WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Eternals, now in theaters
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been able to breathe fresh life into numerous characters from the comics, bringing them to the big screen in surprising ways and, in some cases (like M'Baku from Black Panther), completely reinventing them. But one of the most unexpected additions makes his debut in Eternals, and it's clear there's going to be a dramatic shift in how he's presented and what his goals are.
As a high-profile leak last month revealed, the mid-credits scene of director Chloé Zhao's new film introduces singer/actor Harry Styles as Thanos' brother Eros, better known as Starfox, a one-time member of the Avengers in the comics. However, he isn't heading to Earth immediately. Instead, it appears that Eros has a more specific mission in mind that will closely tie him to the rest of the Eternals.
At the conclusion of the film, the Eternals split up. While Sersi (Gemma Chan), Phantos (Brian Tyree Henry), Sprite (Lia McHugh) and Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) elect to remain on Earth, the other three -- Thena (Angelina Jolie), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) and Druig (Barry Keoghan) -- venture into the cosmos to bring the truth of the Celestials' plans to other Eternals.
Their journey initially fails to locate any others, but that's when Pip the Troll (Patton Oswalt) and Eros (Harry Styles) arrive on their ship with some bravado. Introducing himself as the brother of Thanos, and trying to openly flirt, Eros reveals he knows where other Eternals are.
Created in 1973 by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin, Eros debuted in Invincible Iron Man #55. As a member of the Eternals who grew up on Titan, the carefree Eros eventually works against Thanos, and eventually joins the Avengers. His ability to control the emotions of others became controversial, both in and out of comics, and finally came to the forefront in 2006, in She-Hulk, when sexual-assault charges are filed against Eros.
Eros' arrival in the MCU is a big deal, cementing the apparent connection between Titan and the rest of the Eternals. And his mission to venture into space instead of relocating to Earth means this take on the character may not have the opportunity to become as specifically unsettling as his comics counterpart. While he's still introduced as a flirt, it comes across as a part of his general confidence instead of any emotional manipulation by his powers. Eros' mission will also likely take the three across the universe, where they can encounter other space-based characters, such as Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
This mission also ties Eros into whatever fate awaits the rest of the Eternals -- with the promise of the Celestial Judgment that awaits Earth easily providing enough conflict to keep the MCU focused on an overarching threat. In this capacity, Eros could become one of the more important figures in the cosmic corner of the MCU, helping seek out other Eternals and forces that could perhaps even keep the wraith of the Celestials at bay. There may even be a path for Eros to become an Avenger, although it's likely the MCU would somewhat tweak his role on the team, especially in light of his powers and how he's been accused of using them in the past.
To see Eros' MCU debut, Eternals is in theaters now.