Dr. Otto Octavius is a highly intelligent and prideful scientist, better known as the criminal mastermind Doctor Octopus. During an atomic research project, Octavius' body was fused to four mechanical, tentacle-like arms, also causing him severe damage that turned him into a criminal. He clashed with Spider-Man and went to become one of his greatest enemies. After multiple battles, Otto's body started to fail and decay itself. In one last attempt to survive, Otto swapped brains with his nemesis, leaving Spider-Man to die in his fragile body.
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History
Born in Schenectady, New York, to a lower-class family, only child Otto Octavius was to be raised by his overbearing mother and his abusive father. During his youth, Otto would often receive beatings at home, or school. His father would roar at Otto to use violence when dealing with bullies whilst his mother, on the other hand, always put Otto off using violence. Sometimes Otto's father would beat him during rages, earning Otto's hatred.
Otto was accepted into M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). During Otto's first year of school, Torbert died in a construction accident. During the funeral, Mary confided in her son that "an early death is the fate of a manual laborer" and expected that would go on to great things. Otto returned to school and threw himself into his studies. Otto's hard work paid off when he graduated at the top of his class.
After graduating M.I.T., Otto was hired by the U.S. Atomic Research Center. To help manipulate radioactive substances from a safe distance, Otto constructed a chest harness controlling four mechanical, tentacle-like arms - earning him the nickname Doctor Octopus. At work, he had fallen in love with a fellow researcher, Mary Anders, and the two started dating. Eventually Otto proposed marriage, which was accepted. Expecting a joyous reaction from his mother, he was surprised that she was against it. She accused Otto of turning his back on her (in truth her overprotective ways led her to think no woman was good enough for his son), causing him to break off his engagement. When Otto discovered his mother dating behind his back, he blew up in rage at her. During the argument, Mary died of a heart attack, leaving Otto with bitterness. Now he was without a girlfriend and held himself responsible for his mother's death.
Consumed with guilt, Otto couldn't fully focus during work, and volatile liquids exploded - bombarding the scientist with radiation. The substances left him capable of mentally controlling the arms, but the accident also caused irreversible brain damage - transforming the respected scientist into a megalomaniacal superhuman criminal.
Waking in a hospital, Otto knew this new found strength - combined with his awesome intellect - could render him supremely powerful. Holding the medical staff hostage, Otto forced them to gather lab equipment for him to continue his work. But Spider-Man showed up. Doctor Octopus easily defeated Spider-Man. Doc Ock then took control of a leading nuclear research facility and again squared off with the wall-crawler, who this time defeated him with one punch to the jaw.
After serving time, Doc Ock attempted to raise funds by springing gangster Blackie Gaxton from a Philadelphia prison - assisted by Gaxton's lawyer, Bennett Brant. Spider-Man foiled the scheme, but could not save Bennett from being shot in front of his sister, Betty Brant. After escaping from Spider-Man during a scuffle on a getaway boat meant for Gaxton, Octopus travelled throughout the country, committing some of the most spectacular crimes in an attempt to bring Spider-man to confront him. When that failed, Octopus returned to New York, where he hoped to find Spider-Man.
After kidnapping Betty Brant, whom Octopus knew Spider-Man had risked his life saving before, he fought Spider-Man on Coney Island, who was suffering from a severe virus attack, and easily defeated and unmasked him as Peter Parker. Falsely realizing that the weak Peter Parker could not be Spider-Man, Octopus left and went on a rampage, releasing zoo animals and finally confronting the "real" Spider-Man, and was defeated when he was trapped in a burning building.
After being imprisoned yet again, a team of specialists found a way to remove his harness. Now believed by the prison to be normal again and without power, they placed his tentacles in another part of the facility. It was at this time that Octopus showed that he had mental control over his arms, even when separated from him over short distances. Using this to his advantage, he summoned his tentacles to return to him and escaped from prison.[16]
Otto then deduced that to defeat Spider-Man, he could not do it alone. He decided to bring together a team of villains to destroy Spider-Man, and thus assembled the first Sinister Six to combat Spider-Man. He plotted to kidnap Betty Brant again and make her their hostage. However, Betty was visiting with May Parker at the time, who was also captured and taken hostage. Doctor Octopus treated May so kindly, though, that she remained blissfully unaware she had been kidnapped by the charming villain.
Following Spider-Man's defeat of the Sinister Six, Octopus assembled another group of costumed underlings and established an undersea base. Calling himself the Master Planner, he embarked on a series of thefts of experimental substances - seeking to further expand his mastery of the atomic sciences. His goal: to develop a radiation ray with which he could rule the world. But his plan was fated to entwine with Spider-Man's: when May fell sick, Peter provided her with a blood transfusion - not realizing the radioactivity in his plasma would kill her.
