In the movie Venom, there is a memorable scene where Venom sees Spider-Man on TV and licks the screen. This strange behavior from Venom towards Spider-Man has puzzled and amused fans. There are a few possible explanations for why Venom might lick the screen when he sees Spider-Man that relate to the unique biology and psychology of the Venom symbiote.
Venom’s Obsession with Spider-Man
First, it is important to understand that Venom has an obsession with Spider-Man. The Venom symbiote’s first host was Peter Parker, who is of course the human alter ego of Spider-Man. The symbiote formed a close bond with Parker during this time and gained many of Parker’s abilities and knowledge. However, when Parker realized the symbiote was dangerous, he rejected it. This rejection greatly traumatized the alien symbiote and left it with hatred for Parker/Spider-Man.
When the symbiote bonded with disgraced journalist Eddie Brock, it transferred its obsession and vendetta to its new host. As Venom, Brock makes it his mission to get revenge on Spider-Man and often refers to his hatred of the web-slinger. So when Venom sees Spider-Man, even just on TV, it triggers his deep-seated rage and desire for vengeance. The licking behavior could be a physical manifestation of Venom’s twisted excitement and anticipation of confronting his nemesis.
The Symbiote’s Desire to Re-Bond
Another related explanation is that the symbiote still retains a desire to re-bond with Parker/Spider-Man. Although its time with Parker was short, those moments were very formative for the alien symbiote. Parker was its first host, so the symbiote may have nostalgia for that time together and wish to fuse with Parker again.
Seeing Spider-Man triggers this yearning and the symbiote instinctively reaches out or tries to taste Parker’s essence again by licking the screen. It is acting on imprinted biological urges to reconnect with the host that it first merged with, even if rationally the symbiote harbors animosity towards Spider-Man. This is a case of deep, subconscious instinct overriding conscious hatred.
Absorbing Bio-Data
The Venom symbiote may also lick the screen when it sees Spider-Man as a means of absorbing key biological data. As an alien life form, the symbiote has abilities humans do not, including extracting information and energy via contact. When it bonds with a host, it intertwines on a cellular level, allowing an exchange of DNA, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.
By licking the screen when Spider-Man is on it, the symbiote could be trying to gather biomolecular data about its former host by processing trace residues. It is trying to get critical intel that will aid Venom in battling or defeating Spider-Man. The symbiote has retained memory and samples of Parker’s biology from their direct bonding, but it may be attempting to gather updated data by licking a fresh source.
Primal Hunting Behavior
A more primal, animalistic perspective is that Venom’s screen-licking represents instinctual predatory behavior. Like a predator catching the scent of prey, the symbiote’s strange tongue-flicking reflects its singular focus on Spider-Man as a target to be stalked, attacked, and consumed.
As an amorphous sentient being that envelops and controls a human host, Venom can be seen as a parasite similar to a tapeworm. Parasitic worms and other primitive hunters use chemical receptors to detect and follow traces of prey animals. So the symbiote may be exhibiting hunting behaviors bred into its predatory biology, involuntarily stimulated by seeing Spider-Man onscreen.
Sensory Stimulation
On a more basic sensory level, perhaps the symbiote simply enjoys the novel taste and texture of screens and glass. As an alien life form, the symbiote is constantly adapting to stimulate its senses and learn more about Earth environments.
Licking the smooth, cool glass surface when Spider-Man appears provides a pleasing physical sensation. Like a cat rubbing against furniture or a dog chewing a shoe, the symbiote samples anything new and stimulating. The swirling colors and electromagnetic signals coming from the screen may also titillate the symbiote’s senses, provoking it to get closer through licking behavior.
Comedic Effect
Beyond these in-universe explanations, the screen-licking scene was likely also conceived just for sheer comedic effect. Having Venom slowly drag his long, dripping tongue up the TV screen is memorably weird and funny.
The juxtaposition of seeing a live broadcast of Spider-Man as a respected superhero, then cutting to Venom’s deviant tongue-wagging creates an absurd humor. Much of Venom’s appeal comes from his manic, unhinged nature which contrasts with other more noble superheroes. So this scene leans into that for heightened odd-couple entertainment value.
Comparison to Other Instinctive Behaviors
Venom licking the screen when he sees Spider-Man echoes some other pop culture examples of fictional creatures exhibiting instinctive behaviors in response to certain stimuli:
| Character | Behavior | Stimulus |
|---|---|---|
| Pavlov’s Dog | Salivating | Hearing a bell ring |
| Vampires | Baring fangs | Seeing a cross |
| Godzilla | Roaring | Sensing a rival monster |
Like these examples, Venom’s screen licking is an involuntary, primal reaction hardwired into his biology and psychology. It reflects the symbiote’s twisted obsession with Spider-Man on a core, non-human level.
Pavlov’s Dog
The classic 19th century psychological experiment by Ivan Pavlov demonstrated that dogs could be conditioned to associate food with ringing a bell. After repeated pairings of being fed right after a bell was rung, the dogs would begin salivating immediately when they heard the bell, even without food present.
This discovered conditioned response reflex in animals is similar to Venom’s conditioned reflex of licking the screen whenever Spider-Man appears. Through repeated stimulus, the symbiote has developed an ingrained response.
Vampires and Crosses
In folklore and fiction, vampires are depicted as recoiling from crosses or other holy symbols. The mechanism is thought to be an involuntary reaction bred into vampiric physiology and energy. When seeing a cross, vampires can’t help but bare fangs or hiss even if they consciously have intent to restrain themselves.
This is akin to how Venom/symbiote succumbs to primal instinct when exposed to Spider-Man’s image, lashing reflexively with its tongue even if its host Eddie Brock is attempting to remain in control of the body. The hatred of Spider-Man is hardwired at the profoundest level.
Godzilla’s Roar
Godzilla and other massive cinematic monsters like King Kong or Jaws display signature roars and shrieks when threatened or competing with rival creatures. These instinctive vocalizations are involuntary reactions to the hostile presence of another monster invading their territory.
Venom’s wordless tongue lashing demonstrates the same type of primal communication conveying the symbiote’s unspoken but visceral response to seeing its mortal enemy Spider-Man onscreen.
Conclusion
While bizarre and humorous, Venom’s peculiar screen-licking when confronted with Spider-Man stems from the alien symbiote’s warped biological drives and psychology regarding its original host. This compulsive behavior results from the symbiote’s lasting traumatic bonding, primal urges, sensory novelty-seeking, and involuntary reactions conditioned by rivalry and vengeance. It provides insights into the dark forces that shape Venom’s complex relationship with the web-slinger. When it comes to these two unforgettable modern mythical figures, the underlying human themes of rejection, rage, obsession and loss continue to resonate.