Ajak has the job of the Prime Eternal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Eternals. The leader of the group on Earth, she's compassionate but focused. While her character is compelling, many comic book details about the character didn't make it into the movie.
Ajak is essentially a Celestial priest in the comics, a go-between for the Eternals and the Celestials, but that is mostly where the similarities end. There's plenty more to learn about the character from the pages of Marvel comics as Ajak made their debut back in 1976's Eternals series.
8 Ajak Is Traditionally A Male Character
While Ajak is portrayed as a woman in the Eternals movie, the character has traditionally been male in the comics. When the character debuted in 1976, they were male, and they have been until very recently.
The modern Eternals comics revealed that the characters are able to change their gender when being resurrected. Characters like Ajak, Sprite, and Makkari were all originally portrayed as male but were recently changed to female on the page. The changes coincide with their movie counterparts. Flashbacks in new storylines have shown that Ajak has been female in the past.
7 Ajak Is Often Portrayed As The Link Between Celestials And Eternals
In the MCU, Ajak is seen as the prime Eternal, the one responsible for communicating with the Celestials. That isn't far off from their comic book counterpart, though the movie involves a device to help them do it.
In the comics, the character was called a Celestial priest. They spent entire lifetimes learning how to communicate with the Celestials after the Celestials abandoned the Eternals, a change made in later comics. Ajak also spent time in the City of Space Gods studying the Celestials.
6 Ajak Lived In Polaria
In the comics, the Eternals have multiple home bases on planet Earth. The best-known is Olympia. Unlike most of the Eternals, Ajak did not choose to live in Olympia.
Instead, Ajak lived in the Siberian region of Russia along with Druig and some other Eternals. The Polarian Eternals often kept out of the affairs of Olympia. Sometimes the Polarian Eternals even didn't recognize Olympian leaders. Instead, the population turns to Druig or his father to lead them.
5 He Had A Mission To Kill Thena's Children
None of the Eternals are shown to have children in the movie world. In the comics, however, Thena has a relationship with the Deviant Kro that results in the birth of twins. While humans raise her twins, they are not kept a very good secret despite her best efforts.
At one point, Ajak is turned into a monster by someone he believed he could trust. It's during that storyline that he's given the mission to kill Thena's twins. While her twins survive, Ajak ends up killing many humans in his quest to eliminate them. He is so anguished by the events that he ends up disintegrating himself. Of course, because he is an Eternal, he is eventually reborn.
4 Ajak Fought Alongside Hercules
Though both Ajak and Hercules are drawn from mythological figures, they actually meet in the present day. During the Secret Invasion storyline, Ajak joins Hercules's team, called the God Squad, to help stop the Skrulls and study them. Like the Eternals, the Celestials created the Skrulls in the comics.
The Skrulls that come to Earth are said to wage their war in the name of the gods of old. As a result, the team is put together to kill those same gods. Unfortunately for Ajak, the team-up doesn't go well. He ends up meeting his end at the hands of one of the Eternal Skrulls.
3 Ajak Is Jealous Of Makkari
Because Ajak is a Celestial priest, he devotes nearly his entire life to studying the Celestials. He even studies their ancient language to better speak with them. The most important thing to him is being able to communicate with them. That's why it's a huge blow when he discovers that the speedster Makkari has been chosen to communicate with the Dreaming Celestial directly.
Ajak is so jealous of Makkari being chosen that he even attempts to have the other Eternal killed at one point, using Gilgamesh to help him. Unlike his counterpart in the movie, Gilgamesh is often used as a pawn by other Eternals in the comics.
2 He Technically Has The Same Abilities As Ikaris
One thing the movie does not highlight is that most of the Eternals have the same abilities. Their power stems from their ability to manipulate cosmic energy. While each of the Eternals has one skill that they are better at than others, they all ultimately can do the same things.
Their powers include energy projection, flight, and casting illusions. They can also teleport, though most of them find it uncomfortable. The only Eternal in the movie to display most of those skills is Ikaris. He is portrayed as the most powerful Eternal in the movie, but the rest of the Eternals could rival him in the same skills in the comics.
1 Ajak Stored Himself As Atoms
The most common manifestation of manipulating cosmic energy is manipulating molecular structure, a skill best showcased in the case of Sersi. She often manipulates inorganic matter in the movie. Her skills are more impressive in the comics, as she is able to completely turn herself into another person. The movie shows Ajak as a healer, which is also a form of manipulating molecular structure. Still, the comics demonstrate more molecular manipulation than just healing.
On multiple occasions, Ajak actually transforms himself into literal atoms. At one point, he even did it in the City of Space Gods to await the return of the Celestials. It's a useful skill that allows him to hide in plain sight for long periods of time.