Cletus Kasady - also known as Carnage - is a villainous character from Marvel Comics. Introduced as an enemy of Spider-Man, he was a psychotic serial killer even before achieving "supervillain" status. He had been imprisoned for his many horrific crimes and would later become acquainted with Eddie Brock, former host of the Venom symbiote. After the symbiote broke Eddie out of prison, it left behind a spawn that would bond to Kasady. Having gained strength and power far beyond ordinary humans, Kasady renamed himself "Carnage" and set out to spread chaos and death wherever he went.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage[]
In the 2018 film Venom, Cletus Kasady (portrayed by Woody Harrelson) made a brief appearance during a mid-credits scene in which Eddie Brock visited him in San Quentin State Prison. After Brock introduced himself, Kasady stated that he would eventually escape and that there would be "carnage".
In the 2021 film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Kasady's background is explored and it is revealed in flashbacks that he had grown up isolated and alone in St. Estes Home for Unwanted Children after murdering his mother and grandmother at a young age due to their systematic abuse towards him. While in St. Estes, he had secret rendezvouses with fellow resident Frances Barrison, with the two speaking to each other via the pipes between their neighbouring rooms. The two formed a romantic connection during this time, but Frances would be taken away to the Ravencroft Institute after her metahuman sonic scream ability was discovered, leaving Kasady alone once more.
After reaching adulthood, Kasady left St. Estes, but would continue to murder and torment countless people. His killing spree was finally brought to an end after he was apprehended and sent to San Quentin.
In 2020, Cletus was put on death row after reporter Eddie Brock discovered bodies of Cletus' victims at Rodeo Beach. During his last interview with Brock, Kasady started mocking the reporter by wishing him a heartbreak for uncovering his secrets. Brock's symbiote, Venom, wasn't satisfied with his actions and pushed Brock into attacking the prisoner, which resulted in Cletus biting Eddie's hand. When Cletus bit Eddie, he unknowingly consumed a tiny fragment of Venom within Eddie's blood, remarking that the blood didn't taste as it should.
On the night of his execution, Kasady was to undergo lethal injection. However, Venom's spawn had been growing within his bloodstream and had reached maturity by the time of the execution. As the drugs were pumped into Kasady's body, the newborn symbiote forced the chemicals back out. The symbiote then emerged, transforming Kasady into an inhuman monster that proceeded to break out of San Quentin, slaughtering several guards, prisoners and the warden along the way. After escaping, Cletus and the symbiote - which Cletus named Carnage - stole a car and headed into San Fransisco. Carnage wanted to find Venom and kill him, which Kasady agreed to so long as Carnage helped him find and free Frances Barrison.
Kasady later stopped at a convenience store where he saw the clerk using a laptop computer. After murdering the clerk, he and Carnage got on to the internet and found the location of Ravencroft, the institution where Frances had been taken to years ago. Kasady drove upstate to Ravencroft where he reunited with Frances in her cell, murdering all of the doctors and guards that got in the way. With assistance from Frances and her sonic scream, the group killed the police units that tried to stop them and escaped. Realizing that he was vulnerable to Shriek's scream, Carnage took an immediate disliking to her, but Kasady wanted to consummate his love for Shriek by marrying her. The trio planned to be wed at Grace Cathedral and have Eddie Brock and Venom there as witnesses, though Shriek also wanted revenge on Patrick Mulligan, the police detective responsible for the loss of her left eye.
Kasady and Carnage would go on to capture Mulligan while Shriek abducted Eddie's ex-girlfriend Anne Weying. This, of course, drew Eddie and Venom to the cathedral. Venom was initially hesitant to fight Carnage, sensing how much stronger his spawn was than himself, but Eddie was able to convince the symbiote that they needed to stop Carnage otherwise Anne would die. Venom then attacked and battle erupted. During the fight, Carnage knocked Shriek around, much to Cletus' protests, and devoured the church priest to gain more power. Eventually, Carnage grew tired of Shriek's presence and tried to strangle her to death, which caused Cletus to panic and try to prevent Carnage from doing so. Carnage tried to force Venom and Eddie to watch Anne die but she was successfully rescued by the heroes. As the fight with Venom reached the bell tower, a still-living Shriek fell to her death below as her scream dislodged the bell. The noise from Shriek's scream and the bell weakened the symbiotes, causing Eddie and Cletus to fall.
Death[]
While Venom saved Eddie, Cletus hit the ground and was seriously injured. Before Carnage could merge with Cletus again, Venom grabbed his offspring and ate it. A dying Cletus told Eddie that what he really desired was his friendship; Eddie apologized to Cletus but an annoyed Venom emerged, declaring "F--k this guy!" before biting Cletus' head off, ending his reign of terror.