History StatusQuoIsGod / MarvelUniverse

** Zig-zagged in ComicBook/TheImmortalThor. Loki is once again an antagonist, but is AmbiguouslyEvil, and Thor believes that his brother must have a reason to resume the role.

* The cyclical nature of comics was {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in an issue of ''ComicBook/NewAvengers'', where ComicBook/WonderMan points out that the entire ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' crossover was utterly pointless since everything (more or less) went back to normal within just a few short years.

* This was predicted by Creator/KieronGillen concerning ComicBook/{{Loki}}; he would eventually go back to his usual self after Gillen had him reverted to childhood with about half his memories, practically worshiping ComicBook/TheMightyThor. Much of the impact of the arc was not from wondering if the change would stick, but on the possible effects once things reverted to Status Quo. As writer of the Thor title (renamed ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMysteryGillen'' thanks to the focus on Loki, rather than Thor), he indicated that Loki turning evil again WAS NOT a foregone conclusion, as Thor destroyed the Ragnarok cycle which contained the writings that decreed the destinies of the Asgardians, enabling all of them to ScrewDestiny, Loki included, but in the end, Loki's villainous side returned. The writer says he chose to end the story with Loki's return to evil because he knew that if he didn't, someone else would come along and do it anyway. And at least if Loki fell from grace under his pen, he could do it in a [[TearJerker suitably emotional manner]]. "So-and-so IS NOT a foregone conclusion" has been said numerous times (see Creator/JoeQuesada talking about the Franchise/SpiderMan identity reveal, saying "it won't [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay just be undone by magic a year later]]". So take any promise of permanence with [[LyingCreator a gigantic grain of salt.]]

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018'', and ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2022''.

** Spider-Man seems to have gained two distinct Status Quos: He's either a single young adult living either alone, with his aunt, or a close friend, or he's married/in a committed relationship with Mary Jane Watson who he lives with, and appears to be growing up. This is the result of two parties RunningTheAsylum; in the former case, people who grew up with single young Spidey and/or cling onto him as a means to cling onto their own young adulthood, and so insist on keeping him this way, and in the latter case, people who grew up with Spidey when he was dating Mary Jane who, thanks to being the EnsembleDarkhorse, became a FanPreferredCouple with him, and so they make it canon and have them settle down since that's the logical path for a relationship to go, and likely similar to how the writer is currently. Because of this, Mary Jane has repeatedly been PutOnABus, often via a means to try and ensure that she doesn't come back (such as killing her off or {{Derailing|LoveInterests}} her), but every time this happens she always comes back (usually because whatever prompted her to leave, she [[CharacterDevelopment gets over]] and reunites with Peter because ultimately, they both love each other too much). This is similar with any prominent relationship in mainstream comics; Franchise/{{Superman}} and ComicBook/LoisLane, Franchise/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, ComicBook/GreenArrow and ComicBook/BlackCanary, ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} and ComicBook/{{Mera}}, ComicBook/AntMan and ComicBook/TheWasp, ComicBook/IronMan and [[ComicBook/{{Rescue}} Pepper Potts]], ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} and ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}}, and many, many others are pretty much stuck in an endless cycle of being broken up by writers who prefer them single and reunited by those who prefer them together. Because of this, fans of either persuasion should be able to rest easy, because sooner or later, they're going to be the way they want them. For a while. (In practice, of course, whichever set of fans is currently not being served call loudly for the ResetButton to be pushed ''now''.)

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', and ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2022''.

