History ComicBook / DoctorOctopus

* BackFromTheDead: Kaine murdered him at one point in the 90's, but he was resurrected by Angelina Brancale.

* DependingOnTheWriter: Much like SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom, Otto can be a NobleDemon AntiVillain in one story and a remorseless mass-murdering psychopath in another. Case in point, in 2002 both Paul Jenkins and Creator/JMichaelStraczynski (writing the titles "Spectacular Spider-Man" and "Amazing Spider-Man", respectively, both part of the mainstream canon) did a story with Ock as the villain; the latter has Ock pursuing a vendetta against an amoral corporate yuppie who stole his tech, but shows Otto going out of his way to save civilians (then leaving Spider-Man to die, because [[ExactWords "you're not a civilian"]]) and suggests what he really wants is [[CutLexLuthorACheck legitimate scientific and business success]]; the former portrays him as an utterly ruthless ManipulativeBastard professional criminal motivated entirely by ego and {{Greed}} who, in the words of Spidey, [[LackOfEmpathy (doesn't) care enough about anyone enough to hate them]], Ock responding with a "touché" before savagely beating on Spidey (remarking [[ItsPersonal he's an exception]]). His hatred of Spider-Man is the one consistent character trait, but otherwise he could be saving the innocent one minute and [[EndsOfTheEarth trying to kill all life on Earth out of spite]] the next.

* HerrDoktor: In the [[WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries 1990's animated series]] and the ''VideoGame/SpiderMan'' video game he has a thick German accent (he was voiced by Efram Zimbalist Jr. in both; that's right--Doctor Octopus is ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Batman's butler]].

* AdaptationDyeJob: Usually sports short brown hair but in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ultimate Spider-Man}}'' animated series he sports long black hair.

* DependingOnTheWriter: Much like DoctorDoom, Otto can be a NobleDemon AntiVillain in one story and a remorseless mass-murdering psychopath in another. Case in point, in 2002 both Paul Jenkins and Creator/JMichaelStraczynski (writing the titles "Spectacular Spider-Man" and "Amazing Spider-Man", respectively, both part of the mainstream canon) did a story with Ock as the villain; the latter has Ock pursuing a vendetta against an amoral corporate yuppie who stole his tech, but shows Otto going out of his way to save civilians (then leaving Spider-Man to die, because [[ExactWords "you're not a civilian"]]) and suggests what he really wants is [[CutLexLuthorACheck legitimate scientific and business success]]; the former portrays him as an utterly ruthless ManipulativeBastard professional criminal motivated entirely by ego and {{Greed}} who, in the words of Spidey, [[LackOfEmpathy (doesn't) care enough about anyone enough to hate them]], Ock responding with a "touché" before savagely beating on Spidey (remarking [[ItsPersonal he's an exception]]). His hatred of Spider-Man is the one consistent character trait, but otherwise he could be saving the innocent one minute and [[EndsOfTheEarth trying to kill all life on Earth out of spite]] the next.

* TheDragon: Some stories show him as this to NormanOsborn.

* EvilVersusOblivion: In ''TheSentry'' miniseries, as the heroes are gathered to stop [[BigBad the Void]], Spider-Man notices Doctor Octopus lined up with them. Dialogue goes something like this:

* HerrDoktor: In the [[WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries 1990's animated series]] and the ''VideoGame/SpiderMan'' video game he has a thick German accent (he was voiced by Efram Zimbalist Jr. in both; that's right- Doctor Octopus is ''[[BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Batmans' butler]].

The accident also seemed to have damaged his brain and the scientist turned to a life of crime. His very first criminal act was taking the hospital hostage and proclaiming himself Doctor Octopus, the derogatory nickname that his co-workers had originally given him. In their first encounter, Octopus defeated Spider-Man by tossing him out of a window. Following this defeat Spider-Man considered giving up his heroic career, but was inspired to continue his heroic career by the Human Torch and ultimately defeated Doctor Octopus. Since then the Good (or Bad) Doctor has gone on to become one of the most identifiable members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery. He was actually Spiderman's first ArchEnemy, especially during the early days before NormanOsborn began rising to prominence. He formed the first [[VillainTeamUp Sinister Six]] to fight Spiderman. He was the villain for one of spidey's most iconic early arcs as "the Master Planner". And he was indirectly responsible for the death of Gwen Stacy's father George.

