Venom (Symbiote)

“	You wanted a monster, I made you a monster... or a masterpiece. History will be my judge.	”
	— Doc Ock about Venom

Venom
[[File:|250px|Venom (Symbiote)]]
Biographical information
Physical description
Species	Symbiote
Gender	Genderless
Personal information
Affiliation	Oscorp
Relatives	Spider-Man (genetic template / fifth host) Doctor Octopus (creator) Flash Thompson (first host) Nova (second host) Power Man (third host) Iron Fist (fourth host) Harry Osborn (sixth host) Phil Coulson (seventh host) Nick Fury (eighth host) Green Goblin (ninth host) Carnage (variation) Spider Soldiers (variation) Venom (counterpart)
Production details
First appearance	"Venom"
Voiced by	Matt Lanter (primarily) Steven Weber (occasionally) Dee Bradley Baker (Agent Venom (Episode))
GALLERY

Venom is a Symbiote created from Spider-Man's DNA by Doctor Octopus for Oscorp. This living organism that can attach itself to a human host to form an almost unstoppable villain. He is the tertiary antagonist of Season 1 and a minor antagonist in Season 2. He is also another one of Spider-Man's arch-enemies.

Physical appearance

Resembling a substance of black liquefied slime, Venom can change shape and can form a face with eyes that have a jagged white outline and a mouth with razor-sharp teeth. After taking a host, Venom gains an extreme muscular physical body and grows larger depending on the host's size. He also has a big white spider on his chest, big hands with long nails and big feet with long toenails.

Flash Thompson

After bonding with Flash Thompson, the symbiote developed spiky hair, a muscular build, and several tentacles out of its back.

Nova

After bonding with Nova, the symbiote developed a head similar in shape to Nova's helmet and a wider jaw than seen on any other form the symbiote took when it bonded with the other hosts. It had the patterns of the Nova Corps uniform.

Power Man

After bonding with Power Man, the symbiote developed symbiotic-based sunglasses. It had a muscular build, patterns of Power Man's uniform, and grew four tentacles out of its back.

Iron Fist

After bonding with Iron Fist, the symbiote developed a head similar in shape of Iron Fist's mask and had the patterns and the symbol of Iron Fist's costume.

Spider-Man

After bonding with Spider-Man, Venom developed the same features of Spider-Man's albeit a pure black costume and a white spider symbol, as well as sharp teeth, a muscular build, four tentacles out of his back.

Harry Osborn

After bonding with Harry Osborn, the symbiote initially has a variation of Spider-Man's costume: a pure black attire with a white spider symbol. But while taking over its host, Venom has a massive hulking form with the same features albeit a muscular build, sharp teeth, a long tongue, and a more sinister look. After absorbing the Carnage symbiote, Venom's later look with this host may have been because of some enhancements.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents

After escaping confinement and bonded to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the modified symbiote developed slender builds with razor-sharp teeth and a little similar to the Carnage symbiote albeit pure black. After bonding to Phil Coulson, Venom developed a slightly muscular build with a tight jaw-line. After enveloping Nick Fury, Venom developed a muscular yet slender build with a gun attachment and only one eye.

Green Goblin

After merging with the Green Goblin, Venom developed an outline similar to its host's pointed ears, narrow eyes and very muscular build. Unlike most hosts, Green Goblin wasn't possessed, likely due to the fact that they wanted the same things.

Personality

Venom is an emotionless being who is confused the second that it was created from Spider-Man's DNA. Its personality changes depending on who it is bonded to, though it stays with distilled aggression. The only thing it desires is to bond with Spider-Man until Harry Osborn attempted to control it for himself. While latched onto Harry, Venom rejected Spider-Man saying that he doesn't need him.

History

First version

Creation

Venom is a symbiote created by Dr. Otto Octavius after obtaining from a blood sample from Spider-Man left in a battle with an Octobot. At the same moment it was created, the 'living suit of armor' started to act aggressively as it was made from all the deadliest aspects of Spider-Man's DNA. Despite Octavius needing few months to perfect the life-form, Norman Osborn only gave

a month to do so. After Otto tells Osborn about needing more time to have something for that night, the symbiote escaped and wanted to return to where it came from Spider-Man. The organism followed Peter Parker to Harry Osborn's party. After realizing that Peter is Spider-Man, it became confused and began jumping from host to host. Using its ability to latch onto anyone, it latched onto Flash Thompson, Nova, Power Man, and Iron Fist in the process. After finally bonding to Spider-Man, it became complete and proclaimed itself as "Venom" and attempted to kill Spider-Man's allies. When the symbiote targeted Harry and Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man suddenly began to regain control and fight back and eventually broke free. Although the organism bested its host in hand-to-hand combat, Spider-Man trapped and shocked the symbiote with his "electro webs," seemingly destroying the symbiote. Unknown to most people, a small piece of the symbiote ended up on a piano in the Osborn family room at some point. Without Peter noticing, Harry scraped it into a bottle, trapping and keeping it.

