#All celestial primates are gay

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COMIC BOOK REFERENCES & EASTER EGGS - Eternals (2021)

The following is a detailed guide to all the comic book references and Easter eggs I’ve spotted in Eternals along with any deviations from the source material. Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

In the comic books, Celestials are giant ancient beings that possess untold amounts of cosmic power. Each Celestial’s role can be discerned from their name. For example, Arishem the Judge deems whether or not a species should continue to survive or not. Other Celestials include Exitar the Executioner, Jemiah the Analyzer, Nezarr the Calculator, and Oneg the Prober. The Celestials have experimented on numerous species including the Kree and Skrulls. A million years ago, they arrived on Earth and performed genetic experiments on early primates. This resulted in the creation of offshoots to humanity: the Eternals and Deviants.

In the comics, the god-like Eternals are virtually immortal and possess many abilities including enhanced strength, flight, telepathy, and energy generation (although each Eternal may choose to specialise in one or more of these powers). The Eternals are able to merge together to form the Uni-Mind, a highly intelligent group entity, in which participants share their knowledge with each other, allowing them to solve complex problems. When this occurs in the source material, the Uni-Mind appears as a giant brain. The Eternals have established cities on Earth including Polaria and Olympia (in the film, Olympia is said to be a planet, until it is revealed to be a ruse).

The comic book incarnation of Sersi is an Eternal who has associated with humans over the course of her life (the ancient Greeks misspelt her name as “Circe”). She is particularly skilled at casing illusions and transmuting matter. In the source material, Sersi has been in a relationship with Makkari and Dane Whitman/Black Knight, while her film counterpart has had an on-again/off-again relationship with Ikaris and is currently dating Dane Whitman.

In the film, Ikaris can fly, has superhuman strength, and can project cosmic energy from eyes, all abilities we see the character demonstrate in the comic books. In the source material, Ikaris’ original name has yet to be revealed. The character took on the name in honour of his son who passed away after using a flying contraption and travelling too high into the sky and running out of oxygen.

The comic book incarnation of Kingo Sunen has spent time in Japan (he was there during the Sixteenth Century), becoming a samurai and eventually turned to acting. His MCU counterpart retains the character’s occupation as an actor, albeit one starring in Bollywood productions.

In the comics, Sprite has a reputation as a trickster, using his illusion casting abilities to play pranks. Despite being a million years old, he has the physical appearance of a preadolescent boy. Sprite’s interactions with humans led to him being the basis for Puck in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and inspired J M Barrie to create Peter Pan. In the Eternals film, Sprite becomes a human at the end; in the comic books the character has also become human at one point, as revealed in Eternals #4 (2006). While a male in the source material, the MCU version of Sprite is gender swapped, being played by Lia McHugh. Of note, in the lead up to the release of the film, Sprite is resurrected as a female in Eternals #1 (2021). (Sprite was killed by Zuras in Eternals #7, 2007, for wiping the minds of his fellow Eternals and having them lives as humans.)

In the source material, Phastos is an inventor and weaponsmith (the ancient Greeks mistook him for the god Hephaestus), while his cinematic counterpart is a technopath. In the MCU, Phastos is gay and has a husband. The comic book incarnation of the character was similarly married at one point. When Sprite erased the memories of his fellow Eternals and had them all living as human beings, Phastos went by the name “Phillip Stoss” and had a wife named Gretel Stoss.

In the comics, Makkari is known for his super speed and is considered to be the fastest Eternal. Due to this ability, he has been confused for the Olympian Hermes (also known as Mercury). While Makkari’s MCU counterpart is also a speedster, this version of the character is female and deaf. As a reflection of this, in Eternals: Celestia #1 (2021) it’s revealed that Makkari has been resurrected as a female and has become mute and deaf after trying to reach the Dreaming Celestial. (In The Avengers #4, 2018, we find out that the Eternals died by either killing each other or committing suicide after learning the true reason as to why they were created.)

In the comics, Druig is the son of Valkin and cousin to Ikaris. The power-hungry Eternal has the ability to control the minds of others, a skill his screen counterpart likewise shares.

In the comic books, the Forgotten One has been known by many names over the years, including “Gilgamesh,” an alias he acquired when he became king of Uruk. The Forgotten One is a skilled warrior who’s proficient in the use of various weapons including spears and swords. Gilgamesh’s screen incarnation is able to create an exoskeleton around his body.

In addition to the powers shared by all Eternals, the comic book incarnation of Ajak has learnt to communicate with the Celestials. He participated in the Trojan War where he was erroneously believed to be the warrior Ajax, and was later given the name “Tecumotzin, Lord of Flight” by the Incas. In the film, Ajak has the power to heal others and is female. As seen in Eternals: Celestia #1, Ajak has been resurrected as a female.

