The Eternals

• Core Identity: The Eternals are a powerful, near-immortal race of humanoids engineered by the cosmic gods known as the Celestials to secretly guide and protect humanity throughout its history.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: Created as the “control” group in a vast genetic experiment, the Eternals stand as a hidden line of defense for Earth, often operating in the shadows away from mainstream heroes like the avengers. Their primary function is to protect the Celestials' “grand design” for Earth, a mandate that often brings them into conflict with their monstrous counterparts, the deviants.
• Primary Impact: Their most significant impact is their very existence, which proves humanity itself is the result of cosmic intervention. The Eternals' secret wars and internal politics have shaped millennia of human mythology, religion, and history, while their advanced technology and cosmic connections occasionally spill over to influence the present day. The revelation of their true purpose has often caused galactic-level crises.
• Key Incarnations: The fundamental difference lies in their origin and purpose. In the Earth-616 comics, they are an organic, evolutionary offshoot of early humanity, born from Celestial experimentation. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they are entirely synthetic, programmable androids built by Celestials, with false memories and a secret, horrifying primary objective tied to the birth of new Celestials.

The Eternals first appeared in The Eternals #1, published in July 1976. They were the brainchild of the legendary writer and artist Jack “The King” Kirby, who had returned to Marvel Comics after a notable tenure at rival DC Comics, where he created his “Fourth World” saga. The Eternals were, in many ways, Kirby's attempt to build a new, grand mythology within the Marvel Universe, separate from the established pantheon of heroes. The series was heavily influenced by the “ancient astronauts” theories popular in the 1970s, particularly Erich von Däniken's 1968 book Chariots of the Gods?. Kirby took the central idea—that aliens had visited ancient Earth and were mistaken for gods—and used it as the foundation for a cosmic drama. He created three distinct races from Celestial tampering: the god-like Eternals, the monstrously unstable Deviants, and baseline humanity, which carried the latent potential for mutation (later retconned to be the source of the X-Gene). Initially, Kirby's series existed in its own continuity, with little to no interaction with characters like Spider-Man or the Avengers. It was only after the series was cancelled that writers Roy Thomas and Mark Gruenwald integrated the Eternals into the mainstream Marvel Universe in a sprawling storyline within the pages of Thor, firmly establishing the Celestials as a threat that even Odin and the Asgardians feared. This cemented their place in Marvel's cosmic hierarchy, a position they have occupied, often from the sidelines, ever since.

The origin of the Eternals is a tale of cosmic gods and grand experiments, but the specifics differ profoundly between the primary comic continuity and the cinematic universe.

Approximately one million years ago, the First Host of the cosmic beings known as the celestials arrived on Earth. They found primitive hominids (Homo erectus) and saw potential. As part of their vast, inscrutable genetic experiments conducted across the universe, they performed a series of manipulations on this nascent species. This Celestial meddling resulted in the creation of three distinct lineages from a common ancestor:

• The Eternals (Homo immortalis): The pinnacle of the experiment. They were granted near-immortality, superhuman abilities derived from the manipulation of cosmic energy, a psychic link to one another, and a powerful collective consciousness known as the Uni-Mind. They were designed to be beautiful, powerful, and stable—the protectors of the Celestials' grand experiment on Earth.
• The Deviants (Homo descendus): The failed, unstable branch of the experiment. Their genetic code was chaotic, resulting in every Deviant being born with a unique, often monstrous, physical mutation. This “excess of change” made them genetically volatile but also highly adaptable. They developed a vicious, expansionist culture from their subterranean kingdom of Lemuria and became the Eternals' hereditary enemies.
• Humanity (Homo sapiens): The baseline group, left largely to evolve on its own but carrying latent “mutational potential” within its DNA. This potential, implanted by the Celestials, would eventually manifest as both superhumans (mutants like the x-men) and provide the genetic foundation for alterations by other alien races, such as the Kree's experiments that created the inhumans.

