One of the best parts about the conclusion of the Infinity Saga and the beginning of the Multiverse Saga is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been able to bring a host of new superheroes, villains, and storylines into the fold.
After Thanos was put in the ground and the time stones were returned to their respective timelines, it was business as usual on Earth-616. In reality, though, it wasn’t: over at the TVA the time-keepers were holding Loki hostage; Wanda was creating her own reality; and the Eternals were finally learning about their true mission on Earth. The biggest threat to the survival of the multiverse, though, was brewing under the surface, gearing up for an explosive conclusion that will reach its apex when Avengers: Secret Wars, the last film in Phase Six and the end of an MCU era, releases in 2026.
Speaking of Eternals, sure, the movie may not be everyone’s favorite MCU film, and it may be the worst-rated MCU film in history, but it did progress the Multiverse Saga along whether it actually felt like it or not. One of the biggest steps forward it took was the introduction of two huge characters: Thanos’ brother Eros (Harry Styles); and the wielder of the Ebony Blade, Dane Whitman aka Black Knight (Kit Harington.)
How was the Black Knight introduced into the MCU?
Once the credits rolled at the end of Eternals, Kit Harrington’s Dane Whitman appeared on the screen, standing over an ancient wooden case in what appears to be his uncle’s office.
Dane opens the case, and there before him rests the Ebony Blade with the inscription “Mors Mihi Lucrum” above it, which is Latin for “Death is my reward”. The blade, which is imbued with incredibly powerful magic and will make Dane the new Black Knight should he touch it, is cursed; it will drive its possessor crazy if it’s used to spill enough bloodshed. Just as Dane reaches out to place his fingertip on the blade, we hear Mahershala Ali’s Blade from off-screen ask: “Sure you’re ready for that, Mr. Whitman?”
Phase 4’s subsequent four films – Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – have yet to address Black Knight, but now that Phase Five is upon us and laying the groundwork for Phase Six, it’s only a matter of time until he returns.
Could Kit Harington’s Black Knight appear in the final chapter of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga?
There is a long way to go, and a lot of stories to tell before we get to Avengers: Secret Wars. Aside from the fact that every MCU character and their variant will likely appear in Secret Wars in the same way that Marvel did with Avengers: Endgame, it’s safe to assume Harington’s Black Knight will return as well.
At that point, we’ll likely have already seen more of him in Blade and been given a chance to witness his incredible strength, which includes the inability to be killed as long as some part of his body touches the Ebony Blade. Injured, sure, but not killed.
Marvel Comics points to Black Knight as a key player in the quest to help the multiverse defeat Kang the Conqueror. In a three-part Avengers comic published in 1969, Black Knight single-handedly defeats Kang in a duel. Of course, who knows whether the MCU will follow these same turn of events, but it does point to the highly likely possibility that Black Knight will indeed appear in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Because Secret Wars is still several years away and Phase Five is still developing, this is all speculation, but the breadcrumbs are there. It’s just a question of whether or not Marvel will follow them.