Warning: Contains spoilers for Venom War #2!There’s really no symbiote like Carnage. The most psychotic villain Marvel has ever seen, he’s rebonded with his favorite host, and not only that, but he’s getting an upgrade. Being the King in Black means something different for everyone, but for Carnage, it means being King of Hell.
King Carnage was recently seen wreaking havoc in Death of the Venomverse, but he’s back to hedge his bets and make a deal in Venom War #2 by Al Ewing, Iban Coello, and Frank D’Armata. Cletus Cassidy is showing off his new look as a host in a smart red suit, but it’s only when he transforms into Carnage that things really get hellish.
Carnage retains his old King in Black look while being true to his character – he’s not just a psychotic killer symbiote anymore. He’s fully become the Symbiote Devil, and he’s hungry for Eddie Brock’s soul.
Carnage is Marvel’s New Symbiote Satan
Carnage Has Come For the Souls of the Marvel Universe
Now that Carnage has rebonded with his favorite host, bloodshed is surely on the way. Cletus Kasady and Carnage complete each other in a sick way that Eddie Brock and Venom never could, but they’re taking things to the next level. Instead of slaughtering just for the fun of it, it seems this time around, the symbiote is taking a smarter route. Just as when the Devil learned that he couldn’t storm Heaven on his own, he decided to get there another way – by cheating and cutting deals.
Carnage is now working with Meridius, trying to cut a deal for himself like any classic devil figure. This is a far cry from the psychopathic Carnage that hits first and asks questions later. In this new mode, Carnage as the satanic King in Black completes two different mythological ideas of the devil: first, that image of the all-consuming monster of the pit, as when he transforms into his monster form; and secondly, of the Devil at the crossroads, when he shows himself as a man in a suit ready to shake hands over a deal and a soul, as he becomes Marvel’s newest Satan figure.
Mephisto Was the Original Blueprint for Marvel’s Satan
Carnage Does the Devil Better Than Mephisto Could Dream
Mephisto is the one who most often comes to mind when thinking of Marvel’s Satan figure. He was created as an homage to the Germanic folklore of the demonic Mephistopheles of the famous Faustian legend. The main crux of the story is that Mephistopheles is a demon that can grant fantastic powers and immortality and practically any wish desired – for a price, that is. This carried along into other folktales, such as the American story of the Devil at the crossroads, where a soul is sold for something in particular.
Mephisto is the original Marvel blueprint for such an archetype. Often making deals for souls, or even in order to erase something from existence, like Mephisto’s deal with Spider-Man, he fulfills that role of demonic trickster that loves playing people for power. But Carnage has him beat. Carnage moves easily in the world, bound by no laws of Hell, and he’s got more forms than Mephisto too: his human form of the Devil to shake hands with, and the demonic form of Carnage’s King in Black. This latter form is even much scarier than Mephisto, and has caused more bloodshed than the Prince of Hell could even imagine.
Cletus Kasady Shows Off His Latest Lucifer Look
Carnage Puts a Spin on the Devil at the Crossroads Trope
Carnage has changed more than just how symbiotes bond to their hosts, he’s also shown a full evolution as he takes on this new trickster role. It’s not just about bloodshed now, but the bigger picture. This Carnage is a tactician who intends to move the chess pieces around the board like the king he is, all to capture the king on the other side. Because the stakes are much higher now: it’s not just blood Carnage is after – but souls.
The Devil is not just a force of destruction but a force of tricky ambition, and Carnage is showing just how much bloody ambition he has in
Venom War.
While Carnage as a mindless monster only out for, as it were, carnage, is terrifying all on its own, this newer and intelligent version certainly strikes a chord of fear. The Devil is not just a force of destruction but a force of tricky ambition, and Carnage is showing just how much bloody ambition he has in Venom War. When that doesn’t work, however, there’s always the option for bloodshed, so it seems.
Will Spider-Man Make Another Deal With the Devil?
First King in Black, Now King of Hell – How Far Will Carnage Go?
As Spider-Man continues to get better, Carnage continues to get worse. Carnage has become the newest and best iteration of the Devil archetype that would make even Mephisto jealous, and it seems Spider-Man’s history with Marvel’s Satan isn’t over yet. In order to win this war, Peter Parker may just have to appeal to the King in Black in order to save Marvel.
No matter the outcome, Spider-Man has already delved into dark territory by reclaiming his iconic black suit. Maybe the deal has already been made in a way, but meanwhile, Carnage has his eyes somewhere else. Bloodshed is imminent, and Eddie Brock’s soul is at stake. The Devil is coming for his due, and it will be Carnage when he doesn’t get what he wants.
Venom War #2 is available now from Marvel Comics!
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Venom
Venom is a symbiotic alien entity bonded with various human hosts, notably Eddie Brock and later Flash Thompson. It grants superhuman strength, agility, and a shape-shifting black costume. Initially a Spider-Man villain due to its origins, Venom evolved into an antihero, battling both villains and his own dark impulses. The character embodies themes of duality and redemption within the Marvel Universe.
