Who are the Eternals?

The Eternals were first introduced by Jack Kirby in Marvel comics in 1976. They are a race of near-immortal beings created by the Celestials, cosmic entities with infinite cosmic powers. Their mission is to protect the Earth from the Deviants, a monstrous race also created by the Celestials, but who have deviated from their original purpose.

The Eternals movie, released in 2021, allowed Marvel to introduce these new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and more specifically to Phase 4.

They are endowed with a variety of powers, drawing their energy from a cosmic source that makes them not only immortal, but also capable of manipulating matter, projecting energy beams and much more.

The 10 Eternals

The Eternals, protectors of humanity, were introduced through 10 main characters in the film.

Ikaris : Leader of the Eternals, Ikaris can fly and project cosmic rays with his eyes. His power and charisma are unanimously appreciated by the team. He can compete with the whole team. He is unfailingly loyal to the Celestials, to the point of destroying the other Eternals who have accompanied him for several millennia.
Sersi : She possesses the unique ability to manipulate matter, transforming any non-living object by touch. She is one of humanity's closest Eternals and the girlfriend of Dane Whitman, alias the Black Knight. She would like to live there and remain anonymous, but the manifestations of deviants, Celestials and other Eternals make this impossible.
Thena : A formidable warrior, Thena can materialize weapons from cosmic energy. She has a deep bond with Gilgamesh, who supports her in the most important moments, even when she loses control of her mind while attacking other Eternals. Her ferocity in battle makes her one of the best Eternals around.
Kingo : A Bollywood star, Kingo has fully adapted to humanity and even leads a glamorous life. This way of life has attached him strongly to humans. Able to emit cosmic energy projectiles from his hands, making him formidable in combat.
Sprite : Despite her childlike appearance, Sprite can create extremely realistic illusions. She is consumed by a great sense of sadness due to her youthful appearance and her wish to evolve with the humanity she so envies. Sprite is considered the most underestimated of the Eternals.
Gilgamesh : Endowed with immense physical strength, Gilgamesh can generate an exoskeleton of cosmic energy, and forms an unbreakable team with Thena. However, the deviant Kro got the better of him by absorbing his powers. He was the only one who could easily contain Thena's loss of control.
Druig : Able to control human minds, Druig is an enigmatic character who, because of his differences of opinion with the other Eternals, is gradually distancing himself from them. He doesn't understand the real purpose of their mission, and why they must remain so much in the shadows while grave events unfold in their presence.
Phastos : Technological genius of the Eternals, Phastos is capable of creating objects from any material, and has contributed to the technological evolution of mankind since his arrival on Earth over 5,000 years ago. His inventions, notably the nuclear bomb that fell on Hiroshima, have led him to question himself constantly, isolating him from the other Eternals.
Ajak : Spiritual leader of the Eternals, Ajak can heal both humans and Eternals. She is also the only one who can communicate directly with the Celestials. She became so fascinated by humans and the multitude of acts they were capable of over the millennia of her presence on Earth that she opposed the creation of Tiamut the Communicator, who would have destroyed humanity with his appearance. She was killed in an ambush set up by Ikaris to prevent this from happening.
Makkari : Endowed with unrivalled cosmic speed, Makkari is also deaf, which enables her to sense the vibrations of her environment, improving her reflexes and movements. She hates destructive human behavior.

What do the Eternals have to do with Marvel?

The Eternals are an integral part of the Marvel Universe, and although they have remained in the shadows for millennia, they have played a central role in the development of humanity.

Their link with the Celestials, cosmic entities who have shaped worlds and civilizations since the Big Bang created by Arishem the Judge, who is the first Celestial, is crucial, as they were created to protect humanity. They only intervene when the Deviants appear to threaten humanity.

In the MCU, they were introduced in Phase 4 with the film Eternals (2021), a milestone in the cosmic expansion of this universe. They are also linked to Thanos, as the latter is a Deviant-Eternal, bringing a new dimension to their place in the Marvel Universe.

The fact that Thanos is a Titan with a Deviant gene does not make him a Deviant, so the Eternals were not allowed to intervene when Thanos used the 6 Infinity Stones to wipe out 50% of the living beings in the Universe.

The Eternals allow Marvel to surpass a milestone in power. Able to compete with beings infinitely more powerful than the Avengers are capable of facing.

Who's the villain in The Eternals ?

In the film, the main antagonist is Kro, leader of the Deviants. The Deviants are monstrous creatures who attack humanity and whom the Eternals must fight.

Kro came to Earth thousands of years ago, but found himself trapped in the ice. With the melting of the ice, he was able to free himself and set out to do what he had set out to do - destroy mankind.

However, the film also explores internal conflicts within the Eternals, notably with Ikaris, who ends up opposing the rest of the group because of his loyalty to the Celestials and his vision of their mission.

Responsible for betraying his companions and for Ajak's death, his guilt eventually gnaws at him to the point of ending it all by flying into the sun.

Are the Eternals related to the Avengers?

The Eternals and the Avengers belong to the same Marvel universe, but they haven't yet interacted directly in the MCU.

In the comics, it's not uncommon to see the Eternals cross paths with the Avengers or other Marvel heroes. As their missions are different, they have remained in the shadows for a long time, but it's possible that their paths will cross in future MCU films.

With the evolution of the Eternals movie, it wouldn't be surprising to see these two teams cross paths, bearing in mind that the Eternals' original mentality has totally changed and has even moved closer to that of the Avengers, with the desire to save humanity.

Who is the most powerful in the Eternals?

The most powerful of the Eternals is generally considered to be Ikaris, thanks to his ability to fly, project cosmic energy beams and his great strength, although he was able to send all the Eternals into a one-on-one battle during the conflict to create Tiamut the Communicator, which required the destruction of the Earth to make it possible.

However, others such as Thena (an expert in combat) or Druig (able to control spirits) possess equally formidable powers. The term powerful can be adapted to many circumstances, so a single answer would be Ikaris, but based on other facts, he wouldn't be at the top of the ladder!

Who is the character at the end of The Eternals?

In the post-credits scenes of the Eternals movie, a character who appears to be an Eternal appears. This is Eros, also known as Starfox, played by Harry Styles. He's Thanos' brother, although the resemblance doesn't let on!

Another character we've seen in the film makes an appearance, Dane Whitman (Kit Harington), who discovers the Ebony Sword, suggesting his future role as Black Knight in the MCU.

One thing's for sure, the Eternals sequel is expected to be one of the biggest Marvel movies yet. No official announcement has yet been made, and even rumors of cancellation are all over the net.

But do you really think Marvel would drop such a promising sequel? See you soon!