** ''{{ComicBook/Sabretooth}}'' is the newest case. He was [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inverted]] into a good guy during ''{{ComicBook/AXIS}}'' and decides to follow Logan's example by finding his own Wolverine. The first book he was in got cancelled due to ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'', then he went to Bunn's [[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2016 Uncanny X-Men]]. He joins the team & continues his quest for redemption while developing [[BelligerentSexualTension budding]] [[ShipTease relationship]] with [[Characters/GenerationX Monet St. Croix]], whom he was very protective of. His inversion showed signs of slipping & he struggles to fight the reversion. Not wanting to be a monster again, he vows to become something different if he can not stay inverted. He also uses helping Monet as motivation, who was cursed by her brother and became a vampire. He eventually ran away with her at the end of the series. Cue ''ComicBook/ResurrXion'', and all of this has been ignored. His struggles with not wanting to be a monster haven't come up, and his entire relationship with Monet [[NoRomanticResolution was dropped]] without any explanation. He's back to wanting to kill stuff in Weapon X, with Logan & Warpath keep watch on him and being ready to kill him should he lose it, but trying to keep him sated by looking for monsters & villains he can fight. The Claws of A Killer mini also shows he's back wanting to kill Wolverine when he hears that he may be alive again. The end of ''ComicBook/WeaponX2017'' sees him driven insane in hell and returned to an almost-feral state, all semblance of positive character growth rendered completely null.
** In the Curse of the Mutants storyline, ComicBook/JubileeMarvelComics, recently depowered, was turned into a vampire and stayed it for a while after. Can't have something as cool as inventive as a vampire x-man, can we?

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', and ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManWellsAndRomitaJr''.

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', and ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer''.

** Sam Wilson became the official Captain America in ''ComicBook/CaptainAmericaSamWilson''. In ''ComicBook/CaptainAmericaSteveRogers'', Steve Rogers returned to normal and subsequently shared the identity with Sam for a while, with both men using the Captain America name. This lasted until ''Comicbook/SecretEmpire'' and ''Generations'', which ended with Sam giving the shield back to Steve and returning to his original Falcon identity.
* Comicbook/FantasticFour
** The Comicbook/FantasticFour are one of the few comic teams where the members change uniforms and actually stick with the new duds. (Except one case where Sue once tried a {{Stripperiffic}} outfit that exposed her cleavage and midriff; it just wasn't her, and surprisingly, the fans knew it. She got rid of it quickly.)
** Poor Benjamin Grimm will always be [[Comicbook/FantasticFour The Thing]]. Reed Richards' various attempts to find a cure to his condition will never work, or if so always be reversed. This is lampshaded in ''ComicBook/{{Marvel 1602}}'' where Reed Richards, theorizing that [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality stories are laws of the universe]], states that a cure for Benjamin wouldn't last long since he's much more interesting the way he is.

** Not only can ComicBook/DoctorDoom [[JokerImmunity never be killed for real]], but he'll never lose control over [[{{Ruritania}} Latveria]] for too long, since him being King and Dictator is a very important part of the character's concept. Is there such a thing as [[JokerImmunity Joker Diplomatic Immunity]]? Also, his face will ''never'' get better, though this seems to be a conscious decision on his part so that he'll always have a permanent reminder of Reed's "crimes" against him. While his face was finally healed at the end of ''Comicbook/SecretWars2015'', this only lasted until the final issue of Creator/BrianBendis' ''Invincible Iron Man'' run, which once again had Doom get disfigured during a fight with the Hood.

