After a successful conclusion to the Infinity Saga in Avengers: Endgame wrapped up many character arcs and storylines, it's time for new beginnings. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expanding in a more cosmic, multiversal direction, as seen building up throughout its recent releases like WandaVision and Loki, the ongoing universe is paving the way for many new heroes as well as villains.
Before audiences can get to Spider-Man: No Way Home's big upcoming December release that appears to conclude Tom Holland's web-slinging trilogy while also delving deeper into the multiverse and the dire consequences that arise from it, Eternals' unique premise along with its exciting new additions is set to drastically change the MCU. The film centers on an immortal alien race known as the Eternals, who were created by another ancient cosmic race known as the Celestials (who have the ability to create and destroy life). Following the events of the population's return in Endgame, the Eternals are forced to reunite to battle their evil counterparts, the Deviants. Deviants, if any indication from the comics, are some of Marvel's most intriguing villains to date. How much they will be involved in the grand scheme of things is still unclear, but here's a little history for those that are still unfamiliar with the villainous group.
First appearing in 1976's Eternals #1, the Deviants were also created by the Celestials. For moviegoers, the Celestials have been scattered throughout the entire Infinity Saga. First introduced by the Collector (Benicio Del Toro) in Guardians of the Galaxy, the extraterrestrial beings were further explained by Ego, (Kurt Russell) the power-driven biological father of Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The Deviants' history dates back as far as the Eternals' and humanity itself.
When the Celestials visited Earth and humanity's ancestors long ago, they came across a group known as the Wanderers. Ziran the Tester, the Celestials’ geneticist, experimented on the group of primates, causing a mutation that created the Deviant subspecies. The Deviants' new unique DNA would lead them to harness unusual abilities and distinct physical traits. The Celestials would then return to Earth to monitor each species’ progress and modify them if necessary, leading to Deviants either being exiled or killed if they mutated too much or too little.
While the Eternals also originated from Celestial experimentation on humans, they were gifted with greater, more defined superpowers, attractive features, and immortality, differing from the Deviants' abnormal, mutating characteristics (with the exception of the Deviants' warlord leader, Kro, who is immortal) that led to them often being referred to as "the changing people". In the comics, although the Deviants' mutations leave them with many deformations and unusual colored skin, they still resemble a humanoid figure, while in the upcoming film, judging from the brief scene between Thena and Kro in one of the trailers, they will appear drastically different, as they take on a more animalistic/alien form.
Even though Deviants do not possess as strong of powers as the Eternals, with some having none at all, they are known for their intellectual and mutating gifts (faster healing and shapeshifting) that allow them to evolve quicker than most species, especially humans. These gifts have given them the ability to develop new genetic makeup while also ruling humanity for many many years. From their ongoing rule of Earth combined with their jealously towards the Eternals' genetically balanced attributes, this is where the rivalry between them and the Eternals starts to evolve.
When the Eternals were created, they were given direct orders to protect Earth and the Celestials. This is hinted at in the film's trailer where Gemma Chan's Sersi reveals to Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman that she and the other Eternals were instructed to avoid any human wars or atrocities throughout history unless it involved the Deviants.
And while Deviants have appeared in the MCU before Eternals, like Thanos being an Eternal/Deviant hybrid due to his distinct physical traits along with his power to wield the Infinity Gauntlet and possess other superpowers as well as the Skrulls (who instead became the dominant race on their own planet Skrullos), they realize the Avengers are now separated and on their own paths following the events of Endgame, with no leading superhero group to assemble and protect Earth from any cosmic enemies. Seeing this as an opportunity to strike and take over, the Deviants will emerge yet again to rule, setting up the clashing events between them and the Eternals who are ordered to protect.
Director Chloé Zhao seems to spend a decent portion of her film delving deep into the origins of the Deviants, as images, footage and concept art from when the film was first announced have revealed the Celestial beings in all of their glory. It'll be interesting to see how much she follows the comics and how much she deviates from them, as many MCU fans are well aware by now of filmmakers putting their own spin on classic comic stories.
Eternals is set for an exclusive theatrical release on November 5th, 2021.