Cult of Carnage: Misery #4 (2023)

In Liz Allan's mindscape, memories from throughout the years appear in a massive jagged citadel of ice -- dating Flash Thompson in high-school, her time as a nurse attempting to save her brother Mark Raxton when he was turned into the Molten Man, giving birth to Normie Osborn, learning her husband Harry Osborn was the Green Goblin, taking over Oscorp and restructuring it into Alchemax, and working with Eddie Brock to save the Venom symbiote. Seated on a psychiatrist's bench and wearing a business suit, the Misery symbiote remarks that Liz could have broken the cycle of pain and suffering she'd endured, and that perhaps if she had taken Normie and left then perhaps Harry would have been shocked out of the downward spiral that led to his madness and death. As Liz weeps, Misery states that there's no guarantee that would have happened, but still wonders why she didn't just leave him, playing the loyal wife even when he kidnapped her and her family as the Green Goblin. Liz tearfully whispers that the Harry she loved was still in there somewhere and she had to save him from himself, the Misery symbiote mockingly stating that she did more than that -- vehemently pushing away her friends when they tried to open her eyes to how violent and unstable Harry had become. The Misery symbiote surmises that she did so because she saw Harry as a patient through the eyes of a nurse, but that when he refused to undergo treatment for the Goblin Formula she let it go despite knowing medical experts who could have helped him, and therefore failed him in that capacity too. Accusing her of having felt relief when Harry finally died, Misery notes she tried to make it as a single mother aside from a failed romance with Foggy Nelson, suppressing her grief with alcohol. As the Misery symbiote asks why she deprived Normie of a potential father figure who could've helped her raise him properly, Liz whispers that she felt she deserved to suffer alone. The Misery symbiote asks how it felt when Harry seemingly came back from the dead, Liz admits that she was shocked and angry at first, but that as she saw he wasn't the same person he'd been before she opened her heart to him again. The Misery symbiote states that Harry hooked up with Lily Hollister instead and even had a son with her, Stanley, but that he left her when he saw how unstable she was. Noting that Harry seemed to have his life in order for once but no room in it for her, the Misery symbiote asks who made the first move. Admitting that she did, Liz says she wanted to give their family another shot, even raising Stanley as her own son. Misery sneers at this, saying that time and time again her family found itself in mortal peril and it was only due to the actions of heroes like Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 that they survived... until even that wasn't enough and Harry lost his life again. Mockingly asking how long it will be until Normie or Stanley ends up dead, the Misery symbiote states that Liz -- desperate to gain some control in her life -- dedicated herself to being the ice-cold tough-as-nails CEO of Alchemax, but that she placed all of her bets on the weaponization of symbiotes and that fell through when they were stolen. Stating that every facet of herself -- nurse, wife, mother, and CEO -- has failed, the Misery symbiote says that all she will ever have to offer the world is failure unless she confronts and accepts the truth. Now angry, Liz asks what that is and the Misery symbiote replies that for a very long time Liz has been lying to herself. Dredging up repressed memories of Harry attacking her in a rage, cursing her for raising Normie to be a snivelling weakling and screaming at her not to pity or coddle him, the Misery symbiote bluntly states that Harry abused her. Liz protests that he didn't, that the heroin and Goblin Serum had driven him insane, but the Misery symbiote tells her to stop making excuses for him, and that to move past her pain she needs to acknowledge it. Breaking down in tears, Liz admits that Harry abused her. Embracing her, the Misery symbiote assures her that it wasn't her fault but that she now has a choice -- to continue wallowing in self-pity and misery, or she can become the misery. Her determination restored, Liz bonds to the Misery symbiote. Awakening, she breaks free of the vitrine she was placed within, finding herself in the presence of a woman who welcomes her back to the waking world and says they have much to discuss and very little time to do it in. In the jungle outside, Spider-Man and Spearhead make their way closer to the Life Foundation facility, Spearhead worried as there's no response on the Guardsmen comm system. Agreeing that the situation is less than ideal, Spider-Man asks if Spearhead can track the shuttle's signal. Spearhead says they should be right on top of it, trailing off as he sees the Guardsmen are all dead. Finding one who's still alive, Spider-Man asks what happened and the man weakly states that the enemy is still there -- Spearhead realizing they're surrounded. In the Life Foundation's base, the Madness symbiote taunts Corwin Jones, speaking in the voices of its constituent symbiotes as it mockingly asks if he wants it to cure his terminal illness, and mockingly offering to cure his other problems if he gives it control of his body. As Corwin snaps that that's never going to happen, the Madness symbiote says that if he'd just bonded to one symbiote he might have stood a chance against it, but against an amalgamation of six working together he's nothing more than a puppet. Corwin's struggle to suppress them is interrupted as the Toxin and Lasher Symbiotechs report that someone has released Liz Allan from containment. In the lab, Liz stands and says that she goes by Misery now, asking who her would-be rescuer is. Dismayed that Liz doesn't recognize her, the woman notes she's undergone a lot of changes since they last crossed paths and removes her hooded trench coat to reveal she's Lily Hollister, saying she now goes by Queen Cat.