Knull, the King in Black. Knull is a menacing, tall creature with long white hair wearing a black leather body suit with a large red spider symbol on his chest. He is choking Venom, preparing to strike with his other hand.
Knull, the King in Black. (Image credit: Marvel Comics)
The latest trailer for Venom: The Last Dance has sent ripples of excitement and speculation through the fanbase, and much of this buzz centers around the introduction of a formidable new antagonist: Knull. After a somewhat underwhelming initial trailer, the ‘final trailer’ for Venom: The Last Dance delivered a much stronger impact, hinting at an emotional farewell for Eddie Brock and Venom, and more crucially, unveiling Knull, the King in Black and the god of the symbiotes. For comic book aficionados, the reveal of Knull is a significant event, sparking discussions about the film’s direction and its potential ramifications for the wider cinematic universes. However, for casual viewers who might be less familiar with the intricacies of Marvel Comics, the arrival of Knull as the Venom: The Last Dance villain might raise questions. Who exactly is Knull, and why should audiences be invested in his presence? We’re here to break down the essentials of this cosmic entity, exploring his origins, motivations, and potential impact on not only Venom: The Last Dance but also the future landscape of Marvel movies.
Who is Knull, the God of Symbiotes?
Knull is a menacing, tall creature with long white hair wearing a black leather body suit with a large collar. They have long, pointed claws and are surrounded by three scary disembodied heads with pointy long teeth.
Knull in Marvel Snap. (Image credit: Nuverse)
Marvel’s symbiotes, the creatures that give Venom his power, are already compelling figures within the Marvel mythos, extending far beyond the Spider-Man comics. Recently, the lore surrounding these alien beings has been significantly enriched and deepened by the introduction of Knull. This character isn’t just another symbiote; he is the primordial god who created them, an ancient and powerful being intrinsically linked to their very existence.
Knull’s story begins in the Primordial Void, a realm that predates the current iteration of the Marvel multiverse. Existing in the space between cosmic iterations, Knull was a being of immense power who was approached by the Celestials. They offered him the mantle of King in Black, tasking him with maintaining cosmic balance using the Living Abyss, a force of anti-life. However, Knull rejected the Celestials’ concept of balance, choosing instead to wage war against light and creation, seeking to plunge existence back into the void from whence it came.
A pivotal moment in Knull’s history occurred when he clashed with Gorr the God Butcher. Gorr, a major antagonist from the Thor comics who has already appeared in the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder, wielding the Necrosword – a weapon of immense power – defeated and stranded Knull. This defeat inadvertently led to the birth of the symbiotes. Experimenting with the Living Abyss, Knull found he could merge it with other beings, and on the planet where he was marooned, he created the first symbiotes. He established himself as the center of the symbiote hive-mind, but was eventually betrayed and imprisoned by his own creations after a failed invasion of Earth. Later, through the actions of Eddie Brock and Carnage, Knull was freed. In a dramatic confrontation, Eddie Brock, briefly empowered by the God of Light after a temporary death, ultimately destroyed Knull at the heart of the sun. This is a condensed overview of Knull’s complex history and motivations, setting the stage for his appearance as the Venom: The Last Dance villain.
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE – Final Trailer (HD) – YouTube 
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE – Final Trailer (HD) – YouTube
Knull’s Key Comic Book Appearances
Knull on his throne. Knull is a menacing, tall creature with long white hair wearing a black leather body suit with a large red spider symbol on his chest. He is sitting on an evil, twisted throne, with his hand resting on a large red sword.
Knull on his throne. (Image credit: Marvel Comics)
While Knull’s presence is now making waves in the cinematic realm, his story is deeply rooted in Marvel Comics. His first, albeit unnamed and retroactive, appearance was in Thor: God of Thunder #6 (March 2013), a story arc focused on Gorr the God Butcher. However, Knull was properly introduced and identified as a deity in Venom (Vol. 4) #3. The subsequent issue, Venom (Vol. 4) #4, provided a comprehensive exposition of his origins, linking him to the Necrosword and Knowhere, the iconic severed Celestial head featured prominently in Guardians of the Galaxy media.
For those seeking a quick guide to Knull’s most important comic book storylines, a recommended reading list includes: Venom (Vol. 4) #4 (for his full origin reveal), King in Black #1-5 (depicting his invasion of Earth and subsequent defeat), and Venom (Vol. 5) #18 (which offers a significant re-evaluation of Knull’s motivations and history). These comics provide essential context for understanding the depth and complexity of Knull as a character and as a Venom: The Last Dance villain.
Knull’s Potential Impact on Sony and Marvel’s Cinematic Futures
Knull on the symbiote homeworld. It
Knull on the symbiote homeworld. (Image credit: Sony Pictures)
The previous Venom films have faced criticism for potentially underutilizing their villains, particularly Carnage, a character with a substantial fanbase. Given this history, and despite the visually striking portrayal of Knull in the Venom: The Last Dance trailer, there are valid concerns that the film might either rush Knull’s introduction and confrontation or merely tease his presence without fully exploring his potential as a Venom: The Last Dance villain. The latter scenario could suggest larger, potentially multiversal, ambitions for Knull’s storyline.
Sony Pictures’ universe of Spider-Man adjacent characters has had a mixed reception. With Morbius and Madame Web underperforming, and Kraven the Hunter’s prospects uncertain, questions arise about the overarching plan. Was there an initial intention to unite these characters against a threat like Knull, or is his introduction a more recent decision, perhaps to bridge Sony’s universe with the main MCU (Earth-616)?
The establishment of the multiverse by Marvel Studios means that virtually any on-screen Marvel property can be incorporated into the MCU canon if desired. Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and subsequently Spider-Man: No Way Home’s post-credits scene, already hinted at a crossover between Sony’s universe and the MCU. While Eddie and Venom’s brief foray into the MCU was cut short, they inadvertently left behind a piece of the symbiote. This detail strongly suggests that the symbiote, and potentially Venom himself, will eventually intersect with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, especially considering the looming Secret Wars storyline in the Avengers saga.
The symbiote goo left behind in the Earth-616 universe. A blob of dark, viscous goo on a countertop.
The symbiote goo left behind in the Earth-616 universe. (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures)
Expanding on these theories, it’s conceivable that Sony might be shifting its strategy, potentially allowing Marvel Studios to take the lead on Spider-Man related properties outside of animation. Knull, sensing the residual symbiote in the Earth-616 universe, could target it for invasion, making Venom: The Last Dance a possible culmination for Eddie and Venom in their current cinematic world. The widespread desire for a crossover between Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Venom could then be realized in the upcoming Spider-Man 4 MCU film, potentially through multiversal plot developments.
The true direction of Knull’s storyline and its broader implications will likely become clearer when Venom: The Last Dance premieres in theaters on October 25, 2024. This film is poised to be a pivotal moment for both the Venom franchise and the wider landscape of Marvel movies, potentially redefining the role of symbiotes and cosmic threats within these universes.
