The Eternals promises to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe's next big thing following the events of Avengers: Endgame. They are a group of heroes who are pulled together by the oncoming disaster, emphasizing working together for the greater good, and might serve as a salve to those who already miss the team-based shenanigans of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

To best understand the Eternals, though, it's good to know their turbulent history. The comics focused on the unique blend of science and mythos, creating a story about an alien race, called Celestials, who experimented on the life on Earth and ended up with three distinct humanoid branches. There are humans, who live their lives and remain oblivious to higher struggles. Then there's the Eternals, the hailed guardians of the Earth. Lastly, there are Deviants, who’s main purpose destruction. In terms of Celestial experiments, Eternals were the success, and Deviants represented failure. The battles between the two groups are never-ending, as Eternals work to keep the Earth safe from all threats.

RELATED: Thanos Creator Jim Starlin May Have Spoiled a Major Eternals Plot Point

The Eternals Neil Gaiman John Romita

Originally, creator Jack Kirby didn’t want them to be part of the main Marvel Universe. However, such an original storyline didn’t remain untouched for long, and soon the Eternals found themselves encountering heroes from Earth-616. As time passed, more and more connections between the two comic books universes emerged, and eventually, the Eternals were fully incorporated into the regular Marvel Universe. It’s likely some of those connections will remain in the upcoming Eternals movie as well, but the link between the two sources can be slightly adjusted. One of the possibilities of how the Eternals will debut in the MCU is by being travelers from an alternate universe.

It’s no secret that the main universe in Marvel comics goes through the cycles of rebirth. It’s destroyed by some great events only to be recreated anew. One of the more recent instances resulted in the continuation of the existing universe, instead of a rewrite. Such an event can open the doors to a merger of several universes within the MCU as well. One of the ways it can be done is, of course, using the Infinity Stones.

RELATED: Marvel's Eternals' Villain Potentially Spoiled By Funko Pop! List

It’s been established that the Stones came from the Big Bang, which means they represent the beginning of the universe. The gems have been successfully used twice, and the released power could have impacted more than one universe. If the merge happened, it would explain why the Eternals were absent during the various planetary invasions over the years (they are supposed to be guarding the Earth, after all). The Eternals would find themselves in a world that so unfamiliar to them, thus they keep themselves hidden until their old enemies rear their heads once more.

The idea of merged universes would also successfully incorporate and maybe even expand on Thanos. The comic book readers probably know that Thanos was supposed to belong to a branch of Eternals who left the Earth and settled on the planet Titan. Thanos destroyed his homeworld voluntarily, which is a great deviation from the scenario presented in the MCU. The lack of Eternals within the universe would likely explain some of the changes to Thanos’s personality and motivations.

RELATED: Eternals: Marvel's Black Knight Will Be Comics-Accurate

It’s also possible the Eternals find their way into the MCU without the merge. They are beings that utilize the cosmic energies to cultivate their powers. It could be that the Eternals found a way to travel between universes, like a more expanded version of the Bifrost. The motivation could be called into question, but it can be related to the Inhumans, who are the result of experimentation on humanity, and Celestials themselves, who are known to want to purge the Earth of any possible imperfections to an extreme degree.

Additionally, Eternals and their creators, Celestials, were traced to be the beginnings of the superpowers on Earth. The lack of flashy abilities within the MCU (as most of them can be more or less explained) could also be an indicator the Eternals are, in fact, not native to the MCU fans have come to know.

Lastly, the introduction of alternate universes could be a great steppingstone for the MCU. The writers would have the freedom to incorporate more fantastic and varied designs without dulling them down to fit the more grounded approach of the current MCU. Alternate universes would remove the need to retcon the established elements should the stories demand more diversity in the future. The multiverse and its incorporation into the MCU could be just what it needs to bring new and exciting storylines to the big screen.

KEEP READING: REPORT: Marvel's The Eternals Started Shooting Before the Script Was Finished