Symbiote (comics)
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A symbiote, in Marvel Comics' fictional universe, is a living alien organism that bonds with another living organism (usually a human, although it may bond with non human animals) in order to survive. Since it has no classifying name, it is referred to as a symbiote because of its symbiotic relationships. Often symbiotes are called "living costume" because of the way the amorphous creatures envelope their hosts.
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[edit] Symbiotes
[edit] Origin of the Symbiotes
It is unclear from where the symbiotes actually originated but it is known that their species existed for millions of years prior to the arrival of the Venom symbiote on Earth. It is implied that Galactus, devourer of worlds, consumed a world in which they had taken over and thrived upon, based on Carnage's reaction to the Silver Surfer, former herald of Galactus. It was mistakenly believed that this was their homeworld. It is shown through the Carnage symbiote that this was a world whose dominant life forms had been overrun by the marauding symbiotes.
According to the mini-series Planet of the Symbiotes, symbiotes were originally an unfeeling, conquering race, taking over any species they come in contact with to feed off of emotions, mainly adrenaline rushes from death-defying feats. As a consequence, the hosts are short-lived. The Venom symbiote was different because it desired a strong bond with a single host, and desired to belong rather than to dominate, leading to imprisonment by its own race. At which point it was brought to Battleworld during the first Secret Wars. The Venom symbiote describes itself as a mutation though it may just as likely be an atavism among its species. While the number of symbiotes in existence at present is unknown, Venom tells Carnage that he is the nine hundred and ninety ninth in his line, and making Carnage's offspring Toxin the thousandth and first(Carnage being the thousandth).
[edit] Reproduction
Symbiotes have no gender, and as such have the ability to asexually spawn another symbiote. It is normal for a symbiote to hate its newborn spawn, possibly out of fear of competition and thus a threat to the previous symbiote's existence. Venom, for example, tries to kill and destroy its offspring, Carnage, and Carnage himself tries to kill his 'son' Toxin by leaving it for dead without a human host. Eventually both Venom and Carnage try to kill Toxin because of his vast strength making him easily as strong as his father and grand-father combined, just as Carnage was stronger than Spider-Man and Venom combined. Symbiotes appear to have a finite number of 'seeds' that can be grown into suits; The Venom symbiote spawned the Carnage one itself, but the remaining five 'seeds' that it contained were harvested by the Life Foundation. However, Venom in the last few years when trying to re-bond with Peter Parker during a story arc called "the Hunger", claimed a new child was growing within it, and did not wish to rebond with Eddie Brock because of his cancer. When Spider-Man tricks the symbiote into re-fusing with Brock, Venom states that Spider-Man "doomed" the child, though whether this means that the child is dead is unknown.
[edit] Personality
While most symbiotes seen in the Marvel Universe have been shown to be capable of great feats of violence, deception and various criminal acts against humanity, it is notable that their hosts were generally unstable before bonding. However, Patrick Mulligan, host to the Toxin symbiote was a stable and virtuous human who was able to use his symbiote to perform genuinely heroic actions; according to Venom, this could also be because the thousandth symbiote of the line is subject to mental breakdown (though, as noted above, Toxin is the thousand-and-first). Though the Toxin symbiote has occasionally tried to make Patrick utilise more violent methods in the pursuit of crime, this could be attributed to the genetic memories passed on from Carnage, his father, who is indifferent about his use of violence. In the MC2 universe, the Venom symbiote bonds with the grandson of Norman Osborn, Normie Osborn, but his good-hearted nature influences the suit and causes it to sacrifice itself against a sonic attack to defend Spider-Girl. It is therefore possible that while the symbiote possesses a complex sentience, it obtains its opinions on morality from the host and as such, amplifies the hatred and evil in hosts like Cassidy while someone devoid of hatred was capable of influencing the suit to be good. More confused hosts, like Brock, seem to result in different personalities: Venom claimed 'innocence should be cherished' and rescued victims he deemed innocent, including human infants. However, Brock's poor judgement has lead to him performing many criminal acts, including the murder of some apparently innocent people.
