Symbiotes—a powerful alien species that forges a bond with a host, granting them incredible abilities—have been a mainstay of the Marvel Universe for decades. Since their introduction to the Marvel Universe, these creatures and their hosts have run the gamut from hero, to villain, to antihero, and back again, playing key roles in such events as KING IN BLACK (2020). With the SUMMER OF SYMBIOTES now underway, enjoy this list of all the symbiotes we know and love from Earth-616.
All-Black and Other Early Symbiotes
Debuting in THOR: GOD OF THUNDER (2012) #2, All-Black the Necrosword is the first symbiote. In the Marvel Universe’s distant past, the ancient god Knull created All-Black from the darkness of the Abyss. All-Black took the shape of a sword, and Knull used the weapon to kill some of the most powerful forces in creation, including Celestials. Later, Gorr the God Butcher used the weapon to terrorize the Marvel Universe’s various gods.
During those early days of creating symbiotes, Knull experimented with a few different versions of the species, leading to such beings as Mister E and Void Knight. Although these characters are symbiotes, they are relatively different from the ones that have come to dominate the Marvel Universe. Knull also created and disregarded a species of symbiote that later came to be known as the Exolon.