- NOTE: This article is about the incarnation of Venom from the 2018 film. The mainstream version can be found here: Venom (Marvel).
 |
This Article Contains Spoilers -
WARNING: This article contains major spoilers. If you do not wish to know vital information on plot / character elements in a story, you may not wish to read beyond this warning: We hold no responsibility for any negative effects these facts may have on your enjoyment of said media should you continue. That is all. |
|
| “ | WE... are Venom. | „ |
| ~ Eddie Brock and Venom's most famous quote. |
| “ | I'm Eddie Brock. I'm a reporter. Now I always seem to find myself questioning something the government may not be looking at, but I found something really bad... and I have been taken. | „ |
| ~ Eddie Brock. |
| “ | If you come in here again- In fact, if you go anywhere in this city, preying on innocent people and we will find you. And eat both your arms and then both of your legs and then we will eat your face right off your head, do you understand? Yes, so you will be this armless, legless, faceless thing, won't you? Rolling down the street like a turd in the wind. Do you feel me? | „ |
| ~ Venom threatening the convenience store robber. |
| “ | Eddie Brock: Oh, again? You're gonna get me killed. Venom: You die, I die. Eddie Brock: Yeah, well, you can always just shed my carcass and exchange it for another one whenever you need. Venom: Why would I do that? You are far too good of a match to throw away so soon. Plus, I'm starting to like you. You and I are not so different. Eddie Brock: Thank you. Okay. Here's your evidence. |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom when they break into Eddie's former workplace. |
Edward "Eddie" Brock, also known as Venom, is a major character in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, serving as the titular main protagonist of both the film of the same name and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. He is also a cameo character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Eddie is an investigative journalist who bonds with a symbiote known as Venom of whom he forms a co-inhabiting partnership with. By using the latter's incredible strength and durability as well as Eddie's intellect and moral conscious they elect to help those in need by fighting against criminals and supervillains while also satisfying Venom's hunger for human flesh.
He was portrayed/voiced by Tom Hardy, who also played Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis, Charles Bronson in Bronson, Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and John Fitzgerald in The Revenant.
Biography
Venom
Eddie started off as an investigative journalist who's doing a report on a company call Life Foundation, whose CEO Carlton Drake has found living symbiotes in a comet and have been performing illegal experiments on homeless civilians. However, a certain detailing of the experiments leads Brock to be ultimately fired, resulting a fallout with his girlfriend Anne Weying, who happens to an attorney.
Six months later, Brock receives help from a disgruntled scientist (who is disgusted by Drake's experiment) to expose Drake's crimes. Unfortunately, he discovers that his friend Maria has been captured and bonded to a symbiote. When he tries to free her, she attacks him, and her symbiote bonds to Brock while the scientist ends up being killed by Drake. Because of this event, Brock is hunted down by mercenaries sent in by Drake, and finds himself in conflict with the symbiote, who explains that the other symbiotes are searching for new world in order to devour lifeforms to survive, and offers to help out Brock in return for his cooperation. Though Brock seems to enjoy his new powers, he is upset to hear that Venom was eating his heart because Eddie wasn't eating much in awhile, so Anne Weying is forced to use an MRI machine to separate himself from the symbiote, although he is captured by Drake's mercenaries minutes later.
A separate symbiote named Riot bonds with Drake, who agrees to help Riot seek out the other symbiotes in space. Fortunately, Anne reluctantly bonds with the Venom symbiote, allowing it to free Brock before being convinced by him to stop Drake and Riot from achieving their goal. To that end, Venom manages to damage the ship's probe, causing the fuel to spill out which contacts the burning but still hot engines of the ship's probe that explodes the fuel tanks of the probe which kills both Drake and Riot. As Eddie receives his job back, he allowed Venom to stay in his body under the condition that Venom only eats "bad people." Venom agrees and begins by devouring a thug robbing a grocery store.
