Hello Internet - and welcome back to the most inquisitive channel in the known universe,
where we pleadingly pound the pavement and cry out with the futility of our own existence.
This is Life’s Biggest Questions, as always - I’ll be your host Jack Finch, and today
we’re asking the question that's on the tip of everyone's symbiotic tongue -
What if Venom Was Real?
Before we begin guys - I’ve got to say a huge thank you to all you commenters frantically
typing below, it’s great to see that you guys are discussing these latest LBQ videos
and keeping the conversation moving.
And that, for one - makes me incredibly happy.
If you’re a fan of this video - or any others for that matter, why don’t you head over
to our sister channel, Top 10 Nerd, where we cover some of the greatest fiction that
popular culture has to offer - with just a little more depth.
We’ll stick a link in the info down below.
Now - everyone’s favourite web-slinging nerd, Spiderman, wouldn’t be the hero that
we all know and love without a Yin to his Yang.
But in this case - it’s less black and white, and more shades of grey.
Enter stage left - Eddie Brock AKA Venom AKA The Unluckiest Man Alive.
Within the Marvel Universe, Eddie Brock is a two-bit journalist with a thirst for unveiling
the criminal underbelly of New York City.
Eddie has his finger on the very pulse of all things illicit - and this fascination
with the criminally macabre is what leads him to his eventual Venomism.
Obsessed with a serial killer, Eddie Brock attempts to expose his identity - only for
the real killer to be caught by that pesky little Spider-Man.
Thus - Eddie accuses the wrong man, he’s disgraced, suicidal - generally pretty depressed,
his career is in tatters - yadda yadda yadda.
But at his lowest point - is when things get interesting for old Mr. Brock.
If you’d like to see a great depiction of this, I’d recommend watching Joe Lynch’s
Truth in Journalism - if you haven’t already - which is part of the Bootleg Marvel Universe,
alongside great fan made content like Dirty Laundry.
Check it out!
Within the Marvel Universe, Eddie Brock slowly transforms into the monstrous creature known
as Venom - which is actually an alien lifeform that stowed away on Spiderman’s suit while
he was web slinging his way across the universe.
And the answer to what if Venom was real is pretty simple - he’d probably be caught
by some shadowy government organisation and contained in an experimental facility, until
science can get a grasp on the situation and further understand what the hell is going
on.
Job done.
But - it still leaves the lingering uncertainty of the Symbiote.
This amorphous lifeform is part of a collective species known as the Symbiotes - and, really
- well, that’s the whole point of this question.
Because, in essence - we can’t answer What If Venom Was Real? - without asking What If
Symbiotes Were Real?
The chances of a similar lifeform existing somewhere out in the cosmos are actually pretty
likely.
There are countless examples of symbiotic matter in nature, happily working away in
perfect harmony, and who’s to say that somewhere on some offshoot planet, they didn’t evolve
under the perfect circumstance and gain sentient life?
In 1905, Russian botanist Konstantin Mereschkowski, formulated his theory of symbiogenesis - which
states that larger, more complex cells evolved from the symbiotic relationship between less
complex ones.
Basically - cells worked together to create a stronger, larger and smarter version of
themselves.
So, under that assumption - in the infinite vacuum of space, we can assume that the symbiotes
are very much real.
So - the Marvel Universe tells us that the Symbiotes - or The Klyntar, as they like to
be known - originate from a planet of the same name somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy.
They are generally a benevolent species that believe in helping others - and tend to attach
themselves to humanoids that they believe can become heroes - through the process of
bonding to the physically and morally ideal.
However - this doesn’t always go to plan - and hosts that are afflicted with certain
chemical imbalances or - in layman's terms - are pretty crappy individuals - tend to
corrupt the symbiotes, which is the case with Venom AKA Eddie Brock.
They’re turned into destructive parasites - which innately crave combat with their friendlier,
more helpful brethren.
They spread lies and disinformation about their own kind, with the intention of creating
a bad name for themselves - and making other galactic races fear and hate the species as
a whole.
So let’s imagine one of those bad boys somehow made their way to Earth.
We know from the Marvel Universe that the corrupted Symbiotes have a particular inclination
for thrill-seeking individuals.
They force their hosts to perform death-defying stunts, feats that would exert the human body
to it’s breaking point - and feed off the resulting rushes of adrenaline and other crisis-response
hormones.
Their hosts eventually tend to be sucked dry, exhausted by the constant stress and exertion.
Or - they simply die in a failed stunt, like Angelo Fortunato in issue #8 of Marvel Knights
- who gets left behind by his symbiote mid-jump during a rooftop leaping contest.
Bad timing.
So who would they be attracted too then?
Which residents of Earth would be the perfect hosts?
Well - the most obvious would be adrenaline junkies.
Thrill seekers who love spending their Saturday afternoons throwing themselves out of planes
or climbing skyscrapers with nothing but their bare hands.
They’d be the perfect target for a corrupted Symbiote - and their eventual build up of
death-defying stunts would get more and more outrageous until, well - they died.
And then they’d leap onto the next unlucky individual.
But - what would be even more of a thrill for a Symbiote?
Well - if we were correct on our initial assumption, that the Venom symbiote would be contained
by a shadowy organisation and ran through a myriad of tests - it’s also safe to assume
that it would eventually become weaponized.
The Military would be the perfect symbiotic relationship, and a crack group of Venomesque
soldiers would more than likely be formed.
We learn from Marvel’s Secret Wars that the venom symbiote was actually considered
crazy by its fellow parasites - and was more akin to the peaceful Klyntar, because it sought
a mutual bond with its host rather than complete domination.
That was the reason it was placed in a prison canister - and was supposedly condemned to
death by disintegration, before it got picked up by old Petey Parker.
Sounds like a great relationship to have with a soldier, right?
Yeah - in this instance, you’d be correct.
If Symbiotes were real - particularly the venom offshoot - then the inevitable nature
of mankind would seek to contain it, and use it as a weapon.
And what an incredibly effective weapon it would be.
Superhuman physical strength, huge muscles, shapeshifting abilities - as well as the ability
to mimic the appearance of other humanoids.
Invisibility - a small dimensional aperture to carry equipment in.
Throw in telepathic abilities to boot, and you’ve got a very credible reason for the
planet to dive into a Symbiotic arms race to stay on top.
Well - let’s hope we get invaded by some other hostile alien species, and put the symbiote
to good use.
Else - well, put it this way - I wouldn’t wanna be around for World War Symbiote.
What do you guys think - how would planet Earth harness a Venom-like symbiote?
Good news?
Bad news?
No news at all?
Speak your mind in the comment box down below.
If you enjoyed this video, make sure to share it with your parasitic alien lifeform and
let them know that you’re on to them.
If you’d like to continue your questioning binge, feel free to hit the playlist shortly
floating above, and give us a thumbs up if you enjoyed this video.
You’ve been watching Life's Biggest Questions, I’ve been your host Jack Finch - and remember,
there’s no such thing as a stupid question.