The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Dane Whitman seems to be finished before he really got started, but fans are not satisfied to leave it that way. A new fan art poster making the rounds on social media shows what Kit Harington might look like if he got to take on his character’s superhero persona Black Knight, complete with the Ebony Blade. Harington took on the role in Eternals back in 2021, and while it now seems likely that movie won’t have a sequel anytime soon, there’s always a chance any of the characters might be pulled back into the MCU for a future story. In the meantime, fans are eagerly fusing Harington’s most dramatic photos with Marvel Comics to imagine the big screen Black Knight for themselves.
Harington made his MCU debut in Eternals, but unlike the main ensemble, he didn’t get a chance to play a superhero. Harington was cast as the scientist and historian Dane Whitman, but at that point in the story, he hadn’t taken up the mantle of Black Knight. However, he did seem to know about his family’s ancestral sword, and even of the curse it carried. Presumably, a sequel to Eternals might have focused on Whitman taking up the blade, but at this point, no sequel is in the works.
Whitman has a long legacy in in Marvel Comics, and it has evolved a lot over the years, so there’s no telling how the MCU might have portrayed the Black Knight. The moniker actually goes back to ancient times, when Whitman’s ancestor wielded the Ebony Blade and fought alongside King Arthur himself. Whitman’s uncle used the cursed sword for evil, and in the earliest comics, he was defeated by Iron Man. With his dying breath, he passed the sword on to Whitman and charged him to restore the family’s honor.
Things would likely go a bit differently in the MCU, especially with what we know of their version of Whitman so far. He alluded to some disagreements with his uncle, but his relationship with Sersi (Gemma Chan) seems more relevant to his potential superheroics. The post-credit scene of the movie featured Whitman confronting the Ebony Blade, apparently tempted by disembodied whispers.
Many fans thought Whitman was a great role for Harington after his time on Game of Thrones, where he played another brooding, sword-wielding hero with a dubious legacy named Jon Snow. Harington himself has admitted to the similarity, and to the real reason for his interest in the MCU. Last year, he told GQ, “I’m not gonna pretend I took that [role] because it was different and interesting. If Marvel calls, you gotta do it.”
Hopefully, Marvel will call again someday and Harington will be compelled to reprise the role. In the meantime, Eternals is streaming now on Disney+ for those interested.
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