Black Suit Spidey

After attempting to train the Venom Symbiote, Harry Osborn uses it to become the Black Suit Spidey to impress people. Harry revealed to Peter Parker that he was the Black-Suit Spidey and assured his friend that he has the organism under control. After Norman Osborn blew him off, Harry became enraged and the suit began to feed off its host's negative emotions. During a battle with Dragon Man, the suit began to consume Harry, and Venom eventually transformed into a massive, hulking creature while fighting Spider-Man. Now in control of its host, Venom fought Spider-Man across the New York City, through Oscorp in front of Norman and was thrown into a massive Daily Bugle television screen. The electricity caused the suit to explode, freeing Harry. However, a small piece of the Symbiote stayed with Harry without him noticing.

Controlling Harry Osborn

Venom gradually returned and took over Harry Osborn's body initially as the Black-Suit Spidey to brutally beat Batroc the Leaper, which led to J. Jonah Jameson claiming the attacker to be Spider-Man. When Harry gets enraged by Norman Osborn's negligence yet again, Venom took over and attacked its host's fat

her. As Spider-Man tries to intervene, Venom throws Norman out of Oscorp's building then fled the scene. Venom later returned to Oscorp to attack Norman but Spider-Man intervened again. Within Oscorp's lab, Venom fought against Spider-Man and then the S.H.I.E.L.D. Trainees. After Venom fled the scene again, a piece of the Symbiote was taken by White Tiger. Venom went to Midtown High School and ambushed the Trainees. When Spider-Man arrived on the scene with an Anti-Venom, they got onto the roof where Harry tried to free himself but Venom strained himself and claimed there is only Venom. Venom chased after Spider-Man but was struck by lightning. Venom was then injected by the Anti-Venom of Spider-Man, Harry was apparently freed and Venom vanished.

Attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier

However, Harry Osborn is later shown to have the Symbiote still in his system, only

showing itself at severe emotional times for its host. While on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier was attacked, the Green Goblin shocked Harry to turn his son into Venom. Father and son teamed up against Spider-Man as the Helicarrier continued to sink. Spider-Man tries to talk Venom out of it when he tried to free himself of Venom, with Harry grabbing an electrified wire which made the organism leave his body. Green Goblin then took the symbiote to find someone who was actually worthy of wearing this 'magnificent creature' and left.^[1]

Carnage

After fighting Spider-Man, the Green Goblin abducted and injected Peter Parker with a sample of Venom Symbiote, turning the boy into Carnage. After Green Goblin commanded Carnage fight Spider-Man

, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Spider-Man's teammates fight Carnage. As Carnage fights them all, Harry realized that Peter is Carnage's host and commanded Carnage to stop, which it obeyed. When Harry touched Carnage, the Symbiote left Peter and attached itself onto Harry as a modified form of Venom. Now in control of the organism, Venom formed a truce with Spider-Man to take Green Goblin down. As Venom's aggressiveness gradually took over its host, Peter arrived to talk sense into Harry. Harry managed to free himself from the Symbiote and placed it in a beaker and later ended up in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.^[2] 

Unleashed on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Tricarrier

Unknown to anyone, a sample of the Venom Symbiote was in Green Goblin's possession to continue finding the perfect host. After the Green Goblin was 'defeated' by Spider-Man's team, the villain was en-route to a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison on the moon aboard S.H.I.E.L.D. Tricarrier when he released the unmodified sample of the Symbiote which reunited with the sample

confiscated by S.H.I.E.L.D., becoming whole again. Venom escaped and latch itself onto numerous S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and pitched them against Spider-Man then freed Green Goblin. Although Spider-Man took Venom's multiple hosts down with ease, Phil Coulson was enveloped and attacked Spider-Man. With the help of Nick Fury, Coulson is subdued but Fury got enveloped himself in the process. Spider-Man eventually defeated Fury. To stop Doctor Octopus from creating another Anti-Venom and since Spider-Man suited up into the Iron Spider Armor, Green Goblin bonds with the Venom Symbiote and battles Spider-Man until eventually Doctor Octopus's Anti-Venom killed all the multiple Symbiotes from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents while the original was expelled from Green Goblin. With its host back to normal and now latched onto nobody, Spider-Man sent the Venom Symbiote into a vacuum. Spider-Man used his Iron Spider Armor's rocket jets to decimate Venom and also to force himself back inside the Tricarrier, destroying the Venom Symbiote once for all.