* DependingOnTheWriter: Much like DoctorDoom, Otto can be a NobleDemon AntiVillain in one story and a remorseless mass-murdering psychopath in another. Case in point, in 2002 both Paul Jenkins and Creator/JMichaelStraczynski (writing the titles "Spectacular Spider-Man" and "Amazing Spider-Man", respectively, both part of the mainstream canon) did a story with Ock as the villain; the latter has Ock pursuing a vendetta against an amoral corporate yuppie who stole his tech, but shows Otto going out of his way to save civilians (then leaving Spiderman to die, because [[ExactWords "you're not a civilian"]]) and suggests what he really wants is [[CutLexLuthorACheck legitimate scientific and business success]]; the former portrays him as an utterly ruthless ManipulativeBastard professional criminal motivated entirely by ego and {{Greed}} who, in the words of Spidey, [[LackOfEmpathy (doesn't) care enough about anyone enough to hate them]], Ock responding with a "touché" before savagely beating on Spidey (remarking [[ItsPersonal he's an exception]]). His hatred of Spiderman is the one consistent character trait, but otherwise he could be saving the innocent one minute and [[EndsOfTheEarth trying to kill all life on Earth out of spite]] the next.

* WorthyOpponent: While he despises Spiderman and is obsessed with defeating him, Octavious nonetheless appreciates that Spidey is highly intelligent and respects him as a formidable enemy.

* HerrDoktor: In the 1990's animated series and the ''VideoGame/SpiderMan'' video game he has a thick German accent. He also had one in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries''.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Doc Ock was very much a momma's boy growing up.

* AbusiveParents: His father was an asshole, in contrast to his mother.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/SpiderMan2 http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Octarm-doc-ock_9627.jpg]]]]

* HerrDoktor: In the 1990's animated series and the ''VideoGame/SpiderMan'' video game he has a thick German accent.

* MisplacedAccent: He had a strong German accent in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries''. (Actually, it didn't sound all ''too'' bad, to tell the truth...)

* BlindWithoutEm: He sometimes has this problem. In his first debut he was near-sighted before the accident but depending on the continuity it's sometimes considered a side-effect of the accident that gave him his powers. (In one min-series, he claims that the accident made his eyes sensitive to light, requiring him to wear shaded glasses.)

* PetTheDog: He has gotten a few pet the dog moments over the decades, including trying to save Aunt May from Hammerhead and trying to develop a cure for AIDS in order to save his ex=girlfriend.

[[RealityEnsues After years of fighting Spider-Man]], [[EvilCripple his body began to succumb to the injuries he had sustained over the years]]. As a way to prevent his death, [[FreakyFridayFlip Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker]]. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle with his last breaths. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more [[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan superior hero]], resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he found himself [[SlowluSlippingIntoEvil slowly slipping back into evil]], starting with his attempted erasure of a fragment of Peter Parker's soul and JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope from there. He eventually had a HeelRealization that he was doing more harm than good by the time Peter's soul fragment came BackFromTheDead, and relinquished control of Peter's body, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath erasing his own consciousness as penance]]. As Otto died, he told Peter that Peter [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre was a better Spider-Man and a better person]] than Otto (the self-proclaimed SuperiorSuccessor) could ever hope to be.

[[RealityEnsues After years of fighting Spider-Man]], [[EvilCripple his body began to succumb to the injuries he had sustained over the years]]. As a way to prevent his death, [[FreakyFridayFlip Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker]]. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle with his last breaths. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more [[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan superior hero]], resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he found himself [[slowly slipping back into evil]], starting with his attempted erasure of a fragment of Peter Parker's soul and JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope from there. He eventually had a HeelRealization that he was doing more harm than good by the time Peter's soul fragment came BackFromTheDead, and relinquished control of Peter's body, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath erasing his own consciousness as penance]]. As Otto died, he told Peter that Peter [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre was a better Spider-Man and a better person]] than Otto (the self-proclaimed SuperiorSuccessor) could ever hope to be.

* PetTheDog: He has gotten a few pet the dog moments over the decades, including trying to save Aunt May from Hammerhead and trying to develop a cure for AIDS in order to save his ex girl friend.

* ForWantOfANail: A ComicBook/WhatIf story suggested that, if the radioactive spider had given powers to Flash Thompson and not to Peter Parker, Peter would have averted Otto Octavius' StartOfDarkness.

* ForWantOfANail: A ComicBook/WhatIf story suggested that, if the radioactive spider had given powers to Flash Thompson and not to Peter Parker, Parker would have averted Otto Octavius' StartOfDarkness.

