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# CBR Menu [](https://www.cbr.com/) Sign in now Close - - [Movies](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/) Submenu - [Movie News](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/news-movies/) - [Movie Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/movie-features/) - [Movie Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/movie-lists/) - [Movie Reviews](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/reviews-movies/) - [TV](https://www.cbr.com/category/tv/) Submenu - [TV News](https://www.cbr.com/category/tv/news-tv/) - [TV Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/tv/tv-features/) - [TV Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/tv-lists/) - [TV Reviews](https://www.cbr.com/category/tv/reviews-tv/) - [Comics](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics/) Submenu - [Comics News](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics/news/) - [Comics Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics-features/) - [Comics Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics-lists/) - [Comics Previews](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics/previews/) - [Comics Reviews](https://www.cbr.com/category/comics/reviews/) - [Anime](https://www.cbr.com/category/anime/) Submenu - [Anime News](https://www.cbr.com/category/anime-news/) - [Anime Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/anime-features/) - [Anime Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/anime-lists/) - [Games](https://www.cbr.com/category/games/) Submenu - [Game News](https://www.cbr.com/category/game-news/) - [Game Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/game-features/) - [Game Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/game-lists/) - [Game Guides](https://www.cbr.com/category/game-guides/) - [Videos](https://www.cbr.com/videos/) - [Threads](https://www.cbr.com/threads/) - - More Submenu - [Lists](https://www.cbr.com/category/lists/) - [Interviews](https://www.cbr.com/tag/interviews/) - [Community](https://community.cbr.com/) - [Sign in](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-mcu-connections/) - [Newsletter](https://www.cbr.com/page/newsletter/) Menu [](https://www.cbr.com/) Follow Followed Like More Action Sign in now [The CW](https://www.cbr.com/the-cw/) [MCU, DCU & More](https://www.cbr.com/comics-superheroes/) [Dragon Ball](https://www.cbr.com/tag/dragon-ball/) [Lord of the Rings](https://www.cbr.com/tag/lord-of-the-rings/) [Procedurals & Dramas](https://www.cbr.com/procedurals-dramas/) [Westerns](https://www.cbr.com/tag/western/) [Zelda](https://www.cbr.com/tag/the-legend-of-zelda/) Close # How Marvel's Eternals Connects to the Rest of the MCU  By [Renaldo Matadeen](https://www.cbr.com/author/renaldo-matadeen/) Updated Jan 23, 2022 Follow Followed Like Link copied to clipboard ### Related [](https://www.cbr.com/unwatchable-westerns-classics-aged-poorly/) ##### [10 Classic Westerns That Are Unwatchable Today](https://www.cbr.com/unwatchable-westerns-classics-aged-poorly/ "10 Classic Westerns That Are Unwatchable Today") [](https://www.cbr.com/the-predator-franchise-facts-that-make-no-sense/) ##### [10 Things About the Predator Franchise That Make No Sense](https://www.cbr.com/the-predator-franchise-facts-that-make-no-sense/ "10 Things About the Predator Franchise That Make No Sense") [](https://www.cbr.com/zach-cregger-weapons-2025s-best-film/) ##### [The Director of the Scariest Movie in Decades Just Quietly Delivered 2025’s Best Film (& It's a Pure Masterpiece)](https://www.cbr.com/zach-cregger-weapons-2025s-best-film/ "The Director of the Scariest Movie in Decades Just Quietly Delivered 2025’s Best Film (& It's a Pure Masterpiece)") [Sign in to your CBR account]()  ***WARNING: The following contains spoilers for [Eternals](https://www.cbr.com/tag/eternals-film/), now on Disney+.*** One of the things the Marvel Cinematic Universe is doing in the wake of *Avengers: Endgame* is trying to tell more self-contained stories, fleshing characters out away from the Earth's Mightiest Heroes banner. Shang-Chi's solo film did quite a bit of that, weaving an inter-dimensional battle against dark forces, but ultimately, he did connect with Wong and other Avengers for threats to come. With that in mind, as is expected, *Eternals* does have creative tissue linked to the MCU movies that came before it, so let's break down these nuggets. ## Dane Whitman's a Doctor Strange Fan  Initially, [Sersi](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-casting-gemma-chan-foreshadowed-twist/) dated Ikaris [after they arrived on Earth](https://www.cbr.com/kevin-feige-eternals-bold-new-step-mcu/), but he left her a few centuries ago to oversee the Celestials' secret plan for Earth, as laid out by Arishem. Thus, [she ends up with Dane](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-kit-harington-didnt-know-costar-blade-mahershala-ali/), her co-worker in the present day who's madly in love with her and trying to get her to move in. Sprite, her roommate, has dropped secrets of their past, though, and when he later finds out about their powers, he asks if Sersi's a wizard, like Doctor Strange. It sets up a cute gag throughout *Eternals* as he keeps asking her to turn him into a giraffe, even saying he's disappointed she's not a mage. RELATED: [Eternals Teases Marvel's Most Underrated (British) Superhero Team](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-teases-elements-of-m13/) ## Thanos Gets a Big Shoutout in Eternals  When Sersi eventually tells Dane the truth -- they're ancient beings sent to help humanity chart a future, for better or worse -- Dane's stunned. It's a lot to take in and he realizes they've been quiet when it comes to other wars that plagued his kind in the past. He asks her why the Eternals didn't intervene with Thanos, in particular, but Sersi makes it clear the rule is they can only butt in when it's the Deviants -- monsters they were designed to cleanse planets of. ## The Snap Is a Catalyst Again in Eternals  Ajak, the leader who disbanded them to assimilate into humanity, meets with Ikaris in the present over what they were really meant to do. The Eternals allow the planet's inhabitants to thrive so the Celestial egg hidden in its core can then hatch, giving rise to a Celestial and destroying the planet. Earth's destiny has always been to allow Tiamut to rise, but Ajak tells Ikaris she can't follow through. She mentions after the Snap and half of life was erased, mankind bounced back and restored order. Thus, she thinks they deserve to live, an opinion Ikaris does not share. ## The Avengers' Leadership Debate Between Eternals  After the Deviants return and Ajak is found dead, the remaining Eternals meet up with Gilgamesh and Thena and have dinner. As they discuss the planet's activities and the current state of the Avengers, Ikaris jokes about leading the team. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark aren't around anymore, as Steve went back in time and stayed there in *Endgame*, while Tony sacrificed his life in his Snap to undo Thanos' genocide. RELATED: [Eternals Producers Wanted the Cast to Look Like a 'Cross-Section of Humanity'](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-producers-wanted-cast-cross-section-humanity/) ## Phastos' Table Isn't Vibranium  When the shady Ikaris dupes Sersi and they recruit the engineer, Phastos, it takes a lot of convincing for Phastos to leave his family, as he claims he doesn't use his powers anymore. Ikaris calls his bluff, knowing he hasn't left his past as a scientist behind, and smashes his table. He thought it was made of vibranium but after it cracks into pieces, Phastos reveals it's from IKEA and is not made from Wakanda's precious metal. ## Thanos' Family Makes Its Mark With Starfox  *Eternals*' mid-credits scene has some of the Eternals that survive Ikaris' betrayal -- [the speedster, Makkari](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-star-reveals-why-spoilers-relationship-surprised-them/); the mind-controller in Druig; and the goddess of war, Thena -- in their ship trying to find other Eternals strewn across the galaxy. However, they haven't heard from Sersi and the others on Earth. They plan to go back but are interrupted when Pip the Troll and Thanos' brother, [Starfox](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-how-harry-styles-eros-starfox-cast-mcu/), arrive. Starfox makes it clear [he can help them find their colleagues](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-controversial-avenger-mcu/), who Arishem [kidnapped](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-sets-up-next-overarching-mcu-arc/), leaving fans wondering if he's heroic or evil like the Mad Titan. ## Eternals' Emergence Connects to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's Ego  As *Eternals* shows, the Celestial seeds burst through planets and drain their civilizations, with the newborn Celestial feeding off their energy to give rise to new galaxies. It's a vicious cycle of life and death and as a montage shows the process, it throws back to *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2*, where Ego was planting his seed on various worlds, terraforming them to become extensions of himself. The energy he needed to do this, though, required a Celestial heir, ergo why he made thousands of kids, including Star-Lord, to act as batteries. *To see how Marvel's newest (or oldest) superhero team fits into the rest of the MCU, Eternals is in theaters now.* KEEP READING: [Eternals Raises a Compelling Moral Question - and It's Terrifying](https://www.cbr.com/eternals-raises-compelling-moral-question/) - [Movie Features](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/movie-features/ "Movie Features") - [Movies](https://www.cbr.com/category/movies/ "Movies") - [Eternals](https://www.cbr.com/tag/eternals-film/ "Eternals") Follow Followed Like Share [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbr.com%2Feternals-mcu-connections%2F%2F&src=sdkpreparse) [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Every%20Way%20Marvel%27s%20Eternals%20Connects%20to%20the%20Greater%20MCU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbr.com%2Feternals-mcu-connections%2F) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbr.com%2Feternals-mcu-connections%2F&title=Every%20Way%20Marvel%27s%20Eternals%20Connects%20to%20the%20Greater%20MCU&source=www.cbr.com&summary=Let%27s%20dive%20into%20the%20many%20ways%20Eternals%20fits%20into%20the%20grander%20scheme%20of%20the%20movies%20that%20came%20before%20in%20the%20illustrious%20Marvel%20Cinematic%20Universe.) 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