Kevin Feige made waves this week when he told Inverse that Marvel Studios currently has no plans to make a sequel to 2021's Eternals. MCU fans saw this as both surprising and not. Eternals ranks as one of the MCU's biggest misfires, but the film set up numerous, seemingly important storylines that may never be explored further.
As flawed as Eternals is, that's a disappointing possibility. Not only did its last-minute left turns set up a cosmic blockbuster unlike any Marvel has made before, but they also opened the door for exciting tie-ins and crossovers. Perhaps most notably, Eternals introduced Dane Whitman (Kit Harington), a comic book hero better known as Black Knight, and laid the groundwork for a future in the MCU that seems increasingly uncertain.
Contrary to what Feige's comments suggest, though, Marvel shouldn't give up on a character as promising as Harington's unlikely swordsman.
Whitman is introduced in Eternals as a scientist and historian working at London's Natural History Museum. The love interest of Sersi (Gemma Chan), he disappears for much of the movie once Sersi and her fellow Eternals begin investigating the demise of Ajak (Salma Hayek), but returns in an epilogue where he confesses to Sersi that his family's history is "complicated." In the film's final post-credits scene, he's seen preparing to wield his family's mysterious sword, the Ebony Blade, before he's interrupted by Mahershala Ali's Blade, who asks, "Sure you're ready for that, Mr. Whitman?"
Eternals, in other words, sets up Dane's future bond with the Ebony Blade as well as a relationship between him and one of the MCU's most exciting (but still forthcoming) heroes. In the years since Eternals' release, it's been repeatedly reported that Harington will reprise his role as Black Knight in Blade, but with the vampire hunter’s movie seemingly trapped in development hell, it's unclear whether he'll actually have a role in it. But even if he doesn't, Marvel should still bring back Black Knight, a character unlikely any other in the MCU.
Like Thor and Captain America, Black Knight wields an iconic weapon. But unlike Mjolnir and Cap's shield, the Ebony Blade is a parasitic entity that feeds on the darkest impulses of its wielder while encouraging their worst impulses. So while it imbues its host with formidable powers, wielding the blade is seen as a curse, one that’s been passed down through the Whitman family line ever since it was gifted to one of Dane's ancestors by Merlin himself. That detail alone makes Black Knight an interesting anti-hero, which is a contrast to the MCU’s roster of goody-goodies. Although Dane himself is a good guy, he's forced to wield a sword with the power to destroy him to protect the world and keep the Ebony Blade out of more malicious hands.
Dane’s darkness, and his family's medieval roots, have given Black Knight a place in both the mainstream Marvel universe and its edgier, more mystical side. He could connect to Blade and Doctor Strange, but also darker characters like Elsa Bloodstone, Ghost Rider, and even Dracula. He and the Ebony Blade could even work at the center of the Midnight Sons movie, which has been rumored to be in development for years.
Dane had a small role in Eternals, but Harington still managed to make an impact with it. His performance is one of the film's most charming and light-hearted, and it would be a shame if he never got the chance to return to the MCU. Black Knight is a character with nearly limitless storytelling possibilities. If Marvel really wanted to draw inspiration from the character's comic book adventures, it could even make something unlike anything it has before — namely, a King Arthur-esque movie about a sword-wielding Dane sent back in time to medieval England. The MCU certainly couldn’t be accused of stagnancy with a movie like that.
