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{{Short description|Marvel Comics fictional character}}
{{About|the first Doctor Octopus and Superior Spider-Man, Otto Octavius|the second Doctor Octopus|Lady Octopus|the film character|Otto Octavius (film character)|the solo series|The Superior Spider-Man}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| character_name = Doctor Octopus
| image          = Dr. Octopus Marvel.jpg
| caption        = Doctor Octopus as depicted on the cover of ''Superior Octopus'' #1 (October 2019).<br/>Art by Sujin Jo.
| real_name      = Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius<ref>''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z'' Vol. 1, #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>
| species        = Human mutate/[[cyborg]]
| publisher      = [[Marvel Comics]]
| debut          = '''As Doctor Octopus:'''<br>''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #3 (July 1963)<ref>{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |authorlink=Jeff Rovin |title =[[The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains]] |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |location =New York |isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |pages=100–101}}[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsu0000rovi_h5r9/page/100/mode/2up]</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Misiroglu |first1=Gina Renée |last2=Eury |first2=Michael |title=The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood |date=2006 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |isbn=9780780809772 |url=https://archive.org/details/supervillainbook0000gina/page/102/mode/2up |language=en}}</ref><br>'''As Superior Spider-Man:'''<br>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #698 (November 2012)<br>'''As Superior Octopus:'''<br>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #25 (May 2017)
| creators       = [[Stan Lee]] (writer)<br>[[Steve Ditko]] (artist)
| alliances      = '''As Doctor Octopus:'''<br>[[Sinister Six]]<br>[[Masters of Evil]]<br>[[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]]<br>[[Legion Accursed]]<br>'''As Superior Spider-Man:'''<br>[[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]<br>[[Mighty Avengers]]<br>[[Parker Industries]]<br>[[Horizon Labs]]<br>Spiderlings<br>[[Sinister Six|Superior Six]]<br>[[Spider-Verse|Spider-Army/Web-Warriors]]<br>'''As Superior Octopus''':<br>[[Hydra (comics)|Hydra]]<br>Hydra's [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]
| aliases        = The Master Planner<br>the Master Programmer<br>[[The Superior Spider-Man]] (Peter Parker)<br>the [[Venom (character)#Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus)|Superior Venom]]<br>the Superior Octopus<br>Dr. Elliot Tolliver
| powers         = '''As Doctor Octopus/Superior Octopus:'''
* [[Genius]]-level intellect
* Proficient scientist and engineer
* Master tactician and strategist
* Wears super-strong and durable mechanical appendages
* Telepathic control over his mechanical arms
'''As Superior Spider-Man/Superior Octopus:'''
* Possesses Spider-Man's powers, abilities, memories and equipment
* Carbonadium plating over his neck and skull
* Talons on his hands and feet
}}
'''Doctor Octopus''' ('''Dr. Otto Octavius'''), also known as '''Doc Ock''' for short, is a fictional character appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. The character was created by [[Stan Lee]] and [[Steve Ditko]] and first appeared in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #3 (July 1963). He is a highly intelligent, [[Myopia|myopic]], and stocky [[mad scientist]] who sports four strong and durable appendages resembling an [[octopus]]'s tentacles, which extend from his body and can be used for various purposes. After his mechanical harness became permanently fused to his body during a laboratory accident, he turned to a life of crime, and came into conflict with the [[superhero]] [[Spider-Man]]. He has endured as one of Spider-Man's most prominent villains, and is regarded as one of his three [[Archenemy|archenemies]], alongside the [[Norman Osborn|Green Goblin]] and [[Venom (character)|Venom]]. He is the founder and leader of the [[Sinister Six]], the first [[supervillain]] team to oppose Spider-Man.

While usually portrayed as a [[supervillain]], Doctor Octopus has also been occasionally depicted as a conflicted [[antihero]] and ally of Spider-Man. Following Spider-Man's death in the 2012 storyline "[[Dying Wish]]", which saw a dying Octavius swapping bodies with the hero and letting him die in his original body, Octavius was motivated to prove he could be a better Spider-Man. As such, he adopted the '''Superior Spider-Man''' alias, introduced in ''[[Avenging Spider-Man]]'' #15.1 following a cameo in ''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' vol. 3 #21 (both December 2012), as the fourth predominant main continuity Spider-Man. The Superior Spider-Man possesses all of the original Spider-Man's abilities, memories, and equipment, along with additional gadgets created by Octavius, though he often struggles to live up to his predecessor's legacy and seeks to turn his life around after being a villain for years.

In 2013, Marvel launched a 33-issue ''[[The Superior Spider-Man]]'' comic book series focusing on the character's redemption and superhero career. The original Spider-Man has since been resurrected after the death of Otto Octavius. Following ''[[Spider-Verse]]'', a copy of his consciousness became a villain, though a second volume of ''[[Superior Spider-Man (2018 series)|The Superior Spider-Man]]'' launched in 2018 saw the duplicate taking on the mantle and the new name '''Dr. Elliot Tolliver''' before returning to the Doctor Octopus mantle as an [[antihero]], having his soul restored and memories of redemption erased by [[Mephisto (Marvel Comics)|Mephisto]], before returning to the role of Superior Spider-Man in 2023 in a new series by [[Dan Slott]], and ''[[Spider-Man: Octo-Girl]]'' by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court.

Comics journalist and historian [[Mike Conroy (writer)|Mike Conroy]] writes of the character: "Created by [[Stan Lee]] and artist [[Steve Ditko]], Doc Ock, as he became known, has become one of the web-slinger's most persistent, enduring, and dangerous foes."<ref>{{cite book |last=Conroy |first=Mike |authorlink=Mike Conroy (writer) |title=500 Comicbook Villains |publisher=Collins & Brown |date=2004 |isbn=1-84340-205-X |url=https://archive.org/details/500comicbookvill0000conr/page/44/mode/2up |language=en}}</ref> A fan-favorite character and well-known figure in [[popular culture]], Doctor Octopus has been featured in various media adaptations of Spider-Man over the years, including feature films, television series, and video games. In live-action, [[Alfred Molina]] portrayed [[Otto Octavius (film character)|the character]] in the films ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'' (2004) and ''[[Spider-Man: No Way Home]]'' (2021). [[Kathryn Hahn]] voiced a female version of Doctor Octopus named Olivia Octavius in the animated film ''[[Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse]]'' (2018).

In 2009, ''[[IGN]]'' ranked Doctor Octopus 28th in the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time,<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time|url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-comic-book-villains|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> and in 2014 rated him Spider-Man's greatest enemy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 25 Spider-Man Villains|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/top-25-spider-man-villains|website=IGN|date=April 16, 2014}}</ref>

{{TOC limit|limit=3}}

==Publication history==
Doctor Octopus first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #3 (July 1963), created by writer [[Stan Lee]] and artist [[Steve Ditko]].<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1 = Manning|editor-first1 = Matthew K.|editor-last2= Gilbert|editor-first2= Laura |chapter= 1960s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2012|page = 19|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= One of Spider-Man's most recognizable foes burst onto the scene in this epic tale of the origin of Doctor Octopus.}}</ref><ref name="Newsarama 1">{{cite web | url=http://www.newsarama.com/15454-the-10-greatest-spider-man-villains-of-all-time.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507124541/http://www.newsarama.com/15454-the-10-greatest-spider-man-villains-of-all-time.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 7, 2013 | title=The 10 Greatest Spider-Man Villains of All Time! | website=[[Newsarama]] | access-date=January 2, 2014 | author=Siegel, Lucas}}</ref><ref name="DeFalco">DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 93: "Dr. Octopus shared many traits with Peter Parker. They were both shy, both interested in science, and both had trouble relating to women&nbsp;... Otto Octavius even looked like a grown up Peter Parker. Lee and Ditko intended Otto to be the man Peter might have become if he had not been raised with a sense of responsibility.</ref><ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #3">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> Lee recounted: "Usually in creating a villain the first thing I would think of was a name, and then I would try to think of, 'Well, now that I've got the name, who's the character going to be and what will he do?' For some reason, I thought of an octopus. I thought, 'I want to call somebody Octopus. And I want him to have a couple of extra arms just for fun'. But I had to figure out how to do that".<ref>{{cite journal|last= Thomas|first= Roy|date= August 2011|title= Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Interview!|journal= [[Alter Ego (magazine)|Alter Ego]]|issue= 104| pages= 3–45}}</ref> The character reappeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #11–12, then again in #31–33.

Doctor Octopus is regarded as one of Spider-Man's most infamous enemies. He has been cited as the man Peter might have become if he had not been raised with a sense of responsibility.<ref name="DeFalco"/><ref name="IGN #28">{{cite web | url=http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-villains/28.html | title=Doctor Octopus is number 28 on greatest comic book villain of all time. | work=IGN | access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite web | url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/26/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/spidey-700-controversy | title=Events in landmark 'Spider-Man' issue have fans in a frenzy | publisher=[[CNN]] | access-date=January 2, 2014 | author=Hanks, Henry| date=December 26, 2012}}</ref> He is infamous for defeating Spider-Man the first time in battle and for almost marrying Peter's [[Aunt May]]. He is also the founder and core leader of the [[Sinister Six]], and has referred himself as the "Master Planner". ("[[If This Be My Destiny...!]]")<ref name="IGN #28"/><ref name="CBR #5">{{cite web | url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/04/30/50-greatest-friends-and-foes-of-spider-man-villains-1-3/ | title=50 Greatest Friends and Foes of Spider-Man: Villains #1-3 | website=[[Comic Book Resources]] | access-date=January 2, 2014 | author=Cronin, Brian | date=May 2012 | archive-date=October 23, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023130557/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/04/30/50-greatest-friends-and-foes-of-spider-man-villains-1-3/ | url-status=dead}}</ref> Later depictions revealed him in Peter Parker's body where [[The Superior Spider-Man|he was the titular character]] from 2013 to 2014.<ref name="CNN"/> In 2018, he returned as the Superior Spider-Man in a series written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Mike Hawthorne,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/superior-spider-man-returns-marvel/|title = Superior Spider-Man Returns in New Marvel Comics Series|date = September 7, 2018}}</ref> and again in 2023 in a new series by Dan Slott, and ''[[Spider-Man: Octopus Girl]]'' by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court.

==Fictional character biography==
{{Overly detailed|section|details=|date=October 2021}}
Born in [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]], Otto Octavius was the only child of Torbert Octavius, a construction worker, and Mary Lavinia Octavius, a homemaker. While Mary loved and supported Otto right from the beginning, Torbert was a violent alcoholic who regularly beat Otto and his mother. The young Octavius's shyness and good work in school got him labeled as a "teacher's pet" and targeted as a subject for bullying. Torbert hated having a bullied son and, believing that a man's worth was determined by his dominant attitude and physical strength, roared at him to use violence in dealing with the bullies. Mary Octavius would always defend her son from Torbert's [[Invective|tirades]], saying he was a gifted thinker who would use his brain to solve problems, not his fists. Due to his mother's insistence and her disgust towards men who worked in common manual labor, Octavius was determined not to become like his father and threw all his efforts into his education, regularly scoring top marks. Octavius' devotion to study paid off with him being awarded a [[university]] [[scholarship]] at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|M.I.T.]]. During Octavius's freshman year of college, he was undecided in his studies until they were briefly interrupted by Torbert's death in a construction accident. Otto attended the funeral for his mother's sake, although he himself did not mourn his father's death and later privately expressed his desire to have seen him suffer more. When Mary remarked that "an early death is a manual laborer's" and she expected better from her son, this seemed to spur an obsession in Octavius about the hard sciences, and he declared his major to be physical science. His obsession, however, did not manifest immediately, and he was regarded by his school friends as a devoted student who was genuinely interested in the studies. He graduated near the top of his class, and was considered a catch to many scientific firms. Octavius was soon hired by an engineering firm.<ref>''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One'' #1</ref>

Octavius became a brilliant and respected [[nuclear physics|nuclear physicist]], atomic research consultant, [[Invention|inventor]] and [[lecturer]]. He designed a set of highly advanced [[Remote manipulator|mechanical arms]] controlled via a [[brain–computer interface]] to assist him with his research into [[atomic physics]]. The tentacle-like arms were resistant to radiation and were capable of great strength and highly precise movement, attached to a harness that fit around his body.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #3"/> Later in his criminal career, he claimed the inspiration for the device came from the ''[[Vitruvian Man]]'', a pencil sketch made by [[Leonardo da Vinci]], one of his idols.<ref>''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Though his relationship with co-workers was typically hostile, he was social enough to give a demonstration of his harness to a small group. He showed how the metal tentacles allowed him to work safely with chemicals that would normally be too dangerous for a human being to touch or be in close vicinity to. One such person impressed by this was a scientist named Mary Alice Anders, and the two soon dated. In due time, Otto proposed marriage to Mary Alice. However, when Otto joyously announced his future marriage to his mother, her feelings were not reciprocated. Believing that no woman was good enough for her son, she made him feel guilty that she was going to be pushed aside for his bride-to-be. Shocked that he hurt his mother, and to please her, Otto broke off the engagement with Mary Alice. Later, when Otto discovered that his mother had hypocritically begun dating a librarian, he finally snapped and lashed out at her, causing her to have a fatal heart attack. With the death of his mother and Mary Alice Anders out of his life, Octavius' disposition towards nearly everyone became mean-spirited, and he had become more distracted from paying attention to detail and safety precautions in his work.<ref>''Spider-Man Unlimited'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> His co-workers often called him "Doctor Octopus" behind his back, a pun on his actual name inspired by the four-armed apparatus; he was aware of this insult, but he barely cared.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #3"/>

===Criminal career begins===
During an accidental radiation leak that ended in an explosion, the apparatus became fused to Octavius' body. It was later revealed that the radiation, or possibly his own latent mutation, had mutated his brain so that he could control the movement of the arms using his thoughts alone. The tentacles have since been surgically removed from his body, although Octavius retains the power to control them telepathically from great distances. The accident also seemingly damaged his brain (although it was later suggested that what was interpreted as brain damage was, in fact, his mind rewiring itself to accommodate four extra limbs<ref name="untoldtales">{{Cite book|last = DeCandido|first = Keith R.A.|author-link = Keith R.A. DeCandido|editor = Stan Lee and Kurt Busiek|title = Untold Tales of Spider-Man|year=1997|publisher = Berkley Trade; Boulevard edition|chapter = Arms and the Man|isbn = 978-1-57297-294-0|url-access = registration|url = https://archive.org/details/untoldtalesofspi00stan}}</ref>), and the scientist turned to a life of crime, first taking the hospital hostage and calling himself "Doctor Octopus" from the derogatory name that his co-workers had given him.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #3"/> Though Doctor Octopus himself is portly, in poor physical shape, and is [[Myopia|near-sighted]], with his harness attached he is physically more than a match for Spider-Man. The accident also made his eyes very [[Photophobia|sensitive to light]], requiring him to wear glasses with shaded lenses.<ref>''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In their first encounter, Doctor Octopus defeated Spider-Man, tossing him out of a window. Following this defeat, Spider-Man considered giving up his heroic career, but was inspired to continue by the [[Human Torch]], and ultimately defeated Doctor Octopus.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #3"/>

