Hey there, Spider-Verse enthusiasts! Glad to have you back for another deep dive into the world of Spider-Man and his amazing friends and foes. Fresh off watching “Venom: The Last Dance,” like any dedicated comic book movie fan, I immediately hit up Wikipedia and various comic resources to dissect all the hidden gems and comic book nods I might have missed. And wow, this movie is loaded! It turns out there’s a treasure trove of characters and storylines pulled straight from the comics, some so subtle you could easily blink and miss them. Now, some of these connections are a bit loose, I’ll admit, as the film doesn’t always spell things out. But that’s part of the fun, right? So, if you’re like me and love hunting for Easter eggs, or if you’ve already seen the film and want to decode everything, buckle up! Major spoilers are incoming! Let’s jump into the comic connections in “Venom: The Last Dance”.
Unpacking the Symbiotes and Characters of Venom 3
The Mystery of Mulligan’s Symbiote and the Imperium’s Green Monster
Patrick Mulligan's Symbiote Transformation in Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Remember the post-credits scene in “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”? Patrick Mulligan seemed to be waking up with a symbiote bond after his near-death experience. Many of us, myself included, jumped to the conclusion that this was the birth of Toxin. It seemed logical. However, “Venom: The Last Dance” throws a curveball. The movie reveals that whatever symbiote briefly attached to Mulligan in the previous film vanished without a trace, never named or explained. Later, a shadowy organization known as the Imperium steps in and bonds Mulligan to a completely different, unnamed symbiote. This one is green, with a distinct snake-like torso. Initially, Lasher crossed my mind, but that theory gets debunked later on. Whether the filmmakers intended this initial symbiote or the green one to represent Toxin is unclear. Regardless, Mulligan is back, only to meet a rather anticlimactic end at the hands of another character we’ll discuss shortly. For comic book context, Patrick Mulligan’s first appearance was in “Venom/Carnage” #1, setting the stage for his symbiote journey, while Toxin officially debuted in “Venom/Carnage” #2, marking the arrival of Venom’s grandson symbiote.
Xenophages: Symbiote-Devouring Predators Unleashed
Xenophage Alien Consuming a Symbiote in Venom: The Last Dance
In the Marvel comics, Xenophages are a terrifying alien race with a singular, gruesome appetite: they consume symbiotes. “Venom: The Last Dance” brings these creatures to the big screen, depicting them as servants of a greater power we’ll get to shortly. Throughout the film, they relentlessly hunt Venom, driven to retrieve his codex – seemingly a key of sorts. These Xenophages are portrayed as horrifying, living wood chippers. They engulf their symbiote prey, and the digested remains are gruesomely expelled from the back of their heads. Several symbiotes and their unfortunate hosts fall victim to this horrific fate, including Mulligan and the green symbiote he was bonded to. These terrifying symbiote hunters made their first comic appearance in “Venom: The Hunted” #1, instantly establishing themselves as a major threat in the symbiote universe.
Knull: The God of Symbiotes Arrives
Knull, the Symbiote God, in Venom: The Last Dance
Yes, the rumors are true – Knull, the dark god who created the symbiotes, is the mastermind pulling the Xenophages’ strings! Trapped in a bizarre prison crafted by his own symbiote offspring, Knull needs Venom’s codex to break free. This codex, remember, was formed when the Venom symbiote revived Eddie Brock in the first movie, making it uniquely important. Sony has openly stated their plans for Knull in future films, signaling a potentially massive cosmic storyline on the horizon. Adding to the intrigue, Andy Serkis, who directed “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” portrays this cosmic horror. Knull’s full comic book debut was in “Venom” Vol. 4, #3, marking a monumental addition to the Venom mythos and the broader Marvel universe.
Sadie and Lasher: A Tentacled Symbiote Connection
Sadie Christmas Bonded to the Lasher Symbiote in Venom 3
Sadie Christmas, a scientist working for the Imperium, becomes host to the green, tentacled symbiote known as Lasher. Unfortunately for Sadie (and Lasher), their bond is short-lived, as the symbiote doesn’t survive the film. The name “Sadie” has a connection to Lasher in the comics, albeit a different one. A young girl named Sadie served as a host for Lasher in “Absolute Carnage: Separation Anxiety” #1. The Lasher symbiote itself has a longer history, first appearing in the classic “Venom: Lethal Protector” mini-series, issue #4, solidifying its place in the sinister symbiote family.
