Carnage is one of the vilest villains to vex both Spider-Man and the symbiote’s “father” Venom. When bonded to the serial killer Cletus Kasady, the creature is an unhinged weapon of mass destruction. Nevertheless, he pales in comparison to the power of other Marvel Universe villains, especially its cosmic gods.
Chthon is one of the most powerful entities across all mediums of the Marvel Universe, being an almost primordial evil with vast demonic power. Carnage sought to serve this great power at one point, but his foolish actions were thankfully staved off by other symbiotes. Here’s how the alien symbiotes put a stop to a threat from one of the darkest corners of Marvel Comics.
Spider-Man’s Enemy Carnage Once Unleashed a Cosmic Eldritch Horror
2016’s Carnage #5 (by Gerry Conway and Mike Perkins) began a storyline in which the killer symbiote became involved with a much higher power. This story arc was titled “What Dwells Beneath,” referencing the Eldritch nature of the evil Chthon. Hunted down by the FBI, including then-former Venom host, Eddie Brock, Carnage comes into contact with the Darkhold and held a ritual that allows him to resurrect the powerful being Chthon. This mad idea was all orchestrated by a follower of Chthon, who believed that the “Prophecy of the Red Slayer” involved Cletus Kasady’s alter ego.
Thankfully, there were some incredibly powerful symbiotes there to oppose Carnage and his new “ally.” One of these was Jubulile van Scotter, a woman who Carnage had accidentally infected with a symbiote empowered by the Darkhold. Leading the FBI group that had been tracking Kasady, Jubulile absorbs the Raze symbiote and the Carnage-spawned Toxin symbiote, becoming an even more powerful entity that could tap into the energy of people around the world through the Darkhold. Through this method, she was able to banish Chthon, keeping him from summoning the dark Elder Gods. Unfortunately, her mystical new symbiote dissipated afterward, suggesting that its unique origin made its existence temporary. Likewise, her combination of symbiote and Darkhold powers was somewhat untested, making the extent of her powers potentially as high as Chthon’s.
Chthon in Marvel Comics vs. Marvel Cinematic Universe
Chthon has appeared in a minor capacity in the MCU through the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though his role was still pivotal. This being was the first demon to ever appear in the MCU, and he actually prophesied the appearance of the Scarlet Witch and her son eons later. His temple on Mount Wundagore would be the home of the first Darkhold. This makes him mostly similar to the comics, but there, his brother Set is the first true demon to come into existence. He was also the one who taught Wanda Maximoff how to use chaos magic in the comics, which explains why she’s tied to him in the movies.
Ironically, she somewhat takes Carnage’s place in the MCU. The aforementioned Prophecy of the Red Slayer is similar to the prophecy that Chthon has of the Scarlet Witch in the film, with Carnage and Wanda even sharing the same color scheme. Sadly, the entity has yet to be seen in action, and it’s unknown if symbiotes would have any particular advantage over him. Chthon has been represented in the MCU through a skeletal statue, with the skull somewhat resembling Chthon’s most common, Cthulhu-esque form in the comics. However, symbiotes are very likely to show up in the MCU at some point, and with the Darkhold already established, it’s only a matter of time before that universe’s Cletus Kasady comes into contact with it.
