The firstEternalstrailer is finally here and director Chloé Zhao certainly making the Celestial creations looking nothing like anything the MCU has seen before. Not only doesEternalsfeature Marvel’s most widely diverse set of characters so far, but the film also aims to bring forward an entirely new part of Marvel Comics lore created by Jack Kirby all the way back in 1976.
While surelyMarvel will release at least one more previewbeforethe enigmaticEternalsmake their way to theaters on November 5, what’s already out there allows for some interesting theory crafting as well possible ties to other MCU films and how theEternalshave helped define thousands of years in human history before transitioning to modern times, and now eventually joining theAvengersin Phase Four.
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It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
No,Eternalsdoes not feature R.E.M.’s late 80s classic, but instead, it does have the less jolly “The End of World” by American country singer Skeeter Davis. The song decision in itself says a lot about the kind of landscapeEternalspresents, as it suggests the mystical group has come out of the shadows to protect planet Earth from succumbing to a lethal threat
However, another possible tie-in to the song would go along the lines of explaining why theEternalswere absent the last time Earth faced such a fate, that being the event inAvengers: Infinity WarandEndgame, during which their distant cousin Thanos tried to eradicate half of humanity. Much like Loki, Thanos is a mixed-race being who is part Eternal and part Deviant, the other Celestial creation that opposes theEternalsfondness for humanity.
For The Knight Is Dark And Full Of Terrors
It’sbeen over a decade sinceGame of Thronesfans got to see Jon Snow and Robb Stark bid farewell to each other in what was barely the series’ second episode, a moment that saw Robb tell Jon that next time they’d see each other Jon would be dressed in black. Funnily enough, the Night’s Watch reference stuck on for all that time because Kit Harington and Richard Madden are now back together in a movie where the former, playing the very human Dane Whitman is set to assume the identity of the Black Knight once he’s presented with the mythical Ebony Blade.
To make matters worse Madden’s Ikaris and the soon-to-be Black Knight are bound to fall into a love triangle over Gemma Chan’sleading character, who is of course named Sersi.
Cosmic Energy All Over the Place
The Eternals are overall just really powerful beings, they possess above average everything, including endurance, longevity, and enough physical prowess to put them on par with Marvel’s best. Aside from all of that they also have the ability to harness cosmic energy as the small CGI light spectacles from the trailer show, however, given the animation style chosen for theEternalscosmic powers and the group’s importance to human civilization across history, it wouldn’t be that far-fetched to present these powers as the early roots to other forms of magic usedby the likes of Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch.
Regardless of where the line is drawn between wizards, sorcerers, witches, and magicians, the MCU’s Phase Four is already toying with the idea of multiple timelines and universes, so if Doctor Strange’s powers and Wanda’s readings of the Darkhold are written to be especially important now, this might be the perfect time to explain where exactly they come from.
Captain America’s Shield Might Be Really Really Old
Although Howard Stark is credited with the creating of Steve Rogers’Captain Americashield, it’s a huge mystery where he really got the vibranium for it or if he came up with that patriotic American design all by himself. While Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine might be privy to those details, the rest of the MCU and fans have been left to wonder if the senior Stark poached the shield or its raw materials during an excursion to Wakanda.
As it turns out, theEternalstrailer features not one but three instances where shields almost identical to Cap’s design can be seen in the background. The first of these comes during a shot where Angelina Jolie’s Thena seems to be doing some cosmic training, the second is in Kumail Nanjiani’s Bollywood moment, and the last one is a callback to Steve Rogers first oddly shaped shield. Maybe this theEternalsway of explainingCaptain America’sshield origins as vibranium could have been some form of technology passed down to Stark and Wakanda by the MCU’s first openly queer hero, Phastos.
Steve Rogers Is “Gone”
Towards the end of the trailer, theEternalsare seen sharing a meal, during which the young-looking Sprite brings up the subject of Tony Stark and “Captain Rogers” being “gone” to the rest of the gang, leading to a quick dismissal of Ikaris’ potential to lead theAvengers.
The entire scene serves to showcase theEternalsare very much aware of the events that have been unfolding in the MCU during recent times, including the fact that Rogers passed the shield to Sam Wilson inFalcon and the Winter Soldier. Yet, considering theEternalsheightened sense of reality, the fact that Steve is merely “gone” again opens up the door for Marvel’s joke that Chris Evans might be hanging out in space.
There’s Some PlayStation Gear In The Trailer
In a world where accessibility is increasingly important, theEternals’Makkari is the first deaf superhero to make it into the MCU, but there’s a lot more to the fastest Eternal, and among that is a massive hoarding habit which has her collecting items from mankind’s history. Taking a closer look at the historical relics reveals she also has aPlayStation VR setright next to her because, well, not even superheroescan get their hands on a PS5 that easily.
