Gabriel & Sarah Stacy
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Gabriel & Sarah Stacy are the fictional twin children of Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy featured in Marvel Comics' The Amazing/Spectacular Spider-Man comic book series.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
The story arc "Sins Past" by J. Michael Straczynski in The Amazing Spider-Man #509-514 (August 2004 - January 2005) reveals that Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin's alter ego, fathered twins, a boy and a girl, with Gwen Stacy, to whom she gave birth while in France shortly before her death. She vowed she would raise them with Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and, seeing Norman's disregard for his sick son Harry, refused to allow Norman access to them.
Seeing her as a threat to his potential heirs, the Green Goblin killed Gwen Stacy. Norman Osborn then raised Gwen's two children, a boy and a girl named Gabriel and Sarah. Due to Norman's enhanced blood, the twins aged about 2-3 times faster than normal and became adults within the span of a few years (they are speculated to be between 5 to 9 years old). Osborn told them that Peter was really their father and was responsible for their mother's death.
The twins then attack Spider-Man, and he subsequently deduces their true identities. However, seeking to confirm it, Peter goes to Gwen's grave and digs up a sample of her DNA to compare to the twin's DNA which was obtained from the envelope of a letter they had sent him. Spider-Man tells Mary Jane Watson about his initial encounter with Gabriel and Sarah, whereupon Mary Jane reveals that she knew about Norman's involvement with Gwen and tells all to Peter. She has kept it from him all these years because Gwen was distraught and begged her not to say anything. By the story's end, Peter has told the twins the truth. Sarah believes Peter — concluding that he would never have dug up Gwen's grave to acquire a DNA sample if he thought there was even a chance that he was their father — but Gabriel does not. Gabriel takes the Green Goblin formula and briefly becomes the Grey Goblin. His glider explodes when it is shot by Sarah and he washes up on a beach with no memory of what happened.
A follow-up story to "Sins Past" was published in The Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 2) issues #23-26 (December 2004-March 2005), titled "Sins Remembered" written by Samm Barnes with art by Scot Eaton. Spinning directly out of the events of Amazing Spider-Man #509-514, Spider-Man locates Sarah in Paris, were Sarah has her brother (suffering from amnesia) restrained in her home. With the help of Spider-Man and Interpol, Sarah helps build a case against a criminal called Monsieur Dupres in exchange for the Interpol's help with her rapid-aging disease which is causing her, and Gabriel, severe headaches. However, during this time Gabriel escapes and has yet to be seen again. Sarah would go on to join Interpol in hopes of finding her brother. This story arc was later collected as a trade paperback in 2005 as The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 5: Sins Remembered (ISBN 0-7851-1628-1).
[edit] Development of "Sins Past"
Straczynski later stated that he originally wanted Peter Parker to be the father of Gwen's kids but the editors vetoed the idea. They felt that it would age Peter Parker too much if he had two adult children. It was then decided by the whole creative and editorial team that Norman Osborn would be the father.[1]
A seeming discrepancy is established in several earlier stories, including "Spider-Man: Revenge of the Green Goblin" (2002), in that Norman Osborn refers to Harry Osborn as his "only son", while "Sins Past" reveals that he has twin heirs. Osborn says "I have no heir, my son is dead...and my grandson Normie is much too young to carry on my stead"; however, this itself was cleared up in the Sins Past Story, where Peter reasoned that Osborn had chosen him as an 'Heir', but later intended to make him the Father of the two Children; therefore, he would presumably have not revealed their existence until he was sure that Peter was under his power. In the story, however, Peter resists, so Norman was never able to reach that point.
Straczynski ultimately wished to retcon the characters out of existence using the events of the "One More Day" story arc, but was not permitted to do so.[2] In Amazing Spider-Man #549, Jackpot refers to new villain Menace as the "Grey Goblin," and Spider-Man reacts by saying "I've got enough problems without yet another Gray Goblin to deal with," implying the Sins Past arc is still canon.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Due to Norman Osborn's enhanced blood, the twins aged about 2-3 times faster than normal and became adults within the span of a few years. This enhanced blood also gave the twins a slight increase in strength, reflexes, healing, and endurance. However, the aging causes the twins to suffer severe headaches.
Gabriel later took the Green Goblin serum to become the Grey Goblin granting himself further increased superhuman strength but also driving himself insane. Gabriel adopts Osborn's Halloween themed appearance, dressing in a goblin costume and using an arsenal of high-tech weapons, notably grenade-like "Pumpkin Bombs" and a bat-shaped "goblin glider".
