ok so while i finish goblin’s actual bio here are some notes on his canon divergence ( based off earth - 1610 ) !
💀 the longer he “treated” himself with the serum he created , the sicker and sicker he got until he finally fell over the edge and overdosed , mutating himself . symptoms leading up to that point came a spectrum from flu - like to coughing blood and hallucinating .
💀 mutations came swiftly upon overdose but not quick enough to keep norman from returning home that evening . he passed off severe illness again as unintended side effect and awoke hours later as a monster .
💀 goblin came to with the home already ablaze , both martha and harry brutally murdered by his own hand .
💀 it has been years since their deaths and years since goblin has looked anything but monstrous . he subconsciously convinced himself that with both wife and son gone , he had nothing to be human for and the thought he may be able to revert back to previous form no longer crosses his mind .
💀 norman osborn ≠ goblin -- not anymore . there is no norman close enough to the surface for his old self to have control of new existence . goblin follows instinct only , though said instinct may be influenced by the last shreds of humanity buried deep in his brain .
💀 the most obvious influence of human emotion comes in goblin’s siding with fisk , despite the fact he doesn’t recognize why he’s doing it . if the collider can return fisk’s family , why not his ?
&& then a few notes not specifically related to canon divergence but still important !
💀 goblin responds to his previous name , but will also respond to just about anything yelled loud enough at him . he doesn’t know norman is his name , so an answer is only due to someone catching his attention .
💀 like 1610 goblin , he suffers from hallucinations that make inanimate objects move && sees everything through a blood red filter .
💀 though he travels all along the hudson between the city and alchemax , he prefers lurking in the dense forests ( as opposed to beneath new york streets ) where he can find suitable meals .
💀 he knows what route fisk takes when he visits alchemax and if he sees him en route either way , he will often shadow kingpin’s vehicle from above .
💀 his ears are incredibly expressive and watching them can alert to a switch in mood before it crosses his face .
💀 he sleeps curled up like a dog and covers his face with a wing .
