r/InsomniacGames

Sorry in advance about posting this here. I tried posting in SpidermanPS4 but i didnt have enough Karma. Also fair warning i did use AI to help me more comprehensively say what i want to say as im not the most skilled writer. So here we go and thanks to the people who do read this.

I keep seeing this one popular fan theory for Marvel's Spider-Man 3 where Norman Osborn just grabs Harry's G-serum vial, shoots himself up, and instantly becomes the Green Goblin. I honestly think that completely ignores the established lore and Norman's character, and I have a different theory on how the Osborn story is going to play out across the next couple of games.

The G-Serum is a Cure, Not a Super Soldier Formula

Throughout the Insomniac games, the G-serum is explicitly defined as a medical cure for Harry’s specific genetic disease. Norman doesn’t have that disease. If he takes the serum, it offers him absolutely zero benefit and a ton of unknown medical risks.

At the end of Spider-Man 2, Harry is in critical condition. That single vial is literally his only lifeline. If Norman is calculating, cold, and obsessive (which he is), why would he gamble his son's only cure for no guaranteed personal gain? He wouldn't. Using the serum on himself means he’d be killing Harry for nothing.

Instead, I think Insomniac is going to stretch the Osborn villain arc across multiple games.

Spider-Man 3: Harry becomes the villain

The G-serum is used for its original purpose: to save Harry’s life. However, as a direct side effect of curing his disease, Harry gets enhanced physical abilities and snaps, becoming the Green Goblin. He’s the main antagonist for this game. Norman has to sit back and watch all of this happen, which leaves him completely obsessed with the immense power the serum gave his son. Because of this, he orders his scientists to start working on a weaponized, potent derivative of the serum designed for anyone to take—but he doesn't inject it yet because Harry is still out there.

The end of Spider-Man 3: Norman snaps

By the end of the third game, Harry is either killed or locked up. Norman is totally devastated and consumed by deep rage. He wants revenge on Spider-Man immediately. The problem is, the weaponized serum is still in the early, tedious trial phases, and Norman isn't exactly a patient guy. Frustrated by the slow pace, he makes a reckless call and injects himself with an unstable, untested test compound.

Spider-Man 4 or 5: The Ultimate Green Goblin

Because the test compound was unfinished and unstable, it doesn't give Norman a clean transformation. Instead, it mutates him into the Ultimate Green Goblin—a monstrous, hulking, barely human behemoth similar to the Ultimate comics run. He becomes the final, most terrifying boss of the entire Insomniac saga.

Why this theory works:

It respects the lore: It treats the G-serum as exactly what the game said it was: a cure, not some random Captain America super-soldier juice.

It gives Harry a real purpose: It means Harry's survival in SM2 wasn't just to buy time or look sick—he actually takes up the mantle and becomes a full antagonist.

It paces out the Goblins: It staggers the two Goblins across different games, so the story doesn't feel rushed or crowded.

It gives Norman a real motive: It provides Norman with a genuine emotional trigger (the loss/imprisonment of his son) mixed with his hubris and impatience, justifying why he'd take an untested serum.

It fits Insomniac's style: Insomniac loves slow-burn storytelling. They teased the Goblin tech in SM1, teased the G-serum in SM2, and are saving the full Norman transformation for much later.

Anyone who thinks Norman will just grab the vial right out of the gate is ignoring the game's own science and Norman’s intelligence. This theory (in my honest opinion) perfectly follows the evidence Insomniac has left us. What do you guys think?