* This was predicted by Creator/KieronGillen concerning ComicBook/{{Loki}}; he would eventually go back to his usual self after Gillen had him reverted to childhood with about half his memories, practically worshiping Comicbook/TheMightyThor. Much of the impact of the arc was not from wondering if the change would stick, but on the possible effects once things reverted to Status Quo. As writer of the Thor title (renamed ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMysteryGillen'' thanks to the focus on Loki, rather than Thor), he indicated that Loki turning evil again WAS NOT a foregone conclusion, as Thor destroyed the Ragnarok cycle which contained the writings that decreed the destinies of the Asgardians, enabling all of them to ScrewDestiny, Loki included, but in the end, Loki's villainous side returned. The writer says he chose to end the story with Loki's return to evil because he knew that if he didn't, someone else would come along and do it anyway. And at least if Loki fell from grace under his pen, he could do it in a [[TearJerker suitably emotional manner]]. "So-and-so IS NOT a foregone conclusion" has been said numerous times (see Creator/JoeQuesada talking about the Franchise/SpiderMan identity reveal, saying "it won't [[Comicbook/OneMoreDay just be undone by magic a year later]]". So take any promise of permanence with [[LyingCreator a gigantic grain of salt.]]
** HOWEVER, this was ultimately subverted in the end. Loki's adventures were continued in Gillen's ''Comicbook/YoungAvengers'' run, with them now developing a massive GuiltComplex over his villainous' side returning, ultimately revealing that Loki's dark side hadn't returned; rather, their mind and memories had been restored but they retained the morality of their young self, and after they were restored to an older form (if albeit still younger than traditional, being now a 20s-something), they're now having a solid go at a HeelFaceTurn in ''Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', with a big focus on how they're attempting to ScrewDestiny, with their future self, who had inevitably returned to villainy, playing the role of the BigBad.

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''Comicbook/TheCloneSaga'', ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', and ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer''.
** Speaking of ''Spider-Man''… As of the ''Comicbook/SpiderIsland'' arc, [[spoiler: his current girlfriend dumped him, the psychic block preventing people from learning his secret identity is gone, and he and MJ have decided to rekindle their relationship]]. It also gave [[spoiler: Spider-Girl back her powers, which she had lost a few years ago, and Eddie Brock is no [[{{Foreshadowing}} longer Anti-Venom]]]].

** Spider-Man seems to have gained two distinct Status Quos: He's either a single young adult living either alone, with his aunt, or a close friend, or he's married/in a committed relationship with Mary Jane Watson who he lives with, and appears to be growing up. This is the result of two parties RunningTheAsylum; in the former case, people who grew up with single young Spidey and/or cling onto him as a means to cling onto their own young adulthood, and so insist on keeping him this way, and in the latter case, people who grew up with Spidey when he was dating Mary Jane who, thanks to being the EnsembleDarkhorse, became a FanPreferredCouple with him, and so they make it canon and have them settle down since that's the logical path for a relationship to go, and likely similar to how the writer is currently. Because of this, Mary Jane has repeatedly been PutOnABus, often via a means to try and ensure that she doesn't come back (such as killing her off or {{Derailing|LoveInterests}} her), but every time this happens she always comes back (usually because whatever prompted her to leave, she [[CharacterDevelopment gets over]] and reunites with Peter because ultimately, they both love each other too much). This is similar with any prominent relationship in mainstream comics; Franchise/{{Superman}} and ComicBook/LoisLane, Franchise/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, ComicBook/GreenArrow and ComicBook/BlackCanary, ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} and ComicBook/{{Mera}}, [[ComicBook/AntMan Henry Pym]] and ComicBook/TheWasp, ComicBook/IronMan and ComicBook/PepperPotts, ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} and ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}}, and many, many others are pretty much stuck in an endless cycle of being broken up by writers who prefer them single and reunited by those who prefer them together. Because of this, fans of either persuasion should be able to rest easy, because sooner or later, they're going to be the way they want them. For a while. (In practice, of course, whichever set of fans is currently not being served call loudly for the ResetButton to be pushed ''now''.)

* ''Comicbook/XMen''

** Speaking of X-Men, ComicBook/{{Rogue}} possesses the power to absorb the psyche and powers of those she touches. When she was first introduced, these powers were uncontrollable and this fact was often a source of angst for her. Her powers would frequently change and she would even occasionally lose them, only to have them inevitably return as uncontrollable as ever. Then, after nearly thirty years of publications, Rogue finally gained control over her powers during Messiah Complex with help from Professor Xavier. However, come 2014 and ComicBook/UncannyAvengers, Rogue has once again lost control over her powers and has permanently absorbed Comicbook/WonderMan's power and psyche, essentially reverting her to how she was when she was first introduced. She even goes on a crazed rant about how she'd been through the whole ordeal already and commented that she couldn't even stand the thought of having to do it again. Having Wonder Man in her head probably didn't help either.

