WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Venom #34 by Donny Cates, Iban Coello, Jesus Aburtov, and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
King in Black has brought symbiotes to the forefront of the Marvel Universe in ways that no one could have ever seen coming. Along the way it has also changed just what it means to be a symbiote, or at least to have been bonded to one. Nowhere else has showcased this in nearly as much detail as Venom, wherein Eddie Brock has found life after death as a Codex within the symbiote Hive. This last remnant of Eddie's consciousness is far from miniscule even if its presence isn't felt in the real world, although that is all about to change with one of the greatest comebacks the world has ever seen.
Within the Hive, Eddie has come face to face with the deepest pits of the living darkness from which all symbiotes are born. He's also come across a few friends as well, namely Rex Strickland and Flash Thompson, themselves both living on within the Hive, each existing merely as a Codex just like Eddie. After making their way to the center of the Hive, Flash made the daring leap into the fray to bond with a small army of symbiotes that had lost their connection to the Hive, and with them he emerged triumphantly as a symbiote dragon of his own making. Eddie's own joy in seeing the tide of battle turn in his favor is soon undone when Knull's presence manifests behind him. Referring to Eddie only as "Host," Knull reminds him that neither of them are really there, all while letting loose on Eddie some of the sinewy symbiote ooze he has so long fought against. As the darkness envelopes him, a familiar voice calls out to Eddie, and finally he has been reconnected with exactly who he has been looking for all along.
Between the damage being done to Knull in the world above and its own sheer willpower, the Venom symbiote is able to miraculously break free of Knull's influence and find Eddie in the Hive. The two join together once more, and not a moment too soon. In a magnificent display of power, Venom sprouts a massive pair of wings and takes to the skies, narrowly escaping Knull's reach.
While Eddie is uncertain as to why they would choose to run away from the fight at hand, he is reminded by Venom that where they are now is not a real place. Instead, they need to make their way to the real world. Venom tells Eddie that as a Codex bonded to a symbiote, he needs only to choose a form in which to manifest in the outside world. With a rip and a tear, the symbiotic ooze that has blanketed the landscape is torn open, and a towering Venom emerges from the darkness to put Knull down once and for all.
This isn't anything new to the symbiote corner of the Marvel Universe, as Rex Strickland's symbiote had taken its former hosts form and personality in the real world previously to much the same effect. Still, it's a shocking comeback to finally see happen, especially considering the sheer size of the Venom symbiote that awakens from the living darkness. Alongside Venom is Flash Thompson, still in his draconic form, which only further cements the idea that those who exist as part of the Hive can never truly die.
This doesn't just put Eddie directly back in action during the final battle of King in Black, it also blows open the doors for other former symbiotes who have been lost to make their own returns as well. Eddie's is undoubtedly the greatest return of the entire event, but it's also set the precedent for other symbiotic returns to happen in the future.