Stop the music! It appears that Eddie Brock and his symbiotic partner, Venom, have taken their final bow.
Indeed, the trilogy of Spider-Man spin-offs featuring Tom Hardy has reached its conclusion, albeit on a note less than harmonious. As of this writing, the latest installment in the Venom series has garnered a lackluster 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while our critic, Jessica Cullen, awarded it a mere two stars in her scathing review.
However, the critical reception shouldn’t dampen our spirits. Watching superhero films can be a treasure trove of hidden gems and references, especially for devoted fans like myself—so let’s dive in! There will be spoilers ahead!
The King in Black
From the debut trailer, Knull was revealed as the primary antagonist of Venom 3. While not exactly an Easter egg, his portrayal stays true to the source material. He resembles a striking combination of the Joker and Slender Man going through an emo phase, and he even dubs himself as The King in Black towards the film’s climax. This moniker isn’t just for flair; in Marvel lore, the King in Black signifies both a storyline where Knull unleashes his symbiotic dragons upon Earth and a designation for a cosmic entity meant to serve as a balance in the Multiverse against the Beyonders.
Regrettably, Knull grew dissatisfied with his role and sought to obliterate existence, creating symbiotes as his soldiers in this cataclysmic quest.
The Necrosword
Did you find Knull’s sword in Venom 3 familiar? It’s called the Necrosword—not a new sight in superhero cinema.
This blade is known in the comics as the very first symbiote, crafted from the Living Abyss, and wields the power to slice through Celestials and divide planets. The Necrosword has changed hands many times, with Gorr the God Butcher being its most notorious wielder, a character you may recall from Thor: Love and Thunder. Whether Gorr’s blade on Earth-616 had any connection to Knull remains a mystery.
The Light and Beyonders
Knull’s lengthy exposition includes a mention of “The Light,” which refers to the Beyonders—powerful cosmic entities that could potentially appear in Secret Wars. These beings maintain the Multiverse’s delicate balance, with the King in Black as an ally in their operations.
Klyntar
Knull alludes to his imprisonment on Klyntar, the home world of the symbiotes, which holds much more significance than it seems. The term “Klyntar” translates to “cage” in the symbiote language, indicating that this world is an artificial construct designed to contain Knull indefinitely.
Codex
In The Last Dance, the central plot revolves around the Codex, which Knull seeks to escape Klyntar. While the film presents Eddie’s Codex as an exclusive element, the comics portray it differently.
In the Absolute Carnage storyline, Cletus Kasady is resurrected by Knull’s followers to track down everyone who has worn a symbiote to harvest their Codex, which serves as a link to the shared symbiotic hive mind. Although typically too weak for connection, gathering enough Codices allows access to this hive, which Knull intended to control through Carnage and secure his freedom.
Xenophages
Stuck on his throne, Knull relies on alien creatures known as Xenophages to execute his plans. In the film, Knull creates them, but in the comics, these beings are natural hunters of symbiotes, desiring to feast on them as a delicacy. One specific Xenophage, named Phage, shows a keen interest in Venom but meets his demise after being tricked into swallowing a grenade.
Oh snap, is that Thanos?
When we first see Eddie Brock, he’s on Earth-616 and grumbling about a big purple alien who wiped out half the universe. Unless he’s gone off on a random tangent about an older novelty song, this alludes to Thanos and his infamous actions in Infinity War.
Done with the Multiverse
Upon returning to his own Earth after a brief experience in Earth-616, Eddie quips about “being done with the Multiverse” —a humorous nod to the superhero fatigue that seems to be affecting the genre as it dives deeper into alternate realities. Unfortunately for Eddie, while he might be saying goodbye, it seems Sony is just warming up.
Sin Eater
As Eddie and Venom plot to clear their name after being wrongfully accused of murder, they decide to head to New York City. It’s revealed that Eddie had been forced out of the city a few years prior, but he has a judge in mind who may assist them. He never discloses the details of this expulsion, but it strongly hints at the Sin Eater storyline from the Spider-Man comics.
This dark saga involved Spider-Man trying to stop Sin Eater, a serial killer notorious for targeting innocents. Eddie once identified Sin Eater, but later discovered he had fingered the wrong person, which tragically ruined his journalistic integrity, setting him on a path towards becoming Venom.
Spider-Man Moves
After waiting through three films, we finally witness Venom perform something akin to a ‘Spider-Man’ move. During an altercation with criminals running a dog-fighting ring, Eddie surprises them by descending from the ceiling on a strand of symbiotic tissue—a direct homage to one of Spider-Man’s most iconic stances. Unfortunately for the thug, Venom’s intentions lean more toward a gruesome meal than a romantic kiss.
Rex Strickland
Chiwetel Ejiofor portrays Rex Strickland, characterized as a generic military figure serving as muscle for Area 55. However, in the comic books, Rex has a far more intriguing backstory. He was part of a select group of soldiers handpicked by Nick Fury to bond with an ancient symbiote during the Vietnam War.
Rex dubbed his symbiote “Tyrannosaurus,” and the duo undertook various missions for SHIELD. Regrettably, Rex met his end during a mission, leading Tyrannosaurus to adopt his identity out of guilt. Rex and Tyrannosaurus would later assist Eddie in battling Carnage, but at the cost of Rex’s life.
Dr. Payne
Juno Temple’s portrayal of Dr. Teddy Payne appears to be an original creation for the film. While there is a Dr. Theodore Payne in the comics, the similarities end with her name—her comic counterpart is a mad scientist who tortures Eddie during his separation from Venom, ultimately meeting a gruesome end once Eddie is reunited with his symbiote.