Over the years, Doctor Octopus has become one of the most identifiable members of [[List of Spider-Man enemies|Spider-Man's rogues gallery]]. Doctor Octopus formed the original [[Sinister Six]] to fight Spider-Man after taking [[Betty Brant]] and [[Aunt May|May Parker]] hostage.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> He has led subsequent Sinister Six groups and usually takes offense when someone else leads the team. Disguised as the '''Master Planner''', he organized theft of atomic equipment. After he stole a formula that Spider-Man needed to cure his Aunt May, Spider-Man tracked Doctor Octopus' gang to their base. In the ensuing fight, Spider-Man became trapped underneath a collapsed building. Seemingly doomed, Spider-Man was ultimately able to draw upon the sheer force of his will to summon the strength to escape.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #31-32. Marvel Comics.</ref> It is later revealed he used a scuba tank to escape.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2012}}

Doctor Octopus later attempts to steal the Defense Department's Nullifier device, and sets a trap for Spider-Man.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #53. Marvel Comics.</ref> He became [[Aunt May|May Parker]]'s tenant,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #54. Marvel Comics.</ref> then got close enough to use the Nullifier on Spider-Man; although he had hoped that it would merely nullify Spider-Man's web-shooters, the radiation in Spider-Man's blood resulted in the Nullifier's interaction with Spider-Man's unique biology rendering him amnesiac,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #55. Marvel Comics.</ref> Doctor Octopus subsequently tricking Spider-Man into helping him before Spider-Man's own better nature resulted in him turning against his 'partner' despite his memory loss long enough for [[John Jameson (character)|John Jameson]] to use the Nullifier to shut down his tentacles.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #56. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus later exhibited the ability to activate his mechanical arms remotely, and used them to free himself from prison.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #88. Marvel Comics.</ref> His resulting battle with Spider-Man resulted in Captain [[George Stacy]]'s death.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #89-90. Marvel Comics.</ref> Doctor Octopus later waged a gang war with [[Hammerhead (comics)|Hammerhead]].<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #112-115. Marvel Comics.</ref> He attempted to wed May Parker to acquire an island with an atomic plant which she had recently (and unknowingly) inherited.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #130-131. Marvel Comics.</ref> Doctor Octopus escaped death when the island was destroyed in a thermonuclear explosion and began a life as a homeless person.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #152, 154 and 156. Marvel Comics.</ref> He next battled the "ghost" of Hammerhead, unwittingly returned him to his corporeal form using a particle accelerator and defeated him after forming a temporary alliance with Spider-Man.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #157-159. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus later attempted to hijack an atomic submarine.<ref>''The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> He also attempted to poison New York City with printers' ink, and battled the [[Punisher]] and Spider-Man.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #15. Marvel Comics.</ref> He next battled the [[Owl (Marvel Comics)|Owl]] and his gang.<ref>''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man#Volume 1 (1976-98)|Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' #73 and 75-76. Marvel Comics.</ref> He successfully deactivated a nuclear reactor in a laboratory before meltdown.<ref>''Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man'' #124. Marvel Comics.</ref> He later displayed symptoms which [[Mister Fantastic]] diagnosed as multiple personality disorder.<ref name="Fantastic Four #267">''Fantastic Four'' #267. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Secret Wars]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus was taken to the [[Beyonder]]'s [[Battleworld]], where he fought a horde of heroes and plotted against [[Doctor Doom]] for the leadership of the group of villains. He was able to defeat the [[X-Men]], until [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]] came to the mutants' aid.<ref>''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'' #1-12. Marvel Comics.</ref>

His crowning achievement of evil was the near-fatal beating of the [[Black Cat (Marvel Comics)|Black Cat]] (Spider-Man's then-partner) which led to Spider-Man beating Doctor Octopus to within an inch of his life. The trauma of the beating he received from Spider-Man left Otto Octavius afraid of Spider-Man and spiders in general for years, and he needed to be treated for his acute [[arachnophobia]].<ref>''Web of Spider-Man'' #4-5. Marvel Comics.</ref> Spider-Man was forced to let his nemesis beat him in combat so as to allow Octavius to break free of his fears and recruit him to save [[New York City]] from an exploding nuclear reactor; Octavius had been planning to detonate the reactor to kill Spider-Man indirectly, but after his out-of-control arms beat Spider-Man seemingly senseless, Spider-Man persuaded him to shut down the reactor to ensure that there were witnesses to his 'great triumph'. Octavius decided to let Spider-Man live on the grounds that he would now have to cope with the same humiliation he had endured.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #297. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Secret Wars II]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus was brainwashed by [[Mephisto (Marvel Comics)|Mephisto]]'s minion Bitterhorn into joining the [[Legion Accursed]]. They were sent to come in contact with Beyonder and fought Thing.<ref>''Secret Wars II'' #7. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus later formed his incarnation of the [[Masters of Evil]] which also consisted of [[Absorbing Man]], [[Gargantua (comics)|Gargantua]], [[Jackhammer (comics)|Jackhammer]], [[Oddball (comics)|Oddball]], [[Powderkeg (character)|Powderkeg]], [[Puff Adder (character)|Puff Adder]], [[Shocker (character)|Shocker]], [[Titania (Marvel Comics)|Titania]], and [[Yellowjacket (Rita DeMara)|Yellowjacket]]. He led the Masters of Evil in a plot to steal the technology of the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]. They ended up fighting the [[Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team)|Guardians of the Galaxy]] who came from an alternate future timeline. Doctor Octopus got away when Gargantua, Puff Adder, and Shocker started to sympathize with the Guardians of the Galaxy.<ref>''Guardians of the Galaxy'' #28-29. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==="Death" and resurrection===
During the "[[Clone Saga]]", Doctor Octopus saved Spider-Man from certain death from a poison injected by the [[Vulture (Marvel Comics)|Vulture]], although this was only because ''he'' desired to be the one to kill Spider-Man.<ref>''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' #220. Marvel Comics.</ref> During the healing process, he discovered Spider-Man's identity and then allowed himself to be taken in by police, expecting to be saved by his accomplice/lover [[Stunner (comics)|Stunner]]. However, Stunner was knocked out and Doctor Octopus was murdered by the insane Spider-Man clone [[Kaine Parker]].<ref>''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' #221. Marvel Comics.</ref>

[[Lady Octopus|Carolyn Trainer]] took over as "Doctor Octopus" until her teacher was resurrected by a branch of the mystical [[ninja]] cult known as the [[The Hand (comics)|Hand]].<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #427">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #427. Marvel Comics.</ref> Upon his resurrection, it was revealed that he now had no knowledge of Spider-Man's identity, as the memories he gained came from a computer chip provided by Carolyn Trainer and the memory of Spider-Man's identity had not been recorded at the time of his death.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #428. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Subsequent schemes===
In later years, Octavius attempted to create his own personal assassin in the form of a villainous mutated entity he dubbed "[[Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter)|Spider-Woman]]". He has also had to deal with another usurper, in the form of arrogant young businessman and con artist [[Luke Carlyle]], who pretended to employ Octavius at his company.<ref name=
"Amazing Spider-Man #43">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #43. Marvel Comics.</ref> Tiring of his life of crime and wishing to return to an engineering career, Octavius accepted the offer. This proved to be a ruse, and Carlyle subdued Doctor Octopus and stole his technology, using it to create his own version of Octavius' harness and tentacles.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #44. Marvel Comics.</ref> During a prolonged battle with Octavius and Spider-Man, Carlyle was defeated when Doctor Octopus ripped open his suit, allowing Spider-Man to fill Carlyle's suit with webbing, although Doctor Octopus informed his enemy that he only did this to hurt Carlyle rather than to help Spider-Man.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #45. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Then, Doctor Octopus took the ambassador of the newly formed Free Palestinian State hostage, demanding that in exchange for the ambassador's freedom, Spider-Man would meet him in Times Square and unmask himself in front of the world. When Spider-Man went to Times Square, he pulled off his mask to reveal another mask, angering Octavius enough to distract him from the release of the ambassador by agents of the Israeli Secret Service.<ref>''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus was taken to Ryker's Island and was drugged and brainwashed to kill 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 memory of the event and missing two months of his life.<ref>''Marvel Knights: Spider-Man'' #12. Marvel Comics.</ref>

While hiding in a plant that was owned by the villain Fusion, Octavius was apparently forced to work for Fusion in helping him recover the 'John Hancock' satellite, once used to find nuclear weapons but now capable of finding potentially radioactive superhumans such as the Hulk or Spider-Man.<ref>''Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #39. Marvel Comics.</ref> Although Fusion had apparently forced Octavius into submission, Octavius eventually revealed that he had merely been faking his submission so that Fusion could do all the hard work of finding the satellite for Octavius to sell off,<ref>''Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #40. Marvel Comics.</ref> subsequently beating Fusion half to death and attempting to sell the satellite himself before he was caught and defeated by Spider-Man.<ref>''Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #41. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Civil War''===
Octavius unsuccessfully tried to form and lead another version of the [[Sinister Six]], because [[Captain America]]'s [[Civil War (comics)|Secret Avengers]] managed to defeat the villainous group, although Doctor Octopus himself eluded authorities. In ''Sensational Spider-Man'' #28, Doctor Octopus is seen viewing a telecast of Peter Parker revealing himself to be Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus 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 in their second encounter (at the time, Octavius assumed he was an impostor).<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #11-12. Marvel Comics.</ref> He is again defeated by Spider-Man, who confronts Doctor Octopus unmasked, after two of Peter's students distract Octavius.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=December 2010}} He is then sent to [[Baron Zemo]]'s supervillain detention facility (as seen in ''[[Thunderbolts (comic book)|Thunderbolts]]'' #104 and ''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' (vol. 4) #14). In "[[One More Day (comics)|One More Day]]", Spider-Man contacts Octavius to see if he can help with Aunt May's condition.<ref>''Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man'' #24. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Dark Reign (comics)|Dark Reign]]" storyline, [[Quasimodo (comics)|Quasimodo]] researched Doctor Octopus for Norman Osborn. While noting that Doctor Octopus prefers to give orders and not take them, Quasimodo gives Osborn the choice to either lock him up or find a way to make their goals even with each other.<ref>''Dark Reign Files'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Dying===
When Doctor Octopus learns that he is dying due to the years of punishment his body took in his villainous career, facing superhuman foes when he is fundamentally human once getting past the tentacles, he becomes increasingly despondent and brazen in his final plans. Intending to leave a lasting legacy, he attempts to exert control over New York City by using his newly minted Octobots, but while he consciously intends to help, his subconscious drives him to turn the city's resources against Spider-Man, and he also targets May Parker aggressively (deeming her guilty of being due to marry J. Jonah Jameson's father J. Jonah Jameson, Sr.), subtly disrupting the planned marriage. Spider-Man is eventually able to take control of Octavius's planned network, forcing Octavius to flee while vowing revenge.<ref name="ASM600">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #600. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Heroic Age (comics)|Heroic Age]]" storyline, [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]] researched Doctor Octopus and notes that he will be dead soon.<ref>''Heroic Age: Villains'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In his desperate attempts to prolong his life, Octavius reforms the Sinister Six, wishing to acquire [[Menace (Marvel Comics)|Menace]]'s unborn son, hoping to synthesize a pure strain of the Goblin Serum,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #642. Marvel Comics.</ref> only to be thwarted again by the efforts of Spider-Man and the guilty conscience of the Lizard,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #646. Marvel Comics.</ref> reigniting his bitterness towards his foe, but gaining a grudging acknowledgment of his abilities.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #648">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #648. Marvel Comics.</ref> Octavius and Spider-Man keep crossing their ways during the following months, with the Avengers fighting a new iteration of the Sinister Six,<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #648"/> Doctor Octopus sending a remote Octobot in John Jameson's shuttle,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #653. Marvel Comics.</ref> and Octavius contacting [[Iron Man]] to force him to find a cure for his degenerative condition.<ref>''Invincible Iron Man'' #501. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, when Iron Man genuinely offers to have the brightest minds in the Marvel Universe find a viable cure,<ref>''Invincible Iron Man'' #502. Marvel Comics.</ref> Octavius smugly refuses, in favor of witnessing Stark admit that he cannot do it and beg for mercy to disarm a device that Octavius had claimed was a bomb, basking in this "proof" of his (supposedly) superior intellect.<ref>''Invincible Iron Man'' #503. Marvel Comics.</ref>

His attempts to prolong his life, however, do not hinder a more vast and sinister plan, in which he has the Sinister Six fighting the [[Avengers Academy]] for a piece of [[Hank Pym]]'s technology,<ref>''Avengers Academy'' #14. Marvel Comics.</ref> the [[Future Foundation]] for a piece of [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richard]]'s technology,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #660. Marvel Comics.</ref> and the Intelligencia for the ''Zero Cannon'', a powerful antigravity weapon,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #676. Marvel Comics.</ref> later revealing to have gained something useful from his early foray in John Jameson's shuttle.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #681. Marvel Comics.</ref> All this careful preparation came to fruition during the "[[Ends of the Earth (Marvel Comics)|Ends of the Earth]]" storyline,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/121/1214698p1.html|work=IGN |time=Dan Slott discusses the next big Amazing Spider-Man storyline|date=December 13, 2011|title=Comics Reviews, News, Heroes, Villains, Superheroes & Toys}}</ref> where the apparently mismatched pieces of technology stolen are used to build a satellite net, the ''Octavian Lens'', able to alter the world's climate by enhancing or smothering solar rays.