The accident also seemed to have damaged his brain and the scientist turned to a life of crime. His very first criminal act was taking the hospital hostage and proclaiming himself Doctor Octopus, the derogatory nickname that his co-workers had originally given him. In their first encounter, Octopus defeated Spider-Man by tossing him out of a window. Following this defeat Spider-Man considered giving up his heroic career, but was inspired to continue his heroic career by the Human Torch and ultimately defeated Doctor Octopus. Since then the Good (or Bad) Doctor has gone on to become one of the most identifiable members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery. He was actually Spiderman's first ArchEnemy, especially during the early days before NormanOsborn began rising to prominence. He formed the first [[VillainTeamUp Sinister Six]] to fight Spiderman. He was the villain for one of spidey's most iconic early arcs as "the master planner". And he was indirectly responsible for the death of Gwen Stacy's father George.

[[RealityEnsues After years of fighting Spider-Man]], [[EvilCripple his body began to succumb to the injuries he had sustained over the years]]. As a way to prevent his death, [[FreakyFridayFlip Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker]]. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle with his last breaths. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more [[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan superior hero]], resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he found himself [[slowly slipping back into evil]], starting with his attempted erasure of a fragment of Peter Parker's soul and JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope from there. He eventually had a HeelRealization that he was doing more harm than good by the time Peter's soul fragment came BackFromTheDead, and relinquished control of Peter's body, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath erasing his own consciousness as penance]]. As Otto died, he told Peter that he (the original) [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre was a better Spider-Man and a better person]] than he (the self-proclaimed SuperiorSuccessor) could ever hope to be.

[[RealityEnsues After years of fighting Spider-Man]], [[EvilCripple his body began to succumb to the injuries he had sustained over the years]]. As a way to prevent his death, [[FreakyFridayFlip Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker]]. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle with his last breaths. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more [[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan superior hero]], resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he found himself SlowlySlippingIntoEvil, starting with his attempted murder of a fragment of Peter Parker's soul and JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope from there. He eventually had a HeelRealization that he was doing more harm than good by the time Peter's soul fragment came BackFromTheDead, and relinquished control of Peter's body, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath erasing his own consciousness as penance]]. As Otto died, he told Peter that he (the original) [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre was a better Spider-Man and a better person]] than he (the self-proclaimed SuperiorSuccessor) could ever hope to be.

The accident also seemed to have damaged his brain and the scientist turned to a life of crime. His very first criminal act was taking the hospital hostage and proclaiming himself Doctor Octopus, the derogatory nickname that his co-workers had originally given him. In their first encounter, Octopus defeated Spider-Man by tossing him out of a window. Following this defeat Spider-Man considered giving up his heroic career, but was inspired to continue his heroic career by the Human Torch and ultimately defeated Doctor Octopus. Since then the Good (or Bad) Doctor has gone on to become one of the most identifiable members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery.

[[RealityEnsues After years of fighting Spider-Man]], [[EvilCripple his body began to succumb to the injuries he had sustained over the years]]. As a way to prevent his death, [[FreakyFridayFlip Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker]]. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle with his last breaths. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more [[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan superior hero]], resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he found himself SlowlySlippingIntoEvil, starting with his attempted murder of a fragment of Peter Parker's soul and JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope from there. He eventually had a HeelRealization by the time Peter's soul fragment came BackFromTheDead, and relinquished control of Peter's body, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath erasing his own consciousness as penance]]. As Otto died, he told Peter that he (the original) was a better Spider-Man than he (the self-proclaimed SuperiorSuccessor) could ever hope to be.

[[spoiler:As of current, as a way to prevent his death, Otto switched bodies with Peter Parker. Before dying in Otto's body, Peter urged Otto to change for good and succeed the Spider-Man mantle. Otto complied, swearing to become better and a more superior hero, resulting a more brutal, but still trying-to-be-heroic Spider-Man. For what happens to him in the body of Peter afterwards, see ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan''.]]

* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: As his moniker suggests, octopi. [[spoiler: And now spiders.]]

* GadgeteerGenius

* JokerImmunity: Let's see, he has been resurrected once and recently [[spoiler: had his mind transferred into Spider-Man's body, seemingly replacing the hero, although traces of Peter Parker's memory still remain.]]

* MommasBoy
* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Actually, he does hold at least one real doctorate (but not in medicine).
* MultiArmedAndDangerous

* ShadowArchetype: He is what Spider-Man could have easily have become if he let his powers go to his head.

* SunglassesAtNight

* MisplacedAccent: He had a strong Germanic accent in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries''. (Actually, it didn't sound all ''too'' bad, to tell the truth...)