The only substance capable of saving her was the experimental ISO-36. Peter managed to obtain enough money to fund the operation, but the Master Planner's forces hijacked the shipment for their own deadly research. Spider-Man tracked down the Master Planner to his underwater hideout and confronted his foe, revealed to be Doc Ock. After the base was destroyed, Doctor Octopus escaped once more. Spider-Man recovered the ISO-36 and saved Aunt May's life with the aid of Dr. Curt Connors (the Lizard).
Doctor Octopus' next scheme involved the theft of the Nullifier, a projector that could disable any device. After two failed attempts, Otto finally succeeded on his third. Turning the Nullifier against Spider-Man, he caused the wall-crawler to lose his memory and told him that they were allies. He then enlisted Spider-Man's help to steal the remaining components for the device.[40] Though Spider-Man had not regained his memory, his instinctive spider-sense persuaded him not to trust Doc Ock, and Otto was defeated once more.
Now imprisoned, with his arms confiscated, Otto again demonstrated that the range of his psionic control over the tentacles had increased to a far greater distance than previously believed. The arms freed him from captivity; after hijacking a plane and exploding it, Doc Ock, believed to be dead, decided to rampage through the city, bringing attention to himself from Spider-Man. In the ensuing battle between the two, Doc Ock accidentally knocked over a chimney, which killed George Stacy (the father of Gwen Stacy, the first true love of Spider-Man), who was preventing a child from being crushed by the chimney.
Free again, Doc Ock seized upon the Kingpin's absence to gather his forces and launch an all-out gang war against Hammerhead's thugs. But Spider-Man's involvement quickly resulted in Doc Ock's return to prison. While incarcerated, Doctor Octopus learned May Parker had inherited a small Canadian island containing a commercial nuclear reactor. On his release, he set out to woo and marry May. But Hammerhead interrupted the wedding, and the ensuing chase and brawl led to the destruction of the reactor.
Octopus survived the explosion and ended up living as a derelict in the Bowery, being haunted by the ghost of Hammerhead. He sought out May Parker who took him back in even though he had left her stranded at the altar, leading him to kidnap her when he was attacked by Hammerhead. He constructed a device to destroy the host, which instead brought Hammerhead back to life, who kidnapped Aunt May. Octopus and Spider-Man briefly teamed up to rescue her.
Doc later tried to hijack an atomic powered submarine. He also attempted to poison New York with printers' ink, and fought the Punisher and Spider-Man. Doc next battled the Owl and his gang. He successfully deactivated a nuclear reactor before a meltdown. Mr. Fantastic diagnosed Doc Ock as suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Doc was taken to the Beyonder's Battleworld, where he fought a group of heroes and plotted against Doctor Doom for leadership of the group of villains. He was able to defeat the X-Men until Magneto came to their aid.
When Doc Ock went to war with the Owl, Spider-Man and the Black Cat attempted to intervene. Devastated that the confrontation had left the Black Cat near death, a cold-hearted Peter said farewell to his friends before entering what he believed to be his final showdown with Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man's victory was remorseless, and Doc Ock developed a morbid fear of his arachnid foe. Imprisoned in a mental institution, Otto struggled with his overwhelming phobia of Spider-Man. Knowing he could not face his foe directly, Ock's next plan involved the use of biological weapons to kill the entire population of New York. Spider-Man was forced to fake a humiliating defeat lest the city be destroyed, restoring Otto's self-confidence.
Doctor Octopus recruits Electro and Sandman for the New Sinister Six. His next recruits were Hobgoblin and Mysterio. His final recruit was the Vulture. Doc Ock with his new Sinister Six planned to take over the world and destroy Spider-Man. After trying to gas Spider-Man, Spider-Man defeated the villains.
Learning his once-to-be-fiancée Mary Alice was dying from AIDS, Otto began a desperate search for a cure - stealing research materials to do so. His attempts failed, Mary Alice died, and the villain meekly surrendered to Spider-Man. A world-weary Otto nonetheless escaped from prison. At the time, Spider-Man was dying from a chemical virus. Hoping to one day kill the hero himself, Doc Ock captured and unmasked his foe. Analyzing the virus, Otto offered him a cure. Daring to trust his foe, Peter accepted the mixture and was healed.