Doctor Octopus at first claims to have a benevolent intent, wishing to halt the [[greenhouse effect]] in exchange for gratitude and recognition,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #682. Marvel Comics.</ref> but he is soon exposed by Spider-Man (having enhanced himself with new technology created by [[Horizon Labs|Horizon <abbr title="Laboratories">Labs</abbr>]]),<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #683">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #683. Marvel Comics.</ref> the [[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Black Widow]] and [[Silver Sable]], who provoke him into revealing his real plan: immolate a great part of the entire population to prevent anyone from surviving his impending death, having the survivors remember him in perpetual fear and awe.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #685. Marvel Comics.</ref> Playing over his ego, Spider-Man manages to stall him, by reminding him that, even if anyone managed to survive a drastic heating of the entire Earth, the survivors would likely be brain-damaged, and as such unable to remember his actions.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #687. Marvel Comics.</ref> Spider-Man then roughly defeats him, in retaliation for Silver Sable's death, openly mocking and berating his efforts by claiming that, because of the Octavian Lens' destruction and his declining health, he is now going to die alone, forgotten and without a legacy.<ref>''The Avenging Spider-Man'' #8. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==="Death" and rebirth===
Even captivity and incarceration were unable to stop Octavius. Since Spider-Man was forced to access the Octobots' hive mind several times in previous months,<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #683"/><ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man #672''. Marvel Comics.</ref> he unwittingly gave Octavius unrestricted access to his mind, allowing him to program a lone Octobot to swap their consciousnesses. Octavius is now in Peter Parker's body and able to access his foe's memories, but with none of his restraints content of living his civilian life and planning for his future, while his foe is now trapped in Octavius' failing body.<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #698">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #698. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Peter is able to recruit the [[Scorpion (Mac Gargan)|Scorpion]], [[Hydro-Man]] and the [[Trapster]] with the task of keeping him alive and capturing "Spider-Man" in an attempt to reverse the mind swap. However, the Trapster's portable life support can give Peter only 700 minutes to live.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #699. Marvel Comics.</ref> As such, Peter openly antagonizes "Spider-Man". While Peter's attempt to reclaim his body fails, he is able to imbue his nemesis with his very memories and values before apparently dying in Octavius' crippled body. Distraught, Octavius (in a sudden surge of empathy for his sworn nemesis) vows to steer himself away from villainy and accepts Peter's dying wish of having a Spider-Man protect New York. Octavius claims that, since he now holds the physical might and the good values embodied by Spider-Man but also the boundless ambition and the scientific mindframe of Doctor Octopus, he will surpass the "Amazing Spider-Man", becoming a "[[The Superior Spider-Man|Superior Spider-Man]]".<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #700">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #700. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''The Superior Spider-Man''===
Within Spider-Man's body, Octavius starts his new career as a hero by redesigning his gear and putting his past as a villain behind himself.<ref name="Avenging Spider-Man 15.1">''Avenging Spider-Man'' #15.1. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, he soon finds himself the target of several villains, such as an Octavius-tech enhanced [[Stilt-Man]],<ref name="Daredevil 22">''Daredevil'' #22. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[Boomerang (comics)|Boomerang]], [[Overdrive (character)|Overdrive]], [[Shocker (character)|Shocker]], [[Speed Demon (character)|Speed Demon]], the new Beetle ([[Janice Lincoln]]), and the [[Living Brain]],<ref name="The Superior Spider-Man #1">''The Superior Spider-Man'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> all of them trying to take over the place left by the seemingly-dead Doctor Octopus and his Sinister Six. While they are still no match for the new, more ruthless Spider-Man, his violence and new mannerisms start to tip off several of his close friends and allies, such as the whole staff of Horizon Labs, [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]],<ref name="Daredevil 22"/> [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] (explicitly forbidden to have Spider-Man's mind telepathically scanned under the threat of legal action in court),<ref>''Avenging Spider-Man'' #16. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[Mary Jane Watson]],<ref name="The Superior Spider-Man #1"/> and [[Carlie Cooper]].<ref name="The Superior Spider-Man #2">''The Superior Spider-Man'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Despite his accomplishments, Octavius is revealed to be still haunted by Peter Parker's lingering spirit, unable to reassert control over Spider-Man's shared body, but actively hampering his efforts to stray from Peter's values, and trying to reclaim his body.<ref name="The Superior Spider-Man #2"/> Despite Peter's lingering influence, Octavius's refusal of Peter's values and perceived screw-ups prompts him to "rectify" some mistakes: "Peter" enrolls back to college, pursuing actively the PhD Peter denied himself in the past,<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> and breaks the self-imposed "no-kill rule" by taking a proactive stance against evildoers and criminals, shooting the villain [[Massacre (Marvel Comics)|Massacre]] even after Massacre appeared to show signs of recovering from the brain damage that motivated his crimes,<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> and violently assaulting the Jester and Screwball for a relatively minor insult.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref> These actions prompted the Avengers to confront "Spider-Man" about his recent activities, recognizing that their friend would never act in such a manner.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #7. Marvel Comics.</ref> When their subsequent analysis confirms that he is still biologically Peter Parker, Octavius explains that he is merely dealing with stress over recent events.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #8. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Attempting a mind-wipe of all of Peter's memories to destroy the living consciousness completely, Octavius manages to delete the ''Daily Bugle'' memory. Realizing Peter would not surrender, Octavius directly engages his foe in Spider-Man's mind. After beating Peter to a pulp by breaking his spirit with the knowledge Peter was willing let a girl named Amy come close to death when Octavius was performing surgery on her with a scanner that would have detected him, Octavius declares his final victory while calling Peter unworthy to be called Spider-Man and believes that he deleted all of Spider-Man's memories. Returning to the real world, Octavius rejoices from his belief that he is free and has achieved victory over Spider-Man.<ref name="SSM9">''The Superior Spider-Man'' #9. Marvel Comics.</ref> But this erasure has also deprived him of Spider-Man's memories, leaving it more difficult for him to pose as Spider-Man, with some of Peter's friends (such as Carlie, Mary Jane, and J. Jonah Jameson, Sr.) questioning Spider-Man's more brutal approach.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #10. Marvel Comics.</ref> While Octavius has developed more detailed resources than Peter possessed as Spider-Man, such as creating a small army of Spider-bots and Spiderling allies to assist him, as well as helping [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]] trap the body-hopping mutant [[Malice (comics)#Malice (Marauder)|Malice]] in a specially designed containment unit,<ref>''A + X'' #11. Marvel Comics.</ref> he continues to resort to more questionable methods, such as killing [[Alistair Smythe]],<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #13. Marvel Comics.</ref> and blackmailing Jameson into giving him free rein in New York by threatening to expose the fact that Jameson asked him to do this. During a series of confrontations with his former allies in the Sinister Six, he also attempted to brainwash them into becoming his new 'team', resulting in him being forced to join forces with new hero [[Sun Girl (Marvel Comics)|Sun Girl]] when the Six snapped out of his control and tried to kill him.<ref>''Superior Spider-Man Team Up'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Octavius's focus on the larger scale also resulted in him missing the Green Goblin's efforts to establish a new criminal empire, with the Green Goblin rescuing criminals who have escaped Spider-Man and recruiting them into his new gang, as Octavius simply focused on the leaders whereas Peter would have tried to capture the whole gang. His fixation in proving himself Spider-Man's superior reached a particular climax when [[Spider-Man 2099]] came to the past to deal with a temporal anomaly,<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #17. Marvel Comics.</ref> with Octavius becoming so fixated with solving the problem and keeping his identity secret that he actually attacked the future Spider-Man rather than ask for his help,<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #18. Marvel Comics.</ref> his actions resulting in the destruction of Horizon Labs because he could not solve the [[vibranium]]-related equations that Peter was able to resolve. Unknown to Octavius, Peter's memories managed to survive the deletion. When Octavius attempts to access Spider-Man's memories (because Octavius can only view memories that were looked at before the delete), Peter is shown lifting the 'rocks' off himself from the mental battle.<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Superior Spider-Man'' #19. Marvel Comics.</ref>

When Carlie had found evidence that Doctor Octopus' mind is in Spider-Man's body, she mourns Peter in Doctor Octopus' grave. The grave then collapses and Carlie falls in where she discovers that Doctor Octopus' body is not there. After Carlie has been captured by Menace, the Goblin King receives Carlie's journal from Menace, where the Goblin King discovers evidence in it that states that Doctor Octopus' mind is in Spider-Man's body.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #21. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Following him being possessed by the Venom symbiote, Octavius receives unexpected help from Peter Parker's consciousness, though Octavius is still unaware that Peter survived their mental duel. Peter decides to maintain a low profile until Octavius does something that will cause him to spring into action.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #25. Marvel Comics.</ref> Peter finds that Octavius's delete has left him with very few memories of his own, but after realizing those he still has are the ones that define him, vows not to give up, and that he will regain control of his body.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #26. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Superior Spider-Man finds himself facing the full force of the Goblin Underground since the possession of the Venom symbiote 31 days ago. When the Superior Spider-Man finally confronts the Goblin King, he mentions that he knows about Doctor Octopus' mind-swap with Spider-Man. The Goblin King then makes his next move by having missiles targeted at Spider-Island II.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #27. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Octavius survived the bombardment and escaped with the Living Brain. He then tries to find the Goblin King; however, before he can do so, Menace takes [[Anna Maria Marconi]] hostage.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #28. Marvel Comics.</ref> Meanwhile, the Goblin destroys all the buildings that mean something to Octavius, to punish him for robbing the Goblin of his dream: Killing Spider-Man. Octavius is lured to [[Empire State University (comics)|Empire State University]], where he finds Don Lamaze. During the ensuing fight, Lamaze takes a blade meant for Octavius and dies in the Superior Spider-Man's arms. Heading to [[Alchemax]], he is confronted by Spider-Man 2099, who takes control of the Spider-Slayers and demands answers. However, before he gets them, the Goblin King reactivates the Slayers to kill the Spiders, stating Norman Osborn now rules New York.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #29. Marvel Comics.</ref> Although he manages to escape, Octavius is forced to realize that he has failed in his goal to be a 'Superior' Spider-Man when the restored Peter Parker takes over to save a child from a runaway train where Octavius hesitated, reflecting that he is aware of his fundamental inferiority, as he overcompensates while Peter holds himself back, but acts when he has to. Octavius then willingly deletes his own consciousness so that Peter can regain control of his body. As Octavius's last memories fade, it is shown he had really fallen in love with Anna Maria, much to Peter's surprise. Octavius tells Peter he is willing to give up his love to keep her safe - something only Peter can do as the true Superior Spider-Man - and urges the hero to save New York in his place.<ref name="The Superior Spider-Man #30">''The Superior Spider-Man'' #30. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Verse''===
In the run-up to ''[[Spider-Verse]]'', Octavius was sent to the year 2099 by accident while dealing with the temporal anomalies caused by Horizon's time portal.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Trapped in the future, he attempted to return home by creating a dimensional portal, but found himself travelling to various alternate universes – including one where Spider-Man joined the [[Fantastic Four]] and a variation of the [[House of M]] – where all the Spider-Men were dead. Realizing that something was hunting Spider-Men across other dimensions, Octavius began to gather some of the more ruthless Spider-Men into a team that could oppose whatever was killing them, including Spider-Man Noir, a multi-armed Spider-Man, [[Pavitr Prabhakar]], and a Peter Parker working in black ops with Wolverine.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #32. Marvel Comics.</ref> As the crisis unfolds, Octavius takes command of a group of alternate Spider-Men, considering himself particularly qualified to lead them due to his unique nature and willingness to kill,{{Volume needed|c=y|date=December 2014}} but when his team is confronted by another group led by the Peter Parker of [[Earth-616]] – who Octavius presumes is a past Peter as he cannot contemplate the possibility that he will fail- he is forced to concede to Peter's leadership when Peter defeats him in a fight, Peter stating that killing [[Morlun]] and the Inheritors is not the answer, as they will just come back, and they need a new plan.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #11. Marvel Comics.</ref> Although he realizes that Peter comes from his future when Peter recognizes Anna Maria's name, Otto is forced to acknowledge his own failures when he learns that another Earth where [[Uncle Ben#Spider-Verse|Ben Parker]] was the Spider-Totem was reduced to a nuclear wasteland due to the actions of his own local counterpart.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man' 2015">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #13. Marvel Comics.</ref>

To stop the Inheritors from traveling around the [[Multiverse (Marvel Comics)|multiverse]], hunting all animal totems as fast as possible, Octavius identified the [[Karn (comics)|Master Weaver]] as the source of their abilities to traverse the multiverse, and killed him. However, Morlun feared the consequences of this action,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #14. Marvel Comics.</ref> resulting in [[Karn (comics)|Karn]], the surviving defected Inheritor, taking the Weaver's place (although it was noted that the Weaver was actually Karn's future self, creating a complex temporal paradox). Having learned that he was 'destined' to be replaced by Peter Parker, Octavius attempted to attack the multiversal web to 'save' himself from his destiny, claiming that he was giving the spiders the 'gift' of free will, but the Earth-616 spiders were able to defeat him as their surviving allies returned to their home dimensions. Before he departed, Octavius issued a time-delayed message to the Anna Maria program, intended to activate 100 days after he returned to his home time, but upon his return to his time, his memory of his time with the Spider-Army is erased, allowing history to unfold as it should.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #15. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''All-New, All-Different Marvel''===
As part of the ''[[All-New, All-Different Marvel]]'' event, Otto Octavius is still dead but a copy of his consciousness is shown to be inside the Living Brain where he is still in love with Anna Maria Marconi.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Following the events of ''Spider-Verse'', Otto Octavius had backed up his consciousness in one of his gauntlets (the Superior Spider-Man's web-shooters) that slept for 100 days using the technology he acquired from 2099.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #18" /><ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' #32-33. Marvel Comics.</ref> The gauntlet housed a copy of Octavius's consciousness up to the point of ''Spider-Verse'' (without the memories of learning about power and responsibility for his act of self-sacrifice in ''Goblin Nation'', as this copy would remain asleep during this time). After transforming the gauntlet into a version of an Octobot, he backed himself up in the Living Brain while waiting for the next opportunity to take over Parker's body again, planning to act at a time when Parker's spider-sense would be taxed so that he would miss the relevant signals.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #18">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #18. Marvel Comics.</ref>

