'Eternals': Here are 5 reasons why Marvel Cinematic Universe's immortal protectors are better than Greek Gods
While there's an argument for superheroes being the pinnacle of modern-day mythology, there are only so many immortal characters who are long-lived enough to really fit the bill. Sure, you have the Asgardians, but they tend to take a backseat to Thor's story. Marvel's 'Eternals' does not feature the stories of Gods, per se, but as a pantheon of immortals with powerful abilities, petty squabbles amongst themselves, and a tendency to interfere with human affairs in the worst way, they may be the best Greek God analogues that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer - but the Eternals are not just another take on the endless number of Greek myth retellings. Here are five factors that make the Eternals better than the Gods themselves:
1. A bonkers origin story
In a similar manner to how the Greek Gods were birthed by the Titans they soon went to war with, the Eternals were also created by a much older, and more powerful race - the Celestials. A race of ultra-powerful beings that meddled in Earth's evolutionary processes to create the Eternals, and their opposites - the Deviants. Cosmic Gods that birth both a new pantheon and their lifelong enemies brings a lot more to the table in terms of conflict than a war with the Titans, and expands their story to one of universal scope.
2. Their influence is everywhere
Marvel history has gone back and forth on just how much the Celestials have been the true reason behind the emergence of superpowers on Earth, the Eternals have always had a hand in the history of Marvel's Earth, from before mankind's true beginnings - they're connected to Earth's history in the way the Greek Gods aren't. Sure, the Gods meddled in human affairs, but their scope was quite limited - the Eternals have shaped history around the world.
3. They live among us
While you'd ocassionally get Zeus visiting Earth in the guise of a human or as an animal of some sort, creating more demigods than he could shake a lightning bolt at, the Eternals have often made entire lives for themselves as humans. They don't just live apart from humanity, judging their fates - they try to live lives of their own, amongst the mortals they are meant to protect, becoming entangled in their lives despite the mortals' brief lifespans, which opens the door for many more compelling stories than Gods who stand apart.
4. Superheroism
The Greek Gods have empowered many a hero, or set them on their quest, but after their great war with the Titans, they've rarely done any fighting themselves. While not all of the Eternals have taken to the superheroic life, they do fight their own battles, dress up in colorful costumes, and risk their lives for the Earth's protection. They're not afraid to get their hands dirty, and some of them - like Sersi - have even joined the Avengers at various points of time.
5. None of them are Zeus
Let's face it, Zeus is the absolute worst of the Greek Gods, and he brings out the worst in all of them. The patriarch of the Pantheon, he embodies the worst of the Greek Gods' self-indulgent vices, their pride, and the way they ruin the lives of mortals on the merest whim through maniplulation or straight-up tyranny. As bad as some of the Eternals sometimes grow to be - sometimes descending into outright villainy - none of them have ever been as bad as Zeus.
'Eternals' is set to release in cinemas on February 12, 2021.