beypride:

I post this panel literally all the time, but I continue to be so into the characterization shift Marvel’s been giving Eddie for the past 2 years. I think part of it is just attributable to shifting narrative preferences in character writing, of course, but viewing it as a continuous narrative makes me so emotional.

Complete lack of reflection and an inability to accept blame used to be hallmarks of Eddie’s character. When his life is ruined, it’s Spider-Man’s fault. He believes that in all sincerety. Spider-Man ruined him thus Spider-Man is dangerous and it is for the best of all to eliminate him. Hell, he tries to protect Peter’s own parents from Peter and he means it sincerely – that is how far he pushes this narrative and how genuine he is about this delusion.
Eddie Brock means well but he is literally not capable of the reflection necessary to translate this into action that is perceived as ‘good’ by others.

That’s the tragedy of his character. It is often presented in a funny-sad way by the comics. This page is a good example, but there are many more.

Then over time, Eddie begins seeing his actions as bad and begins to wonder if the symbiote is at fault. It is not, the symbiote only does what Eddie wants and learns what is ‘right’ from what Eddie considers to be so. The two are stuck in a loop where they enable each other to kill – and neither is ill-intentioned.
Here, still, Eddie does not accept responsibility. He first gently negotiates this with the symbiote, then violently rejects it and distances himself from it fully (those are all the weird 2000s comics) – but Eddie Brock isn’t at fault.

Only recent comics have this era of seperation end on reflection. Eddie is alone in his head and the longer he’s there, the more he talks to people, the more distance he has from the symbiote trying to please him and echoing his deluded judgements back at him… Eddie realizes that he is responsible.
Ever since the Sin-Eater incident, Eddie’s been stuck in a spiral of depression and obsession and he’s never been able to break out. Now, finally, he’s able to accept something this simple: his actions are his own.

And he takes the symbiote back, now knowing that the symbiote isn’t to blame, now knowing that they’re partners who need to negotiate their actions together. He can realize with more clarity and distinction than ever before that he loves the symbiote but that he also wants them to be better. Both of them, together.

“I don’t know what I have to live for. I don’t know if I’m a good man. Or if I can ever be one. But I know one thing. I know it with every blow I take, with every bone I break. With every drop of blood that fills my mouth. With every breath in my lungs. I’m not ready to give into the darkness. I’m not ready to die.”

We get to an Eddie who can say THIS and mean it. We’ve met this man as unreflected and rampantly suicidal. And we’re with him now, when he is realizing that he has to grow as a person, when he is doubting that he can, but when he is facing those challenges all the same without flinching.

And as much as I sometimes miss early comic characterization, I am so proud of Eddie Brock for getting to this point. @ Marvel MAKE HIM HAPPY COWARDS