Iron Man's Anti-Symbiote Armor Unleashes Its Most Powerful Attack
Contains spoilers for "Carnage Reigns: Omega" #1
Iron Man is pulling out all the stops to take down a villain who has transformed his darkest armor into something even more terrifying. In "Carnage: Reigns: Omega" #1, Iron Man joins Miles Morales in his new Iron-Spider armor in trying to stop an Extrembiote-powered Cletus Kasady. To take down the serial killer and his deadly alien armor, Iron Man releases an attack so powerful via his new Anti-Symbiote Armor that immediately goes down in the Marvel Comics history books as one of Tony Stark's most potent ever.
But it's not just Kasady that Iron Man, Miles, and a surprise group of villains are trying to stop. Instead, the former host of the Carnage symbiote has an entire army at his disposal, gaining control of his followers through the manipulation of Stark's tech and the Extrembiote armor. However, like he's managed in most situations, Iron Man has been preparing to take on his former armor, creating an Anti-Symbiote Armor designed to take down the out-of-control monster.
Why did Iron Man create the Anti-Symbiote armor?
Iron Man first created the Extrembiote armor in Marvel's "King in Black" event. In his desperate efforts to stop Knull, the God of Symbiotes, who nearly decimated the Marvel Universe with his symbiote army, Tony Stark used the Extremus Virus to take control of one of his symbiote dragons. After the attack ended, Stark foolishly decided to keep the armor and continue working on it. In a fight against Carnage, the killer monster absorbed the Extrembiote, gaining control of the tech-based symbiote. However, when Cletus Kasady opted not to follow his longtime symbiote in his quest to become the new King in Black, the murderous villain used the Extrembiote for his own evil actions instead of sticking with the Carnage symbiote. Making matters worse, Kasady stole Stark's technology and network, which, combined with the Extrembiote, led him to gain control of his own army of armored fighters.
Kasady's continued efforts to evolve the Extrembiote and overtake New York City led Tony Stark to unleash his Anti-Symbiote Armor. Arriving at a fight featuring Miles Morales (saving him after he was nearly killed, giving him a nano-based Iron Spider armor), Electro, Scorpion, Taskmaster, and Hightail, Iron Man debuted the Anti-Symbiote Armor. During the battle, Stark admitted he was waiting for the right time to wear the armor and spent a long time preparing the suit to be battle ready. Armed with an energy spear, a massive energy shield, and tech made to take on any symbiote, Iron Man started to turn the tide of the battle, but against an opponent as powerful as Kasady and the Extrembiote, the hero needed something special to stop him. Enter his Anti-Symbiote's armor's most powerful attack.
How his attack stopped Cletus Kasady's grand plans
In "Carnage: Reigns: Omega" #1 by Cody Ziglar, Julius Ohta, Roge Antonio, and VC's Cory Petit from Marvel Comics, Iron Man sports his Anti-Symbiote Armor while guiding Miles Morales with his new nano-tech suit. Tony Stark is forced to show Miles the ropes with a high-tech suit while dealing with Cletus Kasady's attack with the Extrembiote. Iron Man blocks a deadly attack with his transparent energy shield before telling Spider-Man and the group of villains working alongside them he knew Kasady would be back; hence why he built the Anti-Symbiote Armor.
Iron Man reveals he's got a special E.M.P. that can take the Extrembiote Armor out of commission but is met with Kasady's armored minions. However, his attempts to stop him fail, with Kasady only getting bigger and stronger. While Spider-Man distracts Kasady in his new armor, using his Venom Blast to subdue him briefly, Iron Man joins Morales again. At the last minute, Iron Man uses his one-shot at expelling as much power as possible to send a blast so strong that it shreds Kasady and the Extrembiote.
As a result, Cletus' symbiote hold collapses, leading to his army quickly dissipating. Stark tells Miles they successfully stopped the villain, frying his Anti-Symbiote Armor in the process. Iron Man, wholly exhausted by unleashing all his energy to defeat Kasady, offers to take Miles to White Castle to grab a burger to celebrate. Unfortunately for Spider-Man, Stark takes the Iron Spider armor back, telling him it only should be used in case of emergencies — so no new permanent upgrade for Miles despite his good work.
While Tony and Miles return home, Kasady's fate is teased. The issue ends with the remaining symbiote on the ground, making a face, suggesting Kasady might still be inside.
What is Cletus Kasady's fate in the Marvel Universe?
The Extrembiote in its most evolved form appears to have been stopped thanks to Iron Man's Anti-Symbiote Armor — but what that means for Cletus Kasady remains to be seen. While Kasady's quest to control the Marvel Universe appears over for now, his actions show what he's capable of without Carnage. At the same time, the Carnage symbiote's rise is just beginning. The evil symbiote will try to kill all Venoms in existence in the upcoming "Death of Venomverse" crossover event. The Cullen Bunn and Gerardo Sandoval miniseries will see Carnage travel across the Multiverse to take on different versions of his rival symbiote, including a final battle with Knull, with the God of Symbiotes making a surprise return in "Death of Venomverse" #5.
Depending on how successful Carnage's mission is, his connection with Kasady might be permanently severed — at least for the time being. Plus, it's doubtful Carnage would want to work with his former host after their previous falling out and his failures with the Extrembiote. But, perhaps both of their failures could lead them back to one another.
Hopefully, Iron Man won't need to rebuild the Anti-Symbiote Armor in the near or far future. But, considering how Kasady managed to use the Extrembiote to come close to overtaking him, it's not the worst idea to keep the tech schematics to create it in his back pocket, should he ever need to use it again. Readers can see the armor unleash its most powerful attack in "Carnage Omega: Alpha" #1 by Marvel Comics, which is in comic book stores and available at online retailers now.