Venom movie ending and sequel: WHY Venom did THIS with Eddie explained

Venom has smashed its opening weekend and already taken more than $200million worldwide.

Early reviews had been harsh but audiences are responding to the rather old-school comicbook movie tone.

However, the final scenes and one of the end credit moments are a little confusing and slightly rushed, leaving some major plot points hanging.

Obviously this will delve into major spoilers, so don’t read beyond this point if you don’t want to know what happens at the end of the film.

The film’s director, Ruben Fleischer, has already stated that he is taking a new approach to the origins of the alien symbiotes and how they end up on Earth.

Venom and Eddie Brock are always linked in the source material, but Spider-Man is usually involved.

This time, Eddie and Venom merge after the journalist pokes around the Life Foundation. All the captured symbiotes have struggled to find compatible hosts, killing all the previous human test subjects.

In the movie, Venom makes it clear that Eddie is the best match he has found, which explains why he stays in his body and helps him survive. But WHY does Venom then betray his entire race at the end?

Riz Ahmed’s Carlton Drake also successfully merges with the symbiote leader, Riot, who has plans to take the Life Foundation ship back to his people and return with a full invasion force to colonise Earth.

Why does Venom help Eddie stop this? This is by far one of the weakest parts of the movie.

Venom seems to rapidly sympathise with some humans, also taking a liking to Eddie’s ex Anne. It also declares that it likes Earth and wants to make it its home. This makes virtually no sense, especially in such a short space of time.

It is understandable that Venom wants to remain in a highly compatible host body, keep it alive and return to it when separated. But why cede so much control to Eddie and why on Earth help Earth against its own entire race? 

Venom gives the answer in one hugely unsatisfactory throwaway line.

VENOM ENDING: WHO IS CARNAGE?

Venom has already refererred to Eddie as a “loser” in life and in love.

It becomes clear that Venom itself is the runt of the symbiote pack and openly disparaged by the dominant alpha, Riot.

Venom then declares alliegiance and loyalty to Eddie, and by extention Earth, by saying that it is “a loser, too.” It’s possible, perhaps, to extract from this that Venom thinks it will have a better life, more freedom and more power on Earth than it would as a weak member of its own race, but the issue is so rushed and played for laughs, it’s difficult to tell.

It is also clear that Venom has a new kind of almost affectionate and playful bond and rapport with Eddie which no other symbiote (so far) has displayed.

This then forms the basis of their partnership which will move forward into the sequel, with many expecting this particular form of bond to lead into the Lethal Protector comicbook storyline.

VENOM IS OUT NOW IN CINEMAS