At the time when the Living Brain was at Parker Industries' London branch, Doctor Octopus' consciousness expresses anger over being forced to act like their lackey. After Sajani Jaffrey is fired by Peter Parker for conspiring against him, Doctor Octopus' consciousness smirks as Anna is made the head of Parker Industries' London branch.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===="Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy"====
During the "[[Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy]]" storyline, Peter decides to have Parker Industries get familiar with New U Enterprises' "New U" system, which is a program where replacement organs are cloned for those suffering from serious injuries. Upon hearing about it from within the Living Brain, Doctor Octopus' consciousness expresses an interest in the procedure.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #16. Marvel Comics.</ref> When Peter Parker scanned the Living Brain to find out why it was acting unusually, Doctor Octopus' consciousness asked why it was erased. Realizing the truth, Peter Parker shut down the Living Brain, only for Doctor Octopus' consciousness to reactivate it and cause it to self-destruct while escaping in the Octobot. Arriving at New U Enterprises, the Doctor Octopus-possessed Octobot plans to get his biological body back, convinced that the consciousness in Parker's body was "infected" by its time in Spider-Man to believe that Peter was superior rather than himself.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #18"/> Upon heading to Potter's Field, the Doctor Octopus-possessed Octobot finds that Doctor Octopus' body was grave-robbed, alongside those of Alistair Alphonso Smythe and other villains. It traces the grave robbery to New U Technologies. Finding Doctor Octopus' body, the Doctor Octopus-possessed Octobot allowed it to be cloned and perfected. After eliminating the copy of Peter Parker's consciousness, Doctor Octopus gains control of the clone body and emerges from the vat where he resembles his earlier appearance. The [[Ben Reilly|Jackal]] was present where he presents him with his tentacle pack. Now an ally of Jackal, Doctor Octopus receives the special New U Pills to prevent his body from suffering clone degeneration.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #20">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #20. Marvel Comics.</ref>

When Spider-Man later infiltrates New U Technologies after witnessing video footage of one of its subjects suffering from cellular degeneration, he evades the initial security force, including the Rhino and [[Electro (Francine Frye)|Electro]]. When he discovers what appears to be [[Gwen Stacy]], he is distracted long enough to be caught off-guard by the reborn Octavius, once again in his own body with new tentacles.<ref>''The Clone Conspiracy'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> With Spider-Man trapped in his tentacles, Doctor Octopus tells him that he is not a clone or a hologram, but the real Otto Octavius.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #20"/>

After Silk escapes from New U Technologies, Doctor Octopus attacks Spectro, who was unable to phase through the walls with the test subject. Doctor Octopus and Spectro fight until Electro arrives and knocks out Spectro. Doctor Octopus later experiments with Spectro and plans to put him into a cloned body.<ref>''Silk'' (vol. 2) #15. Marvel Comics.</ref>

While studying the clones of [[Kaine Parker|Kaine]] and Electro to perfect the Proto-Clone, Anna Maria is brought to Otto and she becomes uncomfortable when Doctor Octopus starts appealing towards his love interest. When Jackal enters the laboratory, Anna Maria reveals she knows how to stop the decaying process on the clones and Jackal offers her the "Proto-Clone" body in exchange for the formula. Octavius takes offense to Jackal's comments on Maria's dwarfism and attacks his boss. Then he pulls a switch which activates the [[Carrion (comics)|Carrion]] virus in all of the clones and causes them to start rapidly decaying.<ref>''The Clone Conspiracy'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus fights Jackal to allow Peter and Anna Maria the time to transmit the frequency, Spider-Man correctly anticipating that Octavius would act to protect Anna regardless of their own history. The frequency has a huge effect on Doctor Octopus and Jackal. After checking New U Technologies' Haven following the broadcast, Spider-Man and Anna Maria find that [[Ben Reilly]], Doctor Octopus, and Gwen Stacy have been seemingly reduced to dust.<ref>''The Clone Conspiracy'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> It was later revealed that Doctor Octopus rendered Ben unconscious and escaped by transmitting his mind into the Proto-Clone (a perfect clone of Peter Parker) before Ben could.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #24. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Becoming the Superior Octopus===
With his new body, Otto Octavius returns to one of his old bases only to find it is being occupied by [[Hydra (comics)|Hydra]]. He defeats the Hydra soldiers, but is then recruited into Hydra by [[Arnim Zola]]. Zola grants him the leadership of some Hydra soldiers to work for him in arranging the destruction of [[Parker Industries]]. With Hydra's help, he creates a new uniform for himself, becoming the Superior Octopus, intending to wait for Peter's actions to trigger the collapse of Parker Industries so that he can retake his position and prove himself superior once again.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 #25">''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #25. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===="Secret Empire"====
During the 2017 "[[Secret Empire (2017 comic)|Secret Empire]]" storyline, the Superior Octopus appears as a leader of Hydra's Avengers.<ref>''Secret Empire'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Outside of his work with Hydra's Avengers, the Superior Octopus approached Spider-Man, where he wants him to transfer ownership of Parker Industries back to him. When Peter Parker declined this offer, the Superior Octopus had the Hydra agents in Parker Industries' London branch blow up the building.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #29. Marvel Comics.</ref> As Peter flees to the Shanghai branch of Parker Industries, Octavius attempts to implement various security protocols he had added to all Parker Industries tech that allows him to retake control of anything developed by the company,<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #30. Marvel Comics.</ref> but Peter turns the tables on Octavius by ordering his employees to literally destroy the company to hurt Hydra, thwarting Octavius' attempt to shut down his new high-tech suit with an EMP by reverting to his traditional costume and turning the EMP trick against Octavius so that his own tentacles attack him. Octavius is forced to flee the battle.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #31. Marvel Comics.</ref>

====''Go Down Swinging'' and redemption====
During the ''[[Go Down Swinging (comic book)|Go Down Swinging]]'' story arc where the Red Goblin (Norman Osborn who has powered himself up with the [[Carnage (character)|Carnage symbiote]]) attacks Spider-Man and all his friends and family, the Superior Octopus and [[J. Jonah Jameson]] help defend [[Aunt May]] as the Superior Octopus still retains some of Peter's memories and sense of responsibility. This concludes with Peter forgiving the Superior Octopus and giving him a "clean slate". In the [[Go Down Swinging (comics)|aftermath of Osborn's defeat]], the Superior Octopus reveals his new identity as Dr. Elliot Tolliver, a person who has just started working at Horizon University. He was seen applying for a job under [[Max Modell]] as [[Anna Maria Marconi|Anna Maria]] starts acting suspicious towards Tolliver.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #800. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===="Spider-Geddon"====
During the "[[Spider-Geddon]]" storyline, the Superior Octopus is seen fighting the [[Night Shift (comics)|Night Shift]]. The Superior Octopus agrees to spare them more pain in exchange for the Night Shift becoming his agents, where he will compensate them from his own funds. They agree to the terms and are ordered to return the stolen items. The Superior Octopus leaves, advising them never to cross him or they will not live long enough to regret it. After a day at Horizon University and saving some people on the Bay Bridge, the Superior Octopus fights Arnim Zola, a bio-duplicate of [[Gorgon (Tomi Shishido)|Gorgon]], and some Hydra agents who seek to repossess his services to rebuild Hydra. The Superior Octopus states that he is done with his end of the bargain and attacks them. When the [[Gorgon (Tomi Shishido)|Gorgon bio-duplicate]] turns the Superior Octopus to stone and shatters him, another Superior Octopus body emerges, where it destroys the Gorgon bio-duplicate and defeats [[Arnim Zola]], while informing him to spread the word to Hydra to never come for him again. The Superior Octopus' inner monologue states that he had perfected [[Miles Warren (comics)|Miles Warren]]'s cloning technology where each clone had to be made from the deceased to maintain their memories as a way to conquer death.<ref>''Superior Octopus'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, after Octavius forces Count Nefaria into retreating from Los Angeles, he is confronted in his cloning workshop by the Spider-Army. They reveal that his cloning process has been 'hacked' by the Inheritors, who fed his computers hours-old data until they were ready to manifest, with these new Inheritors swiftly killing Spider-Man Noir and Spider-UK. Octavius then quotes "What have I done&nbsp;..."<ref>''Spider-Geddon'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> After initiating his base's self-destruct sequence to slow down the Inheritors, the Superior Octopus states that they still should have killed the Inheritors while they had the chance. Upon heading to his lab at Horizon High to change into his Superior Spider-Man appearance, he goes to recruit Kaine and states that they should leave Ben Reilly out of the fight, since Jennix is targeting the cloning technology from the now-defunct New U Technologies. As the Superior Spider-Man and Kaine enter the portal, they are unaware that Ben Reilly has followed them.<ref>''Spider-Geddon'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Superior Spider-Man heads to Earth-1048 to recruit [[Spider-Man (Insomniac Games)|that world's Spider-Man]], where he helps to defeat the Tarantula and learned about his counterpart.<ref>''Spider-Geddon'' #0. Marvel Comics.</ref> After Spider-Norman and Spiders-Man sundered Earth-616's connection to the Web of Life and Destiny, Octavius seemingly betrayed Ben, giving him to the Inheritors in exchange for the other Spiders being left alone.<ref>''Spider-Geddon'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> When Spider-Man of Earth-1048, who had been secretly following both Octavius and Ben from behind, believed Octavius made the same mistake as his counterpart in betraying their own, Octavius revealed to him that he and Ben purposely planned this to trick the Inheritors into consuming the clone that will drove them insane, starting from when he was forced to relive the memories of Ben's 29 deaths and resurrections. With the help from surviving Spider-Men who are trapped in Earth-616, including those who were trapped in another universe (including Kaine and 616's Peter), Octavius manages to resurrect Ben in his 30th resurrection. With the Inheritors turned into babies to be raised by Spider-Ma'am (Aunt May) for their redemption; the same goes for Morlun, who is currently in 616's high-security prison. Octavius resumes being the Superior Spider-Man.<ref>''Spider-Geddon'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2)===
After the events of "Spider-Geddon", Octavius resumes his career as the Superior Spider-Man, protecting San Francisco with the hired assistance of the Night Shift. His identity as Dr. Elliot Tolliver is uncovered by Anna Maria, who confronts him with the rebuilt Living Brain. This is interrupted by the appearance of [[Terrax]]. Using a machine to siphon a fraction of the [[Power Cosmic]], Octavius defeats Terrax and passes out.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> While helping rebuild San Francisco and rescue survivors, the Octavius learns about humility and begins to connect with the people. Unbeknownst to him, [[Master Pandemonium]] emerges from the wreckage, planning to strike.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #2-4. Marvel Comics.</ref> When Master Pandemonium attacks, Octavius is forced to work with Doctor Strange to stop Pandemonium after he possesses his new associate Emma Hernandez.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During "[[The War of the Realms]]" storyline, the Superior Spider-Man worked to save the civilians from a Frost Giant invasion. Then he came up with the idea to work with the [[West Coast Avengers]] to make use of [[America Chavez]]'s powers. After rescuing them with his Octavian Lens, the Superior Spider-Man barely convinced them to help fight the Asgardian invasion at the source. They would have to go to New York City, since the Asgardian magic is interfering with America's powers.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #7. Marvel Comics.</ref> In the midst of the battle between the [[Fantastic Four]] and [[Malekith the Accursed]]'s forces, the Superior Spider-Man worked with Mister Fantastic to enable America Chavez to duplicate the Bifrost Bridge's energy. After the two of them failed to locate the strike team in Svartalfheim, the Superior Spider-Man and Mister Fantastic located the strike team in [[Jotunheim]]. Those in Jotunheim persuaded the Superior Spider-Man to focus on protecting Earth. The Superior Spider-Man returned to New York City to lead the West Coast Avengers in protecting the citizens.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #8. Marvel Comics.</ref> Once the War was over, Octavius confides that he feels guilty over being unable to save more people to Spider-Man, who comforts him. Unbeknownst to Octavius, he is being spied upon by one of the spiders that make up Spiders-Man on behalf of Spider-Osborn, who is planning revenge on him.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #9. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Following a date with Emma, they notice a news leak that claiming that the Superior Spider-Man is really Doctor Octopus. Thus is denied by Spider-Man, Mister Fantastic, and Doctor Strange, who note his involvement in fighting the Frost Giants. The next day, Octavius admits to Max Modell that he is a clone. However, Modell reveals that he already knew. Upon analyzing the security footage of the leak, Octavius deduces that Spiders-Man was responsible. Spiders-Man then attacks them, but is subdued, and states that Spider-Osborn is safe on his world and that they will never reach him. Octavius, Anna Maria, and the Living Brain attempt to use the cosmic energies left over from the fight with Terrax to travel to Spider-Osborne's world, but it goes wrong and causes an explosion. Spider-Osborn then appears, revealing that he was on Earth-616 all along. He beats Octavius, and reveals that he plans to kill everyone that he cares about as revenge for insulting him.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #10. Marvel Comics.</ref> Spider-Osborn starts by capturing James Martin, stating that he will release the boy only if Octavius kills three citizens on camera so that people will see him as a fraud.

