Maxwell "Max" Dillon is a former electrical engineer at Oscorp who gained the ability to manipulate electricity after falling into a batch of electric eels, turning Dillon into a living electric generator. Adopting the alias of Electro, he clashed with his personal hero Spider-Man until he was overloaded with energy and killed. However, Electro was revived and dragged through the Multiverse due to Doctor Strange's failed spell, where he had clashed with that universe's Spider-Man. Having been captured, Electro was convinced, along with the other multiverse travelers, to allow Spider-Man to try and cure them. However, Electro was convinced by Green Goblin to keep his powers, stealing an Arc Reactor to enhance his power. Electro joined Green Goblin in a battle against the three Spider-Men, until he was finally defeated and cured by Doctor Octopus, before reconciling with his native Spider-Man, and being sent back to his universe.
Max Dillon was an electrical engineer working at Oscorp and lived a very lonely, unfulfilling life. He knew Curt Connors as a brilliant scientist at Oscorp who turned himself into Lizard and planned to turn everyone in New York City into lizards, but Spider-Man managed to defeat him. Sometime later, Dillon met Spider-Man in person and told the hero that he believed himself to be a nobody. However, after Spider-Man gave him words of encouragement, Dillon became a huge fan of the web-slinger. Dillon always acknowledged how Spider-Man helped a lot of poor people and thought Spider-Man was actually black.[1]
Becoming Electro[]
"How'd you end up like that anyway?" "The place where I worked at, they were experimenting with electricity created by living organisms, and then... I fell into a vat of electric eels."
One day at work, Dillon fell into a tank of genetically engineered electric eels, who repeatedly bit him. The attack transformed him into a blue being made from electricity while also repairing his gap teeth, balding hairline, and impaired vision. Seeing this as his chance to be someone, he took the name Electro and became an enemy of Spider-Man, whom he used to worship and whose name he figured out. In their final battle at Oscorp's main power grid, Spider-Man overcharged Electro with energy, causing him to explode.[1]
"I was whoopin' Spider-Man's ass. He'll tell you. And then he caused an overload. I was stuck in the grid, absorbing data. I was about to turn into pure energy and then– And then, uh– And then– Oh, shit. I was about to die."
In 2024 of another universe, Doctor Strange tried to cast a Runes of Kof-Kol to make everyone forget his Peter Parker was Spider-Man. However, when the spell failed, it brought people who were aware of any Peter Parker as Spider-Man from those universes to theirs.[1] As time was scrambled, some individuals who were originally dead in their universes were brought alive to this one, one of those being Electro.[2]
Electro in his blue form
Not knowing that he was not in his universe, Electro arrived around high-tension power lines strung between giant transmission towers in a forest around New York City. Later at night, this universe's Spider-Man was present in the forest when Electro was moving through the trees, catching Spider-Man's attention, but he could not find Electro. He hovered above the power lines behind Spider-Man and started drawing energy from them, realizing there was a difference in the power in this universe compared to his own. Electro manifested in his blue spectral form as he was charging up.[1]
When Spider-Man asked him if he was from another universe, Electro did not reply. However, after Parker attempted to use magicwebs from his Web-Shooters to capture him but the webs went through his body, Electro jolted awake and noticed Spider-Man, blasting yellow bolts at the retreating web-slinger. He suddenly appeared before Spider-Man and blasted him, causing Spider-Man to tumble to the ground.
Electro charged at him by shooting another bolt when Sandman appeared as a wall of sand protecting Spider-Man, taking the brunt of the shock. When Spider-Man webbed and swung back up in the fight, Sandman acted as a wall of protective sand around him as Electro launched electricity bolts. Sandman turned into a sand typhoon, swirling around Electro. Spider-Man managed to dodge Electro's blasts, web the various transmission towers, pull them back, and rip the lines. Electro's body grew dimmer as he drew less and less power.
Spider-Man severed the last power line and Electro expended his seemingly last blast before falling to the ground. Electro stood up in his human form, looked around, and stared at the remnants of electricity crackling down his arm, making him realize that he got his body back, albeit slightly different, due to the difference in energy between his universe and the new one. He was approached by Spider-Man and Sandman, with the former explaining that this wasn't his universe.
