WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Savage Avengers #3 by Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin and Travis Lanham, in stores now.
Last April, Marvel's revealed that Conan the Barbarian would be getting a new super-sword in Savage Avengers #3. While we didn't have much details, the issue's cover showed Conan of Cimmeria wielding a blade that appeared to be 'Venomized.' During that time, it was announced that Venom would be an official team member, so most assumed that the symbiote would give the Barbarian's sword a bit of an upgrade.
Now that Savage Avengers #3 is finally on stands, we finally know how Conan gets the sword. As it turns out, the answers are bit more complicated -- and a whole lot bloodier than we anticipated.
Wait, That's Not Venom
Although the first covers and early promos for Savage Avengers seemed to indicate that Venom would be joining the ranks of the brutal superhero team, Savage Avengers #2 of the series revealed that the symbiote currently involved in story isn't actually Venom. Instead, it's actually another Klyntar symbiote that had been trapped in the Savage Land, where it was driven mad by solitude -- until being freed by Conan.
In fact, even series writer Gerry Duggan confirmed as much, in an interview with CBR. Speaking of the symbiote in issue #2, Duggan said: "This is seemingly one that has been trapped and who knows for how long? Kulan Gath is so old that Conan sort of mistakes it for a genie."
For the time being, it looks like the symbiote involved in Savage Avengers isn't the one we thought it was going to be. However, the symbiote still appears to join the ranks of the Savage Avengers, where it ends up giving Conan his new sword and saving his life in the process
The Symbiote Saved My Life
After a slow built-up, Savage Avengers #3 finally assembles its team of savage heroes. The Punisher meets Elektra as they fight the Hand, Brother Voodoo is back and Conan and the Klyntar both rush to save Wolverine from the madness of Kulan Gath. The villainous sorcerer unleashes his forces on the new team of Avengers and, in the thick of battle, he punches a hole through Conan the Barbarian's chest using his amulet.
Conan falls to his knees, on the verge of death. Thankfully, that's the Klyntar is there to bond with him, likely as a partial in thanks for freeing it from eons of being trapped. Not only does it appear to heal Conan, it also molds itself into a sword for the Barbarian to wield against Kulan Gath and the Hand.
Saving a host from a mortal wound is something we've already seen the Klyntar do. In the pages of Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's Venom, we recently saw the Venom symbiote heal Eddie Brock back to life after he also had a similar hole punched through his chest. Now, another Klyntar has just saved a Marvel hero from a similar fate. Better yet, it's just given him a new weapon to make him even more fearsome than ever before.
Since Kulan Gath has just awakened an ancient god from its slumber, that symbiote sword is probably going to come in handy very soon. The Savage Avengers have a lot of work ahead of them. Thankfully, they now have an alien-powered Cimmerian on their side.