Absolute Carnage Contains a Tear-Jerking Avengers: Endgame Easter Egg

The previous issue of Marvel's Absolute Carnage event series ended with a real gut-punch, as beloved hero Miles Morales stood up to Carnage only to be taken by the evil Symbiote and turned into a mindless member of his violent horde. This devastating scene took just about every ounce of hope away from Eddie Brock because it signified just how unpredictable and dangerous Carnage really is. Miles didn't have a codex in his spine, but Carnage took him anyway, acting out of nothing but pure spite. Wednesday's new issue, Absolute Carnage #3, picked up right where it's predecessor left off, using a heartbreaking Avengers: Endgame Easter egg to make the situation even more bleak.

The very first frame of Absolute Carnage #3 shows Miles Morales in his suit, falling into the black and red nothing of the Carnage hive mind. As he falls, Eddie begins his inner monologue with four words that every Marvel fan will recognize, "I lost the kid."

In one of the first scenes of Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark returns to Earth, on the edge of death, and is greeted by Steve Rogers. They both lost to Thanos because they were separated, making their reunion pretty bittersweet. Of course, the big thing on Tony's mind is that Peter died and there was nothing he could do to protect him. So Tony looks Steve right in the eyes and says, "I lost the kid." Absolute Carnage writer Donny Cates brought that sentimentality back in a big way with this moment, especially considering that both Tony and Eddie lost a Spider-Man, the youngest member of their respective teams.

Things get even more difficult for Eddie as the opening page of the issue continues. He goes on to describe just how truly hopeless he feels, and wonders if there is any possible way to beat the forces he and his Symbiote are up against.

"I lost the kid. Carnage turned him. Took him. Dragged him drowning into the black and red. The Carnage hordes grow stronger by the day. He's collected dozens of bodies so far. Ripped pieces of the Symbiote from the living and the dead. And we're... losing. I'm losing everything. And I don't know how to win."

What have you thought of Absolute Carnage so far? Did this Avengers: Endgame nod get you? Let us know in the comments!