Electro learns that he is in another universe
Electro then admitted that he had been feeling a difference in the electricity here, saying that he liked it as his eyes flashed. Sandman tried to ease Electro down before Spider-Man told him that it was his fault that Electro's here. Electro asked if Spider-Man meant the universe or the woods, since he hated the woods, but Spider-Man clarified that he meant the universe. He then asked the two if they were going to stand there and pretend he was not naked, prompting Spider-Man to notice some line worker clothes nearby, as the latter handed them to him.[1]
"Speaking of which, what happened to you? Last I recall, you had bad teeth, glasses and a comb-over. Did you get a makeover? You know I can give you a real makeover." "Let me guess. Into a lizard?"
After getting dressed, Electro was then teleported by Spider-Man as he used his magicwebs to bring him to a cell in the New York Sanctum. Upon arriving, he noticed Spider-Man's friends Michelle Jones and Ned Leeds. Electro then met Doctor Octopus as he waved to him from his own cell. After Sandman was teleported to a cell as well, Electro told him that he picked the wrong side before hearing a familiar voice laughing. Electro looked over and noticed Lizard, whom he recognized as Doctor Curt Connors. When Doctor Octopus asked him if he knew the "creature", Electro clarified that Lizard was a man.
Electro testing out his enhanced powers
He then told Lizard's background to everyone, and after he finished, Lizard stated that his attempt to transform humanity was the next step in evolution, and then Lizard asked Electro about what happened to him, asking if he got a makeover. Lizard suggested that he could give Electro a "real makeover", which Electro asked if it was to be turned into a lizard, and Lizard confirmed it. Jones revealed that they were in a wizard's dungeon, but Electro told them they could keep their magic since he wanted to experiment with the new energy he felt as his hands were glowing, causing the overhead lights to flicker. When Leeds asked if the tree in one of the cells was a monster or a scientist that turned into a tree, Electro assured him that it was just a tree.
Electro liking the new universes
In the morning, Electro met another universe version of his boss Norman Osborn, who was brought to the Sanctum by Spider-Man. Electro then found out that Osborn knew Doctor Octopus and they were both from the same universe. Also, Electro overheard Doctor Octopus' and Osborn's conversation as the latter was supposed to be dead. Hearing this, Electro admitted that he loved this universe and became fascinated by the two scientists. In addition, Electro witnessed the young Spider-Man defend Osborn as he explained to Doctor Octopus that the latter was not dead and was standing right in front of them.[1]
Learning of His Fate[]
Electro realizes that he died in his universe
"Well, I myself don't want to be killed, especially by a guy dressed like Dungeons & Dragons so... what's your plan?"
Electro then listened to Sandman as he explained to both Norman Osborn and Otto Octavius that both of them had died fighting their Spider-Man. After Octavius explained how he fought his Spider-Man and then realized that was his last memory before ending up in this universe, Dillon told them all about his final fight with his own Spider-Man, but then he could not remember what happened when he was stuck in the grid, making him realize he was about to die at that moment. Curt Connors, hearing this, asked Dillon if he died.
Electro is almost sent back to his universe
Just then, Doctor Strange teleported into the area with the Macchina di Kadavus, which he would use to send the Multiversal visitors back home, but Dillon, Octavius and Osborn refused because they would experience their deaths again. As Strange was preparing the Macchina, the villains were reacting nervous and uneasy, but then Spider-Man stole the Macchina from Strange, initiating the Battle for the Macchina di Kadavus. After Spider-Man won the battle, he returned to the sanctum's basement through an Inter-Dimensional Portal.
