King in Black #5 (2021)

Brief Synopsis The Silver Surfer takes a stand against Knull, transforming his board into a sword to fight the god of the symbiotes. The other super heroes at the scene charge against Knull, but they are interrupted when Eddie Brock blasts into the battleground, arriving bonded to the Enigma Force, taking an appearance similar to Venom. Knull's taunts are interrupted when Eddie calls both Mjolnir and the Surfer's sword-shaped board to him, and merges them into a battle axe. He lunges at Knull, and the villain gives chase. He sends his dragons after Venom, but he easily massacres them. When Knull tries to strike with his Necrosword, Eddie blocks the attack and disintegrates the weapon. Venom corners Knull and the villain summons one of his symbiote-infected Celestials, but Brock beheads it. Taking Knull to the top of the Empire State Building, Brock mirrors the villain's attempt on his life. He uses his battle axe to strip Knull's symbiote armor off the villain, and lets go of him. Knull survives the fall, but warns Eddie that he can't win since his darkness lives on in his son Dylan. Dropping his axe, Eddie takes off with Knull and plunges with him into the Sun, where he atomizes the villain with the Uni-Power. On Earth, the vampires that had assisted Blade turn on him, but are quickly disintegrated when the symbiotic dome surrounding the Earth breaks apart and sunlight comes through. Thor and the Silver Surfer call to each of their weapons, and they unmerge from Venom's battle axe. Eddie returns to Manhattan and approaches Dylan, who is agonizing due to the piece of Knull inside his body. Using the Uni-Power, Eddie rips it Knull's corruption off his son and destroys it. The Enigma Force leaves Eddie, declaring that its protection is no longer needed. The Venom symbiote returns to Eddie and they become Venom again. They grow wings and take flight, with the symbiotes harmlessly orbiting around them. Venom reveals to Eddie that he has become the new god of the symbiotes by freeing their kind from Knull, meaning he is the new King in Black. Detailed Synopsis The Silver Surfer and Knull face off, Knull recalling Silver Surfer: Black Vol 1. Preparing to resume their duel, the Surfer - restored to his chrome self by the God of Light - transforms his board into a greatsword and scoffs that he remains unimpressed with Knull, remarking that the God of Light has arisen and chosen a new host. Transforming his symbiote-armor into a more combat-oriented appearance, Knull sneers that the Silver Surfer should remember that no-matter how far light travels there will always be darkness waiting for it. Manifesting his Necrosword, Knull remarks that in a way he admires the Silver Surfer and will give him a noble death, remembering him as a worthy opponent. Smirking, the Silver Surfer remarks that he isn't facing Knull alone as members of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four charge towards them. Before the battle can be joined, Eddie Brock - transformed into a Captain Universe form resembling Venom with glowing eyes and spider-emblems, and constellation-like patterns - lands between Knull and the assembled heroes, saying he'll take it from here. As Spider-Man is shocked to see Eddie alive, Knull grins and mockingly sneers that he's not impressed that his ancient nemesis chose a host he's already killed several times. As Knull scoffs that Eddie can't possibly believe he can beat him, Eddie thinks to himself that Knull is arrogant and thinks his victory is assured, but that while Knull may have fought Venom he's never fought Eddie Brock - the man of a thousand second chances, the comeback king - before. Reaching out his hands, Eddie summons Mjolnir and the Silver Surfer's Surfboard to himself, to Thor's incredulity. Saying that he thinks he can beat Knull, Eddie merges Mjolnir and the Silver Surfer's board into a battle-axe resembling Venom's spider-emblem. Eddie lunges at Knull, who evades and flies away with a snarl of rage. As Eddie flies after Knull, Cyclops incredulously asks Captain America and Captain Marvel if he was hallucinating, only to be told to get his head in the game as a horde of symbiote-controlled civilians stampedes towards them. Confronted by a horde of symbiote-dragons, Eddie thinks to himself that Knull is afraid, hiding and throwing everything he can to buy time to escape. As the symbiote-dragons try to devour him, Eddie shreds them with his axe and notes he's having fun. As Eddie shouts for Knull to stop hiding and end this, Knull brandishes his Necrosword and snarls that if Eddie wants to die so badly then All-Black will oblige. Eddie nonchalantly catches Knull's Necrosword and destroys it, grabbing the incredulous dark god by the throat and slamming him through the wall of a building. As Eddie prepares to behead him, Knull snarls that he knows nothing of true darkness and activates the symbiote-controlled Celestial - Thor reacting in horror and trying to rally the other heroes to stop it. Dodging the Celestial's energy blast, Eddie lops its head off with a single stroke of his axe and slams into the fleeing Knull - plunging past Spider-Man, who smiles despite grumbling that he still hates symbiotes. Atop the Empire State Building, Eddie snarls that he remembers the pain and fear he felt when Knull dragged him up from the sewers and ripped the Venom symbiote from him, returning the favor by ripping Knull's symbiote-armor from him and then contemptuously dropping him. Discarding his axe, Eddie flies down to the ground; Knull picking himself up and snarling that even if Eddie kills him he won't win - the darkness lives in Eddie's son Dylan. Grabbing Knull, Eddie flies into the air and punches through the symbiote-barrier surrounding the Earth. Knull snarls that the Void is eternal and that the Abyss has teeth, Eddie retorting that he does as well before blasting Knull with a point-blank blast of divine light from his jaws. Acknowledging that Knull may be right that the darkness is eternal and that some day the Void will consume all existence, Eddie plunges into the heart of the Sun and says he doesn't care. Gripping Knull by the throat, Eddie says that this is for Dylan before vaporizing Knull's body with the Uni-Power. Emerging from the sun and retracting his mask, Eddie hears the voice of the God of Light asking if he can feel anything. Eddie mentally replies he can hear voices calling to him but can't understand them. As Eddie flies towards Earth, the God of Light tells him the voices belong to the Symbiote Hive celebrating their freedom. In New York, a group of vampires celebrate their victory before turning on Blade. As he's overpowered and pinned to the ground, Blade refuses backup and grins, the vampires demanding to know what he knows that they don't. As the symbiote-dome disperses and the vampires are incinerated by the restored sunlight, Blade replies tht he knows what time it is. Thor and the Silver Surfer separate Eddie's axe back into Mjolnir and the Board, remarking that while the battle is over things are unlikely to ever return to normal. Eddie lands among the assembled heroes, Spider-Man asking if Knull is really dead. Eddie replies that more-or-less that's the case, but as Spider-Man relievedly remarks that it's finally over Eddie spots Dylan and says that it isn't yet. Dylan - his eyes black with red spirals - cries out in pain. As Eddie approaches and asks what's wrong, Dylan hugs him and says that Knull is inside him, trying to take him over. His hand glowing with divine light, Eddie plunges it into Dylan's chest and rips out the symbiote essence inside him before destroying it. The Uni-Power leaves Eddie, telling him that he no longer needs its power or protection, and that he has become something more than human. The Venom symbiote rebonds to Eddie, asking if he can feel what's happened. Assuring Dylan and Spider-Man that he's fine and will be right back, Eddie tells the Venom symbiote that he can hear the voices of the Hive but can't understand them. Forming draconic wings, Venom flies into the air, followed by the various now-hostless symbiotes and symbiote-dragons. Spider-Man asks why they're chasing Venom, but Dylan remarks that he's not sure that's what's happening. Telling Eddie that the symbiotes are speaking in their ancient language, the Venom symbiote translates that with Knull vanquished Eddie is now the nexus of the Hive-Mind, the God of the Symbiotes, and the King in Black.