The early history of the Eternals was marked by a devastating civil war. Two factions emerged, led by the brothers Kronos and Uranos. Kronos advocated for peace and introspection, while Uranos was a militaristic warmonger who believed Eternals should conquer the lesser races. The war ended with Uranos and his followers being defeated and exiled into space. Their journey led them to the moon of Uranus, where they discovered a Kree outpost and technology that they used to build a new home on Saturn's moon, Titan. These exiles became the Titanian Eternals, whose lineage would eventually produce the genocidal madman, thanos. Back on Earth, a scientific experiment led by Kronos went horribly wrong, atomizing his body and releasing a wave of cosmic energy that activated the latent powers in all Earth-bound Eternals. Kronos continued to exist as a cosmic entity, and his sons, Zuras and A'lars (who would later become Mentor of Titan), took leadership. A psychic union of the Eternals formed the first Uni-Mind to decide who would lead, and Zuras was chosen as the first Prime Eternal. For millennia, the Eternals lived apart from humanity, building their magnificent cities of Olympia (Greece), Polaria (Siberia), and Oceana (Pacific Ocean), and defending humanity from the Deviants in secret. They were often mistaken for the gods of Greek and Roman mythology due to their power and beauty, a confusion they did little to dispel.

The MCU drastically re-imagined the Eternals' origin for its narrative in the film Eternals (2021). In this continuity (Earth-199999), the Eternals are not an organic offshoot of humanity. They are entirely artificial beings, sophisticated androids created by the Prime Celestial, Arishem the Judge, in the World Forge, a cosmic foundry. Their stated mission, as they understood it for millennia, was to protect emerging intelligent life on designated planets across the universe from the Deviants—creatures they were told were cosmic predators that went rogue. In 5,000 BC, Arishem dispatched a team of ten purpose-built Eternals to Earth. This team included Ajak (the Prime Eternal and spiritual leader), Ikaris (the tactical leader), Sersi (the transmuter), and others, each with a specialized function. They were instructed not to interfere in human conflicts unless Deviants were involved. For over 7,000 years, they lived among humans, defending them from Deviant attacks and believing their home planet was Olympia, a world they would return to once their mission was complete. However, this was a complete fabrication. The truth, revealed to Ajak and later Sersi, was far more horrifying:

• The True Mission: The Eternals' real purpose was to cultivate humanity's population. Intelligent life on host planets generates a unique cosmic energy required for the birth of a new Celestial. The Deviants, who were originally sent to clear planets of apex predators, evolved beyond their programming and began killing the host population, thus hindering the process. The Eternals were created as a fail-safe to eliminate the Deviants and ensure the population reached the critical mass needed for the “Emergence.”
• The Emergence: A new Celestial, Tiamut, had been growing within Earth's core for eons. The Emergence would involve Tiamut hatching from the planet, a process that would completely destroy Earth and all life on it.
• The Cycle of Lies: “Olympia” did not exist. After each successful Emergence on countless planets before Earth, the Eternals' memories were erased by Arishem, and they were reprogrammed and sent to a new world to repeat the cycle. Their personalities and relationships were merely part of their programming to ensure they functioned effectively as a team.

This revelation shattered their identities and forced the team to choose between their loyalty to their creator, Arishem, and their love for the humanity they had been tasked with nurturing for destruction.

The purpose, societal structure, and abilities of the Eternals are defined very differently in the source material versus the cinematic adaptation.

The primary mandate of the Earth-616 Eternals is to “correct excess deviation.” This has historically meant two things: protecting the Celestials' grand experiment on Earth and fighting their genetic cousins, the Deviants. They are the planet's silent, immortal guardians. Their society is governed by a set of binding principles, including protecting their own kind, preserving their secrecy from humanity, and a strict non-interference pact with mortal affairs unless directly threatened by Deviants or other cosmic-level dangers. A crucial, and recently revealed, aspect of their existence is their resurrection process, controlled by “The Machine,” a god-like sentient A.I. that essentially is the planet Earth. When an Eternal dies, The Machine resurrects them in a chamber in the Antarctic Exclusion. However, the cost of this immortality is steep: the activation of The Machine to resurrect an Eternal requires the expenditure of a life force—specifically, a random human life is snuffed out to power the process. This dark secret formed the central conflict of the A.X.E.: Judgment Day storyline.

