Warning: contains major spoilers for Extreme Carnage Alpha #1!
Carnage has returned and he is taking inspiration from the first X-Men movie. Extreme Carnage Alpha #1 begins the symbiote’s push for power in a new era for symbiotes. Like Mystique, he’s using his abilities to operate from a higher level of influence.
Following the events of Marvel’s King in Black, Carnage has returned amidst fear and animosity towards symbiotes. The invasion of Knull, god of the symbiotes, has caused public sentiment to become worse for Venom and his offspring. As a result, politicians are trying to make big moves against them – an effort that Carnage plans to exploit for his own gain.
Created by the team of Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Roberto Poggi, Marc Deering, Cam Smith, Guru Efx, and Vc Travis Lanham, Extreme Carnage Alpha #1 shows the influence that Carnage has over the other symbiotes. While public fear of symbiotes is at an all-time high, he plans to give them something to be afraid of. Senator Krane is aiming for the presidency and is riding the wave of fear to get there, using his Friends for Humanity group. Unfortunately for him, Carnage has other plans, including one he steals directly from Mystique in X-Men (2000). He takes over Senator Krane’s body, impersonating him.
This move is highly reminiscent of the one that Mystique did with Senator Robert Kelly – a politician who was against mutants. He wanted to pass the Mutant Registration Act, but Mystique used her abilities to kidnap him. This allowed Magneto to attempt to make him a mutant, which failed and resulted in his death. However, Mystique subsequently impersonated him and prevented the Mutant Registration Act from being passed. Senator Krane is the leader of the Friends of Humanity group and a proponent of the Birthright Act, which would call for the removal of aliens from Earth so that only Earthborn beings remain on the planet. Although Carnage takes over his body, he appears to be playing a longer game as he remains in hiding, maintaining the Senator Krane persona when Agent Venom shows up to a Friends of Humanity rally.
Maintaining this cover suggests that Carnage will be trying to work up the political ladder. Like Mystique, he may prevent the Birthright Act from coming to fruition, albeit through more violent means since Senator Krane is no longer in control of his own body. This would be far from his actual goals, however. Carnage is not a natural politician so it seems more probable that he is trying to navigate himself into a higher position of power and influence to achieve other objectives. This impersonation ability isn’t one that Carnage has used, since he has spent most of his time as Cletus Kassidy. Symbiotes can shapeshift, but it is very limited. They can change hosts, but this also isn’t done with great frequency due to formed bonds. This new tactic is a fresh one in Carnage’s arsenal and it is one he will exploit to his best abilities. The world of symbiotes is changing and Carnage will shape it, in a way similar to how Mystique did in X-Men.
