Eternals' post-credits scene connects Black Knight (Kit Harington) to Blade (Mahershala Ali). Here's their shared comic history and MCU future.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Marvel's Eternals

The Eternals post-credits scene connects Kit Harington's Black Knight and Mahershala Ali's Blade; here's how the two characters (and even Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight) are linked in the comics and what it means for the future. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's roster of heroes expanded greatly with Phase 4's third film. Eternals introduced ten new heroes with the main Eternals team, but it's also responsible for setting up some other important figures. These range from Harry Styles' Starfox debuting at the end to the setup for Dane Whitman becoming Black Knight.

Kit Harington's Dane Whitman only has a small role to play in Eternals' main story. He's romantically involved with Sersi (Gemma Chan) throughout the film, and there are multiple mentions of his complicated family legacy. This is because members of the Whitman family have wielded the Ebony Blade and acted as Black Knight for a long time. Dane learns about this information after speaking with his uncle before The Emergence occurs; however, it isn't until Arishem comes to Earth and takes Sersi away that Dane is pushed to the point of truly exploring what his family legacy means. This means obtaining the case containing the Ebony Blade and finally opening it up. It is only at this point in Eternals' post-credits scene that Dane hears a new MCU character's voice, as Eric Brooks, a.k.a. Blade, asks him if he's sure he's ready to pick up the Ebony Blade and everything that entails.

The voice cameo by Mahershala Ali's Blade in Eternals' post-credits scene was one secret Marvel Studios managed to keep until the movie hit theaters. It's now raised plenty of questions about Black Knight and Blade's individual MCU futures, as well as what adventures could await them both. Marvel Studios hasn't even given the Blade solo film a release date or confirmed plans for Kit Harington's Black Knight after Eternals; however, the film's post-credits scene directly ties Black Knight and Blade together, which could be an important sign of what will come next.

Why Blade Speaks To Black Knight In Eternals' Post-Credits Scene

Dane Whitman's decision to use the Ebony Blade and become Black Knight is a big moment for his MCU future, but Blade speaking to him at this time is also telling. Blade is a character who primarily deals with the supernatural and mystical side of the Marvel universe, which is why he's reaching out to Dane before he becomes the Black Knight. It isn't clear if Blade is actually in the same room as Dane and just off-screen, or if he is speaking to him through other means, but either way, Eric Brooks' decision to do so is significant. This is likely because of the Ebony Blade's mystical properties. The Ebony Blade was forged back during the days of King Arthur and is cursed. Anyone who uses it will increasingly succumb to the violence the sword brings out, which is why the Ebony Blade's case has "Death Is His Reward" inscribed on it.

Blade speaking to Black Knight should be a sign that he's already aware of the Ebony Blade. As one of Marvel's most skilled swordsmen, it would make sense that Blade has knowledge of Dane's new weapon. This could be because of his proficiency with edged weapons or the Ebony Blade's magical ties, but it might also point to Blade's own MCU past. If Dane's family has used the Ebony Blade over the years for different purposes, it is quite possible that Blade has interacted with them. Mahershala Ali's Daywalker should already be active in the supernatural underworld of the MCU by the time Eternals takes place, so some of his past adventures may have meant a run-in with Dane's uncle. The great power that Dane is about to inherit — and Blade knowing what the Ebony Blade can do to those who wield it — might explain why he talks to Black Knight in Eternals' end-credits scene.

Blade & Black Knight's History In Marvel Comics

Blade speaking to Black Knight in Eternals actually comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the two characters don't have a strong connection in the comics. This is a classic example of how the MCU can adapt major characters in new ways to fit the shared universe. However, there is one notable tie that Black Knight and Blade share. They were both members of MI13, the UK's paranormal agency primarily led by Captain Britain. Blade was recruited to MI13 since he is from the UK in the comics and began working with them after Secret Invasion. Blade's time working alongside Black Knight didn't last long, though, as Eric Brooks attempted to kill another MI13 member, Spitfire, due to her vampiric connection.

Although Blade and Black Knight were MI13 teammates for a short time, they both have ties to other superteams in the comics. Their crossover in that regard also isn't very high, but the best example of their paths crossing that could influence the MCU is their time spent as Avengers. Black Knight and Blade have each spent significant parts of their comic history as members of the Avengers. Black Knight even went on to become the leader of the Avengers for a time. However, they never officially served on the Avengers team at the same time, but Marvel could easily change that. Now that Blade and Black Knight are linked in their first MCU appearances in Eternals, this indicates that they'll be much more directly connected to each other in the MCU moving forward.

