The following contains major spoilers for Venom #21, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
When Eddie Brock first ascended to the mantle of King in Black, he knew it meant stepping out of his comfort zone and experiencing the world through a brand new perspective. Despite living in the world for decades, Brock soon discovered new facets he'd never known about. So far, the most unsettling of these has undoubtedly been the revelation that there are more Kings in Black just waiting for Eddie to step into their shoes. Thankfully, Venom's original host is still the strongest of them all, and proving it has set a precedent that might permanently secure his seat on the throne.
After countless battles across space and time, Eddie finally gets the chance for another showdown, taking on the hulking version of himself known as Bedlam. As seen in the pages of Venom #21 (by Al Ewing, Cafu, Pere Pérez, Frank D'Armata, and VC's Clayton Cowles), it doesn't take long before the fight goes from the streets to the recesses of Bedlam's own mind. There, Eddie faces off against his own past self, the Lethal Protector who Bedlam sees himself as. Of course, the gulf in power between Eddie and Bedlam is greater than the villain could've ever expected — but it doesn't have to be. While Eddie could've destroyed Bedlam entirely, he took the opportunity to absorb this piece of himself back into the whole. With that, an entirely new King in Black emerged, ready for whatever fight came next.
Eddie Brock Just Beat Bedlam - And Became a Whole New King in Black
Witnessing Eddie take on his past self proved a thrilling match-up. However, the battle's most shocking aspect was realizing how much Brock has changed over the decades. The Eddie of today might have plenty of rage left within him, but it doesn't control him the way it used to. When Eddie and Venom first bonded, their shared hatred for Peter Parker pushed them to commit horrifying acts of violence. Only Eddie's then fleeting humanity brought them back around. Eventually, Eddie realized he could be something greater — a Lethal Protector. This period in his life quickly became one of his most iconic. Yet it also cemented Eddie's place as someone who'd seemingly never understand what it was to be a hero.
Although Eddie and Venom did their best to maintain some sense of heroics during this iconic era, trust was never easy to come by — nor were the sort of allies who could help them come to terms with their pain. Now, Eddie has been given the chance to become that exact ally for himself, albeit in a literal sense that is nearly unfathomable. By beating Bedlam down and proving his mettle, Eddie not only overcame one of his own darkest selves, he overcame the years of pain inflicted both upon and by him. Beyond that, Brock showcased a whole new way of beating the other versions of himself who stand in his way — making himself stronger in the process. The concept of multiple Kings in Black or that they are all various iterations of Eddie from the future is nothing new. The idea Eddie could absorb them into himself absolutely is.
How Consuming Bedlam Could Change Eddie Brock's Future as King in Black
All of this subverts what readers expect from such displays of power. Bedlam could've become a part of Eddie as he stands today. Instead, Eddie is incorporating his simultaneously former and future self into his current form. This brings both parts of his fractured self together as pieces of a complete portrait, depicting Eddie as the one true King in Black. Even better, it hints at things to come for the rest of the Kings in Black waiting for Eddie in Meridius' Garden of Time — including the mastermind of it himself.
Due to all the Kings in Black simply being another version of Eddie, there's nothing stopping him from absorbing them back into himself, as he did with Bedlam. At least, nothing other than his fellow Kings themselves. Although it's hard to imagine Finnegan would have any issue becoming a part of their old self again, the chances Meridius will go along with that plan are effectively none. Then again, Eddie doesn't need to worry about what Meridius wants, especially when he has no idea what either of them will look like when they come face-to-face once more. Assuming Eddie is, in fact, capable of bringing together all these fractured parts of himself, there is simply no telling who he'll be as a person by the time the dust settles.
Considering the amalgamation of himself and Bedlam resulted in a bigger, stronger Eddie than he already was, it would make sense that bringing the others into the fold would lead to similar transformations. That isn't to say the likes of Finnegan or Tyro would make Eddie weaker, but rather that each of them has something to offer in terms of power or their particular prowess. Assuming the road he has embarked on is the same he'll be traveling for the foreseeable future, it will only be a matter of time before Eddie Brock is making another shocking transformation. With any luck, that will be all that he needs to put a stop to Meridius' plot and wrench back control of the life he never realized was destined to slip so far out of his grasp.