• Prime Eternal: The leader of the Earth-based Eternals, chosen through a ceremony that often involves the formation of the Uni-Mind. This role has been held by various individuals over the millennia, most notably Zuras, and later his daughter Thena, and even Ikaris.
• The Uni-Mind: A powerful psionic entity of immense power, formed when a quorum of Eternals (and sometimes humans or Deviants) merge their physical bodies and consciousnesses. It is a perfect collective, a gestalt being that combines the knowledge, power, and will of all its components. It is used to make monumental decisions or to combat overwhelming threats.
• The Hex: In the modern era, the Eternals are led by a council of six known as the Hex, each representing a core function of their society.
• Cities: The Eternals are primarily based in three hidden cities: Olympia in the mountains of Greece, Polaria in the Siberian tundra, and Oceana at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

All Eternals share a baseline of powers derived from their ability to psionically manipulate cosmic energy. This includes superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, flight (via levitation), and molecular manipulation. However, each Eternal specializes in developing a few of these powers to a far greater degree.

* Druig | Psionics, Mind Control | Druig is the archetypal schemer and manipulator. He specializes in telepathy and mind control, capable of twisting the thoughts and fears of others to his will. He is power-hungry and has often acted as an antagonist to his fellow Eternals, embodying their potential for cruelty. |

The MCU Eternals' mandate was a lie. Their perceived mandate was to protect humanity from Deviants to foster its growth. Their actual mandate, programmed by Arishem, was to serve as celestial shepherds, fattening up the human “livestock” to provide the necessary energy for the birth of the Celestial Tiamut, which would result in Earth's total annihilation. The core conflict of their story is the schism that forms when this true, genocidal purpose is revealed.

The MCU presents a much smaller, more intimate structure. There are no vast cities or a wider Eternal society. The team consists of a single unit of ten specialized androids.

• Prime Eternal: This role is designated by Arishem and is passed on through direct contact. It was held by Ajak for millennia, who acted as the sole communicant with Arishem. Upon her death, she chose Sersi to succeed her.
• Command Structure: Ajak served as the spiritual and overall leader, while Ikaris was the tactical field commander, leading the team in battle.
• Base of Operations: Their primary vessel and home was the starship Domo, which remained cloaked in orbit or hidden on Earth for centuries.

In the MCU, the Eternals' powers are depicted as flowing from an internal “cosmic energy” source, which manifests as golden, filigree-like energy constructs. While their comic counterparts have a broad, shared power set, the MCU versions are much more specialized, almost like a balanced role-playing game party.

• Humanity: In both continuities, the Eternals are humanity's secret protectors. In the comics, this is a formal duty. In the MCU, it becomes a chosen love, as they defy their creator to save a species they have grown to cherish.
• The Celestials: A complex relationship. They are the Eternals' creators and, for most of their existence, their gods. However, the Celestials' motives are alien and often destructive, forcing the Eternals into a position of fearful servitude (comics) or outright rebellion (MCU).
• The Avengers: In the Earth-616 universe, the Eternals have occasionally allied with the Avengers when facing planet-level threats. Sersi and Gilgamesh have both served as full-fledged members of the team.

• The Deviants: The primary antagonists in both universes. In the comics, they are a sentient, technologically advanced civilization driven by a genetic inferiority complex and a desire for conquest. Their leader, Warlord Kro, has had a complex, on-again, off-again relationship with Thena for centuries. In the MCU, they are portrayed as more bestial, cosmic predators who were rendered nearly extinct by the Eternals, only to re-emerge after evolving the ability to absorb the powers of the Eternals they kill.
• Thanos: The Mad Titan is the most famous descendant of the Eternals. Born on Titan to the exiled Eternal A'lars (Mentor), Thanos carries the Deviant Syndrome, a genetic mutation that gave him his monstrous, purple-hided appearance. His nihilistic philosophy and galaxy-spanning campaigns of terror make him an enemy not just of the Eternals, but of all life.
• Uranos: An internal enemy from the comics. Uranos the Undying represents the dark, fascistic potential of the Eternals. His belief in Eternal supremacy and his genocidal war against other species make him a recurring threat, representing the ideological schism at the heart of their society.

