The Green Goblin IV
First appearance: Web of Spider-Man #125
(April 1995)
Final appearance as the Green Goblin: Green Goblin #12
(July 1996)
Final appearance as Phil Urich: Amazing Spider-Man #433
(February 1998)

Note: Phil Urich, the young man once known as the Green Goblin, while not being a true enemy of Spider-Man was seen as such in his early appearences and that coupled with the sinister history surrounding his identity merits a mention in the villains section. Don't worry all of you Phil/Green Goblin fans, I know Phil's a hero, but Spidey didn't right away, so on with the show...

While accompanying his Uncle Ben Urich in a search of an old Osborn Industries warehouse, Daily Bugle intern Phil Urich was exposed to a canister of the Goblin serum, created by mendel Stromm, the former partner of Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin. When Ben was attacked in the warehouse, Phil put on one of the later Green Goblin suits created by the late Harry Osborn, Norman's son and using the goblin technology Phil rescued his Uncle Ben. Deciding to keep the Green Goblin costume and assessories, and unlike his predecessors, Phil chose to become a hero as the Green Goblin. Phil got off to a bumpy start as a hero though, taking on heavyweights like the Rhino and the Hobgoblin right off the bat, and falling under the suspicious gaze of Spider-Man, the arch-rival of the other Goblins. However Phil proved himself a hero, helping Spidey to defeat the murderous Firefist and helping Spider-Man's clone, the Scarlet Spider against the mercenary known as Joystick. Still, knowing the fates of the other goblins weighed heavily on Phil who knew that like the others before him, being the Green Goblin equalled death.

With determination Phil overcame his demons and found the hero within, saving his Uncle Ben's life from a crooked judge who wanted the put star reporter Ben Urich out of business. With the help of Daredevil, Phil defeated Judge Tomb's assassin and stopped Tomb's attacks. Being a heroic Green Goblin brought in a great deal of attention from the press though, and Harry Osborn's widow Liz Osborn became interested in the man who began using her husband's techonology. Phil would prove to Liz that the new Goblin was a true hero though, saving her and her son Normie from a criminal known as Angel Face and gain Liz's respect. While Phil grew as a hero, and the world got to know a new Green Goblin, Phil also spent time at the Daily Bugle, working as an intern in between classes at Empire State University. Phil's close friend Meredith was an intern as well, along with Lynn, an aspiring reporter and the girl of Phil's dreams. In his downtime Phil would hang out with his buddy "Fast" Freddie Glazer, a video game fanatic, who made a move on Lynn not knowing of Phil's crush.

As the heroic Green Goblin's popularity grew amongst New Yorkers, so did the number of villains Phil would encounter. From the virtual reality villain Netshape, to the armor-plated Steel Slammer, to the vengeful Angel Face, Phil seemed to be at the top of his game as a hero, that is until the threat of Onslaught emerged. Onslaught was a meld of the psyche of the mutant master of magnetism Magneto and the psychic powers of Professor Charles Xavier, and during an assault on New York city, Onslaught unleashed a wave of the mutant hunting Sentinels, reprogrammed to attack normal humans. The Green Goblin came to the rescue though, but in a fight against a Sentinel the Goblin suit was damaged. Rather than retire, Phil tried to be a hero without the Goblin technology, but that attempt was short-lived. Phil has since retired from the world of super-heroics, and the good name of the Green Goblin has since been tarnished with an emergence of a new, ill-fated Green Goblin and Norman Osborn's two brief attempts to regain glory as the villainous Goblin. Phil lost his job at the Daily Bugle in a massive downsizing after the effects of Onslaught and is currently a full time ESU student with Meredith.

Powers and Abilities: As the Green Goblin, Phil Urich had enhanced strength and flight capabilities while using the Goblin-glider. Phil could also use the trademark Goblin laugh as a sound based weapon, and had the usual pumpkin bombs and razor bats at his disposal.

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