King in Black/Earth-616

*"You know... I hear what you all say about me. About **us**. And it's fine. Honestly, I've been hearing this question since this all started... hell, I even heard it from my kid. "Is Venom a good guy... or a bad guy?" I get it. I do. I know we can be... you know... a little **erratic**. We've been on both sides of the line so many times even I can't keep track. It's a fair question is what I'm trying to say. And the answer... I don't know. It's not easy... when this all started... when I first got the symbiote and... gave myself this "cool" name, I... Lord help me, I thought- I thought I was doing the right thing. I genuinely thought that killing Spider-Man was the right thing to do. I honestly did. And looking back at it now... God... what was wrong with me? I know. I know. That doesn't answer the question, right? But... it kinda does. You ask me if I'm a good guy or a bad guy, and, well... I mean, if I didn't think I was a bad guy when I was trying to **kill Spider-Man**, how can I trust myself to answer it now? I think the truth is that I... I **so** want to be. I want people to look at me the way they look at him. At Spider-Man. I've seen it. They see him, and they know **everything is going to be okay**, They look at me and... I don't know. Maybe I don't think I'm good enough of a guy to be a good guy. But... I'm trying. **We're** trying. Every day."*
―Eddie Brock to Avengers[src]
**Edward Charles Allan "Eddie" Brock** was born a motherless child who, after having met Anne Weying at Empire State University, became a journalist at the *Daily Globe*. Having thought Emil Gregg was the serial killer Sin-Eater, Brock wrote a story on it, ridiculed once the hero Spider-Man uncovers his alter-ego as detective Stan Carter. A Roman Catholic, Brock, overwhelmed by shame and despair, prayed for forgiveness before attempting to commit suicide. Then, an alien substance of black goo latched onto him, for they both felt a burning rage for Spider-Man and became his notable rival.

This amalgamation of human and alien, **Venom**, eventually made a truce with Spider-Man, moving to the Underground City of San Francisco where they'd operate as an anti-hero, a "**Lethal Protector**", after bringing forth Carnage from Cletus Kasady. However, he reverted to a villainous path after an unsuccessful period attempting to serve as a covert government operative. After separating from the Venom symbiote, Eddie embarked on a journey of seeking redemption for his troubled history. He forged bonds with the **Anti-Venom** and **Toxin** symbiotes, and eventually reclaimed the mantle of Venom. In this role, he endeavored to transform into a genuine hero.

Entering into a conflict with Knull, the deity of symbiotes, Venom's race, Eddie eventually uncovered his son's existence, named Dylan. Eddie released Knull from imprisonment to rescue his son from Carnage's clutches, but later redeemed himself by defeating Knull during his invasion of Earth. In the aftermath, he ascended as the new **King in Black**, ultimately passing on the Venom mantle to his son. However, a cryptic future warning revealed peril to both his son and another loved one, driving Eddie to intervene. In this endeavor, his physical form was killed by an enigmatic entity known as the Absent Throne.

The power of the King in Black enabled Eddie to transcend temporal boundaries, relocating his codex to the Garden of Time. In this realm, he encountered other Kings in Black — versions of his future self: **Finnegan**, **Bedlam**, **Wilde**, **Tyro**, and the Garden's creator, the malevolent **Meridius**. Eddie came to comprehend that these entities were all variations of his future, and he realized he himself would inadvertently cause his son's demise. Amidst these revelations, Eddie discovered a seventh iteration of himself, known as the **Eventuality**. Armed with insights from this god-like being about the King in Black's true essence, Eddie harnessed its power to resurrect and, with an unwavering resolve, vowed to safeguard his son's future.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born in New York, Roman Catholic Edward Charles Allan Brock grew up in suburban San Francisco. Tragedy struck early in his life when his mother Jamie passed away during childbirth. This sorrowful event led to a strained relationship with his father Carl, who harbored blame towards Eddie for his wife's death, resulting in a cold and distant demeanor. Eddie's persistent attempts to earn his father's affection, even excelling academically, yielded only half-hearted acknowledgment. Seeking companionship, he resorted to pilfering items from peers to garner friendships. Additionally, Eddie was subjected to bullying during his youth.

During adolescence, a reckless escapade involving his father's car led to a tragic accident, unintentionally causing harm to a neighbor's son. Although Eddie initially intended to admit his guilt, his father forced him to plead innocence, leading to a strained relationship and severe physical abuse when Eddie resisted. While the legal charges were eventually dropped, the incident had dire financial consequences for his father, tarnishing his reputation and fueling his animosity towards his son.

