This article is about Doctor Octopus from the Spider-Man films created by Sam Raimi. For other versions of the character, see Doctor Octopus (disambiguation).
- “The real crime would be not to finish what we started. We'll do it here. The power of the sun in the palm of my hand. Nothing will stand in our way! NOTHING!”
- ―Otto Octavius becomes Doctor Octopus
Dr. Otto Octavius (later dubbed Doctor Octopus or Doc Ock by the media) is the main antagonist of the 2004 film Spider-Man 2 and a supporting character in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home.
He is Peter Parker's former idol and friend who was once an enthusiastic scientist. However, he became corrupted by his own mechanical tentacles when the inhibitor chip controlling them was damaged.
History[]
Background[]
During his time at Columbia University Otto studied in the field of sciences, where he befriended Curt Connors and met his future wife, Rosalie, who was studying literature. Charming her over poetry by T.S. Elliot, Otto won Rosie over. After coming out of college, the couple married and Otto attained his doctrine and became a respected scientist, with Rosie assisting him on his experiments. Unfortunately, the Octaviuses never had any children together mostly due to their dedications to their careers.
During his work, he became acquainted with Norman Osborn, and was later funded by Oscorp when Harry took over after his father's death. Otto later developed a way to find renewable energy by creating an energy reactor that produced an everlasting sun.
Twenty years since his death, MCU Spider-Man botched a spell Doctor Strange was casting that would make the whole world forget Peter with Spider-Man. That version of Doctor Octopus was pulled into Earth-199999 moments before his redemption. However, Otto was cured by MCU Peter, reunited with his Spider-Man and helped the two cure the other villains.
Personality[]
Pre-Accident[]
- “You have to work hard. Intelligence is not a privilege, it's a gift. And you use it for the good of mankind.”
- ―Otto Octavius to Peter Parker
One of the things that Otto Octavius believed in intelligence was that it and brilliance should be used to help for the good of mankind. This is one of his reasons for creating the artificial sun for it to be renewable energy for other humans. Another thing Otto highly respected was one other person's intelligence, as he isn't so easily impressed with other people's reputation unless they prove otherwise. When he met Peter Parker for the first time, it was not until the vigilante showed the good doctor some area of expertise in science when Peter analyzed Otto's energy reactor for the first time. Otto is truly a caring person, due to his love for his wife, who he is very affectionate with. He also enjoyed having Peter's presence after getting to know him. It is revealed in the second film's novelization that during Peter's visit, Otto ultimately regretted not having any children with Rosalie. Having the boy over for dinner made Otto feel what it was like to be a father and his idea of shaping young minds as a father or mentor. [1]
Even before the accident, Otto sometimes showed arrogance, even more concern for his research and neglected to take care of himself, such as sleeping and eating. His wife, Rosie, always makes sure he is attending to his human needs, such as telling him when lunch was ready and telling him he needed sleep before turning on his own invention. When Octavius turned on his device, he refused to shut it down even when Harry Osborn demanded it and Peter Parker warned him about possibilities in miscalculations, even when he tried to stop it as Spider-Man himself. He never really meant to harm anyone, including the death of his beloved Rosie and understands that his arrogance is what got her killed in the first place because he refused to shut the reactor down.
Doc Ock persona[]
Cured Persona[]
When he discovered that Tony Stark created the Arc Reactor, which was similar to his own energy reactor, Otto did not show jealousy, but rather, reverence and respect at the late man's work.
Otto's fondness and respect for both his Peter Parker and the Peter 1 counterpart led Octavius to joining the heroes and helping them cure the other villains of their ailments.
Powers[]
Relationships[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Otto is based on the character of the same name created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. In the comics, Doctor Otto Octavius was a brilliant but arrogant scientist. His father, Tobert, was very abusive and his mother, Mary was very controlling. He suffered from an accident that molded him into becoming the villain Doctor Octopus, one of Peter Parker's most recurring enemies. One the most infamous storyline involved Doc Ock swapping bodies with Peter Parker and becoming the Superior Spider-Man.
- Like his counterpart from Spider-Man: The Animated Series, he is an idol to Peter Parker and his chief work was a fusion energy project.
- Several things explained in the novelization:
- Despite years of being married, Otto and Rosie were unable to have children together.
- During the film, Otto claims to hear voices in his head and they later stop when he was cured by MCU Peter Parker. In the novel for the second installment, tentacles are sentient, shown to be "speaking" to Otto in his head in this and No Way Home. They also have fears such as death and ruthlessly try to prevent it.
- Doc Ock thinks that he's helping Aunt May by giving her a quick death, rather than a slow one of old age.
- Doc Ock knew where Peter was meeting MJ by tapping into his phone lines, something that was mentioned in the original script as well.
- Instead of being props like Spider-Man 2, Doc Ock's tentacles are completely CGI in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
- During production, Alfred Molina named them Harry, Larry, Moe and Flo.
- In the comics, Otto was unmarried. However, his Ultimate Marvel counterpart was.
- One of the proposed names J. Jonah Jameson's employee came up with was "Doctor Strange," and even though he liked it, Jameson couldn't use it because it was already taken. This referred to the Marvel character of the same name.
- Ironically, Doctor Octopus would meet Doctor Strange in No Way Home and Sam Raimi would go on to direct the 2022 film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
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- ↑ Spider-Man 2 Novelization, page 83