The Marvel Cinematic Universe is yet again shining a spotlight on lesser-known comic book characters.

An Enigmatic Backstory

Released Nov. 5, “Eternals” expands on the Celestials: a band of heroes who herald creation in the universe and are capable of effortlessly yielding the power of the all-powerful infinity gems.

Working in tandem with the Celestials are the Eternals themselves, a group of extraordinary beings hailing from the planet Olympia who wage war across the cosmos in an ongoing battle against the malevolent Deviants.

The Eternals were sent to Earth thousands of years prior to the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), all with their own unique powers and personalities, making this Marvel’s most diverse film to date.

The team consists of ten dynamic characters including Sersi (Gemma Chan), who can manipulate matter on a grand scale, Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), a marksman able to harness energy into powerful projectile blasts, Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), an inventor who can conjure his creations and Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), a speedster who is also the first deaf hero and actor in the MCU.

Side characters include Karun (Harish Patel), Kingo’s valet and confidant and Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington), a love interest of Sersi.

Following their war against the Deviants, the Eternals have a disagreement that sends each of the heroes on separate paths. They then reunite in the aftermath of the “blip” — when half of the universe was erased and brought back.

Execution

I admired the juxtaposition between the arcs of my two favorite characters, Kingo and Phastos. When viewers are reintroduced to them 500 years after the “blip,” Phastos is living a simple life with his husband and child while Kingo has created a dynasty of Bollywood entertainment.

“Eternals” jumps from setting to setting, but spares audiences from unnecessary exposition. Besides that, the use of multiple flashbacks effectively keys viewers into crucial moments that come to define each Eternal and add context to their present relationships.

The antagonising force of the film isn’t tangible or personified, but rather exists as an idea that creates a divide among the team throughout the story. This spurs an ethical dilemma involving the destruction of Earth for the sake of their mission that puts the Eternals at odds.

“Eternals” came out of the gates with less-than-favorable reviews due to being far from what audiences have come to expect from the typical Marvel movie, such as how it escaped with a PG-13 rating despite the inclusion of the MCU’s first brief sex scene.

Credit Scenes

The film concludes with two ambiguous ending sequences.

In a mid-credits scene, audiences are introduced to Starfox (Harry Styles) and his companion Pip the Troll (voiced by Patton Oswalt). Starfox, who is also an Eternal, is the infamous villain Thanos’ brother, which raises a question: Would that make Thanos an Eternal? While it’s not confirmed in the MCU, Thanos is an Eternal in the comics that was born with a Deviant gene.

Post-credits, the final teaser that viewers are left with is Blade (Mahershala Ali) issuing an off-screen warning to Dane Whitman.

After watching “Eternals,” I decided to start reading Neil Gaiman’s seven-issue comic book series of the same name to gain a better understanding of who the Eternals were. The verdict? I enjoy both iterations.

For the MCU, “Eternals” promises the beginning of a new chapter.