[edit] Bonding
The application of a symbiote provokes a cool feeling as the plasmic ooze covers its host. It stimulates them, provides for them, and protects them by itself when the host is unconscious or unaware of a true symbiotic relationship. Symbiotes rely on human hosts because they are able to feed off adrenaline which is essential to their survival. They also feed off diseases fatal to humans, due to the type of energy or "adrenaline" it may produce; for example, the Venom symbiote was able to save Eddie Brock's life from cancer by feeding off it, since Eddie's cancer produced the exact type of adrenaline that the symbiote needs to survive. Symbiotes are capable of living independently of a host as all known symbiotes have, as they have at one time or another, left their hosts or been forced to be without their hosts for extended periods of time.
It is possible that the symbiosis is preferred due to the advantages that host and symbiote gain, especially in regards to survival. Combined with a host, the symbiote is able to wield great strength, speed, stamina and other physical attributes of the host, enhanced well beyond normal levels. As such, symbiotes prefer stronger hosts and when they find an ideal one, will attempt to bond permanently with them.
If a symbiote is strongly bonded, as the Venom symbiote was to Eddie Brock, an attempt to break the bond causes a shock sufficient to render both host and symbiote unconscious. However, a symbiote can easily sever a weak bond, such as when the Carnage symbiote abandoned Cletus Kasady for the Silver Surfer, or when Angelo Fortunato was left to plummet to his death, mid-jump, by the Venom suit.
[edit] Weaknesses
Originally, Symbiotes were naturally weakened by intense sonics and intense heat, especially fires. However as each new symbiote has spawned a child, a natural evolution seems to not only increase their strengths but also reduce their weaknesses. Still, there has not been an invulnerable symbiote in mainstream continuity as even the newest breeds can still be harmed by sonics and heat. This may have something to do with the "seeds" being sensitive to heat changes and loud noises.
In some incarnations, the symbiote is depicted as requiring a certain chemical (most likely phenethylamine) to stay sane and healthy, which has been said to be found abundantly in two sources: chocolate and human brain tissue. Thus the host is forced to steal/purchase large amounts of chocolate or become an unwilling cannibal who devours the brains of those he kills. This peculiar trait has only been witnessed in the Venom symbiote, however, both Carnage and Toxin have threatened their enemies with aspirations to "eating their brains".
[edit] Special abilities
Symbiotes empower the natural abilities of a host to the point where they far exceed that of normal members of the hosts species. These abilities include the following:
- Superhuman strength
- Superior speed and agility
- Limited invulnerability
- Genetic memory, recalling information from previous hosts.
- Enhanced healing ability.
- Can expand to cover any object or any host, no matter the size.
Symbiotes can get inside of small areas such as electric wires and the insides of cars and completely disable them. The symbiote also reacts to the thoughts and will of the host. When Spider-Man was originally selected, he had been thinking about Spider-Woman's costume in the Secret Wars. The symbiote acted on this and formed a similar costume, the one seen on him and Venom. The following are functions that have been demonstrated from various hosts' wills (but are not limited to):
- The ability to form fangs or simple bladed weapons out of their limbs
- The ability to form additional appendages: limbs, wings and tendrils out of their body
- The ability to shape-shift, from mimicking clothing up to and including complete change of appearance and stature.
- The ability to blend with its surroundings.
- The ability to stick to walls (adopted from Spider-Man).
- The ability to produce webbing from its own mass (adopted from Spider-Man).
- The ability to bypass the Spider-Sense (because the original symbiote was attached to Peter first, it took his genetic information and spider-powers. This means that the symbiote attacking Peter would essentially be Peter attacking himself, which wouldn't set off his Spider-Sense; during the Clone Saga, this became complicated, as Venom did set off Ben Reilly's Spider-Sense, but Carnage apparently did not)
[edit] Well-known symbiotes and hosts
The following is a complete list of existing symbiotes who have/had human hosts
- Venom (Currently bonded with Mac Gargan)
- first worn by Spider-Man
- Eddie Brock
- She-Venom
- Ben Reilly briefly and unknowingly wore the Venom symbiote during the Planet of the Symbiotes storyline.