Doctor Octopus was murdered by the insane Peter Parker clone named Kaine. Octavius' student Carolyn Trainer took over as Doctor Octopus II, until the original was resurrected by a branch of the mystical ninja cult known as the Hand. Although Octavius had discovered Peter Parker's dual identity shortly prior to his death while curing Parker of a lethal virus created by the Vulture, he lost all knowledge of it upon his resurrection. The reason for this was the memories he gained came from a computer chip provided by his associate Carolyn Trainer with his recorded memories. That recent memory had not been recorded at the time of his death (It is uncertain whether or not Trainer had some ulterior motive for remodelling Octavius' mind).
Octavius attempted to create his own personal assassin in the form of a villainous mutated entity he dubbed "Spider-Woman", and was involved in a plot involving using prosthetic limbs as mind-control devices, to create an army of minions. He also had to deal with another usurper, in the form of an arrogant-yet-brilliant scientist named Carlyle, who created his own version of Octavius' harness and who tried to kill Octavius, whose power he envied.
Octavius resurfaced in the attempt to kidnap a Palestinian ambassador, in hopes of causing chaos for reasons unknown. His plot was thwarted by Spider-Man and his temporary sidekick the Kiwi Kid. Octavius was then taken into Ryker's Island and was drugged and brainwashed to take down the Green Goblin. He interrupted a battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin on the Brooklyn Bridge, and the two villains were struck by lightning and fell into the river below. Octopus was dragged out days later with no memories of the event.
Octavius unsuccessfully tries to form and lead another version of the Sinister Six, because Captain America's Secret Avengers managed to defeat the villainous group, although Ock himself eludes authorities. Doctor Octopus is later seen viewing a telecast of Peter Parker revealing himself to be Spider-Man. Ock then goes rampaging throughout the city, in utter disbelief that not only was he beaten numerous times by a teenager, but of the lost opportunity he had when he unmasked Parker. He is again defeated by Spider-Man, who confronts Doctor Octopus unmasked, after two of Peter's students distract Octavius. He is then sent to Baron Zemo's super-villain detention facility and is one of the ex-super villains trying to hunt down the renegade super heroes. Ock abandons the team when he realizes being a part of the Thunderbolts is pointless. However, he was apprehended by S.H.I.E.L.D. and placed into custody.
After escaping, Doctor Octopus learned that after all his battles and injuries suffered, his body was failing, giving him just some months to live. He modified himself to be mentally connected to his own army of Octobots, and adding four more arms to his harness. His goal then became to use his abilities to take over the utilities of New York City, and turn it into a paradise under his control, though his mind's subconscious also targeted Spider-Man, and disrupted the wedding plans of his ex, Aunt May. Spider-Man and the Human Torch eventually track down his base, save the captive Jay Jameson (May's fiancee), Carlie Cooper, and Norah Winters, and finally destroy Doctor Octopus' hold over the city. Doctor Octopus is then able to escape (still holding power over his mini-bots) and vows a "terrible revenge."
Doctor Octopus later assembles a supervillain team consisting of Chameleon, Diablo, Electro, Freak, Hammerhead, Hippo, Lizard, Mister Negative, Morbius, the Living Vampire, Mysterio, Overdrive, Rhino, Sandman, Shocker, Spot, Tombstone, Vermin, and Vulture IV. He tells them to secure specific items and promised they will receive a reward. First, he targets Menace's newborn infant despite Spider-Man's interference as it has pure Goblin Serum in its veins which Doctor Octopus thinks that it would help cure his crippling illness.
After Spider-Man grabs the infant from Doctor Octopus, he sends the villains after Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus talks with Chameleon stating that he had placed an Octo-Tracker on Spider-Man in order to track him down. After Chameleon steals the baby from Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus talks with the Chameleon saying that the baby is the first of a new species. Because the serums inside Norman Osborn and Lily Hollister co-mingled when they reproduced, the baby is beyond Octopus' procurement. He refers to it as "Sui Generis" and plans on using the new species' DNA to repair his body.
When Spider-Man caught Chameleon, he mentioned that the baby is still alive and that the Lizard stole it from him before it can be handed over to Doctor Octopus. Doctor Octopus was looking for the Lizard when Spider-Man arrived. Spider-Man told Doctor Octopus that they will get the baby back from the Lizard and then fight over who will get it. Spider-Man even mentioned to Doctor Octopus that the Lizard is now in a different appearance. When Doctor Octopus attacks Spider-Man, the Lizard attacks Spider-Man. Spider-Man threatens to attack the Lizard with the Lizard serum if he does not give him the baby. Lizard agrees and reveals that he got a blood sample from the baby and found out that Norman Osborn is not the father. The Lizard then gives the baby to Spider-Man saying that if Osborn is not the father, then the baby is of no use to him. Doctor Octopus then attacks the Lizard while Spider-Man escapes with the baby.
Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four later fight Doctor Octopus and his macro-octobot army. During that time, he had assembled another version of the Sinister Six consisting of Chameleon (who was posing as Steve Rogers), Electro, Mysterio, Rhino, and Sandman in a plot to slip the macro-octobot army into a military base and detonate them. This was prevented by Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. After his defeat, Doctor Octopus acknowledges Spider-Man's intellect and no longer considers him as the 'foolish child' he had believed him to be.
When Alistaire Smythe was having Scorpion, Fly-Girl and some cyborgs attack the launch base where John Jameson was, Doctor Octopus was observing the occurrences with a remote Octobot and uses the machine to assist the astronauts on board as part of his heretofore unknown plans.
As his final master plan, Otto Octavius set in motion a set of events, starting with the announcement to offer the world a chance to stop global warming.
Next Doctor Octopus and his Sinister Six planned the theft of the Zero Cannon, (a powerful weapon which changes Earth's gravity field to send specific objects to space), from the group of genius super-villains called Intelligencia. Otto and his group succeeded with Intelligencia down and the Cannon stolen.
Later, while disguised as Vice-President of America, Al Gore, Chameleon tried to accelerate the decision of world's leaders about Otto's earlier request, but was uncovered by Spider-Man, who interrupted the scene along with the Avengers. When the Chameleon was freed, he arrived in the Mediterranean for a meeting with the rest of the team. The Avengers followed them and fought the Sinister Six, but they where all defeated by the villains, save for Electro, who was sent to space by Thor.
Using an explosion as a distraction, Silver Sable saved Spider-Man and Black Widow. When they tried to get to one of Octavius manufacturing plants of satellites, they defeated Sandman, but Octavius asked for help to all nations, due his position in the matter, to capture Spider-Man.
While Spider-Man and his allies continue to disarm Doc Ock's bases, defeating Rhino in the process, they are attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D. forces before they can capture him and are forced to flee. Octavius asked for help of other super villains to watch over his facilities over the world, but even after Spider-Man tracks down the final one, Octavius finally reveals he was going to destroy the world anyways, rather than save it. He activated his Octavian Lens, burning half of the world, including Silver Sable's country, Symkaria. But this is revealed to be a trick made by Mysterio (only burning a small portion of a city in Symkaria), while Chameleon uses a robot to fight Spider-Man, after they are defeated, Mysterio is convinced by Spider-Man to help him to catch Doctor Octopus in his base in Guatemala, but Octavius used the mind-controlled Avengers as his new Sinister Six.
Spider-Man, Sable and Widow managed to defeat the Avengers, then he and Sable headed to Octavius underwater base. They are faced by Rhino while the base starts to flood, he trapped Sable and left Spider-Man with two choices, to continue to fight him in order to save Sable from drowning (but Octavius would activate the lenses) or let him drown himself and Sable but stop Octopus. After leaving Sable to her death at her request, Spidey faced the Doctor in battle, and managed to destroy Octavius' arms and equipment before taking his foe away for medical assistance.
Using a brain-swapping Octobot, Otto Octavius transplanted his mind into the body of his nemesis Spider-Man. He retained all of Peter's memories, and thus was able to fool all of Peter's family and friends, from Mary Jane Watson and Aunt May to the Avengers. Peter's mind, meanwhile, was placed into Octavius' dying body.
After realizing Peter, in Doc Ock's body, escaped the Raft, Otto decided to keep every person Peter knew in a safe room in the Stark Tower and waited for Doctor Octopus alone there, by distracting the other Avengers with giant Octobots around the globe, knowing that Peter would seek for help from Tony Stark. Both enemies battled until both fell from the Tower into the ground, fatally wounding Peter (Otto's body). When Peter tried to use the brain-swapping Octobot, Otto revealed him that he was using a Carbonadium helmet, making his brain totally inaccessible for changing brains. Otto declared his final victory against Parker by giving him a lethal punch which caused "Doctor Octopus" to give his last breaths.
Both then discovered that the Octobot managed to connect their minds although it could not swap them, and Peter forced Otto to relive his most suffering experiences and memories as Spider-Man, making him realize the responsibility his power came with. Otto told Peter he not wanted this, but they could not change bodies back. Finally, Otto promised Peter to continue his legacy both as Spider-Man and Peter Parker. Later, he not only realized he could become a better Spider-Man, but also a better man than who he once was as Doctor Octopus, to become a superior Spider-Man to Peter Parker.
