So you’ve just watched Werewolf By Night. You’re probably wondering to yourself…what just happened? Well, let’s break down a bit of the Michael Giacchino directed special for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starring Gael García Bernal, the special introduced us to the world of Jack Russell, a werewolf thrust into the madness of the Bloodstone family, but the entire special was in black and white.
As we continue to spend our spooky night in the hunt for the Bloodstone, the shadows continue to lead the way and it is fascinating to see the use of shadow and light throughout the special. By the end, the Bloodstone has been used to force Jack into his werewolf form and even after he warned everyone, the only one to make it out alive is Elsa (Laura Donnelly) and he flees the scene, leaving her alone.
The ending has a song, the black and white fades away into color, and we see Jack and Ted together again but what does that mean?
Why was it in color?
Personally, I think the switch to color was an artistic choice. When you think about it, the end of the episode takes Jack, Elsa, and Ted to safety. They all, for the most part, got what they wanted out of the night. Elsa has the stone, Jack saved Ted, and Ted is free. To them, it was successful and their “horror” is over.
So becoming a colorful end just feels right. It could be connected to the light and Jack’s freedom from his werewolf nature or something else but I like to embrace the more hopeful explanation for the color switch.
Will Jack and Elsa see each other again?
The special left us with Man-Thing and Werewolf By Night together but Elsa was on her own. I hope that wasn’t the last we’ve seen of her and I hope we get to see her and Jack fighting side by side again. They were great together and I don’t want this colorful end to mean that they won’t ever cross paths.
Overall, the special was a fright and a delight and the ending gave us a bit of hope and that’s a Halloween miracle.
(image: Marvel Entertainment)