Eddie is last seen visiting a state prison as he is about to do an interview with a dangerous convict named Cletus Kasady.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
A year later, after Eddie visits incarcerated serial killer Cletus Kasady to interview him, Venom can figure out where Kasady has hidden the bodies of victims, which gives Eddie a huge career boost. After Kasady subsequently invites Eddie to attend his execution by lethal injection, Venom is provoked to attack Kasady via insults towards Eddie. After briefly witnessing Venom's true form, Kasady bites Eddie's hand, unknowingly ingesting a small part of Venom as they reproduce. Eddie is then contacted by Anne, who tells him that she is now engaged to Dr. Dan Lewis, much to Venom's displeasure.
Wanting more freedom to eat human brains instead of chicken brains, Venom has an argument with Eddie, and the two end up fighting until the symbiote detaches from his body; they go their different ways. Venom makes his way through San Francisco by hopping from body to body and attending a rave until Anne finds him at Mrs. Chen's store and convinces him to forgive Eddie. She bonds with Venom herself to break Eddie out of a police station after he is arrested on suspicion of aiding in Kasady's escape from prison, as the symbiote piece he had ingested metamorphoses into Venom's offspring "Carnage." Making amends, Venom and Eddie bond again. Arriving at a cathedral with Dan, where Kasady and his lover Frances Barrison plan to get married, after Barrison and Kasady take Anne and Officer Mulligan hostage, respectively. Venom is shocked to see Carnage ("a red one") envelop Kasady and address them as "father", seeking to eat them, refusing to fight until Eddie promises to let him eat "everybody." Venom begins to fight Carnage but is quickly overpowered, and the latter decides to kill Anne atop the cathedral. Venom manages to rescue Anne in time and provokes Barrison to use her sonic blast powers, causing both symbiotes to separate from their hosts as the cathedral collapses and the falling bell kills Barrison. Venom saves Eddie by bonding with him before the impact. Carnage tries to bond with Kasady again, but Venom devours him before biting Kasady's head off and escaping with Eddie from the police, bidding farewell to Anne and Dan.
While pondering their next steps, Venom and Eddie take a tropical vacation together, Venom finally feeling the ocean between his toes as he sits on the beach with Eddie, talking about their lives. After Eddie agrees to change their crimefighting name, both declaring that "We are the Lethal Protector," Venom is happy by his approval before the two stare out towards the sunset. Sometime later, Venom and Eddie binge-watch local telenovelas in their tropical vacation cabana. As Venom tells Eddie about the symbiotes' hive mind knowledge of other universes, they are suddenly warped into an unfamiliar hotel room in Earth-199999 aka the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the pair watch as J. Jonah Jameson discusses Spider-Man's identity as Peter Parker and a "murderer" on television. Venom, recognizing Peter, licks the television screen. Unbeknownst to Venom and Eddie, others from their own respective universes were also transported including Curt Connors, Max Dillon, Flint Marko, Otto Octavius, Norman Osborn, and two versions of Peter Parker, due to Doctor Strange's attempt to cast a spell and restore Peter Parker's secret identity initially going awry and breaking open the multiverse.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
At a bar, Eddie and Venom discuss various events that have occurred in this universe with the bartender. They learn about individuals major event. After pondering about "protecting" this universe and going directly to New York City to meet Spider-Man, Doctor Strange casts his final spell and Eddie and Venom are swiftly sent back to their universe, much to Venom's frustration as they had only just got there, while unknowingly leaving a part of the symbiote behind that gains sentience of it's own and slithers off.
Personality
Eddie Brock
Similar to his original counterpart, Eddie is trying to excel in journalism. However, unlike his original counterpart (who happens to be somewhat wrathful in nature), Eddie tries to be more civil as he tends to avoid causing any trouble with the authorities. He is also more civil with Anne due to their friendship; even after their breakup and learning that she's going out with another man, Eddie decided that it would be better not to interfere with Anne's new relationship.
When being bonded with the Venom symbiote, Eddie seems to be very uncomfortable in becoming its host body as it made him go on the run from the law. However, he seems to appreciate his new abilities, even convincing the symbiote that they would just use the power only to take down criminals instead of hurting innocent people; even the symbiote agreed to this as it admitted that it was treated as a 'loser' in its home planet. Therefore, this Brock remains even more sympathetic than his comics counterpart. He also has a strong sense of justice. While he is willing to kill, he only does so to bad people. Said refusal to kill anyone that does not deserve it eventually makes him serve as a moral compass towards the Venom symbiote.
