Marvel's 2021 Eternals is unlike anything the accomplished studio has ever done before. Charged with introducing more than ten new characters along with the cosmic origins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, director Chloé Zhao seemed to have the impossible task of finding a way to weave myth and reality together in a story spanning more than 7,000 years.
First penned by Jack Kirby in 1971, the long-lived Eternals are meant to be the basis for many iconic myths in the Marvel universe. Despite their incredible powers, Kirby's Eternals are relatively obscure compared to more famous Marvel teams like the Avengers. However, given the cosmic importance of these characters, it's useful for fans to know the real myths the Eternals are based on.
10 Sersi Is Circe From The Odyssey
While Game of Thrones fans might confuse this Eternal with a certain duplicitous Lannister, Sersi phonetically sounds like Circe. Given that Kirby intended for Sersi and Circe to be one and the same, the Eternal is the one responsible for turning Odysseus' comrades into pigs in Homer's epic, The Odyssey.
Where Kirby's Sersi deviates from Zhao's is their personality. Comic Sersi is often flirtatious like Circe, whereas the Sersi Gemma Chan portrays is much more reclusive in nature, despite her benevolent spirit. However, Chan's Sersi is still capable of transmutation, although she initially can't transmute living organisms into other objects as Circe does in The Odyssey.
9 Ikaris Doesn't Have Icarus' Flaws
Like Sersi, Ikaris shares phoneticism with Icarus. According to Greek myth, Icarus' father Daedalus fashioned a pair of wax wings for his son in order to escape Crete. However, hubris causes Icarus to ignore his father's warning to not fly too close to the sun. After his wings melt, Icarus plummets into the sea and drowns.
Given that Ikaris is capable of flight without wings, Richard Madden's Eternal doesn't seem to share Icarus' flaws. In fact, Ikaris tends to be likened to DC's Superman as both characters are capable of flight and shooting lasers out of their eyes. According to Eternals, Marvel's Icarus is a fictionalized tale made up by Sprite during their stay in ancient Athens.
8 Kingo Might Be Kingu Of Babylon
Among Zhao's Eternals, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo is one of a couple of characters to lack an obvious mythological association. There may, however, be possible connections to the god Kingu from Babylonian legend; especially given that Kingu is related to Tiamat, the deity that inspired the Celestial Tiamut in Marvel's Eternals.
If Kingo and Kingu are connected, that would mean the Eternal hails from the Enuma Elish, which is the Babylonian Epic of Creation. The story sees Tiamat gift Kingu the Tablet of Destinies, which gave the latter great power. Unfortunately according to legend, Kingu's power wouldn't save him from being killed by Marduk to create the first humans.
7 Sprite Inspires Pan's Eternal Youth
Among their companions, Sprite is known for their eternal youthfulness and mischievous personality. Originally male, Zhao's adaptation of Sprite – portrayed by Lia McHugh – is female. Sprite is often ascribed to the many elves and fairies throughout European mythology, but is most notably connected to Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
However, Nanjiani's Kingo likens McHugh's Sprite to a more modern fable: Tinker Bell from J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. While Sprite does share qualities with the pixie, Kirby's Sprite is often interpreted as being the inspiration for Peter Pan himself in the Marvel continuity, given that both characters forever young and always up to mischief.
6 Phastos And Hephaestus Set The World On Fire
Phastos' connection to the Greek god Hephaestus is among the more obvious inspirations in Eternals. Known as the god of fire, Hephaestus is a legendary blacksmith and craftsman in Greek mythology, which lends itself spectacularly well to Phastos' role in the film as he helps humanity with his brilliant inventions.
Unfortunately, many of Phastos' innovative technologies come at a high price as civilization advances, forcing him to bear witness to terrible events throughout history like the sacking of Tenochtitlán and bombing of Hiroshima. While Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos has lost faith in humanity by the events of Eternals, he's still willing to lend his skills to his former family.
5 Makkari Shares Mercury's Speed
Like Sprite, Makkari was originally male when Kirby introduced the Eternals, but was turned into a woman for Zhao's film adaptation. While Makkari's superhuman speed is similar to the likes of the mutant Quicksilver, the Eternal is actually inspired by the Roman god Mercury.
Beyond being the god of travelers, Mercury and Lauren Ridloff's Makkari don't share too many similarities. In addition to her speed, Ridloff's Makkari also has preternatural cognition, allowing her to absorb information at exorbitant rates, and has the honor of being the MCU's first deaf superhero.
4 Druig Shares Druid Characteristics
Druig is typically seen as the black sheep of the Eternals family, often betraying his comrades to support the likes of Genghis Khan, Russian KGB, and even Thanos throughout the comics. Fortunately, Zhao's frames Barry Keoghan's Druig in a much more positive light, showing the Eternal as capable of compassion when his family members need help.
What remains a mystery, however, is Druig's mythological origins. While Kirby's Druig comes from Slavic regions, the closest things that might've inspired the Eternal's inception in Zhao's film would be druids – Celtic priests deeply attuned to nature – which would make sense given Druig's magic affinity and self-imposed seclusion in the Amazon rainforest.
3 Gilgamesh Is The King Of Uruk
Gilgamesh has perhaps the most straightforward origins among his cohort, being based on the character of the same name from "The Epic of Gilgamesh," a poem from Mesopotamia. King of the city-state Uruk, Gilgamesh is a demi-god set on a quest for immortality. Along the way, he clashes with Enkidu, a rival eventually turned friend.
While Gilgamesh never obtains immortality, he does gain a deeper meaning to life. Likewise, Ma Dong-seok's Gilgamesh of Eternals follows a similar path to his mythological counterpart, with the warrior Eternal Thena filling the role of Enkidu. Ultimately, Gilgamesh finds purpose in life by helping his dear friend Thena fend off Mahd Wy'ry to preserve her memory.
2 Ajak Fought In The Trojan War
It's likely most people have heard of the great warrior Ajax before. A participant in the iconic Trojan War, Ajax's strength and bravery made him second to Achilles himself; unfortunately, the devious tactics of Odysseus would lead the Greek hero that Eternals' Ajak is inspired by to kill himself in an act of shame.
However, Salma Hayek's Ajak can trace her origins to more than one mythos, sharing linkage with the chief Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl, often interpreted as the feathered-serpent deity of Aztec culture. Like Quetzalcoatl, Ajak holds the title of Prime Eternal, making her their de facto leader.
1 Thena Is The Greek Goddess Of War
While fans are likely to connect Angelina Jolie's Thena to the Greek goddess Athena, it's important to note that they're actually two different characters in the Marvel universe. Despite this, Thena most definitely heavily borrows inspiration from the Olympian Goddess of War, proving herself to be a fierce combatant in battle.
According to Greek mythology, Athena has been known to lose herself to her rage despite her brilliant tactical mind. Thena emulates this internal struggle in Eternals when she begins to suffer from Mahd Wy'ry, a condition that causes her to confuse her current memories with those of her past lives.
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