When it comes to Spider-Man's enemies, few are as deadly as Carnage. He was created when Eddie Brock shared a prison cell with Cletus Kasady, serial killer and Carnage's most frequent host. The Venom symbiote came to Eddie's rescue, breaking him out of prison. It left behind its spawn, another symbiote that bonded with Kasady to become the villain Carnage.
He quickly built a reputation of one of the most chaotic and destructive members of Spider-Man's roster of enemies. The first time he faced off with Carnage, Spider-Man needed the help of Venom to defeat him. It just got worse from there. Carnage is powerful, with a range of abilities that make him a formidable opponent for almost anyone.
10 Technology Control
Once of Carnage's lesser-used powers is his ability to control technology. It doesn't come up often as he's usually too busy cutting people up with his symbiote generated blades to bother using this impressive party trick. He has shown he can control pieces of the suit that become detached, implant them in technology and use those symbiote pieces to takeover that tech.
He once used this power to defeat the Iron Rangers. It's not his most impressive ability, and Kasady does like to make an impression on people, but it can be highly effective in the right situation.
9 Spider Powers
Being the progeny of Venom, Carnage has a similar set of Spider powers to Venom and Spider-Man. The Venom symbiote originally bonded with Peter Parker so it's able to mimic his spider powers. The Carnage symbiote is also able to mimic those same spider abilities.
This gives the person wearing Carnage super strength, agility, and endurance as well as the ability to stick to walls. Having access to these abilities puts him on par with opponents who also have spider-powers, making everything else in his arsenal that much more deadly.
8 Enhanced Symbiote
Essentially being the child of Venom and Spider-Man has enhanced the Carnage symbiote's innate abilities, due in no small part to the fact that it was born on Earth rather than its natural environment. This led to the Carnage's powers being greater than Venom's.
He is stronger and more durable than Venom with enhanced shapeshifting abilities. He can also block Venom's ability to track him and Spider-Man's Spider-Sense, putting them both at an extreme disadvantage. It's a reality that makes Carnage incredibly difficult for Spider-Man and Venom to handle, even when they team up.
7 Imitation Webs
Being part of Spider-Man's extended family means web-swinging, and web-swinging requires webs, which Carnage technically doesn't produce. Instead, he creates tendrils from his suit that can extend from anywhere on his body and latch onto anything.
While they're not the same as Spider-Man's webs, they can be described as web-like and the result is pretty much the same, though far more destructive. Where Spider-Man's webbing sticks to things, Carnage's tendrils essentially stick into whatever they latch on to. The end result is an extra little splash of damage every time he goes out for a swing.
6 Shape-Shifting
Carnage has complete control over every aspect of his look including size, shape, and color. Like Venom, he can go into a camouflage mode where he can disguise his suit as regular street clothes to blend in. That isn't really Kasasdy's style, though. He likes to be big, loud and bloody.
This ability also allows Carnage to take on more monstrous versions of his own form, making him even more intimidating. The look he most commonly uses is red and black with some truly horrific touches that give him a frightening vibe that you pick up on as soon as you see him.
5 Weapon Generation
An extension of his shapeshifting is Carnage's ability to create weapons from his costume. He regularly attacks his opponents with blades extended from his own body, killing with impunity and cruelty. Carnage can also create projectiles that he launches at his opponents.
His projectiles are made of the symbiote so they only last for 30 seconds once separated from the main body. Swinging from rooftops while throwing a never-ending supply of blades at high speed makes him dangerous to virtually anyone in the Marvel Universe. Well, maybe not Sentry.
4 Regeneration
Carnage's healing and regenerating abilities take on a variety of forms. For Kasady's physical state, the symbiote has proven to be able to help him survive any injury, including decapitation, as well as making him immune to any illness. That ability didn't pan out so well when Sentry ripped him in half, but Kasady got a keen new set of artificial legs out of the deal.
The symbiote itself has also shown impressive regenerative capabilities. It is bonded to Kasady's bloodstream, allowing it to regenerate from his blood. Even when it's destroyed by fire, it's a most potent weakness, it has the ability to come back.
3 Mind Bombs
Carnage's abilities are primarily physical and destructive but he does have more subtle abilities. He can attach himself to people via a tendril and plant thoughts in their minds. This is easily his most insidious and unsettling power.
It allows him to drill into someone's brain, then shows that person images and ideas, which when you're dealing with someone like Kasady is frightening. It's important to note that this isn't telepathy. It is something far more chaotic and destructive, which is on-brand for Carnage. He hasn't used mind bombs frequently but it's potential for chaos could be devastating.
2 Carnage Sense
One of Spider-Man's most famous powers is his Spider-Sense which warns him of incoming attacks and potential threats. Unfortunately for him, both Venom and Carnage negate that ability. He's already screwed before the fight starts. To make matters worse, Carnage has his own version of the Spider-Sense.
The symbiote can essentially see in all directions at once, warning Kasady of any and all incoming attacks. It's almost impossible to get the drop on him, which is too bad since the element of surprise might be your only advantage when facing him.
1 Kasady's Mind
Carnage's most devastating and powerful ability is Cletus Kasady's mind. He lacks any moral compass whatsoever, seeking out chaos and destruction as a way of life. This distorted world view has shaped the symbiote's powers, abilities, and attitude, making it far more dangerous than Venom.
Beyond that, Kasady can be quite charming, which has helped him recruit other similarly minded villains to his cause. While others have been behind the figurative wheel of the Carnage symbiote, it's at its most deadly when Kasady is bonded to it. It's his mind that makes it what it is.