Blade & Black Knight's MCU Future: What Is Eternals Setting Up?

Marvel's last bit of information on what the future holds for Blade and Black Knight leaves multiple possibilities on the table for what Eternals is setting up. It now seems quite likely that Kit Harington's Black Knight will appear alongside Mahershala Ali in Blade. This should be the MCU's first chance to pay off this Eternals post-credits tease. That said, it is also possible they could appear together first in another property, such as Moon Knight or Marvel's Halloween Special for Disney+ centered around Werewolf by Night. If those don't happen, Marvel could be quietly developing a Black Knight Disney+ show or movie that Mahershala Ali could appear in. At the very least, it now seems that Blade and Black Knight could be among the MCU characters selected to be part of the Avengers 5 team lineup.

No matter where Blade and Black Knight appear next in the MCU, their joint introduction in Eternals could be a way for Marvel Studios to begin forming MI13. Phase 4 of the MCU has continued to expand the reaches of the universe's storytelling, but the UK is still an area that hasn't been fully explored. Black Knight and Blade could be the first of many British superheroes to join the MCU so the UK's superteam can form. MI13 leader Brian Braddock, a.k.a. Captain Britain, was previously teased in Avengers: Endgame, but none of the team's other members have been set up so far. That could change as Phase 4 continues, perhaps seeing Blade and Black Knight encounter other European heroes.

Another piece of MCU setup the Eternals post-credits scene could entail is positioning Black Knight to join the MCU's Midnight Sons. This is Marvel's biggest supernatural team that has used heroes like Blade, Doctor Strange, Moon Knight, Man-Thing, Elsa Bloodstone, Iron Fist, and more. Black Knight hasn't been associated with the Midnight Sons in the comics, but Marvel could change that for the MCU's purposes. This would make Black Knight the latest piece to the team Marvel Studios seems intent on forming sooner than later, so that could ultimately be what Eternals is setting up for him and Blade.

Is Black Knight Appearing In Blade?

Naturally, the Blade/Black Knight connection forged by Eternals' post-credits scene has raised questions about whether Dane Whitman will appear in Blade's upcoming solo film. Although Kit Harington maintains that Marvel has yet to contact him about another Dane Whitman appearance, the odds actually seem stacked in favor of a Black Knight cameo in Blade. The Ebony Blade has been confirmed to appear in Blade, which means Dane Whitman could very easily show up alongside it. Of course, the Ebony Blade has quite a long history, so it could be featured in Blade being wielded by somebody else in the past, perhaps even Dane Whitman's uncle, the previous Black Knight. Whatever the case may be as far as Blade is concerned, Whitman and the Daywalker seem destined to meet again at some point in the MCU.

Has Blade Ever Used The Ebony Blade?

Throughout the Marvel comics, there's no record of Blade ever wielding Black Knight's Ebony Blade himself. That said, it makes perfect sense that the Daywalker knows about the Ebony Blade's existence, given that he's a master swordsman and has extensive knowledge of the supernatural underworld of the Marvel universe. Blade's appearance alongside Dane Whitman in Eternals could be setting up a sort of mentorship. Or, Blade may want Whitman's Ebony Blade for himself in order to kill vampires. Unlike Whitman, Blade would be primarily using the Ebony Blade on the undead, which could help him avoid the negative side effects of the Ebony Blade's blood curse; since Blade technically wouldn't be shedding human blood with the sword, its power to corrupt the soul could be nullified.

Are Black Knight And Moon Knight Linked?

In addition to Blade, Black Knight could also share a significant connection with another MCU newcomer: Moon Knight. For starters, Moon Knight is another comic book member of the Midnight Sons, so if Dane Whitman is indeed joining the team in the MCU, Moon Knight would be a good character for him to get to know. The two share other similarities as well – enough that there are theories of a Black Knight Moon Knight cameo. Moon Knight's London setting puts the Fist of Khonshu well within the range of Dane Whitman given that it's his hometown. Plus, Whitman also works at the Natural History Museum, a similar location to Steven Grant's fictional employer, the National Art Gallery. Last but not least, the number 43 Easter egg in Moon Knight episode 2 references an issue of the Moon Knight comics in which the character faces off against an evil Black Knight doppelganger. Given all this, Black Knight's next MCU appearance after Eternals could be very soon indeed.

More: Dane Whitman's Blade Connection Can Fix A Longstanding Black Knight Issue