Venom Symbiote
The Venom symbiote was originally a malicious and controlling being that worked for Riot in wreaking havoc and conquering planets with life with their current target being Earth. His controlling side best displayed through their early interactions with Eddie and how he caused his host troubles. He also enjoys combat and bloodshed, and has a sadistic sense of humor to boot, a trait that he retained even after befriending Eddie.
Even so, Venom is not without positive qualities, as through his time with Eddie, he grew to appreciate humanity and developed a soft spot for his host and Anne; even agreeing with Eddie that they should only kill criminals instead of innocent people. In contrast to Riot who treated his hosts as disposable battery, Venom cares for Eddie over time in spite of initially for his own survival. This was shown where the symbiote frantically plead to Eddie that he will fix the organs he just feed on and later, leaving Anne unharmed from his possession on her as they join forces to save Eddie from being killed by Drake's mercenaries (though Anne was nevertheless left horrified from Venom eating their heads through her). Venom also had an insecure side, as when telling Eddie how he had a change of heart, he told the man how he was treated like a loser and sees much of himself in Eddie, which eventually allow him to stand up against Riot by the climax of the film.
In the trailer of Venom: Let There be Carnage, Venom has gotten adjusted to being bonded with Eddie and becoming an anti-hero. He also seems to have become more civil and cheery, as he is seen cooking breakfast while singing and he says hello to Mrs. Cheng as Eddie enters her store while waving a tentacle.
Powers and Abilities
- Klynthar Physiology: Venom is a symbiote, a race of parasitic goo-like alien lifeforms that can possess a living being upon physical contact and endow them superhuman abilities including enhanced strength, speed, durability, healing factor, shapeshifting, and construct creation. While he is capable of seemingly suppressing a host's mind and use their bodies as if it were his own, he is able to almost meld minds with them and work collectively with them while sharing the same body. Eddie Brock himself on the other hand, lacked notable superhuman abilities of his own, but thanks to his compatibility with Venom, the alien symbiote who merged with his body, he gained the access for all powers and abilities Venom endowed to him.
- Possession/Symbiotic Enhancement: Being a symbiote, Venom can possesses any living beings upon physical contact with them, passing into their flesh as if intangible and taking full control of their bodies. Once inside the host, Venom is able to enhance their physical abilities to inhuman levels, allowing them to overpower other humans with ease and heal from severe injuries such as broken bones and damaged tissue in seconds. Venom displayed that it can suppress its host's mind to fully control their bodies should they reject him. Should they accept it, both it and them can able to almost meld minds with them and work collectively with them while sharing the same body as demonstrated through the teamwork with Eddie. The abilities it can use while bonded with a host, as well as how good its host exploit them for their advantage, is fueled by the compatibility to each other.
- Shapeshifting: Being a Klynthar, Venom possesses the ability to change both shape and appearance of his very form as well as fashion part of its very being into weapons and constructs.
- Symbiotic Costume: The symbiote can envelop the host's body to form its own that akin to a sentient, malleable but durable suit complete with eyes, claws and a mouth with powerful jaws and sharp teeth while increasing in mass, turning him into powerful opponent.
- Construct Creation: As stated before, Venom can fashion parts of his very being and that of host into weapon such as talons, web-like tendrils, shields, and as shown in climax of the film, using most of its biomass into a parachute/shield to both slow the descend and protection from harm. Venom's mastery over this ability notably pales in comparison to other more powerful symbiote’s such as Riot and Carnage, as most of his constructs are still malleable and he has yet to demonstrate being able to create more solid and detachable ones, such as blades.
- Superhuman Intelligence: As a symbiote, Venom possesses greater intelligence than most species on earth. Venom can speak English, Mandarin, and Japanese. He also possesses a photographic memory as seen by how he was able to recreate the drawings from Cletus Kassady's prison cell just from some glimpses, He also withholds 80-billion-light-years of hive-knowledge that expands across the Multiverse, which is also shared with all other members of his species. A notable example of this is shown when Venom recognizes Peter Parker when he and Eddie witnessed Spider-Man’s identity being exposed on television, implying that the two had crossed paths numerous, unspecified times beforehand.