Legacy

Doctor Octopus's Spider Soldiers are an amalgam of Venom-like drones and Oscorp's armor technology.

Loki, impressed with Venom, has Doctor Octopus create a mass-produced version of the Venom Symbiote.

Both Spider-Man and Agent Venom refer to the 'old Venom' while describing the original organism.

Relationships

Peter Parker/Spider-Man

S.H.I.E.L.D. Trainees

Harry Osborn

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin

Doctor Octopus

Powers and Abilities

Venom assimilates and takes on the powers and abilities of his host or hosts. Venom's form seems to always be modeled by the person it has bonded with. As it is made from Spiderman's DNA, its primary abilities every since it first bonded with him became permanently like Spider-Man's, even when using a different host. Therefore, while it could previously use the powers of those it possessed, it can now possess them and grant Spider-Powers. The symbiote grants the following powers:

• Superhuman Strength: Venom is stronger than Spider-Man.
• Superhuman Durability: Venom is able to take multiple hits from its enemies.
• Superhuman Agility: Despite its huge appearance, Venom is able of jumping 30 feet and is very agile.
• Superhuman Reflexes: Despite its size, Venom is very flexible.
• Regeneration: Due to its unique physiology, Venom is able to regenerate any lost or injured bio-mass almost-instantaneously. It can even instantly heal the injuries, disorders or infections of its host.
• Webbing Generation: Venom can shoot strands of the substance in the form of "webbing."
• Wall-Crawling: Venom is able to climb most surfaces.
• ESP (Spider-Sense): Venom possesses an extrasensory ability similar to Spider-Man’s spider-sense.
• Poisonous Fangs: Venom’s set of fangs not only intimidates foes but can deliver a powerful, venomous bite.
• Shapeshifting: Venom can change its size and shape, with or without a host.
  • Stretchable Tongue: Venom can stretch out its tongue.
  • Tendrils: Venom can generate tendrils from its body.
• Possession: Venom has the ability to latch onto anyone and use their powers while taking control of their bodies.

Weaknesses

Despite being a monstrous creature with extraordinary powers, Venom has a weakness for lightning. When it gets in contact with electricity, Venom either gets vaporized,^[3] or paralyzed.^[4]

Appearances

Season 1

• Venom (debut)
• Back in Black
• Venomous
• Revealed (cameo appearance)
• Rise of the Goblin

Season 2

• The Lizard (mentioned only)
• Carnage
• Venom Bomb (last appearance)
• Second Chance Hero (mentioned only)

Season 3: Web-Warriors

• The Avenging Spider-Man Part 1 (mentioned only)
• Agent Venom (mentioned only)
• The Next Iron Spider (indirect mention)

Gallery

Trivia

• While Venom was created by Doctor Octopus (for Norman Osborn) from a sample of Spider-Man's DNA in the series, the original Ultimate Marvel version was created by Richard Parker (Peter Parker`s dad) in order to cure cancer, while the original version is an extraterrestrial parasite that needed a host to survive.
• Venom's main weakness is intense heat, vibration, and sound in the comics and in its previous incarnation.
• Venom's first major host is Eddie Brock in the comics, movies, other TV series, and video games.
  • On a related note, Venom's season one look resembles the Eddie Brock version.
• Venom's second major host is Mac Gargan in the comics and video games.
  • On another related note, Venom's season two look resembles the Mac Gargan incarnation.
• The Black Suit Spider-Man's appearance is given to Harry Osborn rather than Spider-Man.
• Venom is an alien from outer space from the comics and other TV Series.

Background in other media

• This is Venom's nineteenth other media appearance and fourth animated appearance.

References

1. ↑ "Venomous". Man of Action (writer) & Phil Pignotti (director). June 24, 2012. No. 11.
2. ↑ "Carnage". TBA (writers) & TBA (director). March 31, 2013. No. 34.
3. ↑ "Venom". Man of Action, James Felder (writers) & Gary Hartle, Jeff Allen (directors). Ultimate Spider-Man. April 15, 2012. No. 4.
4. ↑ "Venomous". Man of Action (writer) & Phil Pignotti (director). June 24, 2012. No. 11.