Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for What If…? Season 3
Marvel’s Eternals have made a curious return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) after a three-year hiatus, albeit indirectly, with the impending superhero film slated for release in 2024. The on-screen narrative surrounding the Eternals has largely been characterized by absence and detachment, even in light of their own film, Eternals. This film, which experienced mixed critical reception and disappointing box office results, notably depicted the supergroup as passive observers throughout the pivotal moments of history.
Fittingly, the conclusion of Eternals presented viewers with significant cliffhangers, to which Marvel’s response was surprisingly muted. Although audiences can anticipate the Celestial Arishem’s story arc being revisited in 2025 with Captain America: Brave New World, the specific implications of its judgment remain shrouded in mystery. Furthermore, the post-credits scenes involving Blade and Harry Styles’ Eros seem less significant with each passing day, begging for more narrative focus.
In an ironic turn of events, the inactive Celestial warrants deeper exploration—not only to assess the consequences of its presence but also to examine reactions to its nonexistence. With the launch of another MCU release slated for late 2024, the time has come to delve into this discussion further.
Eternals: A Dismissal of Scientific Principles
The Giant Celestial: A Lack of Consequence
While it may seem unwise to measure a comic book movie against real-world scientific standards, the MCU previously anchored its supernatural elements in plausible science-fiction explanations. Even amidst a universe teeming with wizards, aliens, and fantastical beings, certain scientific principles remain steadfast.
However, Eternals takes a distinctly different approach. The film builds tension regarding the catastrophic outcome the Emergence would impose on Earth if the Celestial Tiamut were to breach the planet’s core. It suggests a scenario fraught with potential devastation. Yet, oddly enough, after Tiamut began to emerge, there were no immediate repercussions: no tidal waves, earthquakes, or climatic disruptions—only the odd spectacle of a massive hand and head protruding as if trapped in an ill-fitting garment.
In contrast to the MCU’s intense focus during its previous phase on the personal, cultural, and political ramifications of Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War and its reversal in Endgame, the aftermath of Eternals seems to resume normalcy far too quickly. This oversight surrounding Tiamut’s dormant form becomes emblematic of a larger frustration, one fueled by memes that trivialize the narrative concerns. As the conversation evolves, the implications of what could have transpired had the Eternals failed their mission resurface.
What If…? Season 3 Explores Alternative Outcomes
An Unexpected Twist: Humanity’s Continued Existence
The latest episode of Marvel’s What If…? Season 3 embarks on a speculative journey, examining a multiverse where Tiamut indeed emerges, resulting in Earth’s destruction. Contrary to the annihilation promised in Eternals, the animated narrative presents an absurd scenario in which parts of the population survive the cataclysmic event, maintaining their existence while their planet literally shatters into fragments. Those familiar with celestial phenomena might find this depiction puzzling, as destruction on such a scale typically leads to utter desolation.
The show posits an unusual premise: instead of complete obliteration, Earth’s survivors are scattered across remnants of their former home, akin to an asteroid field miraculously held together by gravity, yet retaining an atmosphere. This stretch of credibility raises eyebrows—this isn’t merely about superheroes with newfound abilities or updated character arcs; it challenges the very notion of planetary destruction and its implications.
Interestingly, the primary turmoil for the surviving populace arises not from the devastation but from Mysterio, who seizes this period of instability to establish himself as a tyrant over the remnants of society. The post-apocalyptic context pivots more on his oppressive regime than on the initial chaos triggered by the Emergence. The survivors’ challenges are not necessarily linked to the Celestial’s catastrophic emergence but rather their interactions with Mysterio’s rule. Those who acquiesce to his authority appear to lead relatively stable lives.
For instance, Stark Industries remains functional enough for Mysterio to leverage its resources, including the repurposed Iron Legion. Society appears to endure through this upheaval; North America, specifically, emerges relatively unscathed. This leads to an astonishing realization: the Emergence may not have been the existential threat that Eternals asserted. Instead, What If…? magnifies the trivial consequences of a Celestial’s emergence, providing a striking contrast to the earlier film.
New episodes of What If…? are set to premiere daily on Disney+ until December 29.
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