The November release of Marvel's The Eternals is fast approaching, and though fans now know more about the movie thanks to the latest trailer, there is still a lot that is unknown. What is known is that The Eternals will be introducing some A-list actors to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many of whom fans are excited to see joining the franchise.
Though the history of the characters in the comics can be used to speculate how the Eternals will fit into the MCU, there are already some big changes confirmed compared to the original versions. While there could still be a few surprises in store, there are many characters that originated in Marvel comics that are already confirmed to appear in The Eternals.
13 Thena Has A Connection To The Leader Of The Deviants
Fans are excited that a big name like Angelina Jolie is joining the MCU. Though she is not to be confused with the Greek goddess Athena, the similarity of their names is significant. In the comics, the Eternals formed an alliance with the gods to acts as their representatives on Earth, much like they do for the Celestials.
The movies may forgo the connection to the gods and establish that the Eternals were who the ancient Greeks mistook as gods, as has happened with other Eternals in the comics. Another important aspect of Thena's character in the comics is her relationship with a Deviant, one of the enemies the Eternals are on Earth to defend it against.
12 Sersi Is The Heart Of The Eternals
Gemma Chan's Sersi looks set to be the main focus of The Eternals, with her love for humans likely causing her to act as a bridge between humanity and the titular group. In the comics, Sersi is much the same, advocating for peace between humans and Eternals.
Like her film counterpart, comic book Sersi also loves humanity and chooses to live among mortals. Sersi has had some villainous turns in the comics, though it seems that the movie will portray her as the most pure-hearted of all Eternals.
11 Ikaris Is Much More Than Marvel's Superman
Though Thena looks like she was the leader of the Eternals at one point, Richard Madden's Ikaris seems to assume control of the Eternals during the movie. Like many of the Eternals, story details involving Ikaris have been kept under wraps, but he has so far been shown to have Superman-like abilities.
In the comics, Ikaris is also portrayed as one of the strongest Eternals, and his comic counterpart is even more powerful than what has been shown from Ikaris in the MCU so far.
10 Sprite Is A Troublemaker In Both The Movie & The Comics
In The Eternals, Lia McHugh will be playing the young-at-heart Sprite. In the comics, Sprite is a trouble-making trickster akin to Loki and enjoys mingling and meddling in the lives of mortals, a trait that the MCU Sprite seems to have as well.
Sprite was originally a boy in the comics, inspired by similar characters like Peter Pan and Shakespeare's Puck. However, Sprite has recently been reborn as a girl, just in time for her MCU debut.
9 Gilgamesh Has Been A Super Strong Hero Throughout History
Gilgamesh is physically the strongest Eternal, with Don Lee portraying the character in the movie. In Marvel comics, Gilgamesh is the same individual from Sumerian mythology, has been mistaken for other legendary heroes over the centuries like Hercules and Beowulf.
Gilgamesh is perhaps the most heroic of all the Eternals, as shown in the number of times he intervened throughout history. The Eternals has a lot of ground to cover, so it may not go into detail on Gilgamesh's past, but chances are much of it remains the same.
8 Kingo Loves Fame & Attention
Kingo will be played by Kumail Nanjiani and is one of the Eternals who has been featured pretty heavily in marketing so far. In the comics, Kingo was associated with Japanese culture, learning the ways of the Samurai in feudal Japan and then using those skills in the present day to become an action movie star.
Rather than being associated with Japan, MCU's Kingo has settled in India instead. However, his celebrity status and love for fame have been carried over, with trailers showing Kingo as a big Bollywood star.
7 Phastos Is The Brains Of The Eternals
Phastos is the master weapon-smith and inventor of technology for the Eternals while also aiding humanity in technological advances in secret. Over the course of history, Phastos was mistaken for the Greek god Hephaestus, who served the same purpose.
Brian Tyree Henry will be portraying Phastos in the MCU, and with all the gadgets and inventions that have been shown around Phastos in the trailers, it seems his role from the comics will carry over too. In addition, Phastos will have a family and a husband in The Eternals, adding more LGTBQ representation to the MCU.
6 Gender Isn't The Only Change For Makkari
In the comics, Makkari is the Eternal credited with teaching humans how to write and possesses superhuman speed, likely surpassing the speed powers that have been shown in the MCU thus far. Aside from the powers being the same, Makkari is going through some major changes for the big screen adaption.
Like Sprite, Makkari is gender-swapped from her comic book counterpart and will be played by Lauren Ridloff in The Eternals. In addition, Ridloff is Marvel's first deaf actress, making Makkari the first deaf superhero in the MCU.
5 Ajak Is Who The Celestials Have Chosen To Communicate With
In Marvel's comic continuity, Ajak is shown to be a strong fighter capable of flight and is associated with the ancient Aztecs. In addition, Ajak is the Eternal typically chosen by the Celestials to communicate with.
Ajak will be played by Salma Hayek in The Eternals, making her the third Eternal to be changed from male to female for their film debut. As in the comics, Ajak appears to be the main link between the Eternals and the Celestials, though her other abilities are still unknown.
4 Druig Is Rarely An Ally To The Rest Of The Eternals
Druig will be played by Barry Keoghan and is shaping up to be one of the most complex characters in The Eternals. In the movie, Druig has separated himself from the rest of the Eternals due to disagreements with them on interactions with Earth's population.
It is possible he aligns himself with the Deviants, though his true allegiance is a mystery. In the comics, Druig is even more power-hungry and evil, reveling in brutality and torture, and even aligning himself with Thanos.
3 Dane Whitman Will Eventually Become The Black Knight
Though he is not an Eternal, the comic book character that fans are most excited to see is Kit Harington's Dane Whitman. Besides the obvious excitement of having both Game of Thrones veterans Kit Harington and Richard Madden join the MCU in the same movie, The Eternals will likely set up a bigger role for Harington's character.
In the comics, Dane Whitman is a normal human who becomes the Black Knight when he comes into possession of the cursed Ebony Blade. The Ebony Blade is similar to Thor's Mjolnir, except it draws on its wielder's impurity and negative emotions rather than requiring them to be worthy.
2 Kro Looks Very Different In The Comics
Kro is the leader of the villainous Deviants and is expected to be the primary antagonist of The Eternals. So far, Marvel has not revealed who will be providing the voice for Kro, but fans are expecting it to be Dan Stevens.
Compared to the comics, Kro's appearance in the MCU is very different and may signal further changes to his characterization. Kro in The Eternals looks much more alien compared to his purple devil-like appearance in the comics. Kro has also had a relationship with Thena in the comics, and though it is unknown what reason they have for meeting with each other, the latest trailer has shown them alone together.
1 Earth's Chances Don't Look Good With Arishem As The Judge
The Eternals are known to work under the guidance of the ancient and powerful Celestials, as seen briefly in Guardians of the Galaxy. At least one of these beings is confirmed to appear in The Eternals in the form of Arishem the Judge. Arishem can be seen in the trailers for The Eternals, first appearing to communicate with The Eternals, and then in a menacing close-up of the Celestial.
In the comics, Arishem's purpose is to wipe out the Deviants, and The Eternals are likely his allies in this purpose. However, Arishem is called the judge because he decides if a planet's inhabitants are worthy of salvation or destruction. If Arishem judges Earth unworthy, it will likely be a major source of conflict in the film.
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