The Bloodstones' Family History & Elsa's MCU Future Explained

Warning: Spoilers for Werewolf By Night

Introduced in Werewolf by Night, the Bloodstones carry an important legacy that goes back centuries in the MCU timeline. Both Ulysses and Elsa Bloodstone are key characters in the supernatural side of the Marvel Universe in the comic books. Thanks to Phase 4’s Halloween special, their worlds as well as the magical artifact that defined their stories are now officially a part of the MCU.

The Marvel Studios Special Presentation just delivered three new heroes into the MCU in the form of Elsa Bloodstone, Gael Garcia Bernal's Werewolf by Night, and Man-Thing. The latter two are classic, Bronze Age characters whose decades of comic adventures provide an abundance of storytelling opportunities. Elsa, on the other hand, has a much shorter history for Marvel to pull from since she didn’t debut until the early 2000s. That being said, her relationship with Ulysses Bloodstone gives her a link to a key character tied to the MCU’s ancient past. Here’s who Ulysses is in the comic books, what makes his Bloodstone so important, and what all this means for the future of Laura Donnelly’s Elsa Bloodstone in the MCU.

The Bloodstone Family Tree: All Known Members

werewolf by night verusa — Harriet Sansom Harris in Werewolf by Night

Werewolf by Night revealed the existence of several members of Ulysses’ family tree, though no one but Elsa is confirmed to still be among the living. It’s known that he had at least two wives in his long life. One of them was Elsa’s mother, while the other was Verussa, Werewolf by Night’s main villain. The special also mentioned Francis Brisbane Bloodstone, who was described as Elsa’s “aunt”, but exactly how she’s related to Ulysses wasn’t discussed in the special. In the comic books, Ulysses also had a teenage son named Cullen, but for now, it’s unclear if he ever existed in the MCU. Given his longevity, there’s a good chance that Ulysses has actually fathered dozens of children over the years.

What Is The Bloodstone? Powers & Importance

In Marvel Comics, the Bloodstone is a highly sought-after fragment of a meteorite that crashed on Earth thousands of years ago. Powered by the gem, Ulysses possessed super strength, the ability to rapidly heal from any wounds he sustained in combat, and immortality. It also housed a number of other mystical powers, including the ability to resurrect the dead. It was so powerful that its importance didn’t die with Ulysses. It ultimately attracted the attention of several comic characters, one of which being Baron Zemo, who endeavored to harness its power and use it to reanimate the corpse of the previous holder of the “Baron Zemo” title.

Ulysses Bloodstone's History In Marvel Comics

Ulysses Bloodstone fights a giant lizard monster in Marvel Comics.

Having first appeared in 1971’s Marvel Comics Presents #1, Ulysses Bloodstone made his debut as the leader of a small group of modern-day monster hunters. It was explained that Ulysses’ story began 10,000 years ago when the Bloodstone meteorite arrived in the northern part of Europe. The destruction of the meteorite resulted in the Bloodstone fragment being lodged inside his chest. In pursuit of the Bloodstone, an alien demon called Ulluxy’l Kwan Tae Syn caused the deaths of Ulysses’ tribe and became his sworn enemy. For centuries, Ulysses devoted his life to fighting monsters all the while planning to exact his revenge on Ulluxy’l Kwan Tae Syn.

Most of Ulysses Bloodstone's exploits and encounters with Ulluxy’l Kwan Tae Syn played out as back-up features in Marvel’s black-and-white Rampaging Hulk magazine, which concluded his arc in 1978 with a final battle between Ulysses and the demon. With both characters dying in the conflict, Marvel had seemingly closed the book on Ulysses for good. And although he did stay dead, his history allowed the character to come back through occasional guest appearances. Marvel later expanded on his backstory when it decided to introduce Elsa, who was brought in to carry on the Bloodstone family name.

Elsa Bloodstone's Origin & Powers Explained

In 2001, Marvel Comics retconned Ulysses Bloodstone’s history by revealing that he had a daughter named Elsa years before his death. Apparently, Ulysses put her through intense training during her youth in an effort to turn her into his successor and a skilled monster hunter in her own right. The brutality she experienced being raised by Ulysses Bloodstone eventually alienated her from him and resulted in the two being estranged. Marvel seemingly alluded to this relationship carrying over to the MCU by a mention of her training and Elsa’s obvious disdain for her father in Werewolf by Night.

As for what she’s capable of as a monster hunter, Elsa’s prowess in battle stems from more than just the fighting skills he taught her as a child. Since the Bloodstone was a part of him when she was conceived, she inherited some of his super strength and enhanced reflexes. And armed with the Bloodstone, she has all of its mystical powers at her disposal.

Why Elsa Bloodstone Is So Important In Werewolf By Night

Werewolf by Night Elsa Bloodstone Laura Donnelly

Unlike her father, Elsa Bloodstone was eventually integrated into the superhero community. Over the years, Elsa has mingled often with Marvel’s supernatural heroes. She’s even been on teams like the Midnight Sons, Doctor Doom’s Avengers, and the Legion of Monsters. During her stints with these groups, she’s enjoyed alliances with characters such as Werewolf by Night, Blade, Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, and more. So while Ulysses was the more powerful character of the two, Elsa is much more important to the Marvel Universe as a whole. It’s for that reason that Marvel’s decision to use her in Werewolf by Night is so meaningful. Now that she’s been introduced (and given the Bloodstone), Elsa can now embark on the same path as her comic book counterpart.

Will Elsa Bloodstone Return In The MCU's Future? Where She Could Appear

Elsa Bloodstone has no confirmed MCU appearances after Werewolf by Night, but future roles for her characters shouldn’t be ruled out. The most obvious option would be Blade, since it’ll deal heavily with supernatural creatures and vampires. However, it’s unclear if Mahershala Ali’s Blade will share his movie with any other monster hunters. Another possibility is Agatha: Coven of Chaos, considering that its focus on magic could call for guest characters with mystical connections. Plus, it’s worth noting that Marvel has several unannounced MCU projects on its Multiverse Saga slate, meaning that there could be room for a Midnight Sons show or movie. If so, Elsa Bloodstone could be brought back to help out fill out the roster with Werewolf by Night, Blade, Black Knight, and Man-Thing potentially serving as her teammates.