Marvel’s Eternals: Who are the new cosmic beings set to dive into the MCU?

Marvel Studios has always been pushing to expand its franchise. As it enters the Phase 4 of its Cinematic Universe, The Eternals is a movie that stands out in the list of its upcoming movies. Slated to release in December 2021, the movie will introduce a whole squad of powerful cosmic characters from the comics onto the big screen.

To elaborate on its origin, the Eternals were created by the Celestials during their experimentation on early man, using advanced genetics to give them all superhuman powers and abilities. Before you dive into the nitty-gritty of the movie, here’s a look at the characters that make up the team of cosmic existence.

Ikaris

The all-powerful leader of the Eternals, Ikaris is kind, charismatic and a master tactician, who can be rightly called the glue holding the team of celestial beings together. Played by Richard Madden, the Prime Eternal has a body augmented by cosmic energy, and possesses the gifts of telepathy, levitation, flight and teleportation. With a total mental control over his entire molecular structure, Ikaris is basically immune to any sort of injury, and can regenerate his entire body if need be. Thus, he is also immune to disease, aging and extreme temperatures, and can only be killed by total molecular dispersal.

Sersi

An ancient being who has been moving amongst humans for centuries, Sersi is a member of the Eternals, and the love interest of Ikaris. The witch daughter of Helios and Perse, she is also a socialite in New York, holding parties and entertaining the elite. Genetically engineered to live on forever, she has the abilities of manipulating matter, teleportation and magic beyond imagination, along with empathy for humanity. The character will be portrayed by actress Gemma Chan in the upcoming movie Eternals.

Thena

A second-generation Eternal, Thena is the daughter of Zuras, and a force to be reckoned with. With Angelina Jolie essaying the role, Thena is gifted with superstrength and speed, as well as inexplicable beauty. In addition to control, emission, and manipulation of cosmic energies, she is also capable of telepathy and telekinesis.

Gilgamesh

Roaming around Earth and aiding humanity in their attempts at survival by overthrowing tyrants and slaying beasts – that’s Gilgamesh for you. Termed as the Forgotten Hero, he was even exiled from his own kind by Zuras because he spent too much time around humans. Actor Don Lee will be seen as the hero in the Eternals, introducing him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With powers similar to other Eternals, he is blessed with superspeed and strength, as well as matter manipulation, teleportation and is a cosmic being, who went on to join the Avengers later in comics.

Ajak

Playing a twist on the comics, Marvel Studios has decided to spice things up by gender swapping the hero Ajak to a female alter ego and has roped in Salma Hayek to portray the character. A near-immortal Eternal, Ajak was worshipped by the Incans as Tecumotzin and was buried deep in an Incan tomb to sleep until awoken by Ikaris. Flying at the speed of sound and projecting cosmic energy from his eyes or hands, he can regenerate himself by molding the atoms of his body. He is also said to be a skilled wrestler and archeologist, apart from his celestial existence.

Makkari

Continuing with the gender flip, the hero Makkari will be seen as its female version in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, played by Lauren Ridloff. A speedster, who allegedly learnt to run before walking, he is the fastest Eternal. Immune to injury like the rest of his teammates, Makkari’s body is made up of cosmic energy like Ikaris, and has been altering his  physical features over  the  years, including pigmentation, hair and eye color and musculature.

Kingo

In the comics, Kingo Sunen is the most skilled swordsman on Earth, who decides to help the Eternals to safeguard his people. After training with the Samurai, he transitioned into becoming a famous Japanese action star. But it seems Marvel is changing the character a bit from the comics, as instead of being a mortal, he may be treated as an individual of cosmic existence. Also, he may be shown as a Bollywood star, due to the casting of Kumail Nanjiani for the role.

Phastos

A master inventor, Phastos is a weapon specialist, responsible for making the instruments of the Eternals, including the sword of Kingo Sunen and the flight harness used by Ikaris. In spite of his proclivity for making weapons of war, Phastos is a philosophical character, often shown to be brooding and contemplative in regards to his peers. Effectively immortal, he has enhanced hearing, vision, and speed, making him an extremely adept fighter, gifted with superhuman strength, stamina and cosmic powers. The character will be played by Brian Tyree Henry in the movie.

Black Knight

With GOT star Kit Harrington essaying the role of the only non-Eternal in the team, Dane Whitman is a physicist, who took over the heavy burden and the bloody past of the Black Knight from his uncle, as he wielded the Ebony Blade. Despite being a human, he is extremely skilled with his sword, and would give anyone a run for their money.

Sprite

The troubled child of the Eternals, Sprite is often the source of problems for the other Eternals. Incapable of aging, he has the mental age and physicality of a child, pulling up antics that are dealt with patiently by other teammates. Played by Lia McHugh, he specialises in matter rearrangement and elemental transmutation, surpassing even Sersi in his skill.