10 Terrifying Comic Supervillains (Who Only Appear Once)

The Grey Goblin’s true name was Gabriel Stacy. You might recognize that surname from a prominent character within the Spiderverse, Gwen Stacy. And that’s because Gabriel, along with his twin sister Sarah, is the child of Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn. Gwen was determined to raise her two children with Peter Parker. But, she was killed by Norman before the twins were grown. He then abducted the twins and raised them himself, posing as their uncle.

When Peter Parker discovered the truth of all this he confronted the twins as Spider-Man. Spider-Man tried to tell them that Osborn, not Peter Parker, was their father. While Sarah was receptive to Spider-Man, Gabriel became enraged and almost killed his sister.

Gabriel eventually finds that Norman Osborn is, indeed, his father. He also finds a grey Goblin suit and a vial of Goblin Formula which he injects himself with, thus becoming the Grey Goblin.

In a fight with Spider-Man, Gabriel’s sister, Sarah, damages Grey Goblin’s glider which explodes. Gabriel isn’t killed, but he does suffer amnesia. When he returns to the world of Spider-Man it is as the character American Son. Readers have yet to see anyone else don the Grey Goblin suit.