Notes on Eternals (Marvel)
"The archetypes to be discovered and assimilated are precisely those that have inspired, throughout the annals of human culture, the basic images of ritual, mythology, and vision. These "Eternal Ones of the Dream" are not to be confused with the personally modified symbolic figures that appear in nightmare and madness to the still-tormented individual. Dream is the personalized myth, myth the depersonalized dream; both myth and dream are symbolic in the same general way of the dynamics of the psyche. But in the dream the forms are quirked by the peculiar troubles of the dreamer, whereas in myth the problems and solutions shown are directly valid for all mankind." - Joseph Campbell, The Hero With A Thousand Faces
Information on Eternals (not included in The Stranger's Main article) for unfamiliar readers.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything: Each iteration of the Eternals has shown a different origin, or reason that the Celestials got involved with Earth and left them there. In one, a diseased Celestial made it to Earth, and the resulting life forms may've been antibodies for the Celestial disease. In this, Eternals are the lid on the petri dish keeping the experiment under control. In another, the Celestials are balanced out by the Horde, a race of insect-like, creepy, devouring critters. When the Celestials harvest a world, they take it/ its energy to the Fulcrum. If there is a greater balance of Deviants, the Horde gets the energy of the world. If it balances towards Eternals, then the Celestials get the energy of the world. While both Celestials and the Horde have come for Earth in various plot lines, it is notable that the Fulcrum specifically spared Earth. To paraphrase writer Kieron Gillen, maybe all of these contradicting origin stories are like myths, some of which have seeds of truth while others might be false, or be guesses and beliefs handed down from the more religious Eternals to the others. The reasoning is 100% open to spin or new interpretations and changes while character actions and personal histories have had continuity.
Excess Deviation: The Deviant gene is a possible precursor to the mutant X-factor gene. But, in a sort of Deviant equivalent of Eternal Mahd Wy’ry, a deviant can mutate too much, too rapidly, spontaneously and go mad. But for Eternals, Mahd Wy’ry is more akin to human Alzheimers or other forms of senility, with a reboot being a solution. Excess Deviation poses a much greater threat to others as the Deviant looses complete control. Eternals are forced to kill these unfortunate individuals - excess deviation is the 3rd Principle for Eternals, after protecting Celestials and the Machine That Is Earth. Sometimes portrayed as resulting in a form of justified Fantastic Racism.
The Fourth Principle: Earth-616 had a big cross-over Judgement Day plot line (2022) which added a fourth principle onto the Eternals three laws of robotics: “YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO JUSTIFY YOURSELVES.” Yes in capitals - Hilarious! Post Judgement Day crisis, it was reinterpreted as a reminder of a duty to act and that each day matters. The principals can invoke an involuntary response if not followed, so this will be interesting!
Uni-mind: a joining of energy, mind, and willpower between Eternals (and sometimes other species) and hypothesized to help prevent Mahd Wy’ry. In a Captain Planet like fashion, it is greater than the sum of its parts, ranging from basic telepathic and emotional sharing for a small group to having one of the Eternal Patriarchs or whomever is considered Prime Eternal assuming control of it as an entity, in which case its abilities depend on who has been included in the Uni-mind.
The Exclusion: a pocket dimension located in Antartica where some key things are located: activation/resurrection chambers (Machines of Resurrection), machinery that hides Eternal cities from humanity (Reality Loom), and a sort of prison capacity that’s been described as the “Eternal’s Hell on Earth.” Those jailed here cannot join the Uni-mind.
Gann Josin: Another possible preventative for Mahd Wy’ry, this is the practice of bonding with a chosen life partner, or the name given to said partner, creating an empathic and telepathic bond between them.
Family Relationships: Eternals cannot procreate with each other (but can with humans and deviants). Some have shown more familial relationships which can either be from original programing or from “generations” created after large waves of reboots.
Cities: The Eternals have a few hidden cities around the globe. The original city in the Rockies, Titanos, was ruined, and the newer capital is Olympia, in Greece. Polaria, in Siberia, is a second city to Olympia. Because of civil wars and schisms 500,000 years ago, there is a large population on Titan rather than Earth.
Example Eternal Groups from Earth-616:
- The Hex: the war group, self-described as six sisters
- Gaian Sisters: prophesies
- The Tricks: underworld
- Eternal Prime - whoever the current leader is
- Damocles Foundation: a coalition between Eternals, Deviants, and Humans
- Oceanic Watch and Lemurian Mission - specific subset to watch over this ancient civ.
- Celestian Priests: Six priests that correspond with the six principles in Eternal spiritual tradition
- The Forgotten: Four Eternals that, in a radical move, interpret the principle to protect the Machine as protecting humanity over Eternal society. One even has previously sabotaged the Resurrection Machine. They took their name from the Forgotten One, Gilgamesh, for his attempts to interfere positively with humanity.
A Note on Eternal Names: To put it simply, names are weighty and important in Eternal history. From the original perspective, a simple reading would be that the Eternals inspired the legends of ancient gods and heroes, whether or not we go with the slight retcons of including the Athenian pantheon as real entities. But in terms of characterization in stories, the adoption of names is done intentionally, whether to commemorate important events, to honor others who show kinship, or as memorials like Ikaris naming himself after his half-human son, the Icarus of myth. This includes archetypes and cryptic epithets that sound like titles, like Druig's Lord of Flames and Nightmares title or The Silvered Bride of Heaven, and we know some, like Vampiro, are known under other names unknown to us as readers. Names and renaming are extremely culturally significant. The names for The Stranger or the Man with No Name can be viewed similarly, as acquired names or descriptive names that will stay with the character.
What about the MCU? The MCU alters the number and purpose of the Eternals to 10 sent to Earth to protect a Celestial embryo, gestating in the world itself. The gestating Celestial, Tiamut, was taken from a plot line as a sleeper under San Francisco by Neil Gaiman, as well as some trickery from Sprite, deceptions from Ikaris, and fun with wiping out each other’s memories to preserve the mission. While the details changed a lot, the horror of discovering your true purpose is a shared theme.