- Angelo Fortunato
- Mac Gargan (current wearer of the Venom symbiote. Sometimes referred to as "Scorpion-Venom" or "Scorpom"[citation needed])
- Wolverine wore the Venom symbiote for a brief time (Sometimes referred to as "Wolvenom"). He managed to tear it from his body and fought with it during the series "Venom vs. Wolverine". Wolverine later faced a clone of the Venom symbiote, which briefly merged with him during the "Venom: Run" arc of the 2003 series.
- Pike in Backlash/Spider-Man #2 after a piece of Venom's symbiote was let loose and bonded with him. This combination lasted very briefly, as Spider-Man almost immediately started ringing a church bell, and the symbiote peeled right off of Pike and back onto Venom (oddly enough, Venom didn't seem to be affected by the church bell).
- Normie Osborn, the grandson of the original Green Goblin and friend of Spider-Girl, was the longest-term host of the Venom Symbiote in the MC2 Universe. (This character is sometimes referred to as "Goblin-Venom".) In Spider-Girl #100, he gave up the Venom symbiote to Spider-Girl in order to save her life. These events are part of the MC2 continuity and not the regular continuity.
- Spider-Girl (May "Mayday" Parker) briefly bonds with the Venom symbiote in Spider-Girl #100. In the same issue, the symbiote separates from May and attacks the Hobgoblin which ends with the symbiote's death. These events are part of the MC2 continuity and not the regular continuity.
- Spider-Man's daughter, May "Mayday" Parker, in the alternate reality of Earth X.
- The Punisher wore the Venom symbiote in Marvel's "What If" comic series, which is outside regular continuity.
- The Hulk in "What If...v2#4" alternate storyline. Outside of regular continuity.
- Thor in "What If...v2#4" alternate storyline. Outside of regular continuity.
- Carnage (Currently thought to be without a host)
- Cletus Kasady
- John Jameson
- Ben Reilly
- The Silver Surfer to become "The Carnage Cosmic" (an alternate reality "What If" story expanded this, exploring "What if Carnage had stayed bonded to the Silver Surfer".)
- In the series Exiles (which involves inter-dimensional travel) there is an alternate-universe version of Peter Parker merged with an alternate-universe version of the Carnage-symbiote. This symbiote is known as The Spider. They are a psychotic killer that "likes hurting people" and they have a sense of humor akin to Deadpool. They had been sentenced to death in their home reality but were displaced in time before the sentence could be carried out. They originate from Earth-15 and are members of the Weapon X team.
- In the Spider-Man game for PlayStation/Nintendo 64/Sega Dreamcast, the Carnage symbiote bonds with a weakened Doctor Octopus to form the final boss, "Monster Ock." Spider-Man has to outrun this foe, and the bond is broken when an explosion seemingly kills the symbiote.
- Toxin (worn by Patrick Mulligan)
- Scream (worn by "Donna")
- She-Venom II (Clone of the Venom symbiote, worn by Communications Specialist Patricia Robertson.)
[edit] Active and inactive symbiotes
The activity of the symbiotes and their hosts vary.
- Venom: The Venom symbiote's host is currently The Scorpion (Mac Gargan). None in Marvel 2009.
- Carnage: Unknown; Sentry (Robert Reynolds) ripped the Carnage symbiote in two, but Cletus Kasady may not have been wearing the suit
- Scream: Inactive (Last seen alive but status unknown).
- Hybrid: Inactive
- She Venom II: Unknown, Venom absorbed Patricia's symbiote and it is likely she is deceased.
