Venom: The Last Dance uses a terrifying enemy to conclude the franchise: Knull: The God and Creator of Symbiotes. As the movie ends, Knull mentions the King in Black? For current Venom readers, that could cause gasps of excitement. But for others, those words could lead to confusion about who the King in Black is. What does that title mean? Why does it matter? And where does it come from?
Who is the King in Black?
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The King in Black is a title bestowed on a character by Celestials, creatures in charge of creating new universes. The first King in Black was Knull, a remnant of a previous universe that appeared at the birth of the current Prime Marvel Universe. Knull is the creator and god of the Symbiotes. Alongside being extremely strong with a divine level of power, the god can control and dominate symbiotes, forcing them to do his bidding and reject their hosts. Knull is also the smith and original owner of the Necrosword, later wielded by Gorr in Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic’s Thor: God of Thunder (2012).
With his power, Knull has corrupted Celestials and blocked the entire planet from the sun. This story reached its zenith in the King in Black event, where he unleashed a full attack on Earth with waves of Symbiotes at his disposal. The series culminated in Eddie Brock, the original Venom, inheriting the title of King in Black.
Which comics should I read to learn more about Knull?
The First appearance of Knull in modern times is in Venom #3 (2018). Although he technically existed before, this begins his actual existence as a character. Cates unleashes him with a quiet ferocity, slowly demonstrating his power and the extreme terror he instills. Venom and Spider-Man try to stop a giant symbiote dragon from destroying New York, but out of the monster’s body comes Knull, who is even more dangerous. Ryan Stegman’s pencils and JP Meyer’s inks create a character that radiates menace even when he isn’t doing much. It takes a lot of effort to make something scarier and more impressive than Venom, yet Knull dwarves the other Symbiote.
Venom #4 (2o18) does more to explain the backstory of the King in Black. Cates weaves Knull into the fabric of Marvel’s cosmos, making him one of the most ancient beings in the entire publication. He can’t even be considered to be from Earth-616 or any other reality because he predates their creation. And through Knull comes a rewrite of the symbiote mythos, adding context to stories after the fact. The Celestials and Thor become key figures in Knull’s history, demonstrating his power. Even past Thor comics are readjusted to connect the dots and put the God of Symbiotes in his most pivotal moments. In a single issue, Cates alters the entirety of the Marvel Universe.
King in Black #1 (2020) starts Knull’s invasion of Earth within one of the most heavy metal events ever imagined. Knull sweeps in with a swarm of his Symbiote dragons and quickly eliminates most of the resistance on Earth. He brings possessed Celestials, kills some of the most extraordinary heroes, and ruthlessly stakes his claim to the new territory. That happens after the Avengers know of his arrival and have spent ages preparing for it. Cates unleashes all-out action, and the event only accelerates in intensity. Knull wrestles Venom, Thor, Silver Surfer, and more in this blockbuster of all blockbusters.
The King in Black event’s finale, King in Black #5 (2021), shows the title transfer from Knull to Eddie. It is the culmination of a storyline that journeys from darkness to light. The last issue ended a long saga that Cates and Stegman had orchestrated over many years. For Venom, Knull has been a nearly insurmountable villain. The fight is explosive and mindblowing, combining weapons and forces into a battle for the planet. It is also an ascension for Eddie, taking him to an unfathomable place, considering his earlier storylines.
What is King in Black’s place in the greater Marvel universe?
As a title and a concept, the King in Black matters because it immensely escalates Venom’s standing inside and outside of the comics’ pages. The Symbiotes themselves became a much more integral part of the Marvel Universe. Knull and The King in Black connected Venom to a force within the cosmos that began before almost anything else existed, like the Phoenix Force or the Power Cosmic.
Venom and the symbiotes became a central part of Marvel’s storytelling. With the Venom series being extremely popular at the time, Cates and Stegman were at the helm of that summer’s big event in King in Black, causing the other comics to revolve around them. It is also convenient that this was a part of Venom’s history that wasn’t directly connected to Spider-Man. Peter Parker and Spider-Man were intrinsically linked to the Venom and the other Symbiotes for so long. King in Black was something separate that can be translated into the Venom movies without complicated copyright trickery.
Cates is no longer at the helm of the Venom books, but Eddie Brock and the King in Black remain integral to the current comic. The Venom War concluded another crossover that drew in characters from other titles. The celestial title is still with Brock, but there have also been hints that it could get passed on. But the legacy that Cates and Stegman created remains on the page and on screen,
Venom: The Last Dance is playing now in theatres everywhere
