Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for Werewolf by Night!
Werewolf by Night adds another powerful weapon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe by introducing the Bloodstone. Thanks to the increasing number of heroes that exist in the MCU and the different corners they exist in, Marvel Studios has brought several important weapons into the canon now that the Infinity Stones are gone. Viewers have already seen Marvel add Black Knight's Ebony Blade, Ms. Marvel's bangle, Shang-Chi's Ten Rings, and more to the franchise. Werewolf by Night is no different in that regard, as the entire Disney+ Special Presentation revolves around different monster hunters trying to acquire the Bloodstone.
The quest to obtain the Bloodstone comes after its longtime owner, Ulysses Bloodstone, dies. Werewolf by Night prominently features the weapon throughout its runtime, as it is attached to Man-Thing for quite some time and later used to turn Jack Russell into his werewolf form. It is through the Special Presentation that Marvel demonstrates the Bloodstone's power, even though the origin of the weapon is not detailed. Thanks to Marvel's comic history, there is more to know about Werewolf by Night's Bloodstone weapon. Given the likelihood of it playing a bigger role in the MCU's future, here is a breakdown of its origin and powers.
The Bloodstone’s Comic Origin & Powers
Marvel's Bloodstone is officially known as the Bloodgem in the comics, similar to how the Infinity Stones are commonly referred to as Infinity Gems. The comic origin of the Bloodstone goes back before 8250 B.C. when a meteorite containing the weapon landed on Earth. The meteorite was sent by god-like beings known as the Exo-Mind who potentially predate the universe itself. They created the Bloodstone with the hopes of using it to conquer alternate Marvel dimensions. The Bloodstone was later ed with other artifacts from the Big Bang to create the Lifestone Tree, but these Lifestones then fell to Earth after a spacial anomaly. A man named Ulysses Bloodstone gathered fragments of the Bloodstone on Earth and affixed the powerful gem to his chest permanently. The Bloodstone granted Ulysses incredible powers that included superhuman strength and speed, a regenerative healing factor, immunity to vampires, shoot energy blasts, and some psychic power. It is also believed to be a conduit through which all magical energies must .
What Werewolf By Night Reveals About The Bloodstone
Werewolf by Night reveals a few major details about the Bloodstone's origin and powers in the MCU. The special's opening minutes indicate that the Bloodstone has been part of the Bloodstone family for generations, possibly even dating back to the days of Arthurian knights in Werewolf by Night's MCU timeline. It is not confirmed when the family first came into possession of the weapon or if the alien comic origin is MCU canon. Instead, Werewolf by Night teases the Bloodstone's magical properties as Verussa seems to recite a spell to transform Jack into Werewolf by Night. There seems its magical abilities are far greater than this, as the weapon might be responsible for turning everything black and white.
Verussa also confirms that some of the Bloodstone's MCU powers include giving the increased strength, protection, and longer life. This is a good indication that the weapon's power set is quite similar to the Bloodgem in the comics, as even the energy blasts Verussa shoots at Werewolf by Night bring another comic power to the MCU. Furthermore, Werewolf by Night shows that the weapon cannot be controlled by monsters, but any monster who does come into with the Bloodstone will be weakened and made angry. That is why Jack is not able to pick up the Bloodstone near the end and they work so hard to get it off of Man-Thing's back.
How Powerful The Bloodstone Is Compared To The Infinity Stones
After nearly a decade of MCU storytelling that revolved around the Infinity Stones, the arrival and look of the Bloodstone are sure to draw comparisons between the two. The Bloodstone is certainly quite powerful based on how Werewolf by Night teases its abilities, and it could be argued that it is on par with one of the Infinity Stones. It seems the Bloodstone is most similar to the Reality Stone, and not just because they are both red glowing rocks. The tease in Werewolf by Night's ending that the Bloodstone may have altered reality to give the special its black-and-white look could have larger implications for what the weapon can do. The Infinity Stones as a whole are still way more powerful than the Bloodstone, but Marvel's new weapon is still quite formidable in its own right. Given the vast array of powers it gives its , Werewolf by Night's Bloodstone could challenge a single Infinity Stone's power and even be a way for the MCU to begin replacing the MacGuffins.