Believing that he cannot win against Osborn, Octavius summons Mephisto and asks him to restore him to his original form for a day so that he can fight Spider-Osborn. Mephisto rejects this and offers to permanently restore Octavius to his original body, without any of "flaws". Octavius accepts the deal, once again becoming Doctor Octopus. He attacks The Brothers Grimm as they collect their payment, demanding the location of Spider-Osborn.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #11. Marvel Comics.</ref> Octavius then defeats Spider-Osborn, throwing him back to his world. After briefly visiting Anna Maria and Emma at the hospital, he reveals that he has lost all memory of Spider-Man's identity. He cuts ties with the Night Shift and leaves, leaving his Superior Spider-Man outfit in the garbage.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #12. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Return to Doctor Octopus===
At the time when Doctor Octopus was finding clues to some of his missing memories and found a casket in a grave empty, [[Kindred (Marvel Comics)|Kindred]] had one of his centipedes go into Doctor Octopus' ear and had him go unconscious.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #64. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Kindred later told Doctor Octopus that he can help him with his memories, but he will need to gather five more people.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #67. Marvel Comics.</ref> At an unknown beach, Doctor Octopus helped Sandman with his loss of direction and promised to solve Sandman's immortality problem.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #68. Marvel Comics.</ref> Upon building a special machine, Doctor Octopus resurrects Electro with his powers intact as Kindred comments on Electro's abilities while stating that Doctor Octopus is getting closer to his true self.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #69. Marvel Comics.</ref> Doctor Octopus and Electro find [[Kraven the Hunter]] in the [[Savage Land]] hunting a dinosaur. When Electro shocks the dinosaur, Doctor Octopus recruits Kraven into the Sinister Six by promising him to hunt down the Lizard.<ref>''Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: Chameleon Conspiracy'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In the "[[Sinister War]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus coerces Dr. Curt Connors into using the Isotope Particle Accelerator on himself which separates the Lizard persona from Connors. While in the Osborn Graveyard, Doctor Octopus demands that Kindred gives him the answers he seeks. Kindred states to Doctor Octopus that he'll get the answers soon as he adds Mysterio to the latest incarnation to the Sinister Six.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #70. Marvel Comics.</ref> In truth, Doctor Octopus secretly prepares a sonic transducer to destroy Kindred's centipedes, at cost of knocking the rest of Spider-Man's past foes, while saving them as well from hunting Spider-Man before the centipedes devoured their brains. To do so, Otto took a centipede from an undead Sin-Eater's brain and used it on his transducer to both knock out and save Spider-Man's past foes, barring Spider-Man and himself, while Boomerang was killed by Morlun when trying to save Spider-Man. Before splitting up, Otto urges Peter to make himself scarce and continue to fight Kindred safely before the surviving factions could recover, as most of them would still want to kill him.<ref>''Sinister War'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "Beyond" arc, Aunt May enlists Doctor Octopus to help bring Peter Parker out of a coma that he was placed into during a fight with the [[U-Foes]]. They did so by obtaining the samples of X-Ray and Vapor. When Aunt May returned to Peter's hospital room, she found that the hospital received some technology from Doctor Octopus which came in handy in bringing Peter Parker out of a coma. Doctor Octopus later attacks the satellite location of Beyond Corporation's [[shell corporation]] Infinite Solutions and finds that they were taking assets from the defunct Parker Industries, their use of Ben Reilly's incarnation of Spider-Man, and the copying of Doctor Octopus' Spider-Man technology. This causes Doctor Octopus to declare vengeance on the Beyond Corporation.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 5 #80.BEY. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Devil's Reign]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus joins Mayor [[Wilson Fisk]]'s [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]] unit. He accompanies the NYPD and [[Homeland Security]] to the Baxter Building to do a full investigation on the weapons of mass destruction that may be located there. Susan Storm manages to get a Code X7 out to Human Torch, Ben Grimm, Franklin Richards, and Valeria Richards causing them to evacuate and get to [[Alicia Masters]] and the kids with her. Doctor Octopus later contacts Fisk about the inventions that he found in Reed Richards' lab.<ref>''Devil's Reign'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Doctor Octopus later makes use of Reed Richards' inter-dimensional gate to summon his counterparts from throughout the multiverse, consisting of a version of [[Hulk]] from Earth-8816 who has two sets of arms growing from his back, a version of [[Ghost Rider]] from Earth-1666 with chain-tentacles coming out of his back, and a version of [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] from Earth-9712 with bladed tentacles.<ref>''Devil's Reign'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> Captain America discovers that Iron Man is actually Chameleon in disguise, who Doctor Octopus was going to use to take part in the mayoral election on his behalf.<ref>''Devil's Reign'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> Two weeks later, Doctor Octopus has released thousands of Octobots to enforce Fisk's zero-tolerance policy, effectively wiping out all crime in the city. He and Wolverine of Earth-9712 visit Fisk as Doctor Octopus informs him that Butch Pharris has been arrested for his criminal activities.<ref>''Devil's Reign'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus and his Superior Four make plans to obtain the intellect of Doctor Octopus' counterparts throughout the Multiverse using a synthetic blood-parasite. The Superior Four attack [[Atlantis (Marvel Comics)|Atlantis]] on Earth-7214 and are confronted by Supreme Octopus.<ref>''Devil's Reign: Superior Four'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> The multiversal counterparts of Doctor Octopus turn against him and help Supreme Octopus rip off Doctor Octopus' tentacles. Doctor Octopus is then locked up with a skeleton and carnivorous plants in Supreme Octopus' mobile base called the Supreme Sanctorum.<ref>''Devil's Reign: Superior Four'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> After being saved by a [[Man-Thing]] variant of himself from Earth-5069, Doctor Octopus defeats Supreme Octopus and returns the Superior Four to Earth-616.<ref>''Devil's Reign: Superior Four'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Doctor Octopus was later abducted by an unknown figure who wanted to know more about Spider-Man.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 6 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> When Spider-Man locates Doctor Octopus and his fellow captive villains Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Sandman, and Vulture, he discovers that the culprit behind the abduction was [[Ultra Living Brain]]. After Spider-Man defeated the Sinister Six-type Super-Adaptoid, Ultra Living Brain teleported the villains away.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 6 #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>
	
After his original tentacles had abandoned him, Doctor Octopus made a new set of tentacles and a new version of the Octobots called Ocktoids. He used these tentacles to fight Spider-Man and Norman Osborn's Gold Goblin form.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 6 #27-30. Marvel Comics.</ref>
	
While at the Bar With No Name, Doctor Octopus was working on another plan. After going into the bathroom, Doctor Octopus plans to find a way to become the Superior Spider-Man again.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 6 #31. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In flashbacks to when Doctor Octopus first operated as Superior Spider-Man, he had worked on a miniature star project with help from his hired assistant Estrella Lopez and how her trying to take the project after Superior Spider-Man took credit for solving it led to her being turned into a fiery form that she dubbed [[Supernova (Marvel Comics)|Supernova]]. This caused Superior Spider-Man to trap her in the dodecahedron. In the present, Doctor Octopus came across his dodecahedron while rummaging through his old lair. As he was working on his latest weapon using energy from the dodecahedron, Supernova broke free from his imprisonment. As Doctor Octopus begged for mercy, Supernova stated to Doctor Octopus that he did not imprison her and goes off to find Spider-Man as Doctor Octopus wishes Spider-Man good luck when she finds him.<ref>''The Superior Spider-Man Returns'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[One World Under Doom]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus appears as a member of the Masters of Evil who assist the Avengers in battling Doctor Doom.<ref>''One World Under Doom'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> He is among those who draw out Doom and his ''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'' counterpart.<ref>''One World Under Doom'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
Otto Octavius is a genius in the field of [[atomic physics]], and he holds a [[Doctor of Philosophy#United States|Ph. D.]] in nuclear science. A brilliant engineer and inventor, he is also a superb strategist and a charismatic leader. His genius in radiation is so exceptional that he was once called upon by [[Mister Fantastic]] of the [[Fantastic Four]] to offer his expertise when the [[Invisible Woman]] suffered from complications during her [[Valeria Richards|second pregnancy]] as a result of the cosmic radiation that had given the team their powers.<ref name="Fantastic Four #267"/>

Due to exposure to atomic radiation, Doctor Octopus has acquired the mental ability of psychokinetic control over the four electrically powered, telescoping, [[Prehensility|prehensile]], [[titanium]]-steel artificial tentacle "arms" (a degree of psychokinetic control over them that he can also exercise over vast distances even when they are not connected to him) that are attached to a stainless-steel harness encompassing his lower torso. Each of these four arms is capable of lifting several tons, provided that at least one arm is used to support his body. The reaction time and agility of his mechanical appendages are enhanced far beyond the range attainable for normal human musculature. The arms allow Octavius to move rapidly over any terrain and to scale vertical surfaces and ceilings. He has developed his concentration and control to the point that he can engage a single opponent, like [[Spider-Man]], or multiple opponents with the arms while performing a completely separate, more delicate task, such as stirring coffee or constructing a machine. Due to his weight and age, his opponents are often lured into a false sense of security, only to find he is a formidable combatant. He has managed to force opponents as formidable as Spider-Man, [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], and [[Captain America]] to take up a defensive position in a fight.<ref>[http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/7/18514151252-orig.jpg Spectacular Spider-Man #221] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221140910/http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/7/18514151252-orig.jpg|date=February 21, 2012}}</ref>

Doctor Octopus has also employed an armored body suit enabling him to breathe underwater and designed to withstand extreme water pressure.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=November 2010}}

Doctor Octopus has begun wearing a full-body armor suit due to an illness caused by the amount of punishment he has sustained over the years, made even worse by the fact that his ability to take damage is still at a human norm, even if he can deliver a superhuman level of punishment; he relies completely on his arms to prevent opponents with superhuman strength getting in close enough to damage his relatively unfit physical form even before his illness. To compensate, he has covered his entire body with his new suit, his normal arms are bound to his chest, and four additional tentacles have been added to his harness. He has also developed psychokinetic-telepathic control over an army of "Octobots" (small [[octopus]]-like drones).<ref name="ASM600"/>

===Harnesses===
Doctor Octopus has possessed a total of three different harnesses during his career: the original [[titanium]] harness, a more powerful [[adamantium]] harness, and a [[carbonadium]] harness with tentacles bearing an octopus-like motif. The titanium and adamantium harnesses were both destroyed in ''The Lethal Foes of Spider-Man'' #1-4.

His current harness is made of a titanium-steel-niobium alloy mixture that is dense, but lightweight in composition. While wearing the harness, the arms are powerful enough to allow him to walk up sheer concrete walls and move about quickly. They are also used to grab items, both small and large, and as literal weapons in terms of being swung at objects and people like clubs. The pincers at the end of each tentacle can also be used to cut and tear into the flesh of his enemies. His sheer power using these appendages was great enough to beat [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], a seasoned combatant with superhuman senses, almost to death.<ref>''Daredevil'' #165. Marvel Comics.</ref>

The adamantium harness was powerful enough to both restrain and pummel the [[Hulk]] into submission during a series written by Erik Larsen. The adamantium in his tentacles made besting [[Iron Man]] in combat possible, tearing the hero's armor apart with a defeat so harsh that Tony Stark began to doubt his abilities almost enough to allow his persistent problem with alcohol abuse to flare up.<ref>''Marvel Fanfare'' #22. Marvel Comics.</ref> The harness is also capable of holding a small jetpack, allowing him to fly to places faster and able to evade Spider-Man more easily. Doctor Octopus is even capable of whirling his tentacles around to deflect small projectiles like bullets.

===Powers as the Superior Spider-Man===
With his mind having taken over Spider-Man's body,<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #698"/> Octavius gains possession of all of Spider-Man's memories, powers, abilities, and equipment,<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #700"/> although he loses access to Spider-Man's memories after apparently removing his foe from their shared mind.<ref name="SSM9"/> As a way to reaffirm his perceived superior mind, he tinkered with the original Spider-Man costume, adding some carbonadium plating over his neck and skull,<ref name="The Amazing Spider-Man #700"/> talons on his hands and feet, split-toed footwear fashioned as [[Tabi|jika-tabi]] shoes, a slightly different, more imposing spider-motif on his back and enhanced lenses in his costume, with HUD and tracking abilities.<ref name="Avenging Spider-Man 15.1"/>

He also retains access to some of his former hideouts from when he was Doctor Octopus, coupling Horizon Tech-derived inventions with his own peculiar brand of technology.<ref name="Avenging Spider-Man 15.1"/>

===Octobots===
The '''[[Octobot (robot)|Octobot]]s''' are octopus-themed robots that are created by Doctor Octopus. There are two different kinds of Octobots:

* The first model of the Octobot seen are little metal balls with eight legs, which are mentally controlled by Doctor Octopus via a remote control. These Octobots can also be used to attack, to perform different tasks, and attach themselves to anyone so that Doctor Octopus can mentally control them.
* The second model of the Octobot seen is a giant metallic robot, which Doctor Octopus uses to attack huge constructions.

The Octobots have at least two known variations:

* The '''[[Spider-Slayer]]s''' – These Spider-Slayers that appeared in ''[[Spider-Island]]'' are actually first generation Octobots that Spider-Man had laden with a special serum, which was used to cure the Spider-Virus that slowly turned everyone into Man-Spiders.
* The '''Spider-Bots''' – The Spider-Bots are small red and blue spiders. While his mind was inside Spider-Man's body, he controlled them remotely and was able to enact constant surveillance over all of New York city, perform different tasks and control technology.
* The '''Ocktoids''' are smaller Octobots that Doctor Octopus created in light of having created a new set of tentacles.

===Powers as the Superior Octopus===
In his Superior Octopus body, Octavius retains access to Peter Parker's powers, while also having a new set of his original tentacles designed to work with this body.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 #25"/>

==Other characters called Doctor Octopus==
There have been other characters who had went by the name of Doctor Octopus:

===Carolyn Trainor===
{{main|Lady Octopus}}

Carolyn Trainor became the second Doctor Octopus following the death of Otto Octavius. When he returned from the dead, Carolyn rebranded herself as Lady Octopus.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #427"/>

===Luke Carlyle===
{{main|Luke Carlyle}}

Luke Carlyle once operated as Doctor Octopus with a makeshift version of Doctor Octopus' tentacles after having once used Doctor Octopus' services.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man #43"/>

===Olivia===
During the "[[One World Under Doom]]" storyline, Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Doom had [[Kristoff Vernard]] use the Time Platform to bring some superheroes from a possible future that was designated as Chrono Signature Anno Doom +128. One of these people is a woman named Olivia who operated as Doctor Octopus and worked on different inventions as a member of the Superior Avengers. [[Ghost (Marvel Comics)|Ava Starr]] later mentioned to Vernard that Olivia is the last of one of a few royal families that weren't killed by Doctor Doom. He also gave her a tentacle pack that was in his trophy room. When the evolved Annihilus of Chrono Signature Anno Doom +128 arrives through Abomination's body, Olivia is eaten by Abomination.<ref>''Superior Avengers'' #1-6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Reception==
* In 2022, ''[[Screen Rant]]'' ranked Superior Spider-Man 5th in their "10 Most Powerful Silk Villains In Marvel Comics" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harn |first=Darby |date=2022-11-30 |title=10 Most Powerful Silk Villains In Marvel Comics |url=https://screenrant.com/silk-most-powerful-silk-villains-marvel-comics/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Other versions==
===''Age of Ultron''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-61112 appears in ''[[Age of Ultron]]''.<ref>''Age of Ultron'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Amalgam Comics''===
A composite character based on Doctor Octopus and [[DC Comics]]' Marine Marauder called '''Octo-Marauder''' from Earth-9602 appears in [[Amalgam Comics]]. He is a benevolent [[Project Cadmus]] scientist and mentor to [[Spider-Boy (Amalgam Comics)|Spider-Boy]].<ref>''Spider-Boy'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''House of M''===
An alternate universe variant of Otto Octavius from Earth-58163 appears in ''[[House of M]]''. This version is a government scientist.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=December 2012}}

