5 Eternals Comic Characters That Should've Been In The Movie
Helmed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao, "Eternals" spans thousands of years and tells the story of a race of cosmic heroes sent to Earth by god-like beings known as the Celestials. The film features an ensemble cast, including the likes of Angelina Jolie (Thena), Salma Hayek (Ajak), Richard Madden (Ikaris), Gemma Chan (Sersi), Kumail Nanjiani (Kingo), Don Lee (Gilgamesh), Lauren Ridloff (Makkari) and others.
Despite its sprawling cast introducing over 10 new characters to the MCU, several "Eternals" characters from the comic books are missing from the movie. Zhao brought some of the most influential "Eternals" comic book heroes to life, but there's always room for more! From Zuras, who initiated the Uni-Mind, Aurelle, who could manipulate pure energy, to Daina, the creator of prophecies, here are five characters from the comic books that should've been in the movie.
Zuras
Zuras is an essential character in the "Eternals" comic books, and he's referred to as the Prime Eternal. He is an immortal leader — the most powerful energy manipulator of the group and is known to have worked towards keeping the Eternals hidden from humans. Zuras once banished one of their own — Gilgamesh, for intervening in human conflicts. He is also believed to have spearheaded the construction of Olympia in Greece — the city home to the Eternals.
While the movie depicts Ajak as the leader of the group (and later, Sersi), Zuras established the group of Eternals on Earth. At one point in the comics, he was the first Eternal to initiate the Uni-Mind (combining the power of all Eternals into a single gestalt being) and was the only one who could put it in place. The movie explored the Uni-Mind storyline, which the Eternals adopted so Sersi could temporarily pause the emergence of the Celestial Tiamut. Still, there was no mention of Zuras or his ability to initiate it.
Zuras is also Thena's father, and introducing him would give the MCU a chance to explore her origin story further. Zuras was pretty unbeatable, and his powers, on par with Zeus and Odin. He would make an invaluable addition to the MCU, considering the threats awaiting the Avengers in phase 4.
Mentor/ A'Lars
Not introducing A'Lars, the father of Thanos, after referencing the character in "Avengers: Endgame" feels like a missed opportunity. When Thanos and Gamora arrive in Vormir searching for the Soul Stone, the Red Skull identifies the genocidal Titan as "Thanos, son of A'Lars," referring to the "Eternals" character. In the comics, A'Lars is the leader of an Eternals colony in Titan, where he relocated following his split from the Eternals. His brother Zuras was chosen as Kronos' successor, which prompted A'lars to leave. Although Thanos kills A'Lars, he is later resurrected in the Exclusion, a key location for the Eternals where they are either resurrected after their deaths or imprisoned for their misdeeds. The inclusion of his son Starfox in the mid-credit sequence indicates there's hope for his backstory to be potentially explored in the future — which, by the way, is pretty tragic. When A'Lars was imprisoned following his resurrection, he was held in a cell with walls made up of a screen. A single-pixel lit up every time Thanos committed a murder, leading A'Lars to be blinded from the light in just a week.
Aurelle
Chloé Zhao made several creative decisions while filming "Eternals," such as using minimal CGI and filming on actual locations instead. She also gender-swapped three comic book characters, selecting female actresses to portray Makkari, Sprite, and Ajak, who were all male in the comic books. That being said, the movie could have featured the character Aurelle — who is one of the few female Eternals in the comic books. Sersi was seen manipulating matter in the film, while in the comics, Aurelle is well-known for her ability to manipulate pure energy. She can transform her atoms into fire or electricity — and it would be exciting to see that happen on the big screen.
The Gaian Sisterhood
The Eternals primarily rely on the celestial Arishem and their leader Ajak for guidance in the movie. In the comic books, the Gaian Sisterhood, featuring Daina of Times Past, Cybele of Times Present, and Tulayn of Times Future, would study the timelines together and create prophecies to advise the leaders of the Eternals. They served as advisors to the Eternals, helped shape their decisions, and led them towards the right path. Daina was the mother of Mentor and Zuras, Tulayn was the mother of Ikaris, and Cybele was the consort of Zuras and the mother of Thena. The three characters together are directly associated with the Eternals in the movie, making me wonder if things would be different if the Gaian sisters existed to advise them?
Domo
In the movie "Eternals," Domo is the spaceship used by the Eternals to travel, but he has been a character in the comic books since "Eternals #5" released in 1976. Like the other cosmic beings, Domo is immortal and cannot be killed, and his powers include speed, strength, and increased stamina. He served as the chief administrator to Zuras on Olympia and dispensed his commands to the other Eternals, answering directly to the Prime Eternal. In the comics, Domo often appears seated on a floating chair — known as a hoverchair. He was very dedicated to his work and monitored Olympia's advanced systems, and was responsible for contacting the Eternals on Earth when it was time to form the Uni-Mind. Though the starship in the movie is named after the character, the actual comic book version remains excluded. Maybe there's hope to see more of him in an "Eternals" sequel? We'll have to wait a while before we can find out.
Marvel Studios' "Eternals" is now streaming on Disney+.