Electro reluctantly agrees to be cured
Spider-Man then offered help by fixing what happened to them, so that when they would go back, they would not die fighting their respective Spider-Man. Dillon admitted that he did not want to be killed, especially by Strange and asked Spider-Man what his plan was. Michelle Jones stated out loud that she would use the Macchina if something went wrong, so Dillon skeptically responded that they all believed her. After Ned Leeds and Jones left, Spider-Man asked who was coming with him, so Dillon said he was in, but if this went sideways, he would fry Spider-Man from the inside out.[1]
Electro and the rest of the villains were transported inside a F.E.A.S.T. truck to Happy Hogan's condominium by Spider-Man and his aunt May Parker. Everyone except Lizard went up to Happy Hogan's apartment, and as they hustled through the entrance, Electro stared at the security camera while walking past it, causing the footage to glitch a bit. Electro used his powers to turn on the TV, where there was news about the renovation of the Statue of Liberty.
Inside the storage room, Electro sensed a powerful device in there, prompting him to follow Spider-Man and inform Doctor Octopus that he sensed something powerful. In the storage room, Spider-Man introduced the Stark Industries Fabricator, which began unfolding itself to reveal the Arc Reactor, catching Electro's attention as his eyes flashed.
Electro admires his new appearance
At night, while Spider-Man and Norman Osborn were making a Neural Inhibitor Chip for Doctor Octopus, Electro was by a window, staring out at the city. Electro contemplated out loud about the possibilities in this place, and when Sandman asked if he meant the condo, Electro clarified that he meant this new world they were in, admitting that he liked who he was here while admiring his new appearance. He then glanced towards to storage room where the Arc Reactor was, saying that with the Arc Reactor's power, he could be so much more. Electro then asked Sandman why he came along, and Sandman responded that he wanted to see his daughter, but Spider-Man would not send them home until they were cured. He asked Sandman if he trusted Spider-Man, but he responded that he did not trust anyone and questioned Electro of how he ended up the way he did. Electro explained how he fell into a vat of electric eels, and Sandman revealed that he fell into a supercollider. Taking sympathy on the fact that they both fell into science experiments, Electro replied that they needed to be careful where they fall.
Later, Spider-Man had finished working on the new neural chip and suspended Doctor Octopus upwards until the second-story loft. Electro and the rest looked up as they anxiously awaited the result, while Doctor Octopus tried resisting Spider-Man's attempts to cure him. Upon having the Chip implanted onto Doctor Octopus' Tentacles, Doctor Octopus passed out as Electro looked up, waiting. As a result, Otto Octavius had been cured, and he happily greeted his old friend Osborn. Electro looked on, feeling stunned and disappointed, knowing this decision was real now.
Electro and Spider-Man sat at the kitchen table as Spider-Man held out Electro's Cure. Spider-Man placed the device on Electro's chest, and it activated, but Electro felt uneasy. Electro was told that when all the indicator lights turned green, that meant all the electricity in his body had been dissipated, and Spider-Man went on to explain that not all of the electricity since Electro needed some for his own body, but Spider-Man stopped talking. He asked Spider-Man if those were his Legos, and after an awkward beat, Spider-Man went to the storage room. Electro shifted, uncomfortable as he checked the indicator lights, with one flashing green. He admitted to Sandman that he didn't like the cure, but Sandman told him to leave it alone, since the sooner they were cured, the sooner they could go home. Another indicator flashed green, but Electro was troubled because he began changing his mind.[1]
As his siphon was almost ready, Green Goblin emerged from Osborn and was able to persuade Dillon from reverting back to normal claiming that they were "gods". With this, Dillon tore off his siphon and proceeded to take the Arc Reactor before using his electricity to blast Octavius out of the building, commenting on how he liked him better before the cure. Electro then used his powers to create a hole in the building and cause a blackout of the condominium and, with his prize secured, escaped from the ongoing chaos. After seeing Damage Control and The Daily Bugle below, Electro went past them into the city.[1]
"Look who showed up! My old friend Spider-Man." "I'm trying to save you, Max. That's all I've ever wanted." "You're not trying to save me. You ain't even the shit no more! Don't worry about me, I'll save myself. Burn up!"
Electro, along with Sandman and the Lizard, went to the Statue of Liberty to confront Spider-Man and obtain the Macchina di Kadavus. When he arrived, his new enhanced powers illuminated him. He told Spider-Man that he would spare his life if he gave him the box so that he could destroy it, asking him not to make him a murderer.