===''Marvel 1602''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-311 appears in ''[[Marvel 1602]]''. This version is '''Victor Octavius''', an Italian [[nobleman]] who transformed himself into an octopus-like monster while attempting to cure the [[bubonic plague]].<ref>''Spider-Man 1602'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> While seeking a cure for his transformation, he is killed by [[Hank Pym|Henri le Pym]].<ref>''Spider-Man 1602'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Marvel 2099===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from an unidenfitied universe appears in ''[[Marvel 2099]]''. This version is an octopus-like [[Homo mermanus|Atlantean]].<ref>''Spider-Man 2099'' Vol. 3 #11. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Marvel Noir''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-90214 appears in ''[[Spider-Man Noir]]''. This version is a crippled scientist who is entirely dependent on his tentacles.<ref>''Spider-Man Noir'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Mask'' #1-4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Marvel Zombies''===
A zombified alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-2149 appears in ''[[Marvel Zombies]]''.<ref>{{Cite comic|Writer=Robert Kirkman|Penciller=Sean Phillips|Inker=Sean Phillips|Story=Marvel Zombies (Part Four)|Title=Marvel Zombies|Volume=1|Issue=#4|Date=May 2006|Publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>''Marvel Zombies Return'' #1 (2009). Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''MC2''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-982 appears in ''[[Marvel Comics 2|MC2]]''.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=December 2012}}

===''Secret Wars''===
Several alternate universe variants of Doctor Octopus appear in ''[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]'':

* The ''[[Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows]]'' incarnation of Doctor Octopus appears as a member of [[Regent (comics)|Regent]]'s Sinister Six before being killed by Spider-Man.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* The Otto Octavius of Earth-51920 is a mercenary and minion of Governor [[Roxxon Energy Corporation|Roxxon]] before being killed by [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]].<ref>''1872'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* In the Battleworld domain of Marville, Doctor Octopus appears as a member of the [[Brotherhood of Mutants]].<ref>''Giant-Size Little Marvel: AVX'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* In the Battleworld domain of Killville, the Doctor Octopus of Earth-11131 was killed by [[MODOK]], who claimed his stolen [[Sentinel (comics)|Sentinel]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]] unit for himself.<ref>''MODOK: Assassin'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* In a world where the superhero Civil War never ended and was recreated into the Battleworld domain of the Warzone, Doctor Octopus was killed by the [[Kingpin (character)|Kingpin]], who grafted Doctor Octopus's tentacles onto himself. However, the tentacles' collective AI rendered Fisk virtually brain-dead due to their previous connection to Octavius.<ref>''Secret Wars: Civil War'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Gwen''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-65 appears in ''[[Spider-Gwen]]''. This version is the head scientist of S.I.L.K. Following his death, his adopted son Orlando inherited his assets, such as his robotic tentacles.<ref>''Spider-Women Alpha'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Man: Chapter One''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-98121 appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Chapter One]]''.<ref>''Spider-Man: Chapter One'' #1. December 1998. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Man: India''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-5010 appears in ''[[Spider-Man: India]]''.<ref>''Spider-Man: India'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Spider-Man: India'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Man: Life Story''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-19529 appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Life Story]]''. This version is May Parker's wife who later divorces her due to his anger management issues, leading him to a life of crime once more. In 2019, the dying Octavius switches bodies with [[Miles Morales]] to preserve his life and become a "superior" hero. He aids Peter Parker in activating the "Doomsday Pulse" to shut down Doctor Doom's technology before Peter convinces Octavius to undo the switch.<ref>''Spider-Man: Life Story'' #2-6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Man: Reign''===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-70237 appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Reign]]''. This version died some time prior, leaving his tentacle harness in control of his body.<ref>''Spider-Man: Reign'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Spider-Verse''===
* The Doctor Octopus of Earth-803 is a member of the Six Men of Sinestry in Industrial Age New York.<ref>''Spider-Verse'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> In a later confrontation with Lady Spider and [[Spider-Man 2099]], the latter examines Octopus's equipment and notes that it is powered by a radioactive material with improper shielding.<ref>''Spider-Man 2099'' #8. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* In a world where [[Uncle Ben#Spider-Verse|Ben Parker]] was the Spider-Totem, Doctor Octopus attempted to blackmail the world with a stolen nuclear device. Even though the demands were met, something went wrong and most of Earth was reduced to a nuclear wasteland, with only Ben Parker surviving because he was hidden in [[Ezekiel Sims|Ezekiel]]'s bunker.<ref name="Amazing Spider-Man' 2015"/>
* On Earth-94, a reality where [[Ben Reilly]] was never killed and continued to be Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus was unable to transfer his mind into Spider-Man and died.<ref>''Scarlet Spiders'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* After various variants of Electro form an army to conquer the multiverse, their leader gathers a variety of alternate Doctor Octopuses to become their "think tank".{{Volume needed|c=y|date=August 2016}} When [[Gwen Stacy#Spider-Gwen|Gwen Stacy]] and [[Uncle Ben#Spider-Verse|Ben Parker]] attempted to free them from the Electros' control, the various villains attacked them, but they found an ally in the form of '''Octavia Otto''', a teenage female Doctor Octopus who was a member of the [[Young Avengers]].

===''Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man''===
Doctor Octopus appears in the crossover story ''[[Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man]]''.<ref>''Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man'' (1976). DC/Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Ultimate Marvel===
An alternate universe variant of Doctor Octopus from Earth-1610 appears in the [[Ultimate Marvel]] universe. This version is younger and possesses [[Nanotechnology|nanotechnological]] arms and the ability to control metal.<ref>''Ultimate Six'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref name="UltimateSpiderMan">''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #103. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #14. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In the "[[Death of Spider-Man]]" storyline, [[Green Goblin (Ultimate Marvel character)|Norman Osborn]] breaks him and the [[Sinister Six|Ultimate Six]] out of the Triskelion so they can kill [[Spider-Man (Ultimate Marvel character)|Spider-Man]].<ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #156. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, Octavius disagrees, seeking to leave the group to pursue a normal life as a scientist, happy with the knowledge that both he and Osborn created Spider-Man. Outraged, Osborn kills Octavius.<ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #157. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Ultimate Universe===
An alternate universe variant of Otto Octavius from Earth-6160 appears in the [[Ultimate Universe]] imprint. This version is an Oscorp employee who helped [[Harry Osborn#Ultimate Marvel|Harry Osborn]] create the Green Goblin armor.<ref>''Ultimate Invasion'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' Vol. 3 #5. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' Vol. 3 #7. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[Gwen Stacy#Ultimate Universe|Gwen Stacy]] later fires Octavius at the suggestion of [[Mysterio#Ultimate Universe|Mysterio]].<ref>''Ultimate Spider-Man'' Vol. 3 #16. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==In other media==
===Television===
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Spider-Man (1967 TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' (1967), voiced by Vernon Chapman.<ref name="TVoDO">{{cite web |title=Doctor Octopus Voices (Spider-Man) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Spider-Man/Doctor-Octopus/ |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors |postscript=. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears in the ''[[Spider-Man (1981 TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' (1981) episode "Bubble, Bubble, Oil and Trouble", voiced by [[G. Stanley Jones]].<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[The Incredible Hulk (1982 animated series)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' episode "Tomb of the Unknown Hulk", voiced by [[Michael Bell (actor)|Michael Bell]].<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Doctor Octopus appears in the ''[[Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends]]'' episode "Spidey Meets the Girl of Tomorrow", voiced again by Michael Bell.<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]'', voiced by [[Efrem Zimbalist Jr.]]<ref name="TVoDO"/> This version sports a German accent and was Peter Parker's teacher at science camp when the latter was a child. Despite having turned to villainy years later, Octavius still refers to himself as Parker's teacher following their reunion. Throughout the series, he battles Spider-Man while serving as a member of the [[Kingpin (character)|Kingpin]]'s [[Sinister Six|Insidious Six]].
* Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV series)|The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Peter MacNicol]].<ref name="TVoDO" /> This version is initially a timid, weak-willed scientist and inventor at [[Oscorp]]. Following a lab accident caused by the [[Norman Osborn|Green Goblin]], Octavius is fused with his tentacle harness and becomes more aggressive and violent. After being defeated by Spider-Man, he forms the Sinister Six to seek revenge against him, only to be defeated by the [[Symbiote (comics)|symbiote]]-possessed Spider-Man. In the second season, Octavius adopts the Master Planner alias as he re-forms the Sinister Six and attempts to take over the world by hacking into the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]]'s servers, only to be thwarted by Spider-Man. He later competes with [[Tombstone (character)|Tombstone]] and [[Silvermane]] for control of New York's criminal underworld until all three are defeated by Spider-Man.
* Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Tom Kenny]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Webb|first=Charles|title=Interview: Tom Kenny on the Hilarious Creepiness of 'Adventure Time's' Ice King|url=http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/09/27/interview-tom-kenny-on-the-hilarious-creepiness-of-adventure-times-ice-king/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003150828/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/09/27/interview-tom-kenny-on-the-hilarious-creepiness-of-adventure-times-ice-king|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 3, 2011|publisher=MTV|access-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref><ref name="TVoDO" /> This version was an Oscorp scientist who was left paralyzed and entirely dependent on four mechanical tentacles built by [[Norman Osborn]] following a lab accident. Throughout the first season, Octavius primarily operates from the shadows, employing supervillains to capture Spider-Man for his DNA on Norman's behalf; with one of his experiments with Spider-Man's DNA leading to the [[Venom (character)|Venom]] symbiote's creation. Octavius eventually betrays Norman by forcibly turning him into the Green Goblin and escapes after his underwater lab is destroyed. In the second season, Octavius forms the Sinister Six in an attempt to eliminate Spider-Man, only to be defeated. After making minor appearances in the third season, Octavius returns in the fourth season, having allied with [[Hydra (comics)|Hydra]] to form a new iteration of the Sinister Six and create the synthezoid [[Ben Reilly|Scarlet Spider]] to serve as a spy within Spider-Man's team. While leading an attack on the Triskelion, Octavius discovers Spider-Man's secret identity, but is betrayed by Scarlet Spider, who foils his plan. Octavius later reclaims his nanotech and gives himself a younger body before reforming the Sinister Six once more and taking Spider-Man's allies hostage. However, Spider-Man defeats the Sinister Six and persuades Octavius to surrender.
** Additionally, two [[Multiverse (Marvel Comics)|alternate reality]] versions of Octavius, a medieval variant called the '''Alchemist''' and a Wild West outlaw called '''Doc Ock Holliday''', appear in the episodes "The Spider-Verse" and "Return to the Spider-Verse", both also voiced by Kenny.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=The Kraken / The Alchemist Voice - ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Ultimate-Spider-Man/The-Kraken-The-Alchemist/ |access-date=August 14, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears in the ''[[Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.]]'' episode "The Venom Inside", voiced again by Tom Kenny.<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload]]'', voiced again by Tom Kenny.<ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers]]'', voiced by [[Dai Matsumoto]] in the original Japanese version and by [[Dave Wittenberg]] in the English dub.<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Spider-Man (2017 TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' (2017), voiced by [[Scott Menville]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Busch |first=Jenna |date=July 14, 2017 |title=Marvel's Animated Spider-Man Voice Cast and Premiere Date |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/869243-marvels-animated-spider-man-voice-cast-and-premiere-date |website=comingsoon.net}}</ref><ref name="TVoDO" /> This version is an arrogant but brilliant 19-year-old prodigy who was picked on by a jock and abused by his father Torbert (voiced by [[Charlie Adler]]<ref name="btva2">{{cite web |title=Father Octavius Voice - ''Spider-Man'' (2017) (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Spider-Man-2017/Father-Octavius/ |access-date=August 14, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>) while growing up. Introduced in the first season, Octavius works as a professor at Horizon High until his tentacle harness becomes fused to his spine following a lab accident caused by the [[Crimson Dynamo]]. Following this, he tries to use his newfound abilities to become a superhero under Spider-Man's guidance until his ego eventually causes him to become a supervillain and form the Sinister Six, though they are defeated by Spider-Man and [[Harry Osborn]] / [[Hobgoblin (comics)|Hobgoblin]]. In the second season, Octavius is released from prison, claiming that he wants to redeem himself, and returns to being a professor at Horizon High. However, he secretly places a bounty on Spider-Man. After being defeated, Octavius is left in a [[coma]] and his consciousness temporarily ends up in the [[Living Brain]] before relocating into Spider-Man's body. During this time, Octavius is inspired by the hero's memories to become [[the Superior Spider-Man]] and befriends Midtown High chemistry teacher [[Anna Maria Marconi]]. Eventually, he is persuaded to allow Spider-Man to reclaim control of his body while he returns to his own comatose body once more. After he recovers, Octavius returns to his Doctor Octopus persona and sacrifices himself to stop the [[Vulture (Marvel Comics)|Goblin King]], for which he is hailed as a hero.
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel Super Hero Adventures]]'', voiced by Luc Roderique.<ref name="TVoDO"/>
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''Lego Marvel Spider-Man: Vexed by Venom'', voiced by [[Robbie Daymond]].<ref name="TVoDO" />
* A female incarnation of Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Spidey and His Amazing Friends]]'',<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/patrick-stump-marvels-spidey-and-his-amazing-friends-theme-song/|title=Patrick Stump breaks down his theme song for new cartoon Spidey and His Amazing Friends|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=June 7, 2021|access-date=July 12, 2021}}</ref> voiced by Kelly Ohanian.<ref>:{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CP4ZcAMjEyW/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CP4ZcAMjEyW |archive-date=December 23, 2021 |url-access=subscription|title=Kelly Ohanian on Instagram|date=June 9, 2021|access-date=July 12, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Hugh Dancy]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Liam |date=July 22, 2022 |title=SDCC: Marvel Studios Animation Panel Reveals Future of X-Men '97, What If and Marvel Zombies |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-studios-animation-x-men-what-if-zombies-sdcc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722185151/https://www.cbr.com/marvel-studios-animation-x-men-what-if-zombies-sdcc/ |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hickson |first=Colin |date=2023-10-06 |title=''Spider-Man: Freshman Year'' Synopsis Teases a 'New Era of Spider-Man' |url=https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-freshman-year-synopsis/ |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref><ref name="TVoDO" />

