: The Oscorp stockholders by the hands of the Green Goblin. He blames them all for the "death" of Norman for various reasons. In reality, although they are not directly responsible for the accident he apparently died in they are responsible for putting pressure on him and threatening to replace him with a new CEO for his failures. The closest example of this trope is Kingpin, who pressures Osborn to deliver his chemical weapon to him even as his reputation with the other stockholders is in ruins, and threatens his and Harry's lives if he fails.
- Badass Boast:Spider-Man: You're not the Hobgoblin.
Green Goblin: How observant you are! [grabs him] No, I'm not the Hobgoblin, meddler. I'm the Green Goblin! Not that you'll live long enough for it to matter. - Big Damn Kiss: The episode ends with Spider-Man meeting with Felicia, and she thanks him for saving her mother by rolling up his mask and passionately kissing him.
- Bittersweet Ending: The Green Goblin's captives are freed and Norman regains his sanity (for the time being), but Fisk isn't done with Osborn yet and MJ is still with Harry, leaving Peter feeling rather miffed, though he does receive a very passionate thank you kiss from Felicia Hardy, so not all sour apples in his basket.
- Continuity Nod: The Green Goblin declares Mrs. Hardy guilty for causing Octavius to become Dr. Octopus for reneged his funding.
- Dramatic Unmask: Done to the Green Goblin by Spider-Man.
- Enter Eponymous: Self-explanatory, ain't it?
- Everyone Has Standards: Jonah, of all people, is shocked that Fisk would fire on the underwater hideout while Spider-Man was still in it. He also reported on Norman manufacturing the gas in the first place, despite being an Oscorp stockholder and thus the damage the story could do to his wallet.
- Forceful Kiss: When greeting Spidey on her balcony Felicia slinks up to him, gently grasps his face in her hands, rolls his mask up, wraps her arms around Spider-Man's neck and gives him a deep, passionate kiss. Although initially shocked by this he offers little resistance and quickly reciprocates, wrapping his arms around Felicia's waist.
- Foreshadowing: When the Green Goblin is denouncing Wilson Fisk as the worst of them, he seems to be well aware that Fisk is the Kingpin, something Harry shouldn’t know but his father does.
- Hand Blast: The Green Goblin fires blasts from his fingertips, thanks to his gloves.
- Honor Before Reason: Mary Jane worries Harry's dark side is manifesting. Despite loving Mary Jane himself, Peter sticks up for Harry's character and says he deserves the benefit of the doubt, especially during a rough time.
- Hypocrite: When reading the charges against Jonah, Mrs. Hardy, and Fisk, the Green Goblin notes how each of them condemned Norman Osborn but were in no position to judge.
- Kangaroo Court: The Green Goblin kidnaps all the Oscorp stockholders (and later Mary Jane) and holds his own trial against them and their roles in the "demise" of Norman Osborn, serving as their judge, jury and executioner. All the trial consist of is Goblin stating the charge against several of the accused with little to no actual evidence.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Once the gas wears off and the Goblin persona loses its strength, Norman can't remember anything that happened to him.
- Legacy Character: The Green Goblin got a hold of Hobgoblin weaponry and a costume altered by the gas leaks.
- Pragmatic Villainy: While the civilians make their escape from the underwater site, the Kingpin activates the submarine's weapons in the hopes of killing Spider-Man. Later, he backs off his scheme involving the gas due to how much attention they've attracted lately.
- Red Herring: It seems Harry has become the Green Goblin to avenge his father. Spider-Man comes across blueprints for muscle-enhancing armor to help sell this. Hearing from Mary Jane that Harry had hidden problems further raised his suspicions. Also, earlier Harry tells the stockholders that he holds them responsible for his father's death and tells them they're all guilty.
- Never Found the Body: Harry still believes that his father might be alive two weeks after the accident, stating that his body was never found. Sure enough his father turn out to be alive by the end of the episode.
- Never My Fault: Harry angrily states that if his father really is dead then all the stockholders are to blame for driving him to his death, specially calling out Jameson for writing the article about Norman's chemical weapons. After Harry leaves the room Jameson wonders aloud why he would blame them for what happened to his father. While none of them did anything direct to cause the accident they all did put massive pressure on Norman for the article, even threatening to replace him as CEO.
- Not So Similar: Peter admits he can relate to Harry's tragedy, due to losing his own parents, but he also acknowledges he still has a parental figure in May and that Harry has no one else.
- Oh, Crap!: Spider-Man after seeing the Green Goblin crushed his web-shooters.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: The Green Goblin calls J. Jonah Jameson and Anastatia Hardy "hypocrites" for criticizing Norman's weapon project while claiming to be Norman's friends, Jameson being the one to publish the report about it, and Hardy having funded Otto Octavius's experiments. However, one: Jameson was well within his right as a journalist to expose Osborn's project, two: Octavius became Dr. Octopus long after Hardy cut his funding, and three: as members of the board, they are well within their reason to criticize Norman's decision to do the project because of its nature and the resultant bad PR. That said, Jameson did fund the experiment that turned Mac Gargan into the Scorpion and we find out next season that Anastatia Hardy was married to a notorious thief and it's likely her wealth was built off of his crimes, so the Goblin's wrong for the reasons why he's calling them hypocrites, he is right that they are.
- Sadistic Choice: The Green Goblin dangles both Felicia and her mother over the city."Double jeopardy, Spider-Man. There's no way you can save two of them at the same time. Is there?!" [drops them]
- Shut Up, Hannibal!:Green Goblin: Justice will be served! And all of you will suffer for your crimes against Norman Osborn. For justice is blind NO LONGER! [laughs]
Spider-Man: [entering] All you megalomaniacs have such a weird sense of humor! - Split Personality: After Spider-Man unmasks him, the Green Goblin insists he is a separate being from Norman Osborn and demands to have his mask back.
- Superpowered Evil Side: Take a guess.
- Super-Strength: Unlike the Hobgoblin, the Green Goblin has this—much to Spider-Man's surprise.
- There Can Be Only One: Discussed."There was only one true goblin: the Green Goblin!"
- Ungrateful Bastard: Even after being rescued with the others, Jonah believes Spidey has an ulterior motive.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Exposure to the gas gave Norman Osborn great strength and unleashed an evil split personality.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Spider-Man initially assumed he was dealing with the Hobgoblin. So did the Kingpin.
- "You!" Exclamation: Spider-Man when he encounters Harry in the burning lab.
