Marvel seemingly just confirmed the identity of its new Venom host… so why does it feel like there’s yet another twist waiting for fans? For the last few months, Marvel’s symbiote has undergone a major change, with a new golden symbol and a reckless attitude. Marvel proposed four possible new hosts for the Venom symbiote: perennial sidekick Rick Jones, superhero mayor Luke Cage, supervillain Madame Masque, or crusading journalist Robbie Robertson. Now, there’s only one candidate left… so why does it feel like we aren’t done?

In a preview of All-New Venom #5, fans see Madame Masque present while the new Venom fights MODOK. Given Rick Jones was just revealed as the new Sleeper Agent and Luke Cage was ruled out earlier in issue 2 for being too tall (after Venom was shot clean through the head), this should confirm that Venom is Robertson… and yet there are few Marvel fans who think that’s actually the case.

While it’s unlike Marvel to do a full fakeout – offering four candidates then choosing none of them – fans have been speculating for a while that someone else is underneath the symbiote. Mary Jane Watson’s new partner Paul was considered a probable contender by many, however attention has now shifted to MJ herself.

The New Venom Has to Be Robbie Robertson…

So Why Do Fans Think It’s Mary Jane Watson?

Fans are currently speculating that the new Venom is Spider-Man’s iconic ally and love interest MJ Watson. This is primarily because of a viral post on X from @iREUS_SA, seemingly showing a variant cover by Clayton Crain in which Mary Jane is shown wearing the symbiote. The cover is in the style of other covers by Crain for the issue, showcasing each of the possible suspects wearing the suit.

While this artwork hasn’t been verified by Marvel, it makes sense with the preview and the story so far. Something has felt off about the All-New Venom mystery from the start – the eclectic group of suspects led many fans to assume that the new Venom had to be Rick Jones, who has had many different superhero identities over the years. However, when Rick was revealed to actually be the host of the memory-deleting symbiote Sleeper, all that went out of the window.

Source: @iREUS_SA