- Toxin: Active
- Iron Man's Battleworld Suit: Deceased. It is unknown whether this alien being was of the same species as the Spiderman symbiotes. During the Secret Wars, Iron Man also received a new alien suit on the Battleworld. After it began to malfunction, he discarded it on the moon. The alien survived, but it was later killed by Quasar
[edit] Ultimate Symbiote
In the Ultimate Spider-Man universe, the symbiote has vastly changed. The fathers of Peter Parker and Eddie Brock Jr. had created the suit as a protoplasmic cure for cancer. The first stage would be to cover the host's body and eliminate a disease in the patients body. Stage Two would involve the suit enhancing the wearer's strength and natural abilities. The suit was unfinished as Bolivar Trask stole the project from the scientists, but Eddie Brock Sr. saved a small sample for his son to find.
Peter Parker first tries the suit on and ends up with the well-known black costume. The suit vastly increases his strength and agility, allows him to heal from gunshot wounds and use part of the protoplasm to make "webs." However, under stress, the wearer suddenly turns into the Venom monster. Also in the Ultimate Universe, the suits only weakness appears to be electricity as it burned the suit off of Peter (but it nearly killed him). The suit slowly consumes the wearer from the inside, allowing the need to consume other humans. Only through great control can the Venom Suit be controlled.
[edit] Appearances in other media
- Scream appears as one of the villains in Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride.
- In Spider-Man: The Animated Series, the Venom symbiote is brought to earth by John Jameson. Both Venom and Carnage appear in the series.
The Venom symbiote is confirmed to appear in Spider-Man 3, and as in all versions of Spider-Man, the symbiote will attach itself to Spider-Man first, giving his costume a new, black colour and a slightly different spider symbol. The Symbiote then moves to Eddie Brock, and the suit's appearance changes drastically. Venom is confirmed to appear very similar to the comic book version and will fire webbing from the top of his hands, as in the comics. In the Spiderman 3 novelization by Peter David the symbiote in the end of the movie grows to an extremley large state around the final battle site and forms a hostless Venom looking creature from it. Here it attempts to rebond itself with Peter.
 The symbiote pouncing and |
 crawling onto Peter Parker's costume as he sleeps. |
 The symbiote bonds to Eddie Brock, Jr. |
 The symbiote takes over Eddie and transforms him into Venom. |
 Venom in Spider-Man 3 |
[edit] Trivia
- The majority of the human hosts to the symbiotes are citizens of New York. This is due the fact Spider-Man (who brought the first symbiote to Earth) lives there; the symbiote invasion of Earth was also focused on New York.
- Venom is the oldest of all the introduced symbiotes of the Marvel universe, making him highly-prized to the Xenophage, as symbiotes that have been bonded to hosts for long periods of time are considered a delicacy.
- Hybrid was both the first fully heroic symbiote and the first African American host. While Venom has shown certain heroic tendencies, often acted to protect those people he considers to be "innocents", he is also frequently portrayed as obsessive, mentally unstable, and even psychotic. He has also displayed ample willingness to use lethal force. His mental instability and his intense hatred of Spider-Man has usually contributed to his portrayal as a villain.
- Toxin is the first heroic symbiote to get his own limited series.
- The Venom symbiote is the only symbiote to have been worn by both men and women. Normally, the symbiotes in general are worn by males.
- "Webbing" used by Venom and any of the other symbiotes is in fact symbiote tissue and not actual webs.
- Carnage surpassed his "father" Venom by being the first symbiote shown to produce weapons from his limbs. There is some speculation that this is due to the symbiote's gestation on Earth.
- In MC2 continuity series "Spider-Girl" as well as in "Madness" limited series, the Venom symbiote has displayed ability to "grow" additional limbs. The MC2 version has also displayed an ability to morph portions of itself into bladed weapons, indicating that this may be an ability shared by all symbiotes.
- Toxin is said to be the most powerful symbiote of them all - having the abilities of both Venom and Carnage combined. Again, this may be due to his gestation on Earth.