===Film===
{{Main|Otto Octavius (film character)}}
* In an early script for [[The Cannon Group, Inc.|Cannon]]'s aborted Spider-Man film, written by Ted Newsom and [[John Brancato]], Otto Octavius was rewritten to become a teacher and mentor to a college-aged Peter Parker. The cyclotron accident which "creates" Spider-Man also deforms the scientist into Doctor Octopus and results in his mad pursuit of proof of the Fifth Force. "Doc Ock" reconstructs his cyclotron and causes electromagnetic abnormalities, anti-gravity effects, and bi-location, which threatens to engulf New York City and the world. Additionally, [[Bob Hoskins]] and [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] were considered for the role.<ref name="Leva">{{cite journal| last=Jankiewicz|first=Pat|date=July 2002|title=Scott Leva, the Man Who Was Almost Spider-Man| journal= Starlog/Comics Scene Presents Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=1|pages=62–64}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/15/review-of-james-camerons-spider-man-scriptment | title=Review of James Cameron's Spider-Man Scriptment | date=February 15, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8b4J_Dx6nGQC&dq=james+cameron+spiderman+sandman+boyd&pg=PA5 | title=''Spider-Man'' Films}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.technobuffalo.com/2017/07/15/james-cameron-was-this-close-to-making-a-spider-man-movie/ | title=James Cameron was this close to making a Spider-Man movie | date=July 15, 2017 | access-date=April 2, 2022 | archive-date=June 16, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616204117/https://www.technobuffalo.com/2017/07/15/james-cameron-was-this-close-to-making-a-spider-man-movie/ | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/SpiderMan.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126124928/https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/SpiderMan.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Spider Man|archive-date=November 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-movies-never-made-2014-5 | title=6 Spider-Man Movies That Were Never Made | website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://worldoftopics.com/13270-arnold-schwarzenegger-was-supposed-to-play-doctor-octopus.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416224636/https://worldoftopics.com/13270-arnold-schwarzenegger-was-supposed-to-play-doctor-octopus.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=April 16, 2022 | title=Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to play Doctor Octopus}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espaciomarvelita.com/2012/12/30/cine/arnold-schwarzenegger-habla-de-spiderman/ | title=Arnold Schwarzenegger habla de Spiderman - Espacio Marvelita | date=December 30, 2012}}</ref>
* Director [[Sam Raimi]] has stated that Doctor Octopus was intended to appear in ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'' (2002) and team up with the [[Norman Osborn (2002 film series character)|Green Goblin]], but was not included because Raimi thought it "wouldn't do the movie justice to have a third origin in there".<ref>{{Cite AV media|title = Making The Amazing|type = DVD|publisher = Sony|date = 2004}}</ref>
* Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus appears in the [[Sony]] film ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'' (2004), portrayed by [[Alfred Molina]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aurthur|first=Kate|date=April 16, 2021|title=Alfred Molina Details Doc Ock's Return in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home': 'The Tentacles Do All the Work' (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/alfred-molina-spider-man-no-way-home-doc-ock-1234953527/|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> This version is a sympathetic, but misguided individual, and the husband and lab partner of Rosie Octavius (portrayed by [[Donna Murphy]]). Initially a well-meaning scientist working with [[Oscorp]] to develop a form of self-sustainable energy to benefit mankind, Octavius turns to villainy after his experiment goes wrong, resulting in Rosie's death and Octavius losing control of his tentacle harness' [[artificial intelligence]], which begins to influence his mind and actions and brings him into conflict with [[Peter Parker (2002 film series character)|Spider-Man]]. With the web-slinger's help, Octavius eventually sees the error of his ways and sacrifices himself to sink a fusion reactor he built into the [[East River]], where he drowns.
** Octavius appears in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (MCU) film ''[[Spider-Man: No Way Home]]'', portrayed again by Alfred Molina.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |last2=Couch |first2=Aaron |date=December 8, 2020 |title='Spider-Man 3': Alfred Molina Returning as Doctor Octopus |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208184542/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |access-date=August 31, 2021 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref name="Molina">{{Cite web|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|last2=Couch|first2=Aaron|date=December 8, 2020|title='Spider-Man 3': Alfred Molina Returning as Doctor Octopus|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208184542/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus|archive-date=December 8, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> In April 2021, Molina said it was "wonderful" to play the character again. Additionally, he was [[De-aging in film|digitally de-aged]] in the film to resemble how he appeared in 2004, despite his concerns about his fighting style not looking realistic due to his age.<ref name= "OckSurvives">{{Cite web |last=Aurthur |first=Kate |date=April 16, 2021 |title=Alfred Molina Details Doc Ock's Return in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home': 'The Tentacles Do All the Work' (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/alfred-molina-spider-man-no-way-home-doc-ock-1234953527/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416232314/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/alfred-molina-spider-man-no-way-home-doc-ock-1234953527/ |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |access-date=August 31, 2021 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> Prior to his death, Octavius is transported to an alternate universe due to a magic spell gone wrong and receives a cure from an alternate universe version of [[Peter Parker (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Spider-Man]] before being returned to his native universe.
* {{Anchor|Olivia Octavius}}A female incarnation of Doctor Octopus named '''Dr. Olivia''' "'''Liv'''" '''Octavius''' appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse]]'', voiced by [[Kathryn Hahn]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|title=Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Official Credits Reveal Surprise Voice Actor Cameos|last=Vejvoda|first=Jim|website=IGN|date=November 29, 2018|access-date=December 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130210649/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|archive-date=November 30, 2018}}</ref> She is the head scientist of [[Alchemax]] and the [[Kingpin (character)|Kingpin]]'s right-hand woman who sports a large [[Beehive (hairstyle)|beehive hairstyle]], glasses with octagonal lenses, and [[pneumatic]] tentacles tipped with claws. Under the Kingpin's orders, she builds a [[particle accelerator|super-collider]] to access parallel universes. In spite of the initial tests nearly destroying New York City and bringing several [[Alternative versions of Spider-Man|alternate reality versions of Spider-Man]] to their universe, the Kingpin orders Liv to continue working on the collider. She later encounters [[Miles Morales]] and an alternate reality Peter Parker while they are infiltrating Alchemax, but fails to catch them. After confronting the assembled Spider-People at [[Aunt May|May Parker]]'s house alongside the Kingpin and his other henchmen and failing to stop them a second time, Liv tries to stop the heroes at the collider, only to be hit by a truck when the machine goes haywire and melds her universe with aspects of others.
** Additionally, a Doctor Octopus from [[Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy)|Gwen Stacy]]'s universe makes a non-speaking [[cameo appearance]] in a flashback.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
* Otto Octavius as the Superior Spider-Man and a comic book-accurate Doctor Octopus make non-speaking cameo appearances in ''[[Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse]]'' as prisoners of [[Spider-Man 2099]]'s Spider-Society.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-14 |title=Every Spider-Suit We Spotted in the Across the Spider-Verse Trailer |url=https://gizmodo.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-every-suit-identifie-1849890415 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Luchies |first=Adam |date=May 24, 2023 |title=A Classic 'Spider-Man' Villain Appears in New 'Across the Spider-Verse' TV Spot |url=https://collider.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-tv-spot/ |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |access-date=May 26, 2023}}</ref> Additionally, Liv Octavius appears via archival footage while archival recordings of Alfred Molina are used for other Octavius variants, who make minor appearances.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

===Video games===
====''Spider-Man'' games====
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Questprobe featuring Spider-Man]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/questprobe-featuring-spider-man/ |title="Questprobe featuring Spider Man", hardcoregaming101.net}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a [[boss (video games)|boss]] in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man (handheld video game)|The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' (1990).{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Spider-Man: The Video Game]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spiderfan.org/review/software/arcade_games/spiderman_sega.html |title="Spider Man Arcade (Sega)", spiderfan.org}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as the final boss of ''[[Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six]]'' (1992).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spiderfan.org/review/software/console_pc_games/return_sinister_six.html |title="Spider Man: Return of the Sinister Six", spiderfan.org}}</ref> This version is the leader of the [[Sinister Six|titular team]].
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spiderfan.org/review/software/console_pc_games/sm_vs_kingpin.html |title="Spider Man Vs Kingpin [in Software]", spiderfan.org}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Spider-Man (1995 video game)|Spider-Man]]'' (1995).{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}
* Doctor Octopus appear in ''Spider-Man: The Sinister Six'', voiced by Ken Roberts.<ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Spider-Man: Lethal Foes]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spiderfan.org/review/software/console_pc_games/lethal_foes.html |title="Lethan Foes (SNES)" in spiderfan.org}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Spider-Man (2000 video game)|Spider-Man]]'' (2000), voiced again by Efrem Zimbalist Jr.<ref name="TVoDO" /> While pretending to have reformed, he works with [[Cletus Kasady|Carnage]] to turn everyone in New York into [[Symbiote (comics)|symbiotes]], but they are both defeated by Spider-Man. Following this, the [[Carnage (character)|Carnage symbiote]] bonds with Doctor Octopus, turning him into '''Monster-Ock''' (voiced by Marcus Shirock).<ref name="TVoDO" /> After Monster-Ock is defeated, Doctor Octopus is returned to normal and promptly arrested.
* Doctor Octopus appears as the final boss of ''[[Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/08/spider-man-2-the-sinister-six |title="REVIEW: Spider Man 2: The Sinister Six", IGN.com|date=June 8, 2001 }}</ref> This version is a member of the Sinister Six.
* Doctor Octopus makes a [[cameo appearance]] in ''[[Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro]]''.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}
* Doctor Octopus appears as the final boss of the ''[[Spider-Man 2 (2004 video game)|Spider-Man 2]]'' film tie-in game, voiced by Alfred Molina.<ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss and playable character in ''[[Spider-Man: Friend or Foe]]'', voiced by [[Joe Alaskey]].<ref name="TVoDO" /> He and several supervillains attack Spider-Man until they are all attacked by P.H.A.N.T.O.M.s under [[Mysterio]]'s command. Doc Ock is captured along with the other villains, placed under mind control, and sent to [[Tokyo]] to retrieve a meteor shard located there. After Spider-Man defeats Doctor Octopus and destroys the mind-control device, the latter joins forces with the former to exact revenge on Mysterio.
* Otto Octavius appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Edge of Time]]'', voiced by [[Dave B. Mitchell]].<ref name="TVoDO" /> [[Alchemax]] scientist Walker Sloan travels back from the year [[Marvel 2099|2099]] to establish his company in the 1970s, saving Octavius from the accident that would have fused his tentacle harness to him and recruiting him in the process. Despite having never turned to crime, Octavius still uses his tentacles as research tools. The pair attempt to use a mind-controlled [[Eddie Brock|Anti-Venom]] to kill Spider-Man, but when [[Spider-Man 2099]] intervenes, Doctor Octopus, Sloan, and Anti-Venom are all accidentally thrown into Sloan's time portal and end up fused into the monstrous '''Atrocity''' (voiced by [[Fred Tatasciore]]) equipped with Doctor Octopus' tentacles and Anti-Venom's ability to negate the present day Spider-Man's powers. Spider-Man eventually defeats Atrocity, throwing it back into the time portal, before he and Spider-Man 2099 undo Sloan's changes, restoring history.
* Multiple alternate reality versions of Doctor Octopus appear as bosses in ''[[Spider-Man Unlimited (video game)|Spider-Man Unlimited]]'', voiced by [[Kyle Hebert]].<ref name="TVoDO" /> They are members of a multiversal Sinister Six. Additionally, Octavius as the Superior Spider-Man, Superior Venom, and Superior Octopus appear as playable characters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.marvel.com/games/83811/five-new-spider-verse-characters-just-joined-roster-spider-man-unlimited/|title=Five New Spider-Verse Characters Just Joined the Roster of 'Spider-Man Unlimited'|website=News - Marvel.com}}</ref>

==== ''Marvel's Spider-Man'' series ====
Otto Octavius appears in [[Insomniac Games]]' ''[[Spider-Man (Insomniac Games series)|Marvel's Spider-Man]]'' series, voiced by [[William Salyers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/spider-man-ps4-ending-explained/ |title=Marvel's Spider-Man PS4 Ending Explained |last=Mithaiwala |first=Mansoor |date=September 6, 2018 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |publisher=Valnet Inc. |access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref><ref name="TVoDO" /> Once a close friend of [[Norman Osborn]] and co-founder of Oscorp, this version left the company due to its unethical genetic experiments. Founding his own company, Octavius Industries, he worked to perfect prosthetic limb technology, motivated by a neurological disorder he was developing. Octavius later employed [[Peter Parker (Insomniac Games character)|Peter Parker]], whom he mentored, as his lab assistant and eventually became aware of his activities as Spider-Man, but chose to hide this from him.
* First appearing as the final boss of ''[[Spider-Man (2018 video game)|Marvel's Spider-Man]]'' (2018), Octavius gains support from [[Advanced Idea Mechanics|A.I.M.]] after Norman exploits his position as mayor to remove Octavius' grant funding in an attempt to persuade him to return to Oscorp. During this time, Octavius befriends [[Mister Negative|Martin Li]], a victim of Oscorp's experimentation who has been leading terrorist attacks against the city to destroy Norman, inspiring Octavius to pursue his own vendetta against his former friend. While working on a set of mechanical thought-controlled tentacles with Parker, Octavius loses control of his emotions due to a defect with the neural implant used to connect them directly to his nervous system and causes a mass prison break from [[Ryker's Island]] and the [[Raft (comics)|Raft]]. Forming the [[Sinister Six]] with Li and several of Spider-Man's foes, Octavius, now going by "Doctor Octopus", organizes a series of attacks on Oscorp-owned properties and releases their Devil's Breath virus on New York in the hopes of exposing Norman's crimes. After capturing and nearly killing Norman, Octavius is confronted by Parker as Spider-Man, who rescues Norman and battles Octavius atop Oscorp tower, during which the latter reveals his knowledge of Parker's double life. Following his defeat, Octavius pleads for help, claiming the tentacles' artificial intelligence was in control of his actions, but a heartbroken Parker leaves him to face justice for his crimes, leading to Octavius' imprisonment at the Raft and Octavius Industries being shut down.
* Octavius makes a cameo appearance in a flashback depicted in ''[[Spider-Man: Miles Morales]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://screenrant.com/spider-man-miles-morales-doctor-octopus-cameo-explained/ | title=Spider-Man: Miles Morales' Doctor Octopus Cameo Explained | website=[[Screen Rant]] | date=November 21, 2020}}</ref>
* Octavius makes a cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene of ''[[Marvel's Spider-Man 2]]'' (2023).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/spider-man-2-ending-explained-insomniac-sequel-green-goblin-silk | title=Spider-Man 2 Ending Explained: How Insomniac Sets up the Next Sequel | date=October 19, 2023}}</ref> Following the events of the main story, Norman visits his cell at the Raft to inquire about the Spider-Men's secret identities. Octavius taunts him with the belief that he needed to experience loss as he had while making preparations for the "final chapter".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=2023-10-19 |title=Spider-Man 2 Ending Explained: How Insomniac Sets Up the Next Sequel - IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/spider-man-2-ending-explained-insomniac-sequel-green-goblin-silk |access-date=2023-10-19}}</ref> Additionally, the Superior Spider-Man's suit appears as an alternate skin for Peter.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Spider-Man 2]]|developer=[[Insomniac Games]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]|date=2023}}</ref>

