Venom: The Last Dance has finally hit theaters and marks the final chapter in Sony’s Venom trilogy. Takes place immediately afterwards Spider-Man: No Way HomeThis film follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his slimy sidekick Venom as they escape from the authorities and the clutches of Venom’s evil creator, the dark god Knull (Andy Serkis).

It’s been a hectic ride in the last three films. However, Sony’s Spider-Man universe failed to live up to its potential Morbius And Madam WebViewers can once again count on Venom to deliver a crazy, wild adventure. This threequel provided a thrilling and heartfelt conclusion to the trilogy that still sets up a dark, epic future for the deadly protector. Now this Venom: The Last Dance premieres, here’s a breakdown of the story and what its ending means for the future of the franchise.

Eddie and Venom’s “final” ride

After his battle with Carnage and a brief stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Eddie and Venom must escape a team of US soldiers operating out of a secret laboratory in Area 55 (the successor to Area 51). Although Eddie is accused of murdering missing Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham), he is still alive and being held in Area 55. Scientists led by Dr. Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) investigate the symbiote within him and a group of other other symbiotes that escaped to Earth.

When Eddie tries to go to New York City to get a judge he knows to clear his name, he and Venom are attacked by a Xenophage, a giant regenerative monster sent by Knull to destroy the Codex within them steal. Because Knull was held captive by the symbiotes he created on the planet Klyntar, he can only be freed through a created code when a symbiote is revived and bonds with a dead host. Since Venom revived Eddie at the end of the first Venom film, their bond turned them into a codex. Additionally, if one of them dies, the codex will no longer exist.

How does Venom: The Last Dance end?

Eddie and Venom continue to escape through Nevada with the help of a family traveling to Area 51. It’s a heartwarming journey, and even though Eddie and Venom hide in a Las Vegas casino with Mrs. Chen (Peggy Chu), they are still captured by the military. Once in captivity, soldiers led by Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) attempt to kill Eddie in order to destroy the codex and prevent Knull from escaping. At that moment, the Xenophage infiltrates Area 55 and Venom teams up with the other symbiotes at the base to destroy it.

Unfortunately, the nearly unstoppable Xenophage calls for Knull, who sends more of these monsters to capture Eddie. Realizing that they cannot stop the Xenophages, Venom sacrifices himself to destroy the aliens along with the Codex in the military’s acid rain. Later, Eddie wakes up alive and is exonerated of his murder charges by the military because of his heroism. Now free to start a new life, Eddie travels to New York City to see the Statue of Liberty, fulfilling Venom’s dying wish to see them together in a dark final scene.

Does Venom: The Last Dance have a post-credits scene?

Yes! There are two Post-credits scenes. Although the film ends with Knull defeated, a mid-credits scene shows that the dark deity is still alive and trapped on his throne in Klyntar. The King in Black breaks the fourth wall and declares that the audience will watch as he breaks out of his prison and wreaks havoc on the universe.

But that’s not all. A post-credits scene shows Cristo Fernandez’s bartender character escaping the ruins of Area 55 after being captured in the first act. Also in the distance is Dr. Payne’s symbiote container is seen emitting an electrical spark, indicating that part of the symbiote is still alive.

In total, Venom: The Last Dance may seem like the end of the Lethal Protector’s journey, but it’s clear that now that Knull has reared his head, Sony has even bigger plans for Venom, the symbiotes, and the entire Spider-Man universe. The film’s director, Kelly Marcel, said at New York Comic Con: “(The Last Dance) is just the introduction to Knull. He’s a huge, huge character, so you can never be satisfied with him. This is just a small taste of Knull. We get to know him. What the future holds for him, who knows.”

With Knull looking to conquer the universe, Eddie may have to return to face the alien god. Tom Hardy said The Last Dance would be his last Venom film, but then again, Hugh Jackman said Logan would be his final film as Wolverine until he returned this year Deadpool and Wolverineso nothing is set in stone.

As for Venom’s fate, the dying symbiote told Eddie, “Right now it’s just goodbye,” implying that the symbiote would somehow come back to life and reunite with him. Venom left a part of himself behind in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it’s possible that part of the symbiote could return to Eddie through Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. It’s likely that Holland’s character will bond with the black alien just like he did in the comics, but as Marvel Studios’ multiverse saga continues to develop, he could be the way home for Venom.