Venom: Space Knight #10 (2016)

On the Planet of the Symbiotes, Hilla asks if she can see the Venom symbiote's trial, but Flash remarks there isn't much to see as Venom roars angrily. Across the arena, Myntril tells Tarna that the Venom symbiote must face its trial alone so that the Agents of the Cosmos can see what it truely it. When Myntril says that the Agents of the Cosmos are agents of peace, Tarna retorts that the trial is the exact opposite of peace. Myntril rebukes her, saying that all he sees is a lost Klyntar, and warns that he hopes she's not lost too. Flash grimly remarks that it's not a trial, but an execution. In the arena, the Venom symbiote faces off with a purple, an orange, a blue, a green, and a red Symbiote. Flash thinks to himself that he hates liars because he raised by one, that he should have known better than to trust the Agents of the Cosmos, and that he should have protected his friend. Pik Rollo suggests they appeal to Myntril, but Flash says he's not the listening type. As Venom continues to fight, Flash reaches towards it but is repelled by an energy barrier, angrily remarking that the Agents of the Cosmos lied to him. As he storms off, Pik asks where he's going and he says to rescue his friend. Pik remarks that it sounds like a terrible idea, and asks if she can join him. As they approach the door to the arena, a guard tells them only Klyntar are permitted to enter the arena. Flash demands to be let through, but the guard refuses, so Flash, Pik, Hilla, and Iqa attack. In the arena, the red Klyntar and the purple Klyntar tell the Venom symbiote it's fallen and left them no choice, slashing and impaling it, but the Venom symbiote throws them to the ground. As Flash and his team face off with the guards, Myntril intervenes and demands the guards open the blast shield, not wanting to see any more bloodshed. The guard protests, but Myntril orders him to allow Flash to die with his friend. As the blast door opens, Myntril - actually Tarna in disguise - tells Flash he has to jump, but the real Myntril arrives and shouts for the blast shield to be closed. Flash jumps through the door and calls out for the Venom symbiote to help him, but it swats him aside with a tentacle. Landing in a pile of weapons, Flash looks up to see the Venom symbiote fighting the other Klyntar, and ponders his next move. Up above, Myntril berates Tarna for betraying the Cosmos, stating she doesn't understand what the trial entails and that only Venom can participate. Tarna rebukes him, stating that she was trying to protect her friend. Hilla confronts Myntril, and when he scolds her she retorts that he talks too much and attacks him. In the arena, the Venom symbiote is knocked over by the green and red Klyntar. As the blue Klyntar moves in to attack, Flash attacks it from behind with a battle-axe. Up above, Flash's group fights Myntril and the guards, with Hilla holding her own against the former. Myntril commends her, and Pik retorts that all members of their clan are warriors. Tarna demands that Myntril stop the trial, but he snares Hilla in tendrils and replies that the trials will end when a judgement is made. Standing between the Venom symbiote and the other Klyntar, Flash tells them that they can judge it if they want, but not alone and not with a fight; turning and scolding the Venom symbiote for starting the battle in the first place. He suggests they give peace a chance, to which the Venom symbiote acquiesces. As the other Klyntar lunge, Flash remarks he should have seen this coming. Tarna watches in horror as the symbiotes envelop Flash and the Venom symbiote, and asks Myntril what's going on. Myntril replies that the real trial is beginning. Surrounded by a multicolored vortex, Flash asks the Venom symbiote if they're in Klyntar Heaven or Klyntar Hell. the symbiotes hive mind assures him they're not dead, but have passed the test. The Venom symbiote is incredulous that they passed by surrendering, but the symbiotes hive-mind informs it that not all battles can be won through violence, and that it stands accused of walking off the path. As images of its past hosts Eddie Brock and Mac Gargan, and of its battles with Spider-Man and Carnage appear, the symbiotes hive-mind states that despite all the suffering it had endured, the cleanse should have purified it. The Venom symbiote wonders if it was not worthy, but the symbiotes hive-mind states that both it and Flash proved worthy, but that the cleanse was not complete because something - someone was missing. Flash realizes they're referring to Andrea Benton, the host of the Venom symbiote's demonically-augmented clone, Mania, and laments she's a friend he failed to protect. the symbiotes hive-mind informs him that Andrea is in pain: the hell-mark bestowed by Mephisto has corrupted the Mania symbiote. Up above, Tarna asks what's going on, and Myntril remarks that the trial is over. The blue Klyntar states that Andrea Benton and the Mania symbiote must be cleansed before the Venom symbiote can be free from its own pain and corruption. Flash asks if the cleanse can remove the hell mark, but the symbiotes states that such supernatural afflictions are beyond the cleanse's capability to heal, but that there is a temple on the planet Wenb housing the Fountain of Purity, which would keep Andrea's demons suppressed long enough for her to be cleansed. As they leave, Hilla asks the Venom symbiote if it's alright, and if it saw her beat up the guards. The Venom symbiote states that it's not alright, and that it didn't see her fight but that she probably made her mother proud. Iqa asks Flash what's next, but he is unsure. Tarna apologizes to Myntril for doubting him, and he tells her that standing by her friends is a noble sentiment, but that the Agents of the Cosmos must be above such ties. He tells her to go with her friends, but warns her that when she returns she will be put on trial herself. Onboard their ship, Flash addresses his comrades, telling them that when he came to space he was happy to finally find his place, but that in doing so he left some things behind that he should have taken care of a long time ago. Iqa and Pik tell Flash that they will take care of the elixir for him, and when he asks if he should come too, Tarna tells him he's needed on Earth. Echoing his earlier thoughts, Flash thinks to himself that he hates liars because he was raised by one, and that he should have known better, and that he should have protected his friend from the biggest liar he knows: himself. On Earth, Mania stalks through an alley before collapsing, the symbiote retracting to reveal Andrea Benton, who huddles into the fetal position and begs for someone to help her.