Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin, is one of Marvel’s most unpredictable and dangerous villains. Brilliant, manipulative, and absolutely ruthless, he’s responsible for some of the darkest moments in Spider-Man’s life. But if there’s one thing fans don’t expect from the Goblin, it’s teamwork. After all, Norman is notorious for betraying allies, double-crossing partners, and treating relationships like chess pieces. And yet… sometimes even the Green Goblin finds it useful to collaborate.
Whether it’s temporary alliances, government-sanctioned leadership roles, or unexpected truces with his sworn enemies, Norman’s team-ups always come with a twist. He doesn’t just work with people—he plays them. These moments aren’t about friendship or shared ideals—they’re about strategy, ambition, and sometimes, raw survival. But no matter the motive, these bizarre alliances have shaken up the Marvel Universe in unforgettable ways.
#10: Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus – The Superior Spider-Man (2013)
When Otto Octavius took over Peter Parker’s body and became the “Superior Spider-Man,” he made a surprising number of enemies—including Norman Osborn. But in a shocking twist during The Superior Spider-Man arc, the two mad geniuses indirectly collaborate through chaos and manipulation.
Though they never shake hands, Norman—disguised as the “Goblin King”—lets Otto’s arrogance blind him, manipulating him into losing control of New York. He allows Otto to clean up certain parts of the city while secretly building his Goblin Underground beneath his feet. This shadow alliance of neglect and exploitation lets Norman rise unchecked, making it a passive-aggressive partnership that catches Otto (and readers) off guard.
This pseudo-team-up works because both men think they’re outsmarting the other. It’s a battle of egos, not trust. And that’s what makes it such an unexpected collaboration—two villains, one goal, no honor among geniuses.
#9: Green Goblin and Kingpin – Dark Reign: The List – Daredevil (2009)
Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk rarely see eye to eye. One’s a chaotic madman with a flair for theatrics, the other a cold, calculating crime lord. But during the Dark Reign era, Norman—then head of H.A.M.M.E.R.—realizes that controlling street-level chaos means working with the devil he knows.
In The List – Daredevil, Osborn covertly aligns with Kingpin to destabilize Matt Murdock and the Hand. While they’re far from friends, their interests align briefly. Osborn provides intel and resources, while Fisk applies pressure from the ground. The alliance is short-lived, ending with predictable backstabbing, but the sheer necessity of the partnership is what shocks most readers.
Seeing the Green Goblin and Kingpin in any kind of collaboration feels like a clash of worlds—garish insanity meets cold-blooded order. But for one strange chapter, the enemy of Norman’s enemy was… useful.
#8: Green Goblin and The Hood – New Avengers Annual #2 (2008)
Before Norman’s rise to power in Dark Reign, he begins forging alliances with other villains to expand his influence. One of the most eyebrow-raising moments comes in New Avengers Annual #2, when he aligns with Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, a rising crime boss with mystical connections.
At the time, The Hood is building his own criminal empire of supervillains. Osborn sees potential—not in Robbins’ power, but in his reach. While Norman plays the public role of patriot and businessman, The Hood does his dirty work in the shadows. It’s a symbiotic relationship: Norman gets muscle and chaos, while Robbins gets legitimacy and protection.
What makes this team-up unexpected is how unbalanced it is. Robbins believes he’s forming a partnership. Norman, of course, is just grooming a pawn. The mix of magic, tech, and organized crime creates a volatile blend that sets the stage for the darker days of the Marvel Universe.
#7: Green Goblin and Bullseye – Dark Avengers (2009)
During Dark Reign, Norman assembles his infamous “Dark Avengers,” a team of villains posing as heroes. Among them is Bullseye, rebranded as Hawkeye—a move so reckless it borders on insanity. But that’s exactly what makes it fascinating.
Bullseye is unpredictable, murderous, and utterly lacking in restraint. And yet, Norman not only recruits him—he trusts him with a bow and a mask. The two form a bizarre bond, with Norman seeing Bullseye as both a tool and a reflection of his own chaos. There are even moments where Norman enables Bullseye’s violence, manipulating public perception to frame it as heroic.
What’s wild is that the partnership works—for a time. Bullseye follows orders. Norman maintains control. And the world watches, oblivious to the monster behind the mask. It’s less about camaraderie and more about shared madness—and that’s why it’s one of the most shocking alliances Norman ever orchestrated.
#6: Green Goblin and Loki – Siege: The Cabal (2009)
When you think of Green Goblin and Loki in the same room, you’d expect chaos—and you’d be right. In Siege: The Cabal, Norman Osborn sits among Marvel’s most sinister minds, including Doctor Doom, Emma Frost, and Loki himself. While all of them have their own agendas, the brief alliance between Norman and Loki is particularly shocking.
At the time, Osborn controls the Dark Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s replacement agency, H.A.M.M.E.R. Loki, ever the manipulator, senses an opportunity and nudges Norman toward invading Asgard—a move that would spark the Siege event. The Goblin’s lust for power and Loki’s taste for anarchy align perfectly, making them an accidental power couple of doom.
This team-up is unexpected because it’s born of subtle suggestion, not strategy. Loki never truly allies with Norman, but he whispers just the right words to weaponize him. And Norman, prideful and paranoid, runs with it. The result? A full-scale war against gods, launched by a madman nudged by a trickster. A pairing that should’ve combusted somehow created one of Marvel’s most disastrous story arcs.