- Superhuman Strength: Eddie can bolster his physical strength to superhuman level by having Venom enhancing his muscles.
- Superhuman Leap: By having Venom increasing the strength of his leg muscles, Eddie can leap superhumanly high at will.
- Superhuman Durability: Due to Venom's presence inside him, Eddie's bodily tissue becomes substantially harder than normal human, which increased to maximum level by forming black, slimy armor around him. His durability is further increased upon forming his hulking body over his host's.
- Superhuman Speed: Venom's enhancement on his muscles also enable Eddie to move faster than regular humans can keep up. A testament of this best displayed throughout his ability to dodge bullets and catch a tear gas that was fired from him.
- Superhuman Agility: Venom's ability to amplify his host's physicality allow him to increase dexterity and mobility to inhuman levels, to the point where Eddie was able climb to the top of a tree in mere seconds. While manifesting his full body over Eddie, Venom demonstrated acrobatic and gymnastic capabilities despite his burly and hulking frame, being able to move on all fours with ease, charge up the side's of buildings,
- Regenerative Healing Factor: In addition of muscular enhancements and increase of bodily tissue's durability, Venom's presence in Eddie's body enable him to quickly regenerate from the most severe of injuries in mere seconds, from ruptured organs to broken bones. This allowed Brock to almost instantly recover from being hit by a van and having much of his body broken, as well as bring him back from the brink of death after he had been impaled by Riot. Even without a host, Venom can regenerate himself even from smallest bit of his very being provided that he has enough nourishment to so, as seen when the symbiote recovered some time after sacrificing most part of himself to protect Eddie.
- Symbiote Hive Mind: According to Venom, all the symbiotes including himself are connected through a hive mind that extends across many universes thus enabling him to experience what the others do and subsequently use the knowledge from the same experience to his advantage. Because of such quirk proved too much for their host to handle, Venom was understandably hesitant to share it to Eddie and that he could endow a fraction of it under the symbiote's discretion.
Relationships
Family
- Carnage † - Son, Attempted Killer, and Victim
- Unnamed Symbiote - Son
Friends/Allies
- Anne Weying
- Dan Lewis
- Dora Skirth
- Mrs. Chen
- Maria
Enemies
- Life Foundation
- Cletus Kasady/Carnage †
- Frances Barrison/Shriek †
Quotes
| “ | Parasite!? | „ |
| ~ Venom's response when being called a Parasite. |
| “ | Eyes, lungs, pancreas. So many snacks, so little time. | „ |
| ~ Venom's most famous quote, saying while looking at Roland Treece. |
| “ | Eddie: What the hell are you? Venom: I am Venom, and you are mine. Eddie: You bit somebody's' head off... Venom: Fuel in the tank. Listen closely, Eddie. You did not find us, we found you. Think of yourself as my ride. Eddie: Where are you going? Venom: We need Carlton Drake's rocket. You remember him? Eddie: How did you know about that? Venom: I know everything, Eddie. Eddie: You know? Venom: Everything about you. Eddie: How? Venom: I am inside your head. You are a loser, Eddie. Eddie: You're gonna eat somebody else? Venom: Most likely. Eddie: Oh god... Venom: That is why we are here, cooperate and you might just survive. That is the deal. |
„ |
| ~ Venom introduces himself to Eddie. |
| “ | Eddie: Damn it! What the hell happened there?! We just left Anne! Venom: It is not safe for her. If we do not stop Riot, he will come back here with millions more of my kind. Eddie: Millions? What? You were gonna... You were gonna take the rocket and come back with an invasion force, and then what were you gonna do? Were you gonna feed on the whole planet? Venom: Yes! But it is different now, Eddie. I have decided to stay. Eddie: Woah Venom: On my planet, I am kind of a loser, like you. But here, we could be more. Eddie: Excuse me? Venom: And I am getting to like it here. Eddie: Oh, you like this now, do you huh? Venom: However, there will be nothing to like if we do not stop that rocket. Eddie: Oh, I see. Great! When it comes to being completely annihilated, then it's back to we. Venom: It is we. Like it or not, it's gonna take both of us. Eddie: Cut the bulls**t, what really made you change your mind? Venom: You. You did, Eddie. |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom prepare to fight Riot. |