After Parker's refusal, Electro continued to chase him around in order to obtain the box. In the midst of the battle, he was greeted by Amazing Spider-Man who in return told him he missed him. Amazing Spider-Man tried to talk to him, claiming all he ever wanted to do was help, but Electro rebuffed his statement and claimed he never wanted to help him, but it didn't matter since with the Arc Reactor he had more power than he could have ever imagined, and he soon continued his attack on Amazing Spider-Man.
Electro confronts the three Spider-Man
Sandman and Lizard would later join the fight with Marko also wanting the box while Lizard faced off against the other Spider-Man. Electro would later tell Sandman that no one would be going home and attacked the crane that both Spider-Men were on which caused the crane to fall on Lizard and Sandman, trapping the former. After regaining conscious, Sandman made a sandstorm that surrounded the Statue of Liberty, with Electro's lightning illuminating in the sandstorm.
Electro would later chase after the native Parker again. After Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man tried to cure Sandman, Amazing Spider-Man tried to grab the cure for Sandman while Electro tried repeatedly to stop them. After curing Sandman, the three Spider-Men then turned their attention to Electro. When all three Spider-Men tried to take away the Arc Reactor, Electro easily defeated them while boastfully claiming that they were not going to take the Arc Reactor away from him. When Amazing Spider-Man tried again, Electro was able to use his electricity to contain him causing him to drop Electro's Cure.[1]
The other Spider-Man then used his webbing to grab the cure and try to take on Electro but was soon caught by Doctor Octopus' tentacles which also grabbed Amazing Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus showed up and grabbed the two alternate Spider-Men. Octavius told Electro that he should leave and that the two Spider-Men were his. Electro ignored him, stating that he could do this alone. However, his tentacle grabbed the Arc Reactor from Electro, showing that he never actually changed. Octavius inserted the cure onto his chest, and Dillon lost his powers.
Once returned to normal, he let go of his hostility towards Amazing Spider-Man, acknowledging that he had helped a lot of people, and lamenting that all he wanted was to be noticed, having to dig his way from the bottom to have a sustainable job. Dillon witnessed Green Goblin's arrival and was saved by Otto Octavius when one of Green Goblin's Pumpkin Bombs destroyed the Macchina di Kadavus and broke the scaffolding that held the Captain America's Shield statue, causing it to fall into the water below.
Dillon is returned to his home universe
With Spider-Man having defeated Green Goblin, Doctor Strange conjured the spell that would return all the multiversal visitors back to their universes albeit the cost of everyone in the native universe forgetting the identity of that universe's Spider-Man. However, just before the second spell was finished, Dillon was returned to his universe.[1]
Personality[]
"Max was, like, the sweetest guy ever. Before he fell into a pool of electric eels."
Before he became Electro, Dillon is a self-described "nobody" in society: awkward, timid, and deeply introverted but naturally kind, nonetheless. After gaining his electrical powers and became Electro, Dillon became an egotistical, power-hungry, cocky, and arrogant individual who takes great pride in his powers with the desire to play god as well, as it made him feel noticed and gain other people's attention. In addition, Dillon wasn't afraid to hurt people if they stood in his way, although he seemingly offered to spare Spider-Man's life if he gave him the Macchina di Kadavus.
Dillon has shown to be gullible as Octavius tricked him into thinking he was still Doctor Octopus, which led him to losing his powers. Dillon was shown to be easily manipulated, as seen when Green Goblin convinced him into retaining his powers by appealing to his power hungry feelings. He believes the only way to save himself is to hold onto these gifts of power and was not willing to give up his powers as he thinks he would become a normal person again if he loses his powers.
Despite his flaws, Dillon does show empathy to individuals that understand what he went through as he shows it to Sandman when he discovers that he also got his powers from falling into an experiment just like he did. Also, Dillon has shown sympathy to others as he mostly showed it to Norman Osborn and Otto Octavius, even feeling a kinship with them. In addition, Dillon has shown concern for others, as he was genuinely worried about Octavius when he blacked out, after the young Peter Parker installed his new Inhibitor Chip to the back of Doctor Octopus' neck.
