SPOILER ALERT: the following article contains massive spoilers, including the ending. If you have not yet seen the movie, proceed at your own risk, or better, come back to this article later!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Marvel Studios’ Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Eternals Plot Summary and Synopsis
After the return of half the population ignites “the emergence”, the Eternals—an immortal alien race created by the Celestials who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7,000 years—reunite to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.
In 5000 BC, ten human-like Eternals from the home planet Olympia and equipped with superpowers are sent by the Celestial Arishem to earth, where they are supposed to fight the invasive deviants.
Over the millennia, they have protected humanity from the dangers posed by creatures but are not allowed to interfere in the development of the world’s population.
After the supposedly last deviants were killed in 1500, there was a break within the group, as opinions differed about their responsibility towards the people, spending the next five hundred years mostly separated from each other, waiting for Arishem to send them back to their home planet.
In the present day, Sersi and Sprite live together in London. After Sersi was left by her partner Ikaris over five hundred years earlier, she now has a relationship with Dane Whitman, who works at the Natural History Museum.
When the trio is attacked by a Deviant named Kro one evening, Ikaris appears and chases the monster away. Sersi, Sprite, and Ikaris then decide to reunite all Eternals to be prepared for the renewed danger. So, they decide to regroup with the rest of the Eternals.
Only Ajak – the former leader of the Eternals – can no longer join the group; she was previously killed by a deviant.
As the new leader of the group, Ajak gave Sersi the ability to communicate with Arishem. In a conversation with the Celestial, the latter reveals that the primary mission of the Eternals was not to fight the Deviants but to prepare Earth for The Emergence.
Arishem explains that for millions of years, the Celestials have been planting their seeds in populated planets so that a new Celestial can be born from them. However, since the energy of innumerable individuals is required for this, the Celestials sent the Deviants, the respective top predators of the planet should be extinguished and thus ensure the development of life.
However, the Deviants evolved and became top predators themselves, which is why the Eternals were sent to fight. As Arishem explains, the earth has now reached the necessary population so that the emergence – the birth of the Celestial Tiamut and the associated destruction of the planet – can take place.
Since the Eternals have learned to love humanity over the millennia, they decide not to obey the will of Arishem and instead want to prevent the emergence.
Through the “Uni-Mind” created by Phastos – a connection between all Eternals that unite their powers – Druig is supposed to get the necessary power to bring Tiamut to sleep using mind control.
However, not all Eternals are satisfied with the plan: while Kingo leaves the group because he does not want to face Arishem, Ikaris reveals himself as a secret opponent.
It was he who had been informed of the emergence by Ajak centuries before and who finally killed the leader when she too spoke out against the destruction of the earth.
After Makkari the place of emergence at the foot of an active volcano was able to locate, there is a fight between Ikaris and the Eternals. The Deviant Kro, who wants to take revenge on the Eternals and previously killed Gilgamesh, is also present.
Together, the group can bring Ikaris under control, while Thena defeats Kro at the same time. Phastos activates the Uni-Mind, which Ikaris also surprisingly joins after he has reconsidered his life on earth and his relationship with Sersi.
Since Druig is too weak from the previous fight to face Tiamut, Sersi, who manipulates the substances, takes on the task and kills Tiamut.
Eternals Ending
Plagued by feelings of guilt, Ikaris supposedly then commits suicide by flying towards the sun.
Thena, Druig, and Makkari fly into space with their spaceship Domo to find other Eternals and to win them over.
Eternals Mid-Credit Scene
Thena, Makkari, and Druig receive an unexpected visit from Eros and his assistant Pip, who offer their help.
Eternals Post-Credit Scene
Dane Whitman opens an old chest inherited from his ancestors that contains the legendary Ebony Blade.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).