Warning: Spoilers for Marvel's Werewolf by Night.Werewolf by Night barely shows the titular werewolf despite the TV special’s sub-hour runtime, but it’s a decision that makes sense on multiple levels. Werewolf by Night is the first Marvel Studios Special Presentation, and the mostly black-and-white Disney+ release pays homage to the classic horror genre while also diving headfirst into the MCU’s supernatural side. Fittingly, a new slate of supernatural characters are introduced like the MCU’s long-teased Man-Thing and Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly).

Marvel Studios' October Halloween special also introduces Jack Russell/Werewolf by Night (Gael García Bernal), a monster hunter who can turn into a werewolf due to a curse. Broadly speaking, Werewolf by Night is about a group of monster hunters competing to win ownership of the powerful Bloodstone, but the real focus is divided into two story arcs. Curiously, neither of them really features Jack Russell in his werewolf form for any meaningful amount of time.

Related: Who Is Werewolf By Night? Marvel's Halloween Special Character Explained

How Much Screentime Werewolf By Night Actually Has - Why It's So Little

A close-up of Werewolf by Night.

Werewolf by Night doesn't make an onscreen appearance in any form until 37 minutes into his own TV special, and his full, unobscured reveal occurs at the 39:34 mark. After a climactic battle that is cut together with Elsa Bloodstone's fight sequences, Werewolf by Night leaves the special for good at the 44:29 mark. On the surface, his limited screen time seems more inexplicable than Werewolf by Night's place in the MCU timeline, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Jack Russell is in the competitive hunt to rescue Man-Thing, so he's trying to stay as incognito as possible (which ultimately fails). Werewolf by Night also clearly establishes that monsters are not inherently bad or evil and further subverts expectations by making Verussa Bloodstone (Harriet Sansom Harris) and her monster hunters the true monstrous villains. The werewolf’s instinctive actions, however violent they may be, are still on the other side of the moral compass than the monster hunters’ conscious, deliberate choice to kill indiscriminately.

Werewolf By Night Is Really Elsa Bloodstone's Story

Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) in Werewolf by Night.

Another reason why Werewolf by Night limits the werewolf’s screen time is because of the second story arc revolving around Elsa Bloodstone, her ensuing character development, and her triumphant acquisition of the Bloodstone. Werewolf by Night specifically sets up Elsa Bloodstone’s MCU future while also catering to the MCU’s greater supernatural and multiverse aspirations; there's a reason why the Bloodstone provides the only color until the end, and even then it's Elsa who is the first character to become colorized instead of Jack Russell or even Man-Thing.

Werewolf by Night doesn’t get any meaningful amount of screen time, but he makes the most of what he gets. His scenes are effective in part because they are so fleeting, but it’s also clear Werewolf by Night was never really supposed to be about Jack Russell and his fluffy counterpart. Regardless, the MCU is exploring exciting new territory with Werewolf by Night, and only time will tell what other titillating supernatural horrors lurk in the MCU’s shadowy future.

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