WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, now playing in theaters.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage finally introduces audiences to a live-action version of Carnage that’s worthy of the name. Various flashbacks explain his backstory to help audiences understand why Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) is the murderous madman portrayed in the film. It’s revealed that while Cletus had a rough childhood that ended in him murdering his family, he had one bright light: his childhood sweetheart and fiancée, Frances Barrison, aka Shriek. However, while bonded to the Carnage symbiote, it’s revealed that Shriek is both Carnage’s greatest strength and deadliest weakness.
Venom 2 explains that Shriek has a mutation that allows her to scream at ear-splitting volumes. Unfortunately, these screams are capable of deafening and even killing their victims. To make matters even worse, she’s just as twisted as Cletus and even more unpredictable. The only constant between her and Kasady is their love for one another. But that love isn’t enough to keep Carnage from calling the shots between her and Cletus.
As a symbiote, Carnage is weakened by sonic vibrations and fire. This puts him at a considerable disadvantage when he’s within earshot of Shriek. While Carnage is a much more significant physical threat, Shriek can hinder the symbiote without even touching it. Initially in Venom 2, he tries to use her powers to his advantage against Venom, but Carnage can’t do this without getting injured as well. This is introduced when Cletus and Frances reunite, and she lets out a long scream, hurting Carnage. Since then, the symbiote has been wary of her and begins to see her as a threat.
The strategic choice would be to let Shriek weaken Venom enough so that Carnage can kill Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the symbiote. However, Carnage’s own weaknesses, coupled with his bloodlust and hatred for Venom, drives them to tell Shriek to keep her mouth shut. This selfish desire to kill Venom not only gives the hero a smaller chance at victory but also creates a rift between the evil trio. As Frances begins to question Carnage, Cletus tries to calm them both down, as he genuinely cares for her. Even Venom notices them arguing and proclaims, “Marriage troubles already?!” His snide remark keeps Carnage from killing her only because he wants to kill Venom more.
But when Carnage believes he has the upper hand, he decides to eliminate any threats and loose ends. Rather than let Cletus be with Frances, he decides she’s overstayed her welcome and slowly tries to strangle her. Doing so weakens his bond with Cletus because the Carnage symbiote doesn’t care about his host the same way that Venom does. However, before it’s too late, Venom intervenes, and as Shriek falls to her apparent demise, she lets out a scream that separates Carnage and Cletus, sealing their fate as well.
When it comes to a villainous team, few can measure up to the destructive force of Venom 2‘s Carnage and Shriek. However, because of the nature of her powers, it’s up to Carnage to strategically fight in a way that keeps himself and Cletus safe. But because their combined hunger for murder and power is so great, they end up opposing each other. As a result, Shriek is a deadly and destructive force with Carnage as well as the instrument of their demise.
To see how Shriek factors into Carnage’s defeat, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is in theaters now.
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