12 Most Likely Villains For The Next MCU Spider-Man Trilogy - Ranked
9. Hobgoblin
Like many of his foes, there have been a few different Hobgoblins in Spider-Man's decades-long history. The first - and most famous - is Roderick Kingsley, but we've also had Jason Macendale, Phil Urich, and a handful of others. The most noteworthy for the purposes of this list, though, is none other than Ned Leeds, Peter's MCU bestie and guy in the chair.
What's the likelihood of this? Probably not super high. But when you consider Ned's promise to not turn into a villain and try to kill Peter, suddenly this possibility has a bit more weight. Sure, that line was played for laughs, but could it have been a bit of not-so-subtle foreshadowing?
Imagine if Peter is forced to face off with yet another Goblin, after the last one killed his beloved Aunt May and tested him like no foe before. Then imagine that - in a Winter Soldier-style jaw-dropping reveal - he rips off the Hobgoblin mask to see none other than his former best friend, Ned. What a gut-punch that would be, both for Peter and for the audience.
Norman was one thing, but having to go head-to-head with his one-time best friend would add a whole new emotional layer to Peter's battle against this new goblin-faced foe.