* The cyclical nature of comics was {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in an issue of ''Comicbook/NewAvengers'', where ComicBook/WonderMan points out that the entire ''Comicbook/CivilWar'' crossover was utterly pointless since everything (more or less) went back to normal within just a few short years.

* Similar to Ben Grimm's situation further above, poor Bruce Banner will always be [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]]. He will never find a permanent cure, and because of that, he and ComicBook/BettyRoss will most likely always be StarCrossedLovers. Things might have changed with Betty Ross becoming the Red She-Hulk, but she permanently lost her powers.

** ''{{ComicBook/Sabretooth}}'' is the newest case. He was [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inverted]] into a good guy during ''{{ComicBook/AXIS}}'' and decides to follow Logan's example by finding his own Wolverine. The first book he was in got cancelled due to ''{{ComicBook/SecretWars}}'', then he went to Bunn's [[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2016 Uncanny X-Men]]. He joins the team & continues his quest for redemption while developing [[BelligerentSexualTension budding]] [[ShipTease relationship]] with [[Characters/GenerationX Monet St. Croix]], whom he was very protective of. His inversion showed signs of slipping & he struggles to fight the reversion. Not wanting to be a monster again, he vows to become something different if he can not stay inverted. He also uses helping Monet as motivation, who was cursed by her brother and became a vampire. He eventually ran away with her at the end of the series. Cue ''ComicBook/ResurrXion'', and all of this has been ignored. His struggles with not wanting to be a monster haven't come up, and his entire relationship with Monet [[NoRomanticResolution was dropped]] without any explanation. He's back to wanting to kill stuff in Weapon X, with Logan & Warpath keep watch on him and being ready to kill him should he lose it, but trying to keep him sated by looking for monsters & villains he can fight. The Claws of A Killer mini also shows he's back wanting to kill Wolverine when he hears that he may be alive again. The end of ''ComicBook/WeaponX2017'' sees him driven insane in hell and returned to an almost-feral state, all semblance of positive character growth rendered completely null.

* Franchise/SpiderMan. ''[[OhMyGods Oh Galactus]]'', Spider-Man. Marvel is dead-set on dragging him back to a single guy living with his Aunt May and working minimum wage at the Daily Bugle, no matter how many {{Ass Pull}}s or {{Voodoo Shark}}s it takes. See ''Comicbook/TheCloneSaga'' and ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''.

** Exactly where ''ComicBook/{{Venom}}'' sits on the moral compass is [[DependingOnTheWriter entirely based on whatever the writer wants to do with him,]] but while he usually lands somewhere in the AntiHero quadrant the symbiote has changed hands so often it's hard to keep track. Eddie Brock became Anti-Venom after abandoning the symbiote because its bloodlust grew too powerful for even ''him'' to control, going through a FaithHeelTurn leading up to his new identity and seeing all symbiotes as diseases to be purged. But after giving up the identity, he wound up bonded to another symbiote, Toxin, whom Flash Thompson (who was the new Venom at the time) pointed out he had gotten rather buddy-buddy with. When the two parted ways, Eddie told Flash that when - not if - he lost control of Venom, Eddie would turn up to [[MercyKill put him out of his misery]]. Jumping ahead a few years, Eddie spontaneously turned up after both had been separated from their respective symbiotes to retrieve his old one, referring to it as his "beloved" and promptly becoming Venom again. And that's not even getting into how the symbiote itself and ''its'' characterization has jumped all over the place, with a total purge of its dark side taking place in ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' to [[ContinuityLockOut help introduce new readers who had never known Venom was ever a villain]] only to undo it under a villainous {{Sucksessor}} [[ComicBook/MikeCostasVenom Lee Price]] a year or two later.

