Werewolf by Night introduces the Bloodstone family and their eponymous artifact to the MCU – so, let’s break down who they are and why that stone is important in the Marvel universe.
Werewolf by Night is the first Marvel Studios Special Presentation to hit Disney+. It’s not a movie, nor is it a series – it’s a TV special just shy of an hour, and it’s one of the best things the franchise has ever produced.
It follows a secret cabal of monster hunters summoned to Bloodstone Manor, tasked with hunting down Man-Thing in competition for a powerful relic: the Bloodstone.
This is a whole new world for the MCU, so if you’ve just watched the special and want to catch yourself up and learn a bit more about the Bloodstone Marvel lore, get ready – we’re diving in.
Spoilers for Werewolf by Night to follow…
Werewolf by Night: The Bloodstones in the MCU
From the outset of Werewolf by Night, a narrator explains: “The known universe, with its heroes and marvels, but what of the darkness?
“In our modern world, this is where monsters dwell, alongside those who hunt and slaughter them with pride.
“None more prolific than the Bloodstone family, whose patriarch has long controlled the powerful, supernatural relic: the Bloodstone, a weapon unlike any other.
“But now, this weapon is in want of a new master, for Ulysses Bloodstone has died. Tonight is his funeral. Hunters have gathered from around the globe, strangers until this night, for a ceremonial hunt which will decide who will next wield the Bloodstone.”
Werewolf by Night: Who is Ulysses Bloodstone?
Ulysses Bloodstone first made his comics debut in Marvel Presents #1 in 1975.
Ulysses was a formidable monster hunter and mercenary who’s life dated back to the Hyborian Age in 8250 BC. He stumbled across a meteorite that landed on Earth, and after fighting off one of the Hellfire Helix’s agents, a part of the meteor was embedded in his chest.
This was the Bloodgem – instead known as the Bloodstone in the MCU – and it made him immortal.
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For the next 10,000 years, Ulysses fought all sorts of people, including but not limited to: Nosferatu and his clan of vampires; Goram and Centurius; and Killer Shrike.
In the comics, Ulysses died after learning the Hellfire Helix had actually chosen him as his subject way back when, so they could watch the evolution of Earth’s civilization. He fought a group known as the Conspirators, who beat him and removed the Bloodgem fragment from his chest.
In Werewolf by Night, it doesn’t appear he died in the same way – especially since his family still has the Bloodstone, and it’s treated like a prized family heirloom.
However, Elsa Bloodstone still receives her own shard from the Bloodgem, so the special comes full circle in the end.
Werewolf by Night: Who is Elsa Bloodstone?
Elsa Bloodstone is played by Laura Donnelly in Werewolf by Night, and is the daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone.
Unlike the monster hunters who arrive at the manor, it isn’t a regular pastime for Elsa. When she comes face to face with her mother, Verusa (Harriet Sansom Harris), she describes her as the “greatest disappointment” of her father’s life.
It’s worth noting: Verusa isn’t Elsa’s mother. Elsa was born to Elise Bloodstone, Ulysses’ former wife who goes unmentioned in Werewolf by Night.
In the comics, Elsa is inducted into the world of monsters from a young age, being forced to fight the Blight Beast as a baby and getting thrown into the water with a horde of great white sharks as a child.
When Ulysses begged Elsa to end his life, finally feeling the weight of his age, she refused. However, she took on a monster-hunting career in the wake of his death, armed with the Bloodstone Choker.
As for whether we’ll see Elsa fighting more monsters in the MCU, you can read about that here.
Werewolf by Night is available to stream on Disney+ now. You can sign up to Disney+ here.
