You’ve just finished watching Eternals. You’re already overwhelmed with a new world set inside the Marvel universe and the abundance of characters it comes with.
This has left you speculating that Kit Harrington’s Dane Whitman cannot just be a mere mortal — especially not after watching that post-credits scene.
So who exactly is he?
Kit Harrington plays Dane Whitman in Eternals, a character who will eventually take on the persona of Black Knight. He’s an expert swordsman who wields many mystical weapons like the Ebony Blade, the Sword of Light and the Shield of Night.
Since Dane has yet to turn into Black Knight on screen, we’re still in the dark as to what Marvel has planned for this character. In the meantime, let me give you all the details and explain a few rumors around this character.
MCU’s Black Knight Explained
In the comics, the first person to take on the title of Black Knight was Sir Percy of Scandia, who was gifted an enchanted Ebony Blade by Merlin.
Yes, this Marvel set-up is intertwined with the whole King Arthur lore. After Sir Percy used the blade to kill many adversaries, the blade turned into something more wicked.
The blade was then passed down to generations and finally to Nathan Garrett, Dane’s uncle.
As you may remember from the post-credits scene, Dane alludes to the sword being left to him by his uncle. In the comics, Nathan was a villain, but Dane strives to a virtuous Black Knight, restoring the title despite the blade’s corrupting properties.
It is likely that MCU will explore this very backstory and explore how Dane deal with this new lineage and identity.
What Are Black Knight’s Powers?
In the MCU, Dane has been introduced as a history professor, while in the comics, he has a background in physics.
But besides this difference, I expect that the MCU’s Black Knight will turn out to be a great swordsman, either through training or talent. He will wield the Ebony Blade, that is known to corrupt its user and drive them into bloodthirst.
The blade itself is super interesting, since it’s a beast of a weapon: It is indestructible, can cut through most mythical barriers, can provide healing properties and won’t harm its user, among other things. The not-so-great part is that it can, well, turn you into a villain.
The other famous weapons he also wields are the Sword of Light and the Shield of Night.
Which Movie Will Black Knight Appear In Next?
There has to be a reason we hear Mahershala Ali’s Blade talking during Dane’s post-credits scene. Blade will be releasing in 2023 and it is a huge possibility that Dane will be a part of it.
Dane could also make an appearance in upcoming Disney+ series like Moon Knight or Secret Invasion. Dane did work in a team called MI13 to fight off the Krulls.
Since MI13 hasn’t been introduced into the MCU, they could simply change the storyline to him helping Nick Fury in Secret Invasion instead.
Now I know what you’re thinking — since his “origin story” has not yet been explored, perhaps Dane Whitman may get a standalone series/movie? I’m not ruling out the possibility, but I will tell you that’s going to be a long wait.
Phase 4 is already chalked out till late 2023, so if a Dane standalone is in works, it will be released in Phase 5.
About Eternals
Eternals is a 2021 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics of the same name. It is the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Chloé Zhao, who wrote the screenplay with Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo, and Kaz Firpo.
In the film, the Eternals, an immortal alien race, emerge from hiding after thousands of years to protect Earth from their ancient counterparts, the Deviants.
It stars an ensemble cast including Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie.
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