* This was predicted by Creator/KieronGillen concerning ComicBook/{{Loki}}; he would eventually go back to his usual self after Gillen had him reverted to childhood with about half his memories, practically worshiping Comicbook/TheMightyThor. Much of the impact of the arc was not from wondering if the change would stick, but on the possible effects once things reverted to Status Quo. As writer of the Thor title (renamed ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'' thanks to the focus on Loki, rather than Thor), he indicated that Loki turning evil again WAS NOT a foregone conclusion, as Thor destroyed the Ragnarok cycle which contained the writings that decreed the destinies of the Asgardians, enabling all of them to ScrewDestiny, Loki included, but in the end, Loki's villainous side returned. The writer says he chose to end the story with Loki's return to evil because he knew that if he didn't, someone else would come along and do it anyway. And at least if Loki fell from grace under his pen, he could do it in a [[TearJerker suitably emotional manner]]. "So-and-so IS NOT a foregone conclusion" has been said numerous times (see Creator/JoeQuesada talking about the Franchise/SpiderMan identity reveal, saying "it won't [[Comicbook/OneMoreDay just be undone by magic a year later]]". So take any promise of permanence with [[LyingCreator a gigantic grain of salt.]]

** Sam Wilson became the official Captain America in ''Captain America: Sam Wilson''. In ''ComicBook/NickSpencersCaptainAmerica'', Steve Rogers returned to normal and subsequently shared the identity with Sam for a while, with both men using the Captain America name. This lasted until ''Comicbook/SecretEmpire'' and ''Generations'', which ended with Sam giving the shield back to Steve and returning to his original Falcon identity.

* This was predicted by Creator/KieronGillen concerning ComicBook/{{Loki}}; he would eventually go back to his usual self after Gillen had him reverted to childhood with about half his memories, practically worshiping Comicbook/TheMightyThor. Much of the impact of the arc was not from wondering if the change would stick, but on the possible effects once things reverted to Status Quo. As writer of the Thor title (renamed ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'' thanks to the focus on Loki, rather than Thor), he indicated that Loki turning evil again WAS NOT a foregone conclusion, as Thor destroyed the Ragnarok cycle which contained the writings that decreed the destinies of the Asgardians, enabling all of them to ScrewDestiny, Loki included, but in the end, Loki's villainous side returned. The writer says he chose to end the story with Loki's return to evil because he knew that if he didn't, someone else would come along and do it anyway. And at least if Loki fell from grace under his pen, he could do it in a [[TearJerker suitably emotional manner]]. "So-and-so IS NOT a foregone conclusion" has been said numerous times (see Creator/JoeQuesada talking about the Franchise/SpiderMan identity reveal, saying "it won't [[Comicbook/OneMoreDay just be undone by magic a year later.]]” So take any promise of permanence with [[LyingCreator a gigantic grain of salt.]]

* This was predicted by Creator/KieronGillen concerning ComicBook/{{Loki}}; he would eventually go back to his usual self after Gillen had him reverted to childhood with about half his memories, practically worshiping Comicbook/TheMightyThor. Much of the impact of the arc was not from wondering if the change would stick, but on the possible effects once things reverted to Status Quo. As writer of the Thor title (renamed ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'' thanks to the focus on Loki, rather than Thor), he indicated that Loki turning evil again WAS NOT a foregone conclusion, as Thor destroyed the Ragnarok cycle which contained the writings that decreed the destinies of the Asgardians, enabling all of them to ScrewDestiny, Loki included, but in the end, Loki's villainous side returned. The writer says he chose to end the story with Loki's return to evil because he knew that if he didn't, someone else would come along and do it anyway. And at least if Loki fell from grace under his pen, he could do it in a [[TearJerker suitably emotional manner]]. "So-and-so IS NOT a foregone conclusion" has been said numerous times (see Creator/JoeQuesada talking about the Franchise/SpiderMan identity reveal, saying "it won't [[Comicbook/OneMoreDay just be undone by magic a year later."]] So take any promise of permanence with [[LyingCreator a gigantic grain of salt.]]

* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica has often handed his shield and title to other people. [[AntiHeroSubstitute John Walker]], ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, and [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]], respectively because Steve had become disheartened with the role, was thought to be dead, or had been BroughtDownToNormal. Each of those has eventually end(ed) with them stepping down and handing the title back in order to return to their own personal identity. Almost subverted with Bucky, though, as Steve had believed that being Captain America was a good thing for Bucky, and when he returned, he opted to take a promotion to becoming the new top-dog of SHIELD, making him something of a general to the superhero populace, rather than the field leader of the Avengers. This, largely, was thanks to fan reaction towards [[BreakoutCharacter Bucky!Cap]] being so overwhelmingly positive that many fans ''didn't want'' Steve to come back to the role. In the end, he only returned to the role as it was in order to coincide with the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.

** Speaking of ''Spider-Man''... As of the ''Comicbook/SpiderIsland'' arc, [[spoiler: his current girlfriend dumped him, the psychic block preventing people from learning his secret identity is gone, and he and MJ have decided to rekindle their relationship]]. It also gave [[spoiler: Spider-Girl back her powers, which she had lost a few years ago, and Eddie Brock is no [[{{Foreshadowing}} longer Anti-Venom]]]].

** ''{{ComicBook/Sabretooth}}'' is the newest case. He was [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inverted]] into a good guy during ''{{ComicBook/AXIS}}'' and decides to follow Logan's example by finding his own Wolverine. The first book he was in got cancelled due to ''{{ComicBook/SecretWars}}'', then he went to Bunn's [[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2015 Uncanny X-Men]]. He joins the team & continues his quest for redemption while developing [[BelligerentSexualTension budding]] [[ShipTease relationship]] with [[Characters/GenerationX Monet St. Croix]], whom he was very protective of. His inversion showed signs of slipping & he struggles to fight the reversion. Not wanting to be a monster again, he vows to become something different if he can not stay inverted. He also uses helping Monet as motivation, who was cursed by her brother and became a vampire. He eventually ran away with her at the end of the series. Cue ''ComicBook/ResurrXion'', and all of this has been ignored. His struggles with not wanting to be a monster haven't come up, and his entire relationship with Monet [[NoRomanticResolution was dropped]] without any explanation. He's back to wanting to kill stuff in Weapon X, with Logan & Warpath keep watch on him and being ready to kill him should he lose it, but trying to keep him sated by looking for monsters & villains he can fight. The Claws of A Killer mini also shows he's back wanting to kill Wolverine when he hears that he may be alive again. The end of ''ComicBook/WeaponX2017'' sees him driven insane in hell and returned to an almost-feral state, all semblance of positive character growth rendered completely null.

** Exactly where ''ComicBook/{{Venom}}'' sits on the moral compass is [[DependingOnTheWriter entirely based on whatever the writer wants to do with him,]] but while he usually lands somewhere in the AntiHero quadrant the symbiote has changed hands so often it's hard to keep track. Eddie Brock became Anti-Venom after abandoning the symbiote because its bloodlust grew too powerful for even ''him'' to control, going through a FaithHeelTurn leading up to his new identity and seeing all symbiotes as diseases to be purged. But after giving up the identity, he wound up bonded to another symbiote, Toxin, whom Flash Thompson (who was the new Venom at the time) pointed out he had gotten rather buddy-buddy with. When the two parted ways, Eddie told Flash that when - not if - he lost control of Venom, Eddie would turn up to [[MercyKill put him out of his misery]]. Jumping ahead a few years, Eddie spontaneously turned up after both had been separated from their respective symbiotes to retrieve his old one, referring to it as his "beloved" and promptly becoming Venom again. And that's not even getting into how the symbiote itself and ''it's'' characterization has jumped all over the place, with a total purge of its dark side taking place in ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' to [[ContinuityLockOut help introduce new readers who had never known Venom was ever a villain]] only to undo it under a villainous {{Sucksessor}} [[ComicBook/MikeCostasVenom Lee Price]] a year or two later.