The end of Eternals explained by Marvel’s larger film universe

Eternal is a strange episode of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on obscure characters with one of the strangest backstories in comics, it depicts a race of creator gods who look like giant, bulky robotic toys.

So in a way it makes sense that Eternal might have the strangest ending to a Marvel movie yet – it has a post-credits scene for a final scene and a clear path to one Eternal 2 (or maybe even a bigger one Avengers 5-ish crossover event). Still, the end of the film could leave even the biggest MCU fans scratching their heads. So start by analyzing what happened at the end of the month Eternal, based on film continuity and a bit of comic book lore.

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for Eternals.]

What happens at the end of Eternals?

Image: Marvel Studios

The final scenes of Eternals play out as usual for an ensemble blockbuster. The great threat (the birth of Tiamut and the destruction of the earth) has been avoided and our heroes must clarify the effects of this struggle on their relationships.

In self-imposed penance for turning against Arishem, Ikaris throws himself into the sun. Kingo, who skipped the last fight, adopts Sprite – who is now just a mortal human child with the memories of an Eternal One who has to go to a normal human school with a normal human cell phone. And Sersi is walking in the park with her regular human friend Dane Whitman.

Dane is about to reveal shocking news about his to Sersi own dark secret when things suddenly stop being so happy.

Image: Marvel Studios

Arishem, the robot father of the Eternals, brings Sersi and several other characters into space with him – some who were involved in killing Tiamut and others who didn’t, like Kingo and Sprite. They were all very naughty, and they’re so, so grounded. Arishem takes them away for a while but says he will return to Earth at some point in the future to judge whether they were right or not and whether the potential of humanity was really worth more than the potential of the worlds and galaxies to Tiamut could have created.

And then the film ends.

But what does that mean for Eternals 2?

Assessing the potential worth or ethical capabilities of an entire planet of living things is one of the things Celestials is best known for in Marvel Comics. In a way, that’s the end of Eternal is more like how most Marvel Comics superheroes first encounter Celestials: As huge and indescribable cosmic judges.

One of Eternal‘Post-credits scenes further suggest that the next time we see it, the Eternals will take care of whatever Arishem has planned, as Druig, Thena and Makkari meet some unusual allies who say they are help them find their missing friends. That could be in a sequel to Eternal, or it could possibly be something more.

After all, what is a greater threat than Thanos, the Eternal Outcast? Well, there are always the almost all-powerful Celestials who created the Eternals in the first place. And certainly Marvel writers have found ways over the years to bring the superhero universe together with the cosmic elements.