Toxin Symbiote
A curious choice from the Venom films was the introduction of the Toxin symbiote—the offspring of Carnage—along with its host, Patrick Mulligan, played by Stephen Graham. Surprisingly, Toxin’s storyline is neglected entirely, with the character supposedly having ditched Mulligan off-screen, leaving us without any exploration of this symbiote’s potential. This could mean Sony plans to revisit the character in future projects or simply that Toxin would have made things too easy in the film’s conflict.
Lasher
As for Patrick Mulligan, it seems he might be inadvertently reimagined as Lasher in this timeline. Although no one refers to him as such, he bears a resemblance to the Lasher character from comics. While not as prominent, Lasher has garnered a niche following due to his unique capabilities—creating symbiotic whips. Sadly, if you were hoping to see more of this character, he bites the dust while confronting the Xenophages.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
You can’t host an alien-centered movie without tipping your hat to a classic like E.T.! As Strickland walks alongside Dr. Payne, a subtle nod to the famous “E.T. phone home” line flits by, a charming homage to the touching scene from the original film.
Knull’s Spiral Sigil
A recurring motif in the film is a peculiar swirling symbol. This spiral is visible on Venom’s Codex, Knull’s weapon, and elsewhere. In the comic universe, this swirl represents Knull’s Sigil—marking symbiotes under his dominion, but thankfully, this power isn’t demonstrated in The Last Dance.
Venom Horse
The introduction of the Venom Horse certainly stirred interest amongst fans when it featured in the trailers, and it remains a captivating subject for Marvel comic artists. Artist Clayton Crain illustrated various symbiote horse variant covers for Venom War #1. Although the movie-created creature isn’t a direct comic creation, a symbiotic horse did make an appearance in Death of the Venomverse #3, when a symbiote bonded with a Winged Horse of Asgardia—resulting in a FLYING VENOM HORSE!
Sure, this might seem like a stretch, but when an excuse arises to write about a mythical creature, seize the moment! Unfortunately, the Venom frog and fish—who also appeared—don’t have any comic history we could uncover.
Venom Loves Chocolate
A lighthearted element in the Venom films is the symbiote’s fondness for chocolate. While it may sound silly, this is an inside joke pulled from comics where Eddie offers chocolate to diminish the symbiote’s urges for brains. Chocolate contains phenethylamine, a compound known to trigger serotonin release in the brain—a tasty solution for Venom!
Thelma & Louise
While in Vegas, Eddie and Venom jokingly refer to themselves as Thelma and Louise, referencing their escapade from law enforcement. It also serves as a clever foreshadowing, as those familiar with the film know that Thelma and Louise meet a tragic end by driving off a cliff. This echoes Venom’s ultimate sacrifice in The Last Dance, where he chooses to dissolve himself in acid rather than be captured by the Xenophages.
Sexiest Man
After Eddie and Venom engage in some ‘grand theft tuxedo’ antics in Vegas, the symbiote compliments Eddie’s appearance in a suit. In a humorous exchange, Brock boasts about winning numerous sexiest man awards—a playful nod to actor Tom Hardy’s accolades as one of the sexiest men alive. His latest notable recognition was in 2021 when he was honored as the UK’s sexiest man (I must have missed my runner-up prize!).
Symbiotes Galore
During the incursion of Xenophages into Area 55, multiple symbiotes bond with unwitting scientists, soldiers, and at least one security guard. While many seem to be original for the movie, amidst the chaos, I noticed a green and black one resembling Sleeper (Venom’s second offshoot) and a white one that bore a striking resemblance to Anti-Venom, although given that character’s complex origins, it’s unlikely they intended to represent him.
Flash Thompson
True Spider-Man enthusiasts are likely as eager as I am for a satisfactory adaptation of Flash Thompson. The events of The Last Dance bring us a bit closer (though “closer” is perhaps too generous). During one of the Xenophage attacks, a soldier named Thompson falls prey to their jaws, losing his legs in the process.
As he’s being rescued, Strickland exclaims, “Thompson is down,” saving him from a disastrous fate. In the comics, Thompson served in the military and suffered leg loss in Amazing Spider-Man #622, leading him to bond with the Venom symbiote and become Agent Venom. Is this Thompson a nod to Flash, potentially hinting at his future as Agent Venom? Only time will tell.
Is That Agony?
In the film’s climax, Dr. Payne merges with a symbiote, transforming into a character reflecting Agony—her design showcasing a flowing mane of tentacle-like features. Curiously, she possesses super-speed, leaving us to ponder if this is indeed Agony or an original creation echoing her design. If it is Agony, it could spell trouble, as she plays a significant part in Knull’s narrative in the comics.
Venom Cockroach
In the movie’s post-credit scene, we catch a glimpse of the unfortunate bartender who previously encountered Eddie Brock. The scene pans to a damaged symbiote containment unit—a cockroach approaches, seemingly unbothered by its surroundings.
This may strike those unfamiliar with the comics as absurd, but there is a precedent; in the ‘Run’ storyline, a Venom clone links up with cockroaches post-nuclear blast. While it seems unlikely that Area 51 has managed to clone Venom, remember the symbiote droplet Rex captured earlier? Perhaps the supposed demise of Venom isn’t as conclusive as it appeared.
If you found enjoyment in Venom 3, be sure to check out our extensive coverage on superhero cinema. We have articles exploring the future of Marvel films, including Spider-Man 4, Avengers: Doomsday, and Kraven the Hunter. We’ve also highlighted how Venom 3’s post-credit scenes set the groundwork for Knull’s larger plans!
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