Venom: The Last Dance was advertised as the farewell to Eddie Brock and his best symbiote friend. But Sony’s live-action Spider-Verse isn’t going anywhere. That was made very clear during The Last Dance‘s first end-credits scene. What happened and what does it mean? Here’s why it’s potentially a very big, franchise-altering moment.
Venom sacrificed himself—or at least most of himself—at the end of The Last Dance. It was the only way he could both save Eddie’s life and the universe from his creator Knull. The God of Symbiotes didn’t get the codex he needed to free himself, but Knull did get new motivation. During the film’s first of two end-credits scenes he made a sinister, terrifying promise.
The scene showed him still sitting atop his lonely throne on his planetary prison surrounded by dark shadows. From there he shared his plans when he finally (inevitably?) breaks out:
Your champion has fallen. Your planets will be mine. The King in Black is awake. I will kill your world. Everyone will burn. And you will watch.
Threats don’t get much more direct. How Knull delivered that short speech was just as scary With his last statement he picked up his head and finally gave us the clearest look at his nightmarish face.
Knull is angry and ready to unleash darkness on the entire universe, but when and where? Venom: The Last Dance left open the possibility of Earth’s “champion” returning. The film’s second end-credits scene reminded viewers Venom left behind a tiny piece of himself. (That was especially noteworthy since Venom told Eddie goodbye “for now” before his fatal acid bath.) Only, it’s not even clear a Venom 4 will ever happen. Even if it does, Knull is a far too powerful enemy for Venom alone. Multiple symbiotes couldn’t stop two of Knull’s monsters. They’d have no shot against their creator. They’d need help. A lot of help.
That’s partly why this scene felt much bigger than a tease for a possible Venom sequel. It was more akin to how the MCU slowly set up Thanos as its big crossover villain in standalone movies. That might be exactly what Sony is doing with its growing live-action Spider-Verse. It needs a powerful, dangerous character that could justify a big team-up. Who better to do that than a god “older than the universe itself.”
Knull might be the franchise’s first Thanos-level threat, a figure so singularly dangerous it will finally bring all of the franchise’s many characters together. Spider-Man alone can’t beat Knull. Neither can Morbius or Kraven who will soon make his Sony-Verse debut. But all of them working with other superheroes and surviving symbiotes? Then, and only then, they might have a chance when Knull shows up.
The King in Black isn’t just awake. Venom: The Last Dance‘s end-credits scene showed he’s fired up. He wants both freedom and vengeance. Knull wants to spread darkness everywhere forever. When he tries he could be the villain who finally brings everyone from Sony’s Spider-Verse to one movie.