====Other games====
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[LittleBigPlanet]]'' via the "Marvel Costume Kit 1" [[downloadable content|DLC]].<ref name="LittleBigPlanetMCK13">{{cite web|title=Marvel Costume Kit 1|url=http://www.littlebigplanet.com/en/downloadable_content_items/1105?t=US|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130219210912/http://littlebigplanet.com/en/downloadable_content_items/1105?t=US|archive-date=February 19, 2013|access-date=December 30, 2012|publisher=[[Sony]]}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel Super Hero Squad Online]]'', voiced initially by [[Charlie Adler]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Minn|first1=Jay|title=Marvel Super Hero Squad Online|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1971469/|access-date=February 11, 2016|website=IMDb|date=April 29, 2011}}</ref> and later by Tom Kenny.<ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears as a support card in ''[[Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]''{{'}}s "Heroes and Heralds Mode". Producer Ryota Niitsuma confirmed that Doctor Octopus was planned to be a playable character at one point during production, with character art and a theme song being developed for him, before the decision was made to cut him from the roster.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Nicholas|title=Doc Ock even had his theme song completed for MvC3? Niitsuma confirms that this Spidey villain's development had gone further than previously thought|url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2016/dec/27/doc-ock-even-had-his-theme-song-completed-mvc3-niitsuma-confirms-spidey-villains-development-had-gone-further-previously-thought/|newspaper=Eventhubs|date=December 27, 2016}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Marvel: Avengers Alliance]]''. This version is a member of the Sinister Six. Additionally, an alternate reality version who became the Superior Spider-Man appears as a playable character.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Marvel Heroes (video game)|Marvel Heroes]]'', voiced again by Tom Kenny.<ref name="TVoDO" /> Additionally, the Superior Spider-Man appears as a playable character.
* Two incarnations of Doctor Octopus appear as playable characters in ''[[Marvel Puzzle Quest]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Piecing Together Marvel Puzzle Quest: Doctor Octopus|url=https://news.marvel.com/games/66023/piecing-together-marvel-puzzle-quest-doctor-octopus/|website=News - Marvel.com}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a playable character and boss in ''[[Lego Marvel Super Heroes]]'', voiced by [[Dee Bradley Baker]].<ref>{{cite web|title=LEGO Marvel Superheroes: Stan Lee Hulks Out - Comic-Con 2013 - IGN Video|date=July 20, 2013 |url=http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/07/20/lego-marvel-superheroes-stan-lee-hulks-out-comic-con-2013}}</ref> Additionally, the ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' TV series incarnation and Octavius as the Superior Spider-Man appear as playable characters.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=LEGOMarvelGame|author=LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2|number=389075434740019200|date=October 12, 2013|title=Your first look at Superior Spider-Man! #MarvelGames #LEGOMarvel #LEGOMarvelNYCC}}/photo/1</ref>
* Doctor Octopus make a cameo appearance in ''[[Disney Infinity 2.0]]'',<ref>{{cite web|date=June 10, 2014|title=Spider-Man, Venom and More Added to "Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes"|work=Comic Book Resources |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=53340}}</ref> voiced again by Tom Kenny.<ref name="TVoDO" />
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel: Contest of Champions]]'' as a member of the Sinister Six.<ref>{{cite web|title=Entering Marvel Contest of Champions: Doctor Octopus|url=https://news.marvel.com/games/71967/entering-marvel-contest-champions-doctor-octopus/|website=News - Marvel.com}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a playable character and boss in ''[[Marvel: Future Fight]]''.<ref name="TVoDO" /> Additionally, the Superior Spider-Man appears as an alternate costume.
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Marvel: Avengers Alliance#Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2|Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Doctor Octopus &#124; Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2|url=https://marvelavengersalliance2.com/aa2_characters/doctor-octopus/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419083438/https://marvelavengersalliance2.com/aa2_characters/doctor-octopus/|archive-date=April 19, 2016|access-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss and playable character in ''[[Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Characters|url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/lego-marvel-super-heroes-2/Characters|access-date=February 14, 2018|website=IGN Database|date=May 19, 2017}}</ref> Additionally, the Superior Spider-Man appears as a playable character.
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel Strike Force]]'' as a member of the Sinister Six.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://marvelstrikeforce.com/en/characters/DoctorOctopus |title="Doctor Octopus", marvelstrikeforce.com}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears as a boss in ''[[Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order]]'', voiced again by William Salyers.<ref name="TVoDO" /> This version serves as second-in-command of the Sinister Six, led by the Green Goblin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/marvel-ultimate-alliance-3/Chapter_2_-_The_Raft_Walkthrough|title=Chapter 2 - The Raft Walkthrough|date=August 6, 2019|accessdate=June 17, 2021|website=IGN Database}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9445030/|title=Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order|date=June 19, 2019|accessdate=June 17, 2021|website=IMDb.com}}</ref>

===Miscellaneous===
[[File:Spider-Man, Octo-Girl volume 1 cover.jpg|thumb|right|Cover of ''Spider-Man: Octopus-Girl'' Vol. 1.]]
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Rodger Bumpass]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Rodger-Bumpass/ |title="Rodger Bumpass", behindthevoiceactors.com}}</ref> This version is the leader of the [[Sinister Syndicate]].
* Doctor Octopus appears in ''[[Marvel Universe: LIVE!]]'' as a member of the Sinister Six.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/story/21561/character_reveals_for_marvel_universe_live|title=Doctor Strange Enters the Infinity Wars|website=News - Marvel.com}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears in the ''[[Spider-Verse (franchise)|Spider-Verse]]'' manga ''[[Spider-Man: Octo-Girl]]'', in which he ends up in the body of Japanese middle schooler '''Otoha Okutamiya'''.<ref name="manga spinoff">{{Cite web |last=Pineda |first=Rafael Antonio |date=May 30, 2023 |title=''Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'' Film Gets Manga Spinoff About Doc Ock in Schoolgirl's Body |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-05-29/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-film-gets-manga-spinoff-about-doc-ock-in-schoolgirl-body/.198587 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020904/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-05-29/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-film-gets-manga-spinoff-about-doc-ock-in-schoolgirl-body/.198587 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=[[Anime News Network]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic |title=Spider-Man: Octopus Girl |writer=Furuhashi, Hideyuki |artist=Court, Betten |date=June 20, 2023 |volume=1 |issue=1 |publisher=[[Shōnen Jump+]]}}</ref>
* Doctor Octopus appears in the BBC [[radio drama]] adaptation of the Spider Man comics, adapted and produced by [[Dirk Maggs]], where he is voiced by [[Simon Treves]]. He is introduced manipulating a police officer into removing his restraints.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk/The%20amazing%20spiderman%20dirk%20maggs.htm |title="Dirk Maggs Radio Play The Amazing Spider Man", dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012061543/http://www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk/The%20amazing%20spiderman%20dirk%20maggs.htm |archive-date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

===Merchandise===
* Doctor Octopus received a figure in [[Mattel]]'s "[[Secret Wars (toy line)|Secret Wars]]" line.
* Doctor Octopus received several figures in [[Toy Biz]]'s Spider-Man and [[Marvel Legends]] series.
* Doctor Octopus received a figure in [[Hasbro]]'s Spider-Man: Origin series.
* Alfred Molina's incarnation of Doctor Octopus received a figure in Hasbro's Marvel Legends: Spider-Man line.
* ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' incarnation of Doctor Octopus received a figure from Hasbro.
* Doctor Octopus received a figure in the Marvel Manga Twist'ems line.
* Doctor Octopus received several statues and mini-busts from [[Diamond Select Toys]], [[Art Asylum]] and [[Bowen Designs]].
* Doctor Octopus received a figurine in [[The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection]].

== Collected editions ==
=== As Doctor Octopus ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Title
! Material Collected
! Published Date
! ISBN
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus]]''
| ''Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol.1) #3, 130–131, ''Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #15, ''Marvel Tales'' #38–41
| April 1, 2000
| {{ISBNT|9780785107422}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure]]''
| ''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure'' #1–5
| June 1, 2004
| {{ISBNT|978-0785113300}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Out of Reach]]''
| ''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Out of Reach'' #1–5
| June 1, 2004
| {{ISBNT|978-0785113607}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One]]''
| ''Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One'' #1–5
| February 12, 2019
| {{ISBNT|978-1302915452}}
|-
| ''[[Devil's Reign: Superior Four]]''
| ''Devil's Reign: Superior Four'' #1–3 and ''Devil's Reign: Spider-Man'' #1
| May 31, 2022
| {{ISBNT|978-1302945893}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man: Octo-Girl]]''
| ''Spider-Man: Octopus Girl'' (vol. 1) #1–6
| October 8, 2024
| {{ISBNT|978-1974749911}}
|}

=== As Superior Spider-Man ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Title
! Material Collected
! Published Date
! ISBN
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: My Own Worst Enemy|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 1: ''My Own Worst Enemy'']]
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man]]'' #1–5
| June 11, 2013
| {{ISBNT|978-0785167044}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: A Troubled Mind|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 2: ''A Troubled Mind'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #6–10
| September 3, 2013
| {{ISBNT|978-0785167051}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: No Escape|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 3: ''No Escape'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #11–16
| December 9, 2013
| {{ISBNT|978-1846535567}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: Necessary Evil|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 4: ''Necessary Evil'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #17–21
| January 15, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-1846535819}}
|-
| [[The Superior Venom|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 5: ''Superior Venom'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #22–26
| April 16, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-1846535840}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: Goblin Nation|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 6: ''Goblin Nation'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #27–31, ''Superior Spider-Man Annual'' #2
| June 18, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-1846536021}}
|-
| ''Superior Spider-Man: The Complete Collection Vol. 1''
| ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #698–700, ''Superior Spider-Man'' #1–16
| April 25, 2018
| {{ISBNT|978-1302909505}}
|-
| ''Superior Spider-Man: The Complete Collection Vol. 2''
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #17–31, ''Superior Spider-Man Annual'' #1–2
| September 11, 2018
| {{ISBNT|978-1302911836}}
|-
| ''Superior Spider-Man Omnibus''
| ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #698–700, ''Superior Spider-Man'' #1–31, ''Superior Spider-Man Annual'' #1–2
| May 16, 2023
| {{ISBNT|978-1302951078}}
|-
| ''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 2: ''Spider-Verse Prelude''
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' #32–33, ''Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #7–8 and material from ''Free Comic Book Day 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy''
| January 7, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-0785187981}}
|-
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Superiority Complex]]''
| ''[[Avenging Spider-Man]]'' #15.1, 16–19
| July 27, 2013
| {{ISBNT|978-0785165361}}
|-
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Friendly Fire]]''
| ''Avenging Spider-Man'' #20–22, ''[[Superior Spider-Man Annual]]'' #1 and ''Daredevil'' (vol. 3) #22.
| January 21, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-0785166511}}
|-
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Versus]]''
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Team-Up]]'' #1–4 and [[Scarlet Spider (comic book)|''Scarlet Spider'' (vol. 2)]] #20
| February 26, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-0785187912}}
|-
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Superior Six]]''
| ''Superior Spider-Man Team-Up'' #5–12
| July 8, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-0785189794}}
|-
| ''[[All-New X-Men/Indestructible Hulk/Superior Spider-Man: The Arms of the Octopus]]''
| ''Superior Spiderman Team-up Special'' #1 and ''All-New X-Men Special'' #1, ''Indestructible Hulk Special'' #1, ''Wolverine: In The Flesh'' #1.
| January 21, 2014
| {{ISBNT|978-0785184386}}
|-
| ''[[Superior Spider-Man Companion]]''
| ''Avenging Spider-Man'' #15.1, 16–22, ''Superior Spider-Man Team-Up'' #1–12, ''Scarlet Spider'' (vol. 2) #20; ''Inhumanity: Superior Spider-Man'' #1, ''Daredevil'' (vol. 3) #22
| January 3, 2019
| {{ISBNT|978-1302915438}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: Full Otto|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 1: ''Full Otto'']]
| [[Superior Spider-Man (2018 series)|''Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2)]] #1–6
| July 30, 2019
| {{ISBNT|978-1302914806}}
|-
| [[The Superior Spider-Man: Otto-Matic|''Superior Spider-Man'' Vol. 2: ''Otto-Matic'']]
| ''Superior Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) #7–12
| January 7, 2020
| {{ISBNT|978-1302914813}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man: Octo-Girl]]''
| ''Spider-Man: Octopus Girl'' (vol. 1) #1–6
| October 8, 2024
| {{ISBNT|978-1974749911}}
|}

=== As Superior Octopus ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Title
! Material Collected
! Published Date
! ISBN
|-
| ''[[Edge of Spider-Geddon]]''
| ''[[Superior Octopus]]'' #1 and ''Edge of Spider-Geddon'' #1–4
| January 15, 2019
| {{ISBNT|978-1302914745}}
|-
| ''[[Spider-Man: Octo-Girl]]''
| ''Spider-Man: Octopus Girl'' (vol. 1) #1–6
| October 8, 2024
| {{ISBNT|978-1974749911}}
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|20em}}

{{Spider-Man characters}}
{{Sinister Six}}
{{Goblin (Marvel Comics)}}
{{Symbiote Family and Hosts}}
{{Avengers characters}}
{{Thunderbolts}}
{{Stan Lee}}
{{Steve Ditko}}
[[Category:Characters created by Stan Lee]]
[[Category:Characters created by Steve Ditko]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1963]]
[[Category:Cyborg supervillains]]
[[Category:Fictional business executives]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Fictional engineers]]
[[Category:Fictional inventors in comics]]
[[Category:Fictional mad scientists]]
[[Category:Fictional murderers]]
[[Category:Fictional physicists]]
[[Category:Fictional technopaths]]
[[Category:Hydra (comics) agents]]
[[Category:Incarnations of Spider-Man]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics cyborgs]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics male supervillains]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics mutates]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics psychics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics scientists]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics telepaths]]
[[Category:Spider-Man characters]]
[[Category:Supervillains with their own comic book titles]]