What I Heard This Week: ‘ETERNALS’

Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

This Thanksgiving week has served up a cornucopia of information that I have not been able to verify but that has come from trustworthy sources (read sources who have given previous information that has been confirmed) and I’ve decided to share some of these. It’s important to understand that, because I can’t verify these with a second source, I myself treat them as rumors which means, for the time being, I don’t believe them myself. It’s also important to understand that in each of these cases, the information provided would be spoilery if did turn out to be true. So please read at your own risk and please make an effort to represent what you’ve read here as nothing more than a rumor. These aren’t “hot scoops”, at least not yet. For now, they are nothing more than some compelling rumors that should generate plenty of great discussion among the MCU fan community. With that having been said, read ahead if you chose.

Things I heard this week: The plot of Eternals will center around the “War of Evolution.”

That’s it. Nothing more to it than that. It’s probably important that you notice it’s in quotes, but beyond that I have nothing more to give. I think it’s important to note the quote does not say “Evolutionary War”, the title of a 1988 Marvel Comics crossover event featuring the High Evolutionary, but says the “War of Evolution.”

If this tidbit is true, it’s actually pretty informative. If the “War of Evolution” truly does describe the central conflict of Eternals, then I think it’s probably a pretty clear indicator that we are getting, at least in part, a film inspired by Jack Kirby’s original take on the characters and that it will feature the Deviants. Eternals features an incredible ensemble cast and we already know of 11 lead and major supporting roles, including 10 actors or actresses portraying members of the Eternals. The film has been in production for over two months now and not much has leaked out and security around the film is pretty beefed up so, if the Deviants are in fact in the film, we probably wouldn’t have seen them anyway given the secrecy and the fact that most of them would probably be CGI creations.

The idea of the “War of Evolution” fits with the very little we do know about the film at this point. During SDCC, concept art was revealed that featured the group of alien “gods” known as the Celestials.

To make a very long and interesting story short (you can read the longer version here), the Celestials came to Earth and played mad scientist with early man, performing a series of experiments produced 3 evolutionary branches: the Eternals, the Deviants and the Latents.

For millennia, the Eternals and Deviants warred on and off, giving rise to myths and legends of god-like heroes and grotesque monsters that permeate all cultures. Upon returning to Earth, the Celestials, unimpressed with how their creations had evolved, attacked the Earth causing the “Great Cataclysm” and driving the Deviant land of Lemuria to the bottom of the sea (you can read the longer version of that story here).

The Deviants

At some point, the Eternals and Deviants agreed to a truce and faded into obscurity. Then, in modern times, the Deviant warlord Kro broke the truce, leading his army of monsters into conflict with humans, forcing the Eternals back into action.

The “War of Evolution” certainly sounds plausible to me. Thanks to set photos that have leaked, we know the film is set to span millennia and that, eventually, some of the Eternals are likely to run into Kit Harrington’s Dane Whitman, an archeologist who is likely to help with some expository details. It wouldn’t be shocking at all to see the film center around the long-standing war between the Eternals and Deviants, leading to some sort of doomsday scenario in which the Celestials threaten the Earth. And of course any Marvel Studios film that deals with evolution could always set the stage for the next step of the evolution of man, Homo superior (you can read more about those mutants here).

At this point, I’m thrilled to turn this over to you and see where it goes. To be clear, I have no idea if this is going to turn out to be the case, but it’s a fascinating rumor and, as a fan, I’d love to be a part of the discussion about how awesome it could be if it were true. Let me hear your ideas below and be responsible with how you share and present this to other friends and fans! Enjoy!