| “ | SWAT: HANDS!!! ON THE GROUND NOW!! Eddie: Guys. You do not want to do this. Trust me. SWAT: MASK!!! Other SWAT: Copy! Eddie: Alright. Have it your way. Mask! Venom: Copy! |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and the SWAT team before Venom takes over and fights them. |
| “ | Eddie: You can take this guy, right? Venom: He has got s**t you have never seen! Eddie: What does that mean? What are our chances? Venom: Mm. Pretty much zero. Eddie: F**k it, let's go save the planet. |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom on their luck against Riot. |
| “ | Venom: Jump! [Eddie press the elevator button] Pussy... | „ |
| ~ Venom insult Eddie when Eddie takes the elevator than jumping out of the window. |
| “ | Venom: Parasite?! Eddie: Yeah. It's a term of endearment, that's all. Venom: Apologize! Eddie: No. Venom: Apologize!!! Eddie: All right, fine. I'm sorry. So, what do you want to do now? Venom: The way I see it, we can do whatever we want. |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom before the ending credits. |
| “ | Venom: I shall remove your head! Eddie: No, you won't! Venom: I will use it for bowling! Eddie: No, you will not! Venom: I will take it to... what is the one that we like, Eddie? Eddie: It's Lucky Strike! Put him down! Venom: Yeah, Lucky Strike! I will take it to Lucky Strike, and I will score a 300-point game! Eddie: You won't! Venom: The rest of your puny little boy body will be left here, rolling around in dumpster juice! Eddie: Oh, god... |
„ |
| ~ Venom threatens a mugger, much to Eddie's protests. |
| “ | Eddie:: No, y-you don't- you don't understand what I'm talking about, okay, this is about me wanting to live without you whining in my ear all the time about eating bad guys or, like, nagging me about Anne, or destroying my place, or destroying my LIFE! Venom: Do you know how lucky you are that I chose you? Eddie: You chose me? Buddy, I'm the only person that took you in when your friends kicked you off the planet Ming-Mong, 'cause you are a reject! You are a pariah! "Lethal Protection", my ass, you couldn't protect anything! You are useless! You couldn't get a job down here cleaning toilets! Venom: I'm sorry! I-I don't know what came over me, here, please, let me fix it... So I can break it again! |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom during their argument. |
| “ | [Venom then transfers himself onto a nearby cyclist]Eddie: No, no no! I WISH I NEVER MET YOU!!! Venom: (forming a middle finger) SAYONARA! |
„ |
| ~ Eddie and Venom after their argument testing their friendship. |
| “ | He did not taste good. | „ |
| ~ Venom after devouring Carnage. |
| “ | F-ck this guy! | „ |
| ~ Venom before eating Cletus Kasady. |
| “ | Venom: Eddie was wrong! He kept me hidden because he was ashamed! But look at me now! You love me, and I'm free! Stop this cruel treatment of aliens! It is wrong! All of us should be able to live together upon this ball of rock! Free to be who we've been! Random audience member: I LOVE YOU! Venom: I love you too! Yeah! Lethal Protector, out! |
„ |
| ~ Venom makes a speech at a rave. |
Trivia
- A running gag in the movie is Venom does not like being called a "parasite", even if it is by Eddie (as they are arguing with this at the end of the film). He likely considers it a racist term.
- However, a parasite is a mindless creature that swaps any host in order to survive, while a Symbiote's bond benefits both the host and the symbiote. It is most likely Venom felt Eddie was ungrateful for his possession and the benefits endowed to him because of it.
- In the comic, the symbiote's best way of attaining nourishment is in phenethylamine, a chemical that stimulates the brain in humans. This is required by symbiotes of Venom's species, however it can also find in chocolate, thus the idea once again use in the scene, where Eddie ask Venom.