Upon being cured by Octavius and the Spider-Men, Dillon became saddened by the fact that he has become a nobody again. However, his spirits were lifted by his Spider-Man, with whom he exchanged a good conversation with and reconciled. Dillon also had no hard feelings with Octavius for tricking him and was grateful to him for rescuing him when the Statue of Liberty collapsed, showing that he was still a kind-hearted man after all.
Electricity Manipulation: Electro possessed the ability to generate bodily electrostatic energy which he could release or harness, after being electrocuted by genetically modified Oscorp electrical eels. Electro could channel all of his body's electrical energy, and focus into any part to give out immensely powerful energy projections.
Electricity Absorption: Electro could absorb an external electrical power source to recharge his body's energy reserves. Electro could absorb electrical energy that's around him.
Charging: Electro's electrical powers allowed him to absorb electrical energy from nearby power sources enhancing his pure electrical energy to greater heights.
Flight: Electro's body was transmuted into pure electrical energy, rendering him virtually weightless and granting him the ability to fly.
Electro could wield electrical energy to form powerful lightning bolts that can damage targets from afar and close range. He could also limit the intensity of his electric blasts, such as when he used his powers to simply turn on the television in Happy Hogan's apartment without touching it.
Teleportation: Electro could break down his body into electricity and teleport himself anywhere before reforming himself.
Electroreception: By sending an electrical current, Electro could perceive what it hit.
Electricity Detection: Electro's electrical powers granted him certain sensory and manipulative abilities. Electro could override systems and make electrically powered devices obey his mental commands.
Electro could use his bio-electricity to move objects, such as when he pulled an Arc Reactor to his grip or when he lifted Otto Octavius and launched him out the window.
Electrical Immunity: Electro's body was transmuted into pure electrical energy rendering him immune to damage from electrical devices and equipment.
Abilities[]
"I don't know why I'm explaining electricity to you."
Expert Engineer: Dillon is an expert electrical engineer in his universe, knowing all about electrical energy and devices. He was able to use the Arc Reactor to his liking, despite never having the tech before.
Expert Marksman: Dillon was able to expertly fire off his electrical energy at his enemies, which if not for them dodging, they would've been hit. He was able to use his electricity to blast Doctor Octopus out of Happy Hogan's Condominium and use a continuous stream of electricity to pull the Arc Reactor straight towards him.
Equipment[]
Former Equipment[]
"I have never seen him this powerful." "It's the Arc Reactor! We got to get it off him!"
Before Peter Parker could fully extract the electricity from his body, Electro stole the Arc Reactor from the Stark Industries Fabricator. Enticed with the power it gave him, he integrated the power source into a harness, allowing him to continue drawing his strength from it and become more powerful than he was in his native universe. However, it and his powers would be taken from him by Doctor Octopus.
Happy Hogan's Condominium: Dillon along with the other villains briefly stayed at the condominium until they escaped after Green Goblin convinced them to keep their powers.
New York Sanctum: After being defeated by Spider-Man and Sandman, Dillon was transported to the Sanctum's prison, where he was contained until Spider-Man freed him to cure the multiversal visitors.
In the comics, Max Dillon was a lineman who was struck by lightning, giving him the powers of electrical manipulation. Corrupted by greed, he became the criminal known as Electro. Also, he was one of the founding members of Spider-Man's recurrent group of enemies, the Sinister Six alongside Vulture, Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, and Sandman.
In The Amazing Spider-Man duology, Max Dillon was an Oscorp employee who got trapped in a vat of electric eels, causing him to develop the power to manipulate electricity. Dillon then entered Times Square without being able to understand what happened to him. This caused him to be seen as a threat, which only fueled Dillon's hatred for others. He was eventually killed when he overloaded a power plant.
In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Max Dillon adopts the name of "Electro" after a New Yorker insults him by calling him an "Electro Dummy" while fighting against Spider-Man at Times Square.
Foxx stated that Electro not being blue was one of the aspects that drew him to reprise his role when Amy Pascal approached him to return, along with the possibility of working with Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina.[4] However, Electro briefly has his blue design when he first appears.
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