When the Marvel Cinematic Universe emerged from the shadow of ‘Avengers: Endgame‘, it faced an impossible task: reinvent itself without the heroes that defined an entire generation of blockbuster cinema. Captain America had retired. Black Widow was dead. ‘Eternals’ was an ambitious, dangerous move to extend the MCU mythology way beyond the Avengers and into the world of ancient deities, cosmic entities, and philosophical science-fiction.
Four years later, it is difficult to refute the fact: the experiment failed. Although Marvel has never officially stated that the ‘Eternals’ are over in the MCU, recent events make one thing excruciatingly clear. The franchise has moved on. And now, with the savage deletion of the Eternals in Ultimate Endgame #1, Marvel seems to be symbolically and conclusively sealing the door on a chapter that never established itself. This is not a case of a single flop film. It is about Marvel discovering that not all ambitious swings work out.
The End of ‘Eternals’ Signals A Shift In Marvel’s Priorities
‘Eternals’ had massive fan expectations surrounding it when it was released in 2021. Under the direction of Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and with a star-studded cast that included Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Kit Harington, the movie was something radically different. It was not an origin story per se, nor was it a direct sequel to the Avengers story. Rather, it challenged viewers to be concerned about ten new heroes simultaneously.
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These heroes also lived centuries apart, and were governed by cosmic laws that intentionally kept them out of the greatest conflicts on Earth. That ambition was refreshing to some viewers. However, to others, it was alienating. There was a split between critics and fans. The movie performed poorly at the box office, got one of the lowest CinemaScore ratings in MCU history, and became a shorthand to describe the identity crisis that the franchise was facing after ‘Endgame’.
Worse than the reception, however, was the silence. Aside from the massive Celestial Tiamut briefly appearing as a geological oddity in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’, the MCU has largely pretended ‘Eternals’ never happened. No follow-ups, meaningful references or development of its hanging plot. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that ‘Eternals 2’ was not actively being developed, burying a follow-up that had previously appeared unavoidable. Over time, the message became clear: Marvel didn’t know what to do with the ‘Eternals’, and eventually, stopped trying.
Ultimate Endgame Gives A Savage Farewell To The Eternals
While the MCU has handled the ‘Eternals’ absence through quiet neglect, Marvel Comics has chosen a far more direct approach. The Eternals of Earth-6160 are killed in Ultimate Endgame #1 in a gruesome and unheroic manner. Enter the Maker, the Ultimate Universe version of Reed Richards, turned into a cold, authoritarian mastermind. The Maker realizes that the Eternals are a threat to his rule and systematically destroys them. The irony of their destruction is particularly cruel.
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We all know that the Eternals are supposed to be immortal and are resurrected by their sacred machine. The Maker corrupts the same system, depriving them of their defining advantage. When the dust has settled, there is nothing left but King Zuras, who is also sent away in graphic style, his body being ripped apart by the Makers’ long arms. It is not a loss but an execution. A statement that the ‘Eternals’ are no longer relevant in the endgame of this universe.
Symbolically speaking, one cannot help but notice the similarity with the MCU. The Eternals, once set to be the future of the cosmic storytelling of the Marvel brand, have been relegated to a footnote. They have become a failed experiment that has been quietly erased from continuity as the franchise re-establishes itself on firmer ground. With the Ultimate Universe heading to its end, and heroes such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, Black Panther, and the Ultimates joining forces against the Maker, the lack of the Eternals is deliberate. They aren’t forgotten. They’re excluded.