- It was also shown that Venom did like Anne and care about her; this could be one of the reasons why Venom didn't kill her while re-swapping into Eddie (which is weird as a symbiote would have to kill its host if he/she wasn't suitable to their nature or when swapping to another host).
- It is implied that Venom may want a romantic relationship with Anne. After fighting with the SWAT team, when Anne asked Eddie to go to the hospital while the latter didn't want to do so, Venom suggested to Eddie to get in the car because he "likes" her. Another piece of evidence was after the battle with Riot, a surviving Venom tells Eddie that Anne doesn't know they are going to steal her back.
- The kiss actually is a nod of The Venom Kiss, which is memorable as Thanos kissing a Venom-ized Death.
- It is implied that Venom may want a romantic relationship with Anne. After fighting with the SWAT team, when Anne asked Eddie to go to the hospital while the latter didn't want to do so, Venom suggested to Eddie to get in the car because he "likes" her. Another piece of evidence was after the battle with Riot, a surviving Venom tells Eddie that Anne doesn't know they are going to steal her back.
- This is the second live-action cinematic incarnation of Venom, the first being Topher Grace's portrayal.
- Ironically, while Topher Grace's portrayal was disliked by the fans, Hardy's portrayal had received more critical acclaim. Also, Topher's Eddie Brock was shown to like being evil, which doesn't fit the original comic's counterpart; Hardy's Brock was more fit to Venom's anti-hero/anti-villain side, and the appearance and personality are more fit to the comic's counterpart.
- For the same reasons, Topher Grace himself greatly approved Hardy's portrayal of the character.
- Ironically, while Topher Grace's portrayal was disliked by the fans, Hardy's portrayal had received more critical acclaim. Also, Topher's Eddie Brock was shown to like being evil, which doesn't fit the original comic's counterpart; Hardy's Brock was more fit to Venom's anti-hero/anti-villain side, and the appearance and personality are more fit to the comic's counterpart.
- The notable difference between Tom Hardy's Venom and his comic's counterpart are that both Eddie and the symbiote never met Spider-Man, which explained why Venom lacks the spider symbol on his chest. Also, Hardy's Venom is not biologically related with Riot, the symbiote antagonist in the movie.
- Although, when Venom healed Eddie after Riot stab the latter's chest, their wound looked like the iconic Spider-symbol in the comic.
- Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel Comic once again appears in the film as a cameo. Venom replies by asking Eddie who the old man, credited as Dapper Dog Walker, even is, which is an extra joke for comic fans, since Lee had nothing to do with the creation of Venom.
- According to Venom, on his planet he was a loser just like Eddie, which is one of the reasons for his attachment particularly to him.
- This is partly a nod to his comic book counterpart that considered as an outcast among its kind because it wanted to form a bond with its hosts that benefited both parties when their species is usually purely parasitic.
- The line "Eyes, lungs, pancreas. So many snacks, so little time." is directly taken from The Amazing Spider-Man #374.
- Venom was the only person not to be sent in New York, Queens, after being transported in the MCU, and the only one MCU Spider-Man has not encountered.
- However, since a splinter of the symbiotic was left behind when Venom and Eddie were sent back to their universe, it may be possible that Peter will cross paths with it in the future.
- Venom's role in Spider-Man: No Way Home was intended to be much larger as he was originally considered to face off the three Spider-Men alongside the other five villains in the final battle. Had this been the final draft of the film, this would have been the first live action iteration of the Sinister Six.
- Despite there not being a Peter Parker in the SSU (that we know of), Venom still recognizes the MCU Peter at the end of Let There Be Carnage. The most likely explanation is the multiversal hive mind mentioned minutes beforehand, which would let him know about Spider-Man through the variants that have encountered him. Because of this, many fans have speculated that the Venom from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy was part of the hive mind, and it's from him that Venom knows about Peter.
External Links
- Venom on the Heroes Wiki
 's Spider-Man Universe Villains
| ||
|
Venom Venom: Let There Be Carnage Morbius See Also | ||
