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The Eternals is one of the biggest projects currently in the works for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film will mark the debut of this new team of superheroes on the big screen. One fan theory claims their enemy – the Deviants – were already introduced in Captain Marvel.

The Eternals cast
The cast of Marvel’s ‘The Eternals’ | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

‘The Eternals’ could make obscure heroes household names

If Marvel’s success with Guardians of the Galaxy is any indication, the studio has a knack for turning obscure comic book heroes into household names. According to Games Radar, the studio is using the same playbook for The Eternals when they introduce the supergroup to the MCU.

Created by the legendary Jack Kirby, the group is an ancient cosmic race that has existed for millions of years with powerful abilities granted by the Celestials. They made their Marvel comic debut in 1976, and later appeared in Thor: The Eternals Sage to fight against Odin.

Marvel pushed back the movie’s original November 2020 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, it is scheduled to hit theaters on February 12, 2021.

There is still no word as to when fans can expect to see the first official trailer. Some were hoping it would drop at San Diego Comic-Con 2020. But, Marvel didn’t release anything during the virtual event in July.

Did Iron Man’s snap bring the ancient cosmic race to the MCU?

As CBR explains, the group is an evolutionary offshoot of humans created by the Celestials. They were supposed to be the defenders of Earth, with their biggest enemy being the Deviants.

There was an eventual retcon attempt from Neil Gaiman where it was revealed that one of the Eternals caused them all to forget who they were. When their memories came back, they rejoined the MCU.

There is speculation that a memory loss angle could be part of The Eternals. Their ancient race predates everyone else in the MCU. If they all forgot who they were, this could explain why they were nowhere to be found in the Infinity Saga.

When half the life in the universe was resurrected in Avengers: Endgame, this could have been the catalyst for bringing the Eternals into the world. Another theory is that Iron Man’s snap could possibly be related to both the X-Men and the Eternals entering the MCU.

The Deviants and ‘The Eternals’

The Deviants are expected to make their MCU debut as the villains in The Eternals. But, some believe that already happened in Captain Marvel. According to Screen Rant, the comics indicate that it is possible the Skrulls are actually Deviants. If that’s the case, their origin story could be explored during Phase 4.

Kirby created detailed backstories for three races: the Celestials, the Eternals, and the Deviants. The Celestials are god-like beings, the Eternals are superpowered immortals who look like humans. While the Deviants are grotesque creatures who constantly mutate due to their structurally unstable genetic code.

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Many fans believe that Marvel will dig into this history during Phase 4. They could possibly reveal a connection between the Deviants and the Skrulls. Some also believe the Skrulls are actually a version of the Deviants.

This is a whole new part of the MCU, and The Eternals could be the movie that sets everything up for the next decade.

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