THE SINS OF THE FATHER
Chapter X

Venom Returns marks the re‑emergence of Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote, a union of rage and rejection reborn to hunt Spider-Man once more. Their bond, severed but never broken, surges back with vengeance, driven by Brock’s obsession and the symbiote’s hunger.

Venom is not merely a villain but a dark mirror — a twisted reflection of Spider-Man’s power, wielded without restraint. His return threatens not only Peter’s safety but his identity, as Brock’s vendetta exposes the fragile line between heroism and monstrosity.

The conflict is inevitable. Spider-Man must face Venom’s renewed fury, a foe who knows his secrets, his strengths, and his weaknesses. Their clash is more than battle — it is the return of a nightmare, a reminder that some enemies cannot be escaped, only endured.

Venom Returns is the story of a bond rekindled in hatred, a predator unleashed upon the city, and the haunting truth that Spider-Man’s greatest enemy is the shadow of himself.

The police corner Cletus Kasady, but he triggers a bomb. Spider-Man hurls it skyward, saving the city, and Kasady is arrested. Madame Web warns Spider-Man that the evil he is about to face will be unstoppable.

Soon after, what appears to be an asteroid strikes Central Park — releasing the Venom symbiote. At Ravencroft, Eddie Brock recounts his hatred for Spider-Man to Doctor Kafka, while Kasady is placed in the cell beside him. The two immediately clash.

Dormammu and Baron Mordo reveal their plan: the symbiote has returned to Earth. Mordo offers Eddie reunion with it, and Brock accepts, pledging himself to Dormammu. Re-bonded, Venom escapes and is tasked with stealing Stark’s inter-dimensional probe.

At Stark Enterprises, Peter, Debra Whitman, and Curt Connors attend the demonstration. Venom attacks, but Spider-Man and War Machine intervene. As they battle, Dormammu reveals the symbiote has reproduced — another spawn now exists. Mordo delivers it to Ravencroft, where Kasady, obsessed with Brock’s power, eagerly accepts.

Bonded to the new symbiote, Kasady becomes Carnage. He joins Venom at Stark Enterprises, seizing the probe and preparing to kill Spider-Man.

ROGUE’S GALLERY

BARON MORDO

Baron Mordo first appeared in Strange Tales #111 (1963), created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, as one of Doctor Strange’s earliest foes. Born Karl Amadeus Mordo in Transylvania, he studied under the Ancient One alongside Stephen Strange, but his pride and jealousy curdled into betrayal. Where Strange embraced humility, Mordo turned to ambition, allying himself with Dormammu and the dark forces of the mystic realms.

In the comics, Mordo has remained a persistent rival — a master of black magic, illusions, and demonic pacts. His schemes often centre on overthrowing Strange or unleashing Dormammu upon Earth, embodying the danger of unchecked ego. Though defeated time and again, his hunger for power ensures his return, making him one of the Sorcerer Supreme’s most enduring adversaries.

In the MCU, Mordo is reimagined with nuance. Portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, he begins as Strange’s ally in Doctor Strange (2016), but disillusionment drives him to renounce the Ancient One and vow to strip unworthy sorcerers of their power. His appearance in Multiverse of Madness (2022) expands his role across realities, cementing him as both rival and cautionary tale — the sorcerer undone by pride, conviction, and betrayal.

Robert Hays and James Avery reprise their Iron Man roles of Tony Stark and James Rhodes in this and the next episode.

Ashley Kafka’s voice actress, Barbara Goodson, was also the voice of Rita Repulsa, the first villain in the Power Rangers franchise.

At one point, Eddie flashbacks to his first appearance, the night he met the Lizard in Night of the Lizard.

Thwip Quip: “Once again our hero triumphs. The cheers of a grateful city ringing in his ears. Well, something’s ringing in my ears.” And again, on Madame Web: “She wants to make a warrior out of me. A warrior, me? Heck, I’m still fighting acne.”

HEAD DOCTOR: ASHLEY KAFKA

Dr Ashley Kafka was long portrayed as the conscience of Ravencroft — a figure of empathy and resilience in a world of madness. She believed even the most dangerous criminals could be reached, and her work often placed her in direct contact with Spider-Man’s most violent foes. Her presence offered balance: where others saw monsters, Kafka saw patients, and her determination to heal rather than punish made her a rare ally in the darker corners of Spider-Man’s world.

Yet in recent years, Kafka’s role has shifted dramatically. Through cloning experiments and corporate manipulation, she was resurrected and reimagined as Queen Goblin, debuting in Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 5) #88. This transformation gave her goblin-like powers — superhuman strength, durability, and the terrifying “Goblin Gaze” that forces victims to confront their deepest fears. No longer the healer, she became a villainess shaped by science and corruption, a dark inversion of her original ideals.

Ashley Kafka’s journey is thus one of duality. Once the embodiment of compassion, she now stands as a cautionary tale of how even the most humane figures can be twisted into instruments of destruction. Her evolution into Queen Goblin underscores the fragility of identity in the Marvel Universe, and the way Spider-Man’s world constantly blurs the line between redemption and ruin.

Tombstone | Carnage