The Eternals are fundamentally an isolationist society. Their primary affiliation is to their own kind and to the Celestials. However, their long history on Earth has led to numerous intersections with other groups:

• Asgardians: The Eternals and Asgardians have a relationship of mutual, if grudging, respect. Both are long-lived, powerful beings who have been mistaken for gods by humanity. They came to blows during the Celestials' Fourth Host, but ultimately stood together to defend Earth.
• The Kree: The Eternals' history is linked with the Kree Empire. The exiled Uranian Eternals first encountered the Kree, and the Kree's own genetic experiments on humanity (creating the Inhumans) were an attempt to replicate the Celestials' success.

This is the foundational text. Kirby's original 19-issue series introduced the core mythology: the arrival of the Fourth Host of Celestials to judge Earth's worthiness. The story follows archaeologist Dr. Daniel Damian and his daughter Margo as they uncover the truth alongside Ikaris. It establishes the central conflict between the Eternals, the Deviants, and the looming, silent Celestials. This series positioned the Eternals as a hidden history of Earth, responsible for myths and legends, and set the stage for their eventual integration into the wider Marvel Universe.

This is the storyline that made the Eternals canon. Writer Roy Thomas masterfully wove Kirby's creations into Marvel's existing cosmology. The plot sees Thor discover the existence of the Eternals and the coming of the Fourth Host. The climax features Odin, in the unstoppable Destroyer armor and wielding the Odin-Sword, leading the forces of Asgard to confront the Celestials directly to save Earth. Odin's utter and complete defeat at their hands served to establish the Celestials as one of the most powerful and terrifying forces in the entire Marvel cosmos, solidifying the Eternals' importance by association.

This critically acclaimed miniseries revitalized the franchise for the 21st century and heavily influenced the MCU film. The story opens with all the Eternals living on Earth as ordinary humans with no memory of their true identities. Mark Curry, a medical intern, slowly begins to have visions and is revealed to be Makkari. He, along with Ikaris, must “wake up” the other amnesiac Eternals. The memory-wipe is revealed to be the work of Sprite, who, tired of being a child forever, used the powers of the Dreaming Celestial to rewrite reality so she could finally age. This narrative introduced a more personal, character-driven approach to the Eternals' lore.

This massive crossover event fundamentally changed the Eternals' status quo. With the X-Men having conquered death via their own resurrection protocols on Krakoa, Druig, the new Prime Eternal, declares mutants to be a form of “excess deviation.” This sparks a devastating war between the Eternals and the mutants of Krakoa. The conflict escalates until the heroes awaken the Progenitor, a new Celestial born from the corpse of a dead Celestial that had formed the Avengers' headquarters. The Progenitor decides to judge every single being on Earth on an individual basis, threatening to destroy the planet if it is found wanting. The event exposed the Eternals' dark resurrection secret to the world, making them pariahs and fracturing their society completely.

• MCU (Earth-199999): As detailed throughout this entry, the Marvel Cinematic Universe version is the most prominent and radically different adaptation. Their synthetic origin, fabricated memories, and role in the genocidal Emergence cycle reframe them from divine protectors to tragic, programmed pawns of cosmic gods.
• Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610): The Eternals of the Ultimate Universe were vastly different. They were not a distinct species but rather a race of ancient, genetically engineered super-warriors created by the Kree to act as planetary “cleaners” and heralds for the world-devouring entity Gah Lak Tus. This version has very little in common with the Earth-616 originals beyond the name.
• The Exiles: A storyline in the reality-hopping Exiles comic featured a world where the Eternals and Deviants did not hide from humanity but instead engaged in a global, perpetual war that devastated the planet. This showed a dark potential future where their conflict was not kept secret.

• celestials
• deviants
• thanos
• apocalypse_(en_sabah_nur)
• kree
• inhumans
• avengers

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