With the long-awaited release ofEternals,Marvel ComicsandMCUfans finally get to see how this adaptation of a particularly obscureJack Kirbycreation by directorChloe Zhaoshakes out. Many things are often changed in adaptation, as it is the nature of this kind of transformation.Eternalsin particular alters a lot of the source material to tell its own original and unique story.
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Given how littleEternalsmaterial there is in Marvel Comics compared to the likes of theAvengersor even theGuardians of the Galaxy, this isn’t especially surprising; however, noting what is changed and why is still worthwhile, especially for fans who enjoy both types of media.Expect spoilers forEternalsup ahead.
13Earth’s Eternal Population Is Smaller & More Social
In the Marvel Comics incarnationof the Eternals, they are a full and functioning society that lives completely apart from humanity. They rarely socialized with homo sapiens for much of their existence, and only came into contact with humans when a Deviant threat arose.
There are around 100 Eternals living on Earth in the comics, whereas they are a nomadic 10 in the movie. Most have a purpose pertaining to “The Machine,” which all Eternals serve on Earth. The likes of Ikaris, Makkari, Ajak, and Thena have more action-oriented purposes, which lead them out into the world to face threats like the Deviants.
12The Eternals Are Less Self-Aware
The Eternals of the MCU are less certain of their purpose and internal biology than their counterparts in the original material. In the comics, the Eternals are more or less aware that they are humanoid machines bound to serve the Celestials, fight Deviants, and preserve some equilibrium on Earth.
In the movie, however, they don’t realize much of their true purpose or just how different they are biologically from humans. This different sense of self makes them very different characters.
11Their Creation & Age
Within the original comics, each planet that has an Eternal population has its own Eternals that were specifically created for the planet. This isn’t the case in the film, where the same Eternals seem to be recycled and repurposed across planets that have received attention from the Celestials.
On a similar note, the Eternals' time of appearance on Earth also differs. In the comics, they are as old as mankind in the comics, meaning they have been a presence on Earth for millions of years. By contrast, the MCU Eternals have only been on Earth for about 7,000 years.
10The Omission & Changing Of Roles
One of the most glaring alterations in the film is the removal of the Prime Eternal Zuras, who played a crucial role in the comics. Zuras is a sort of Zeus or Odin figure for the Eternals (or Highfather ofDC’s New Gods). He is wise but often cold and even cruel. Zuras, as well as a few other Eternals who have been added over the years such as Legba and Valkin, have been seemingly erased.
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In the film, Zuras' leadership role in the Eternals has been taken over by Ajak, as played bySelma Hayak. In the comics, however, Ajak has never been a leader or Prime Eternal. Instead, she is more of a warrior or assassin, and is often considered to be the most dangerous of the Eternals.
9Sersi & Dane Whitman’s Meeting
Sersi and her romantic partner in the movie, Dane Whitman (the Black Knight of the comics), have both spent sometime with the Avengers in the past. In fact, that is where they first met and fell in love–though that relationship later falls apart.
In the movie, they met in their teaching jobs in London. Though it’s not a major change, it’s still one that alters the characters' backstories.
8The Eternals' Dissolving Their Society
In the movie, Ajak disbands the Eternals after the last of the Deviants have been wiped from the planet. This has never really happened in the comics, especially given that the Eternals have their own hidden society they can return to.
Their society has been dissolved before, but it was due to a mass mind-wipe that scattered the Eternals throughout the world. Never in the comics have they dissolved willingly as they do in the film.
7The Deviants
In theEternalsmovie, the Deviants are bestial creatures who seem to only operate on instinct and malice. It isn’t until one of them begins absorbing the powers of the Eternals that it becomes sentient and humanoid.
In Marvel Comics, on the other hand, Deviants are sentient and often quite humanoid. Thena even has a romantic history with a Deviant named Kro in the comics, resulting in children who later become the entity known as Dark Angel. The comics' depictions of the Deviants are capable of speech and forming a society. Furthermore, they are far more distinct from one another in the comics, as their biology causes each one to appear vastly different from the others.
6Gilgamesh, The Forgotten Eternal
Gilgamesh wasn’t known to be an Eternal for much of his personal history. He was an immortal that traveled around the world looking for excitement and adventure. However, hereunited with the Eternals in the modern era, and accepted his birthright among their number.
He has also spent some time as part of the Avengers and is friends with the Olympian demigod, Hercules (who has spent extensive time among the Avengersand the Guardians of the Galaxy).
5Death Has Become (Somewhat) Eternal
When an Eternaldies in Marvel Comics, it’s not long before they are resurrected by the Machine that they tend in their hidden city. They are restored to their most recent state, though they can be physically altered depending on their personal preferences.
In the movie, meanwhile, when an Eternal dies, they seem to be dead for good. They can be resurrected during the next cycle on another planet, but they are dormant and functionally dead until then.
4Arishem Is Chatty For A Celestial
Arishem, the Celestial that the Eternals serve and were created by, speaks directly with the Eternals several times throughout the movie. This is quite different from the comics, where Celestials rarely speak. Most have never been depicted speaking, with the exception of Tiamut.
Usually, an Eternal’s will and intent have to be interpreted and parsed out by the heroes. Sometimes, they telepathically communicate their will to characters, not even speaking aloud.