The comic book incarnation of Thena is a warrior skilled in both armed and unarmed combat. She was born Azura, but changed her name to Thena after an agreement with the Olympian gods which saw the Eternals occasionally stand in for them. As such, she has been mistaken for the goddess Athena. In the film, Thena is able to manifest any weapon using her mind.

The name of the Eternals’ ship in the film, Domo, could be a reference to the Eternal of the same name from the comics. Domo is a general affairs administrator and answers to Zuras, the Prime Eternal (leader of the Eternals).

In the comics, Deviants are an offshoot of humanity that are genetically unstable. As such, each Deviant has differing physical attributes. While they may possess superhuman abilities, unlike the Eternals, Deviants aren’t immortal.

The comic book version of Kro was a Deviant warlord who eventually became their leader. Unlike other Deviants, Kro doesn’t age and can rapidly heal from injuries. He also possesses super strength and the ability to reshape his body tissue, enabling him to alter his appearance. Kro was once in a relationship with the Eternal Thena, with whom he has twin children: Deborah and Donald Ritter.

In the comics, Dane Whitman comes from a long lineage of people that have taken on the Black Knight mantle (an identity we don’t see him take up in the film). Prior to Dane it was his uncle, Nathan Garrett, who was the Black Knight. As the Black Knight, Dane wields a mystical, indestructible sword known as the Ebony Blade. It can cut through anything but, should the sword be used to draw blood, the Ebony Blade will cause the user to shed more blood or kill. Knull, however, refutes this “cursed” aspect of the weapon. In King in Black: Black Knight #1 (2021), he reveals that those with an impure heart can only properly wield the Ebony Blade; the more negative the person’s emotions, the stronger the sword becomes.

The MCU version of Thena suffers from mahd w’yry, which causes her to remember events from past lives. While the illness also exists in the source material, it simply causes an Eternal to go mad due to their accumulated memories over their long lifespan. During a bout of mahd w’yry, Thena mentions being unable to help the inhabitants of Centuri-Six. In the comics, Centuri-Six is a planet in the Proxima Centauri star system and home of the humanoid Centurii.

Sersi turning a Deviant into a tree is a moment lifted from Eternals #6 (2007).

When Sprite asks who will now lead the Avengers, Ikaris suggests that he could. This could be a sly nod to the fact that several Eternals have joined the Avengers in the comics—Gilgamesh, Sersi, and Starfox.

When introducing Ikaris and Sersi to his family in the film, Phastos refers to them as Isaac and Sylvia, respectively. This recalls the names the two Eternals have used when interacting with humans in the comics, “Ike Harris” and “Sylvia Sersi.”

One of the objects Makkari has collected is Excalibur. While the fictional sword originates from Arthurian legend, it also exists in the Marvel comic books, and made its first appearance in Black Knight #1 (1955).

A Celestial growing inside the Earth is something that occurs in the alternate reality of Earth-9997. The Celestial in question isn’t named, however, the idea of Tiamut the Communicator (who would come to be known as the Dreaming Celestial) appearing from beneath the earth does have precedence in the mainstream Marvel Universe. After being defeated by his fellow Celestials, Tiamut was placed into a crypt beneath the Diablo Range in California. Thousands of years later, he would be awakened by the Deviants Gelt and Morjak, with Tiamut rising in Eternals #6 (2007).

In the mid-credits scene we’re introduced to Pip the Troll and Eros, who teleport onto the Domo. The comic book incarnation of Pip was born Prince Pip Gofern on the planet Laxidazia. After feasting with some Laxidazian trolls, Pip found he gained the appearance of a troll, a result of having drunk their ale.

In the comics, Eros/Starfox is an Eternal hailing from Titan. He is the son of A’Lars and Sui-San and is Thanos’ younger brother. In addition to all the powers Eternals posses, Starfox can manipulate the pleasure centres in the brains of others, causing them to feel aroused, euphoric, and/or pacified.

The mysterious voice we hear in the post-credits scene belongs to Blade. The comic book incarnation of Eric Brooks/Blade is a vampire hunter who was born with an immunity to vampire bites, slow aging, and the ability to sense the supernatural as a result of his mother being bitten by the vampire Deacon Frost as she was giving birth to him. It wasn’t until Morbius bit him that he gained enhanced senses, accelerated healing, and superhuman stamina and strength.

Surprisingly, DC Comics characters are also mentioned. Kingo’s valet Karun is compared to Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne/Batman’s butler, and Phastos’ son mistakes Ikaris for Superman.

In terms of references to the MCU, there’s Dane namedropping Doctor Strange (when he asks Sersi if she’s a wizard), Kingo owning a triangular Captain America shield, Ikaris mentioning he could potentially lead the Avengers, and Ajak talking about the Snap and the Blip.

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