5 MCU Easter Eggs That Would Be Cool To See In Eternals
Eternals could feature some nice nods to the greater MCU.
In less than a month, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are going to meet a brand-new team of heroes. Marvel’s Eternals movie is set to introduce some of the most powerful characters the franchise has ever seen. So far, it would appear that the cosmic beings exist in a somewhat closed off corner of the MCU. However, given the nature of this continuity, they’re bound to have connections to other characters, places or events within the fictional universe. Which means there’s plenty of room for the film to include some cool Easter eggs.
The Chloé Zhao-directed film will be different from most other Marvel movies in that its story spans thousands of years. With this, audiences are sure to learn just how the titular characters have helped to guide humanity along over the years while also staying out of major events. Additionally, there’s the matter of the group’s cosmic origins, which have been hinted at in the trailers that have been released. So all in all, there are plenty of opportunities for the MCU installment to feature some neat references to the larger universe. Now, let’s consider some of the sweet potential Easter eggs we could see in Eternals:
Insight Into The Origins Of Knowhere
In addition to the Eternals, audiences will also meet another ancient race of beings known as the Celestials. These cosmic entities are the ones who created the film’s lead characters and sent them to earth. The MCU has alluded to them a few times in the past, with 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy having arguably provided the biggest teases we’ve seen thus far. One of those references comes in the form of the planet Knowhere, which is actually the severed head of a Celestial. The origins of the being itself aren’t clear at the moment, yet Eternals could shed light on that matter.
Considering that the movie ventures back several millennia, it’s very possible that it’ll give us a glimpse at a number of Celestials, who were apparently present at the beginning of time. And one of those beings could very well be the one whose head will eventually become a planet. We don’t necessarily need to learn how it ultimately lost its head. Just seeing the alien alive and communicating with members of its race would be cool enough.
An Early Run-In With The Asgardians
Marvel Studios has made the history of the Asgardians very clear since the group first appeared in 2011’s Thor. It was established that the God of Thunder, along with his family and allies, are not truly deities but aliens from another planet. However, when they visited earth thousands of years ago, humans mistook them for gods due to the immense power they possessed. So like the Eternals, the group has been around for quite some time, meaning they could’ve crossed paths at some point in history.
It’s hard to rule out the possibility that one or more of the Eternals were present at the exact place and time that the Asgardians first arrived on Earth and interacted with humans. I mean, who’s to say that Richard Madden’s Ikaris didn’t get a glimpse of a young Odin on some occasion or even interact with the Allfather. Odin did have knowledge of different beings throughout the universe, so he could’ve come across the cosmic beings. Although such an Easter egg may seem superfluous, it would be a nice way to link the mythologies of both alien races in a neat way.
The Rise Of Vibranium And The Birth Of Wakanda
One of the most important events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have to be the moment vibranium landed on earth. Black Panther explained that the precious metal made its way to the planet by way of a meteorite that landed somewhere in Africa. From there, five tribes warred over the material until the first person to take the heart-shaped herb united them and ultimately formed the nation of Wakanda. The inhabitants of the advanced land have proven to be highly intelligent and, in the present, they possess vast resources. But who's to say an Eternal wasn’t present at the very beginning of their country’s history?
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The extraterrestrial figures have seemingly covered a lot of ground during their time on Earth. It’s also important to remember that the land that now makes up Wakanda wasn’t always isolated from the rest of the world. So it’s possible that at least one of them may have been around to see the meteorite land. For instance, Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos, the group’s resident genius and inventor, may have gotten his hands on some vibranium at the time and repurposed it for him and his allies. It would honestly be pretty cool if this were to be the case though, if it is, clearly Phastos neglected to consider integrating it into furniture.
A Taste Of The Ten Rings’ Exploits
Viewers learned in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that another notable MCU character possesses immortality. Wenwu (a.k.a. the Mandarin) gained eternal life once he took control of the ten rings and subsequently lived for thousands of years. He then formed his dangerous organization, through which he conquered nations and overthrew governments. The villainous warlord left quite an impression on the cinematic universe during his life, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the Eternals were aware of his existence.
It’s likely that Wenwu never actually crossed paths with any of the cosmic entities, but they very well could have witnessed his organization’s actions. Imagine Angelina Jolie’s Thena, a fierce warrior, looking on as the Ten Rings lead an assault against a kingdom during the 15th century. Or think of Gemma Chan’s Sersei watching as one of the group’s agents causes an explosion at an embassy in the present. The Ten Rings’ wide footprint makes it possible for them to pop in Eternals in any number of ways. And if the team is in fact aware of them, they’re sure to have regrets over choosing not to intervene against them.
A Cameo From Young Thanos
In the comics, Thanos has a major connection to the Eternals, as his parents belonged to that race of beings. He also has genes that mirror those of the Deviants, the Eternals’ evil counterparts. The Mad Titan’s history in the films has mostly been limited to his homeworld of Titan but, just last year, Marvel seemingly confirmed that he is indeed an Eternal in the MCU’s continuity. Such a major connection could definitely open the door for a potential cameo from a young Thanos, and even the character’s creator, Jim Starlin, seems to believe it’ll happen.
The comics established that Thanos’ parents were part of a group of Eternals that settled on Titan. There’s a chance the upcoming film could depict the creation of the alien race and how they were dispersed across the galaxy by the Celestials. This may be a longshot, but maybe viewers will get to see a quick shot of a young Mad Titan on his planet. It would be an amazing Easter egg, and one that wouldn’t be too hard to pull off. After all, thanks to unused concept art, it’s been revealed that Marvel Studios was planning on showing the villain as a young man at some point. So why not put it to use in this film?
Even if Eternals doesn’t feature any of these particular nods, the movie will likely have some references to the larger universe, aside from the ones we’ve heard in the trailers. Chloé Zhao has stressed her years-long love for the MCU on multiple occasions, so it would be surprising if she didn’t find small ways to tie her project to other properties within the franchise.
Eternals arrives in theaters on November 5. Ahead of its release, you can check out how we’ve ranked the best Marvel movies and, to get yourself even more pumped, rewatch the Marvel movies in order ahead of the latest installment.
Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.