But wait—do you know Knull? Before we get to his demise, it's only fair we give a bit of a backstory to this dark deity. After all, how could anyone truly appreciate the fall of such a powerful entity without first understanding his immense role in the cosmic universe?
Who Was Knull?
Alright, let's set the scene. Knull wasn’t just your typical villain—oh no, this dude was a primordial god. Like, literally! Knull existed before the universe as we know it, before there was light, before there were stars, even before there were cosmic beings like Galactus or the Celestials. Marvel’s cosmic lore is vast, but Knull was there at the very beginning, in the great abyss of nothingness.
Knull was the original god of the Void, and he really hated the Light (you know, the opposite of dark and gloom). He saw it as a disruption to his peaceful void. The Celestials—the big guys responsible for creating life and stars—kicked off his grudge by bringing light into the universe. Not cool, right? So Knull, being the charming dude he is, decided to create a giant sword (the All-Black, the Necrosword) out of living darkness and proceeded to chop the heads off Celestials. He wasn’t playing.
He also created the symbiotes—the gooey alien organisms that most people associate with Venom and Carnage. Yeah, those guys. Knull was the progenitor of them all, and they served him, shaping galaxies and conquering worlds in his name. This dude was terrifying.
Now that you’ve got a brief overview, let’s move to the part we’re all waiting for: his demise. Spoiler alert—Knull doesn't go down easily. If you're picturing some chump villain getting flicked off the page, you’ve got the wrong idea. Knull’s fall was nothing short of an epic, universe-shattering event.
The Prelude to Knull’s Death
Okay, let’s fast forward. Knull had been sealed away for eons, but when he made his grand return, it wasn’t just a little “hello.” He launched an intergalactic invasion of Earth in the event known as “King in Black” (2020–2021), penned by Donny Cates and illustrated by Ryan Stegman.
Earth was in chaos. Knull arrived in full force, bringing with him an army of symbiote dragons, blanketing the planet in darkness. His goal was simple: consume the light, claim Earth, and wipe out any resistance. And he was winning. Superheroes were falling left and right. Even cosmic heavyweights like the Silver Surfer and Thor had trouble dealing with Knull’s power. He was that strong.
But the key players in this battle were Venom (Eddie Brock) and his son, Dylan Brock. Yes, Venom, the classic anti-hero, was going to be central to Knull’s downfall. Surprised? You shouldn't be—after all, Venom is Knull's greatest creation and ultimately his greatest undoing.
Knull’s Weakness: A Bit of a Mythical Twist
Before we get to the actual showdown, let's talk about Knull's vulnerability. Knull, for all his dark, godly might, had a kryptonite of sorts: the Light. Yes, just like you’d expect in any good story, darkness can’t stand the light. But this wasn’t your regular lightbulb light; this was cosmic-level energy, the power of creation itself.
A certain cosmic artifact, called the Enigma Force, played a critical role here. The Enigma Force is linked to the character Captain Universe and represents the power of the universe itself, often referred to as “the God of Light” in the King in Black storyline. Now, this God of Light would be the very thing to counter Knull’s God of the Void.
And here's where things get really interesting—guess who ends up wielding this power? Venom! Well, Eddie Brock, to be specific. The very being that Knull created was going to be the key to his downfall. This is some Shakespeare-level irony, folks.
The Final Showdown: Eddie Brock vs. Knull
Knull’s rampage on Earth was going full throttle, and things looked pretty grim. Even with the Avengers, X-Men, and cosmic entities joining forces, Knull’s control was absolute. But Eddie Brock, who had been through hell during the event, eventually bonded with the Enigma Force and became the new Captain Universe.
With this newly gained cosmic power, Eddie was transformed into an unstoppable force of light. And when I say “unstoppable,” I mean Eddie was literally glowing with power and could now go toe-to-toe with Knull, who had been previously unbeatable.
The final fight took place in the heavens, above Earth, as the universe held its breath. It was a battle of gods—a clash between creation and destruction, light and void, hope and despair. Eddie, wielding the power of the Enigma Force, wasn’t just holding his own—he was overwhelming Knull.
In an epic, high-stakes moment, Eddie ripped the symbiote armor from Knull’s body, stripping him of his power and exposing him for what he truly was: a god brought low. But that wasn’t enough. Eddie then plunged Knull into the heart of the sun, obliterating him in a literal blaze of light.
But Knull, being the ultimate force of darkness, had one last ace up his sleeve. He tried to appeal to Eddie, offering him ultimate power and control over all symbiotes if he spared him. Eddie, being the hero that he is, rejected the offer, symbolically and physically crushing Knull’s essence, ensuring the dark god’s reign of terror ended for good.
And just like that, Knull was no more.
What Happened After?
So, what happens after a cosmic god of darkness bites the dust? Well, the aftermath of Knull’s death had some major repercussions across the Marvel universe.
First, Eddie Brock, now imbued with the Enigma Force, became a cosmic guardian of sorts, evolving into a much larger force in the Marvel Universe. Venom went from being just a street-level anti-hero to a major cosmic player. Quite the glow-up, right?
Dylan Brock, Eddie’s son, also played a huge role during the event and became more important to the future of symbiotes. The death of Knull freed countless worlds from his control, and symbiotes across the galaxy were no longer bound to his dark will.
On a thematic level, Knull’s death symbolized the triumph of light over darkness, hope over despair—classic comic book stuff, sure, but always satisfying when done right. And boy, was this done right. The sheer scale of the “King in Black” event, combined with Knull’s fall, was one of the most epic moments in modern Marvel Comics.
Why Knull’s Death Was So Important
The death of Knull was not just another villain defeat—it was a universe-altering moment that tied together years of storytelling. Knull wasn’t just a one-off bad guy. He had been teased for years, with his influence being felt across multiple titles before finally taking center stage. His death closed the chapter on a massive arc of Marvel’s cosmic and symbiote saga.
More importantly, it cemented Venom’s status as one of the most significant characters in the Marvel universe. For years, Venom was mostly known as Spider-Man’s villain or a morally ambiguous anti-hero. But by defeating Knull, Eddie Brock and Venom became legendary.
And let's face it—how cool is it that a character who started as a gooey, brain-eating alien symbiote went on to defeat a cosmic god of darkness? That’s the stuff comic book dreams are made of.
Conclusion: The End of Knull
So, there you have it. Knull, the God of the Void, met his end at the hands of his own creation, Eddie Brock. The battle was epic, the stakes were high, and the consequences were universe-altering. Marvel's “King in Black” event will be remembered as one of the most impressive comic book arcs in recent memory, and Knull's death stands as the pinnacle of that story.
But even in death, Knull’s influence lingers. The symbiotes, now free from his control, are evolving, and who knows what dark threats may rise in the future? After all, in the Marvel Universe, death is rarely the end...
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