Teddy Payne: Gender-Swapped and Venom-Verse Bound
Teddy Payne, the Imperium Scientist in Venom: The Last Dance
“Venom: The Last Dance” introduces Teddy Payne, played by Juno Temple, a gender-bent version of Dr. Thaddeus Paine from Marvel Comics (note the slightly different spelling of the last name in the movie). Like Sadie, Teddy is a scientist working for the Imperium. In the comics, Dr. Paine started as a foe of Morbius in “Morbius: The Living Vampire” #4 before transitioning into a Venom antagonist in the “Venom: The Hunger” mini-series. This gender swap adds a fresh dynamic to the character while keeping the comic roots intact.
Agony: Electric Powers and Purple Hues
Agony Symbiote Bonded to Dr. Payne in Venom 3
Dr. Payne (Teddy in the film) bonds with the purple Agony symbiote. In a creative twist, she gains electrical powers, explained by a childhood lightning strike (yes, really!). Agony is one of the few symbiotes to survive the events of “The Last Dance,” leaving her future in the Venom-verse uncertain. Will she have a larger role to play, or will she be sidelined like some other symbiote characters? Agony’s comic origin is also in “Venom: Lethal Protector” #4, making her another member of that mini-series’ symbiote class.
Rex Strickland: Soldier, Not Symbiote Soldier
Rex Strickland, the Soldier of the Imperium in Venom: The Last Dance
Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Rex Strickland, is depicted in the film as a soldier working for the Imperium, a departure from his comic counterpart. In the comics, Rex Strickland was indeed a symbiote super-soldier, also known as Tyrannosaurus. The movie version is a more grounded take on the character. Rex Strickland, or Tyrannosaurus, first appeared in “Venom” Vol. 4, #1-2. A key difference in the comics is that Rex’s symbiote essentially became him after Rex tragically died in Vietnam, a backstory not explored in the film.
Phage: Pudgy and Perished
Phage Symbiote Attacking in Venom: The Last Dance
Not to be confused with the Xenophages, Phage appears as a bulky, orangish-yellow symbiote in “Venom: The Last Dance.” He bonds with Jim, an Imperium security guard, but unfortunately, Phage doesn’t make it through the final battle. Phage also shares his comic book origins with Agony and Lasher, debuting in “Venom: Lethal Protector” #4, further highlighting the importance of that issue for symbiote fans.
Hybrid Nod? Double Trouble Symbiote
The film seems to offer its own spin on the Hybrid character from the comics, even if visually they are quite different. During the final battle, two symbiotes merge to create a double-headed creature. While not explicitly named, this merging of symbiotes strongly suggests a reference to Hybrid, a character known for being a combination of multiple symbiotes. Hybrid’s first comic appearance was in “Venom: Along Came a Spider” #1, marking the introduction of a truly unique symbiote entity.
Red Goblin Vibes: Fiery Symbiote Power
Fiery Red Symbiote in Venom: The Last Dance
“Venom: The Last Dance” features a symbiote with fiery abilities. While there isn’t a direct comic book counterpart with this exact power set, it evokes strong Red Goblin comparisons. In the comics, when Norman Osborn bonded with the Carnage symbiote, the Goblin Serum and Carnage’s powers combined in terrifying ways. Carnage healed Osborn’s disfigured face, and Osborn’s enhanced physiology negated the symbiote’s traditional weaknesses, including fire. As Red Goblin, Osborn wielded a fiery glider and even breathed flames. This fiery symbiote in the movie could be a visual nod to the Red Goblin’s terrifying power. Red Goblin made his explosive entrance in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #798, becoming one of Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes.
Anti-Venom Homage: Silvery White Symbiote
White Symbiote in Venom: The Last Dance
The movie takes some liberties with symbiote colors and powers, and the appearance of a silvery-white symbiote is another example. While Flash Thompson, the traditional Anti-Venom host, isn’t in the film, this white symbiote strongly resembles Anti-Venom. Aside from a few “Stealth Venom” figures, Anti-Venom is the most prominent white symbiote in the Spider-Man universe. This could be a visual Easter egg for fans of Anti-Venom. The Anti-Venom symbiote suit made its debut in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #569, becoming a fan-favorite for its unique look and abilities.
And for those wondering, despite Rhys Ifans being in the movie, the Lizard does not make an appearance.
Final Thoughts: Did We Catch All the Spider-Man & Venom Comic References?
So, did I miss any comic book characters or references in “Venom: The Last Dance”? Were some of these connections a bit of a stretch? What did you think of this latest installment in the Venom saga? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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