‘Werewolf by Night’ Ending, Explained: Who Is Jack and the Others Hunting During the Ritual?
Welcome to the Ending Explained for “Werewolf by Night” a Halloween Special Presentation from Marvel Studios. The special episode is just for around 45 minutes, and it is an excellent example of how streaming services can allow the freedom to experiment and do crazy and unexpected things. The episode opens up the horror corner of the MCU by introducing a series of characters that we will surely see more of in the future. It also comes at splendid timing, as we are already into Halloween, and what could be better for that than a story about monsters of the night?
The special presentation is directed by Michael Giacchino, who is better known for being one of the most talented and prolific composers of the modern era. Giacchino debuts as a director with this piece, and he also makes the music for it, making it maybe one of the most personal projects in the entire MCU catalog. The episode is a clear homage to the horror movies of the first half of the 20th century because of the way the tone, the lighting, and the acting are all set up to bring you memories from that time. You could say there is even a little grindhouse mix in there for good measure.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Werewolf by Night. Read at your own risk.
Who Is Jack And The Others Hunting During The Ritual?
The episode begins with the introduction of the Bloodstone, an ancient artifact that has been passed down generation after generation inside the Bloodstone family. The stone is capable of weakening creatures of the night, and whoever possesses it will also receive a prolonged life span, protection from ancient arts, and many other benefits. The stone’s last owner, Ulysses Bloodstone, has just died, and he has now set up a ritual to be run by his widow, Verusa, to find the next owner of the stone. This is why many of the most proficient hunters gather during this night.
It is here we are introduced to the hunters. Most of them are of no importance, but there is one who is basically the main character of the piece. A hunter named Jack. Jack has the highest kill count among the hunters, but his demeanor is completely different from the rest. He is calm and doesn’t actually look like a killer. At the same time as Jack, a woman named Else arrives at the ritual. It is revealed that Elsa is Ulysses’ daughter, but she has been gone for far too long, and her father basically disinherited her.
Verusa gathers the hunters and presents the challenge for the night. Because Elsa no longer has claim over the stone, whoever can kill the creature that is going to be unleashed that night can claim the stone for their own. All the hunters are excited about the prospect, and they all go out into the labyrinthian garden to kill the beast that is being released. Jack walks through the garden and crashes into Elsa, but he doesn’t want any trouble. However, the other hunters aren’t as pacifist, and they all try to kill each other.
Jack is the first to find the creature, but in a twist, he is not there to kill it but to save it. The creature is none other than Ted Sallis, The Man-Thing. The Man-Thing is basically the parallel of DC’s Swamp Thing in Marvel. Jack promises that he will help him escape, but the other hunters push him into a mausoleum, where he gets trapped along with Elsa.
Who Is The Mysterious Jack Russell?
Jack and Elsa find themselves trapped inside the mausoleum, but the detour comes with benefits. It is clear that both Elsa and Jack are different from the other hunters. Elsa even confesses how she became strained with her father when it became clear that she was not going to be like him, she didn’t want to kill creatures of the night mercilessly. Jack approves that Elsa wanted to be different from her father. They escape the tomb, and they agree to escape all together from the situation.
Jack goes to find an exit, or to be more specific, he will use explosives to create an exit. Meanwhile, Elsa goes to find Ted. Other hunters keep getting in the way, but Jack manages to create an opening, and Ted escapes. However, Verusa captures both Elsa and Jack. Jack tries to grab the Bloodstone, but it repeals him, which confirms that Jack himself is a monster. Verusa puts the two of them in the same cage, and she waits.
Jack assures Elsa that he will not hurt her; he has systems to avoid those kinds of accidents from happening. Jack smells her to remember her in the future. Verusa uses the stone to force Jack’s transformation. Jack becomes a huge werewolf, but he doesn’t attack Elsa. Instead, he attacks Verusa and escapes the cage. A massacre ensues, as Verusa’s guards try to kill Jack, but he is too fast and too strong. In the end, Jack kills every guard in the compound but he is unable to face the magic of the Bloodstone, which is being used by Verusa.
However, Elsa comes to the rescue and stops Verusa from killing Jack, who seizes the opportunity to escape. Ted appears at that moment and kills Verusa before saying goodbye to Elsa. Elsa now has the stone, and she is apparently the new leader of the Bloodstone institution. The episode ends with Jack waking up with an awful hangover, and Ted looking over him. They decide to go to eat sushi later in the day, as they need to relax after such a night.