Green Goblin #12
Even the Brave Can Fall!
Onslaught continues from X-Men (vol. 2) #55…
New York City has been taken over by the psychic entity calling itself Onslaught, who has taken control of an army of mutant-hunting Sentinel robots to place the city under martial law. Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich finds himself on the streets with his nephew Phil to get an eyewitness look at the chaos caused by the invasion. As Ben tries in vain to call the Daily Bugle to report in, Phil looks on in horror, barely able to comprehend what is going on. Instead, they rush to the Daily Bugle office, where the newsroom is abuzz with activity as reports of conflicts come in from across the city.[1] As Ben updates J. Jonah Jameson and Ben Urich, Phil checks on his co-workers Lynn Walsh and Meredith Campbell. They catch a news report about Darkhawk and Steel Spider assisting the New Warriors in battling Sentinels on the Brooklyn Bridge. Phil can't believe that a "loser" like the Steel Spider would get involved in the conflict, but Meredith points out that everyone is needed to help in this crisis. Phil admits that Meredith is right, telling her that he's just jealous that he is stuck on the sidelines while all of this happening. That's when Joe Robertson pulls Phil aside and tells the youth that there is a way he can help out. Phil is not impressed to discover that he has been assigned to photocopy duty.
A few minutes later the Daily Bugle Building suddenly begins to shake. Looking out the window, Jacob Conover tells the others that the Bugle is under attack by a Sentinel.[2] As the power goes out, J. Jonah Jameson assumes that this attack is intended to silence the press. Meanwhile, Lynn Walsh decides to go up onto the roof and witness the attack first hand. Worried for her safety, she is joined by both Phil Urich and Meredith Campbell. From the roof, they can see a lot of activity happening. When Lynn spots the Human Torch and an Avengers Quinjet flying by and wishes she could go and see the battle, figuring every hero in the city will be involved. This hits Phil hard, and when his two co-workers decide to go back downstairs, Urich tells them that he will join them in a minute. Realizing that he can't just sit back and let others put their lives on the line when he can help, Phil uses his remote control to summon his Goblin Glider. Changing into the Green Goblin, the Sentinel attacking the building becomes aware of his presence as soon a Phil's Goblin mask activates his superhuman powers.
The Green Goblin launches an attack on the Sentinel, but none of his conventional weapons work. As a last-ditch effort, he attempts to use his Lunatic Laugh to destroy the robot. It begins to work, but the Sentinel then strikes the Goblin, sending him falling into an alley. Disorientated from the blow, the Green Goblin begins to panic as he will get killed if he doesn't act fast. Recalling how the Sentinel was able to detect his powers once they were activated, Phil quickly pulls off his Goblin Mask, which causes him to revert to human form. Much to his relief, the Sentinel loses all interest in him once he no longer has enhanced powers. This near-death experience makes Phil feel like a loser and he thinks back to how his family has always been critical of him and his direction in life. The only one who had given Phil a fair shake was his Uncle Ben who gave him a job at the Daily Bugle. This causes Urich to think about how his job at the Bugle led to him and his Uncle investigating the old Osborn warehouse where he found his Golbin gear.[3] He thinks about the many foes that he fought and how much fun it was for him.[4] However, when considering the idea of putting his mask back on and fighting the Sentinel, he can't bring himself to do it as he is no afraid for his life.
He then wonders how heroes like Spider-Man, the Scarlet Spider, and Daredevil face such dangers every day. He particularly thinks about Daredevil, who he believes has no superhuman abilities.[5] He finally decides that they can be heroes, so can he and puts the Goblin mask back on. He then tries to ambush the Sentinel, but the robot senses his approach. Flying around the Sentinel, the Green Goblin sacrifices his Goblin Glider by flying it straight into the robot's head. The impact destroys the Sentinel and his glider and the Goblin is struck in the face by some debris. Although he is proud of his victory, Phil realizes that the debris damaged his mask and its sensitive circuitry, leaving him to wonder if his career as the Green Goblin is over.
... The Onslaught Crisis continues in Amazing Spider-Man #415.
Recurring Characters
Green Goblin, Sentinels, Lynn Walsh, Meredith Campbell, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Ben Urich, Jacob Conover,
Continuity Notes
The news reports pertain to Daredevil and the New Warriors, who don't have any on-panel involvement in the Onslaught event. The only two references that are depicted in other comics are: A summit occurring atop the Four Freedoms Plaza between the Fantastic Four, Avengers, and X-Men as well as a report that Onslaught has set up his operations in Central Park. Both of these events happen in X-Men (vol. 2) #55.
This is the point where events in this story overlap with the events in AAmazing Spider-Man #415.
Phil's memories of his parents and older brother recount a family dinner depicted in Green Goblin #1. Phil's becoming the Green Goblin also comes from that same story.
Of the different villains Phil fought in his short-lived career he pictures the Rhino, the Hobgoblin, and Angelface, whom he fought in Green Goblin #2, 4 and #8/10 respectively.
The Green Goblin encountered Spider-Man in Web of Spider-Man #125, the Scarlet Spider in Amazing Scarlet Spider #2, and Daredevil in Green Goblin #6.
Onslaught Reading Order
Onslaught: X-Men #1, Uncanny X-Men #335, X-Factor #125, Excalibur #99-100, Cable #34, Incredible Hulk #444, Wolverine (vol. 2) #104, X-Men Unlimited #11, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Generation X #18, X-Men Unlimited #12, X-Men (vol. 2) #55, Green Goblin #12, Amazing Spider-Man #415, Spider-Man #72, X-Man #18, X-Force #57, Excalibur #101, X-Factor #126, Uncanny X-Men #336, Cable #35, X-Force #58, Generation X #19, X-Man #19, Punisher (vol. 3) #11, Incredible Hulk #445, Iron Man #332, Avengers #402, Fantastic Four #416, Wolverine (vol. 2) #105, Thor #502, X-Men (vol. 2) #56, Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1
