Venom: The Last Dance is packed with thrilling action, emotional moments, and a treasure trove of Easter eggs that reward fans of the symbiotic anti-hero and the larger Marvel universe. From subtle nods to classic comic book storylines to clever callbacks to previous films, the movie is a feast for eagle-eyed viewers and longtime Venom enthusiasts.
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These hidden details not only enhance the experience for dedicated fans but also offer a deeper appreciation of the story’s connections and inspirations. Here are some of the best Easter eggs and references you may have missed in Venom: The Last Dance.
Spoilers For The Movie Ahead!
7
The Origin Of The Xenophages
They Predate Knull In The Comics
The Xenophages of the movie are minions of Knull, the main antagonist of the film. He is the creator of the Symbiotes, and is sending his newest, more feral creations (the Xenophages in question) to hunt his betraying offspring, almost like a reverse plot to the Eternals.
In the comics, the Xenophages aren’t minions of Knull, and in fact predate him in terms of appearance in the comics. However, adapting them into this role fits them well, since they were already an alien species known for hunting Symbiotes throughout the cosmos.
6
The Scientist Teddy Paine
A Nod To Thaddeus
A scientist we follow throughout the film is Dr. Teddy Paine, who has a traumatic past about being struck by lightning, something that killed her brother (they were holding hands and the current flowed towards him). Her name, role as a scientist, and presence of a brother are all nods towards her male counterpart in the comics, Thaddeus Paine.
Thaddeus was a twisted genius who experimented with symbiotes, often crossing ethical boundaries in his quest for power. By introducing Teddy as a female counterpart, the film pays homage to its comic book roots while giving the character a fresh twist, not unlike Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse did with the character of Doctor Octopus.
5
The Necrosword
It Almost Made Its Debut In Thor: Love And Thunder
The Necrosword is a deadly weapon that has a rich history in Marvel lore, famously tied to Venom’s origins. Fans of the comics might remember the blade being wielded by Gorr the God Butcher, a character that already appeared in the film Thor: Love and Thunder.
However, due to Marvel Studios not having the rights to Venom’s story, the film couldn’t explicitly name it the Necrosword or reference its symbiotic origins. This fabled blade makes its official debut in the hands of Knull, and could possibly enter the Sacred Timeline if we see Knull in the next Spider-Man film.
4
Knull’s Place In The Multiverse
He Seems To Live Outside Of Them
The dark abyss that Knull is imprisoned in seems to be outside any known universe, existing as a strange place between them. This would make Knull a potential threat to all universes, not only the one where the Sony movies take place, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.
The reason we say this is due to the post-credits scene where Knull finally shows his face, establishing himself as a real threat, and that this won’t be the last we see of him. Since Venom dies during the film, the last remnant of his symbiote resides in Tom Holland’s universe, making Spider-Man 4 the next likely place we’ll see an all-out Knull fight.
3
Rhys Ifans’ Character
A Nod Or A Bait?
The actor Rhys Ifans has already appeared in a number of Spider-Man related films, playing the character of Curtis Connors, the scientist that turns into a humanoid lizard after a failed experiment to have his arm grow back. He was the antagonist in the Andrew Garfield run of films, and appeared during the team-up of all three cinematic Spider-Men in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
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The actor comes back in Venom: The Last Dance, although as a completely different character, this time as Martin, a man obsessed with Area 51. It isn’t clear if his inclusion in the movie is meant as a nod to his character, a misdirection, or just a mere coincidence, but in the eyes of fans he is a reference to a beloved character of the Spider-Man comics.
2
The Mystery Man
Just Who Is He?
Throughout the movie, both Venom and Eddie are on the run, not only from Knull’s Xenophages, but also from a military man known as Rex. Rex is working under the orders of a mystery man whose identity we are never told, making us unsure if we are meant to speculate about the character or if it was a cut plot point.
Taking the fun route, we can speculate about a lot of possibilities for the character, with fans wanting the character to be Mr. Negative, a popular antagonist made even more popular by the recent Spider-Man games. A more likely possibility is Norman Osborne, a wealthy man often known for becoming the Green Goblin, one of the most well-known Spider-Man antagonists.
1
The Many Symbiotes
Color Coded References
During the final battle of the film, many symbiotes are released to battle the swarm of Xenophages sent by Knull, with Venom choosing to sacrifice himself to end the invasion. These many symbiotes are references to comic book characters that aren’t likely to appear in future movies, although some surviving fighters might.
The most prominently shown symbiotes are the ones that bond with Sadie and Teddy, two scientists that appear throughout the film. The symbiotes themselves are never named, but due to their color and design, we believe they are Lasher and Agony respectively, and might appear in future Sony films or even in Spider-Man 4.
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Venom: The Last Dance – Ending, Explained
An underwhelming end to a middling franchise, here’s the ending to Venom: The Last Dance, explained.