Upon entering Empire State University, Eddie's life took a new trajectory. He embarked on a romantic relationship with Anne Weying, a law student, and transitioned from a focus on sports to journalism inspired by an article on the Watergate scandal. Graduating from college, he settled in New York City and married Anne. As part of the Associated Press, he pursued a career as a journalist at the Daily Globe, showcasing his remarkable talents. However, even these achievements did little to earn his father's approval.

## Personality

*"Everyone's got an angel and a devil on their shoulder. That's what they said in **group**. What matters is which one you listen to. That's what they said in **group**. Jenna's my angel. I have to listen to her... ...or the devil might start talking again. I'm a force of good now. I've been given the gift of healing. I could heal this guy's hepatitis, even... If I wanted to. When I met Jenna, her veins were full of poison. But I used my powers to cleanse her. She was reborn. New. She now helps me navigate the streets. Helps me cut the cancer out of society. She's the proof that I can do good."*
―Eddie Brock[src]
Eddie Brock's life journey has been a tumultuous odyssey defined by persistent personal challenges and intricate emotional intricacies. Striving for functionality and mental equilibrium, Eddie consistently pursued avenues of self-improvement despite grappling with an array of internal conflicts. From his nascent years through the passage into adulthood, Eddie's unwavering pursuit of success led him down paths of deception and pilferage, all driven by an insatiable craving for recognition and professional advancement. Beneath this veneer lay a profound sense of self-loathing, coupled with a fervent dedication to safeguarding innocence — a foundation formed during a harrowing episode in his youth. Tragically, Eddie's unintentional involvement in a young child's fatality proved to be a catalyst for a cycle of bitterness and anguish, a narrative concealed by his father through cruel and abusive measures. Despite achieving scholastic excellence and carving a niche as a journalist, the coveted approval of his father remained frustratingly elusive, exacerbating his internal turmoil. The accumulation of distressing encounters, including bullying and indignity, contributed to a simmering cauldron of seething anger within him.

The introduction of the symbiote into Eddie's life catalyzed a profound transformation in his demeanor, although this metamorphosis was characterized by intricate and potentially toxic dynamics. In its initial stages, Eddie dismissed the notion of the symbiote exerting negative influence, asserting that its actions merely aligned with an individual's subconscious desires. As the symbiote's insatiable craving for violence escalated, however, Eddie's apprehension deepened, cultivating a sense of dread and resentment. This transformation caused him to perceive the symbiote as a malevolent entity, a demonic apparition dispatched to exact retribution upon him. While Eddie initially attributed his violent deeds to the symbiote's sway and embarked on a path of redemption as Anti-Venom, his mental instability occasionally led to backslides into his previous persona as the Lethal Protector. Gradually, his symbiotic relationship with Toxin unveiled layers of complexity, with initial dominance eventually giving way to a symbiotic harmony — where Eddie learned to embrace the amalgamation of his identity with the symbiote.

With the passage of time, Eddie's dynamic with the Venom symbiote experienced profound evolutions. Shifting from apportioning blame onto the symbiote for his transgressions, Eddie transitioned toward a more nuanced perspective, acknowledging his personal accountability. This transformation culminated in an intricate bond, an intense and possessive connection that saw Eddie affectionately refer to the symbiote as his "darling," paving the way for an intricately orchestrated reunion. Throughout periods of separation, Eddie's most potent fear remained the specter of solitude, an existential dread tied to the symbiote's ability to anchor his sanity.

Motivated by aspirations of heroism, Eddie committed himself to an unwavering partnership with the symbiote, driven by the pursuit of reforming its corrupted essence and guiding it towards benevolence. However, this commitment demonstrated limitations in its application to non-human entities, as Eddie exhibited a willingness to quell the symbiote's hunger through consumption of entities such as Deviant Mutates or clandestine alien observers.

Despite an enduring rivalry with Spider-Man, Eddie's sentiments towards the web-slinger underwent a metamorphosis, evolving into a reluctant mutual respect that eventually fostered instances of collaboration and even friendship. Throughout his arduous journey, marked by internal battles and formidable trials, Eddie Brock's narrative emerges as one defined by growth, redemption, and intricate connections.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *Venom*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 *The Amazing Spider-Man*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Venom: Lethal Protector*
4. ↑ *Spider-Man: Brand New Day Yearbook*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *Venom: Dark Origin*
6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `V2`

## External Links

* Eddie Brock on Wikipedia
* Edward Brock on Marvel Database