Summary
Contains Spoilers for Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #5!Spider-Manhas no shortage of iconic villains, but Marvel’sUltimate Spider-Manongoing has so far committed to radically reinterpreting the Webslinger’s rogues, just as with every other aspect of the character and his decades worth of lore. Now, the series just introduced a new version ofDoctor Octopus, one who could potentially bring down everything the world’s heroes have been working towards.
InUltimate Spider-Man (2024)#5 – written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by David Massina – Ultimate Doctor Octopus is revealed in a surprising new context, asOtto Octavious appears, not as a villain, but as Harry Osborn’s tech guy.
By far, the most exciting aspect of theUltimateuniverse’s latest incarnation has been discovering, issue by issue, how creators like Jonathan Hickman intend to reinvigorate classic characters in exciting new forms. Octavius is the latest, and among the most intriguing, examples of that.
Harry has recently inherited not just his father’s business, but also Howard Stark’s. Tony Stark is believed a terrorist, and Kingpin, working for the same evil council that framed Tony, sells Stark Tech to Harry with the intent of Harry dismantling it. When Harry finally breaks into the vault housing Howard’s Iron Man suits, it’s with Otto’s help, and it’s Otto who becomes his tech guy.
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Doc Ock’s Role As Harry Osborn’s Tech Support Gives Him Dangerous Access
Ultimate Spider-Man #5 – Written By Jonathan Hickman; Art By David Messina; Color By Matthew Wilson; Lettering By Cory Petit
Otto is now in a position of considerable power. Not only does he have access to Stark technology, but he’s also one of the very few people who’s aware of Harry’s role as the Green Goblin.
When Harry decides to repurpose an Iron Man suitas the Green Goblin, it is Otto who makes the modifications to the suit. So far, there’s not much more that can be gathered about Otto beyondthe fact that he’s younger than his mainstream Earth-616 counterpart.The big question is whether Otto is truly loyal to Harry. When Gwen Stacy,Harry’s wife in this universe, forces Otto to sign an NDA, it is with the assumption that Otto will because he’s fascinated with Stark’s ‘toys’. This seems to imply that Otto’s just in it for science – and himself.
Unfortunately, Otto is now in a position of considerable power. Not only does he have access to Stark technology, but he’s also one of the very few people who’s aware of Harry’s role as the Green Goblin. If he does turn on Harry, then he could easily go straight to the Council, which controls theUltimateUniverse, or he could blackmail Harry with what he knows and abscond with the tech. He could also already be working for someone else, like his counterpart from the original Ultimate Universe, who was working for Justin Hammer against Osborn.
Despite their similar numerical designations, this newUltimateUniverse (Earth-6160) is distinct from the originalUltimateUniverse (Earth-1610.) The original was destroyed in 2015’sSecret Warsseries, written by Jonathan Hickman, while the new one was created by the villain known as the Maker in 2023’sUltimate Invasion.
Ultimate Peter Parker Will Soon Face His First Supervillain
Green Goblin, Or Doctor Octopus
It is also worth asking what it means that this Otto is so young. In practical terms, Ultimate Otto has his relationship with Peter Parker reversed.
The other possibility is that it’s Harry who goes too far. WhileHarry is fighting a heroic battleagainst the Council, he’s still the Green Goblin, and that comes with some not-so-good expectations from fans. If Harry takes his crusade too far, putting innocents in harm’s way, then Otto might happily go along, especially if he doesn’t have a moral compass of his own. This is all the more likely because the story is written by Jonathan Hickman, who’s made a Marvel career of ‘heroic’ male heroes justifying horrible actions with ‘the greater good’.
It is also worth asking what it means that this Otto is so young. In practical terms, Ultimate Otto has his relationship with Peter Parker reversed. Peter appears to be the older one here, in his mid-30s, while Otto could be anywhere from his early-20s to early-30s. When the two inevitably clash, how Otto approaches the older Peter will be pivotal to their dynamic. It’s easy to imagine a self-obsessed Doctor Octopus viewing an olderSpider-Manand his boss as beneath him,and thus becoming the villain that all the readers ofUltimate Spider-Manexpect he will be.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
