The latest issue of Venom #18 has shocked readers by revealing that Peter Parker was originally meant to become the King in Black, a symbiote god capable of controlling the entire hive mind of Klyntar symbiotes. This revelation is a huge update to the lore of Venom and the symbiotes, who have already had their lore deepened over the past few years.

Destiny And Cosmic Magic

Writer Al Ewing has been using impressive esoteric and philosophical lore building around the concept of Kings in Black. The issue reveals that Eddie Brock is destined to become a powerful wielder of cosmic magic, while also admitting that Peter Parker was originally meant to become a King in Black before his path diverged. The future version of Eddie, in the shape of a magic Venom hand, also reveals that the true purpose of a King in Black is to keep the cosmos alive by acting in symbiosis with the universe.

Peter Parker: The Original Marvel Character To Wield The Venom Symbiote

Canonically, it makes sense that Peter Parker was the original Marvel character to wield the Venom symbiote after picking it up on an alien world during the 1980s Secret Wars event. However, at the time, the Venom symbiote was so bloodthirsty and corrupting that the heroic Spider-Man was forced to wage an internal war against the symbiote, eventually rejecting its attempts to control him. Spider-Man’s temperament, bravery, and self-sacrifice are all personality traits that would have served him greatly as a God-like King in Black, but Peter chose a different path.

Eddie Brock’s Destiny

Eddie Brock became the King in Black after defeating the dark God of the Void Knull in the King in Black event. However, he has spent the past few months struggling to stay alive, sane, and grounded. Eddie’s future self shows him that he is now destined to become the King in Black he is so desperately trying to reject. It tells him that the dark magic he will wield as an Onyx King gives its users “worldly power,” which easily corrupts and makes users into villains.

Taking Responsibility

Eddie Brock has now realized that with the “great power” he is destined to have, he must also take “great responsibility,” stepping into the shoes Spider-Man would have filled as a benevolent but nigh omnipotent King in Black, to keep the world spinning and also make sure his son Dylan stays safe. It will be fascinating to see how the former Venom adopts Spider-Man’s most famous motto, to become the being that Peter Parker was always meant to become.