Everything The Eternals Webcomic Adds To MCU History

A new Eternals webcomic reveals secrets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s history. The Eternals are Marvel’s latest movie superhero team, a group of ancient aliens who were sent to protect humanity from the threat of the Deviants. They have been here for thousands of years, shaping human history and civilization, continuing their unceasing war against the Deviants.

Webtoon and Marvel Comics have published an Eternals webcomic that’s apparently set in the MCU continuity. Eternals: The 500 Year War primarily takes place in the 16th century, with the Eternals reminiscing about their various adventures; the globe-trotting adventure features contributions from writers Dan Abnett, Aki Yanagi, Jongmin Shin, Ju-Yeon Park, David Macho, Rafael Scavone, and Yifan Jiang, alongside artists Geoffo, Rickie Yagawa, Do Gyun Kim, Magda Price, Marcio Fiorito; and Gunji. It’s worth noting there’s no official statement from either Marvel Comics or Marvel Studios; however, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige now serves as Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, meaning he’d have sign-off on the Eternals webcomic.

All this means the Eternals webcomic offers a fascinating glimpse into the potential history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It shows the Eternals interact with both historical and legendary figures, and even sets up potential MCU superheroes as well. Here are all the biggest reveals.

The Eternals Remained At Babylon Until The 16th Century

In one of Eternals‘ deleted scenes, Sprite reveals that Babylon was the closest thing the Eternals ever had to a home. The Eternals arrived on Earth somewhere in ancient Mesopotamia, sometimes referred to as the Cradle of Civilization, and they seem to have been involved in the founding of the first towns and even cities, with Babylon founded around 2,300 BC. The area was invaded and settled by an expanding Muslim Empire in the mid-7th century, with the province dissolved. The city was soon lost in the mists of time, and by the 12th century its location had been forgotten. It seems the Eternals took the ruins of Babylon as a quiet place from which they could operate across the world, leaving the Domo concealed there. They remained based at Babylon until the 16th century, when they prepared to depart for pastures new.

The Eternals Encountered A Japanese Legend

The main focus of the Eternals webcomic is really to weave the ancient aliens into the history of the human race. The second issue tells a tale in which the Eternals visit Heian-kyō in Japan – the city that would become Tokyo – in 1084 CE. There, they encounter Minamoto No Yoshiie – a Samurai warrior who forged the Minamoto clan into an unrivaled fighting force, and he is viewed as one of Japan’s greatest heroes. He often worked alongside the kebiishi – the local police force – and, according to the Eternals webcomic, he is serving in this capacity when he investigates rumors of a water-demon that is actually a Deviant. Minamoto No Yoshiie gifts the Eternals with a samurai sword, which becomes part of their collection of treasures.

The Kumiho May Really Exist – Hinting At White Fox In The MCU

Fast forward to 1142 CE, and the Eternals visited the Three Kingdoms of Korea – encountering the legendary Kim Busik, the government official assigned to write the Samguk Sagi, an official historical record. It seems Kim Busik redacted a file revealing the existence of a kumiho, in reality a Deviant. Curiously, while the Deviant wielded cosmic power it had absorbed from the Eternals themselves, it also possessed abilities it could only have acquired from other sources. The implication is that the kumiho really does exist in the MCU, with this Deviant preying upon one. If that’s the case, the Eternals webcomic serves to foreshadow the existence of the MCU’s White Fox, a human-kumiho hybrid and a Korean superhero.

A Hint Of A Black Knight In 1238 CE

The Eternals webcomic reveals some of the ancient aliens visited Córdoba in 1238, on the day the Castilians consecrated the Muslim Mosque there as a Christian cathedral. Ajak apparently had sway with Pope Gregory IX, and persuaded him to send Ajak and Phastos to the city as his emissaries. Yet again there’s an encounter with the Deviants, but this time it’s particularly interesting because there are subtle hints of the Black Knight and the Ebony Blade. In the comics, the Ebony Blade was initially wielded by Sir Percy of Scandia, a Knight of Camelot, and it was passed down to his descendants; one Black Knight did indeed take part in the Crusades.

The Eternals Met The MCU’s Sorcerers In The Ming Dynasty

Eternals: The 500 Year War #6 is set during the Ming Dynasty, with the Eternals defending the Great Wall of China – currently under construction – from a Deviant attack. They’re assisted by one of the dragons seen in Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as a sorcerer whose magic is recognizable as that of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. It’s reasonable to assume the Eternals and the Masters of the Mystic Arts were aware of one another’s existence, and it’s even possible the Eternals are mentioned in Doctor Strange’s notes on potential threats.

How Ikaris Knew Deviants Could Kill Eternals

The narrative of the Eternals webcomic serves two purposes. Firstly, it allows Marvel’s creative team an opportunity to enjoy telling stories in which the Eternals interact with legends of human history, as well as the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it also makes a valuable contribution to the main story in Eternals, because it explains why Ikaris knew Deviants could steal power from Eternals – and could be confident of the results. It seems a Deviant had stolen power from an Eternal once before, although it had failed to kill its victim; it had led to a long, drawn-out conflict – the so-called “500 Year War” – as the Deviants grew ever more powerful. Ikaris would have known something similar would happen when he had Ajak killed by the Deviants, and indeed the greater amount of life energy consumed on this occasion would have meant the Deviants’ evolution was accelerated. And so Ikaris, champion of the Eternals, chose to create the greatest Deviant of Earth’s history – Kro.