#5: Green Goblin and Spider-Man (Briefly!) – Spectacular Spider-Man #200 (1993)
It’s one of the most emotional and tragic Green Goblin stories ever—and it includes a brief, unforgettable moment of teamwork between Norman’s heir, Harry Osborn, and Peter Parker. In Spectacular Spider-Man #200, Harry, as the second Green Goblin, nearly kills Spider-Man in a fit of madness. But when he sees Peter’s broken body and realizes the consequences of his actions, something snaps.
In a moment of clarity, Harry saves Peter’s life by pulling him from a burning building. For just a few seconds, the Goblin and Spider-Man fight together—against fire, against death, and against a legacy of hate. It’s not a typical team-up. It’s fleeting. But it’s powerful.
This moment is unexpected because it comes from love—Harry’s love for his friend, buried beneath years of resentment and mental torment. In saving Peter, Harry defies the Goblin inside him. And that makes it one of the most haunting and redemptive team-ups in Spider-Man history.
#4: Green Goblin and Iron Patriot – Dark Avengers / Siege (2009–2010)
Norman Osborn becomes the Iron Patriot during the Dark Reign era—a twisted fusion of Iron Man’s armor and Captain America’s symbolism. But what makes this moment shocking is how Norman effectively teams up with… himself. He weaponizes his split identities, playing both national hero and hidden villain while manipulating the world around him.
In this dual role, Norman leads the Avengers, allies with the U.S. government, and fools even the most powerful heroes into thinking he’s reformed. He gives speeches as Iron Patriot, commands military operations, and maintains a tight grip on public relations—while the Green Goblin persona simmers beneath the surface, waiting to erupt.
The team-up here isn’t with another person—it’s a warped alliance between masks. Norman’s ability to deceive, to use his Iron Patriot identity as a shield for his Goblin madness, is a psychological team-up that destabilized the entire Marvel Universe. The scariest part? It worked… until it didn’t.
#3: Green Goblin and Carnage (Sort of) – Axis: Carnage (2014)
In the Axis crossover event, the moral alignments of several characters are reversed. Heroes become villains. Villains become “heroes.” Carnage, of all people, gains a conscience. He wants to be a good guy—he just doesn’t know how. And in an absurd twist, he chooses to model himself after someone he once feared: Norman Osborn.
Cletus Kasady attempts to mimic Osborn’s Iron Patriot persona, donning a warped version of the armor and calling himself “Friendly Neighborhood Carnage.” Norman, still oscillating between madness and delusion, actually tolerates Carnage’s attempts to be like him—briefly. It’s more like mentorship than alliance, but the visual of Carnage trying to do good while channeling the Green Goblin is pure, chaotic brilliance.
The team-up is unexpected because it’s accidental. Norman inspires Carnage in the worst way possible, unintentionally becoming a role model for a reformed serial killer. It’s demented, it’s temporary—and it’s absolutely unforgettable.
#2: Green Goblin and Mephisto – One More Day Aftermath / Spider-Man: The Osborn Identity (2017)
Norman Osborn has flirted with many dark powers—but his brush with Mephisto, Marvel’s devil himself, marked one of his most unsettling alliances. While not a formal team-up, The Osborn Identity storyline reveals that Norman has been chasing magical power in a desperate attempt to regain his memories of Peter Parker’s secret identity—memories that were wiped in One More Day due to Mephisto’s manipulations.
Norman’s journey leads him to dark rituals, demonic pacts, and near-communion with Mephisto himself. Though they don’t share a panel shaking hands, the implication is chilling: the Green Goblin is now willing to bend reality, even court literal hell, just to destroy Spider-Man again.
What makes this “team-up” so unexpected is how far Norman has come from mad scientist to would-be warlock. The Goblin doesn’t want allies—he wants power. And if that means working alongside Marvel’s Prince of Darkness, he’s all in.
#1: Green Goblin and the Sinister Six – Sinister War (2021)
Norman Osborn has clashed with the Sinister Six more than once—but in Sinister War, he shockingly joins forces with several iterations of the team, including Doctor Octopus, Kraven, and Vulture, to take down Spider-Man once and for all. Under the influence of Kindred, Norman manipulates the villains into fighting not just Spidey, but each other, turning the war into a chaotic, multi-sided brawl.
But here’s the twist—Norman isn’t fully himself. He’s battling inner demons, guilt, and Kindred’s influence. His motives are fractured. He wants redemption and revenge in equal measure. So, while he allies with the Six, he also sabotages them. The result is a confusing, bloody chess game where Norman plays every side—including his own.
This is the ultimate unexpected team-up because Norman doesn’t just work with the Sinister Six—he uses them, betrays them, and breaks them. And when the dust settles, no one—not even Peter—knows where Norman stands. It’s chaos. It’s betrayal. It’s pure Goblin.
When it comes to team-ups, Green Goblin doesn’t play fair—he plays everyone. These bizarre, brilliant, and downright chaotic alliances show that Norman Osborn is far more than a lone madman on a glider. He’s a strategist, a manipulator, and a master of twisted partnerships. Whether aligning with demons, criminals, or heroes themselves, Norman finds a way to turn any alliance into a weapon.
What makes these team-ups unforgettable isn’t just who he works with—it’s how inevitably he betrays them. Trusting Green Goblin is like dancing with a grenade: flashy, fast-paced, and guaranteed to blow up in your face. And that’s what makes him one of Marvel’s most dangerous wildcards. In the end, the only person Norman Osborn ever truly teams up with—is chaos.
