Marvel has a habit of leaving audiences with questions. Sometimes it’s a mysterious post-credits scene. Sometimes it’s a villain who disappears just when things get interesting. But every now and then, the MCU introduces something so enormous that you start wondering how the Avengers are supposed to deal with it. And no, punching it really hard probably isn’t going to work.
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Five years ago, Marvel introduced a group of heroes with a connection to something far beyond Earth’s usual supervillain problems. Their story ended with one of the most unsettling images in the franchise. An enormous cosmic figure appeared above Earth and took several heroes away. Then Marvel simply moved on. Now Avengers: Doomsday is approaching, and there’s a rather awkward question about what happened to those heroes. They might be among the most powerful beings in the MCU. So why does it feel like they’ve been left out of its biggest battle?
Eternals Ended With Arishem Delivering One of Marvel’s Biggest Threats
Released in November 2021, Eternals introduced audiences to a team of immortal heroes who had secretly protected humanity for thousands of years. They weren’t ordinary superheroes, though. Their creator was Arishem, an enormous Celestial who had sent them to Earth with a very specific mission. Unfortunately, that mission involved allowing a new Celestial to emerge from the planet. Humanity would be wiped out in the process. That’s a pretty unpleasant discovery after spending several millennia making friends with people. Sersi and her fellow Eternals eventually decided that saving Earth mattered more than following orders. They stopped Tiamut’s emergence and prevented the planet from becoming cosmic real estate.
I’ll be honest: Eternals is probably my least favorite MCU movie. I found much of it uncompelling, and the characters never really managed to hold my interest. I also think part of the problem is that the movie feels somewhat disconnected from Jack Kirby’s original comic material. Kirby introduced the Eternals in 1976, building a fascinating mythology around ancient beings, cosmic forces, and humanity’s place in the universe. While the MCU adaptation certainly borrows those ideas, it makes enough changes to the characters and mythology that it never quite captured what makes the original concept interesting to me. That said, I do respect the ambition behind the production. Chloé Zhao’s decision to shoot extensively on real locations and use natural lighting gave the film a distinct visual identity that separated it from most other Marvel productions. You can definitely get a grand sense of that. Here’s a trailer if you’d like a quick reminder.
You’d think saving billions of lives would earn them a thank-you. Not quite. Just when Sersi reunites with Dane Whitman, Arishem appears above London. He isn’t particularly happy about what happened to Tiamut. The Celestial grabs Sersi and takes her into space. Kingo and Phastos suffer the same fate. Arishem promises to examine their memories before deciding whether humanity deserves to survive. That’s where the movie ends. No final battle. No dramatic rescue. Just three heroes facing judgment from a being who makes Thanos look rather manageable. Meanwhile, Thena, Makkari, and Druig are somewhere in space looking for other Eternals. The film even introduces Eros, Thanos’ brother, during its post-credits scene. Marvel had practically opened the door to an entirely new cosmic adventure. Then the MCU went quiet.
Why Avengers: Doomsday Might Leave the Eternals’ Biggest Story Unresolved
Here’s the strange part. Marvel is preparing another enormous superhero crossover with Avengers: Doomsday. Doctor Doom is bringing together heroes from across different corners of the franchise. The announced cast includes the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and several familiar X-Men. That’s quite a gathering. Yet none of the Eternals have been announced for the movie. Not Sersi. Not Thena. Not even Eros. Of course, Marvel could still have surprises waiting. The full story remains under wraps. Still, it’s difficult not to notice the absence. These characters were introduced as powerful cosmic beings with a direct connection to the Celestials. Their final movie ended with an existential threat hanging over Earth. You’d think that might come in handy when the universe faces another catastrophe.
There’s also a bigger problem with leaving their story behind. Arishem wasn’t some villain who escaped after a fight. He was the being who created the Eternals, and he had the power to judge entire civilizations. The heroes didn’t defeat him. They didn’t even get the chance to fight him. Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos were simply taken away while their friends remained scattered across the universe. That’s a pretty significant loose end for a franchise approaching its next major showdown. Doomsday could certainly introduce new cosmic threats, but Doctor Doom’s arrival doesn’t automatically settle humanity’s unfinished business with the Celestials. Five years later, we’re still waiting to find out what Arishem decided. The Avengers might have their hands full with Doom. Somewhere out there, an even older threat is still waiting to deliver its verdict. And honestly, that’s a story Marvel shouldn’t forget.
I’m curious, what did you think about this film? Were there any positives that made you a fan of it? Please share in the comments below!
13 Years Ago, The Marvel Cinematic Universe Almost Lost Its Biggest Star, And It Would Have Changed Everything
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