Summary
While thethreat of Doctor Doomand the events ofMarvel’s Secret Warslooms ever closer for the next several projects in theMCU, the future beyond this particular storyline is constantly evolving and establishing itself. Being able to plan for the future and create new and exciting interconnected stories beyond the Multiverse Saga is crucial to keeping the fans and creators fresh and excited about the franchise. While it wasn’t Marvel’s most tremendous success, the film Eternals established one particular story or group of characters that has a significant connection to the Multiverse Saga and potential future stories. Those characters are the all-powerfulCelestials.
Introduced as the creators of the Eternals, the Celestials are powerful beings born from fully developed planets and, for their emergence, destroy that planet. They have the power over creation and the universe, making them formidable presences in theMCU. Yet fans have only seen these characters alivein three filmsthus far, with the body of the failed Celestial set to befeatured in the upcomingCaptain America: Brave New World. Yet theMCUis filled with possible stories and characters tied to these beings, from the Beyonders responsible for the incursions destroying the multiverse to Knull, the King in Black set to be introduced inVenom: The Last Dance. AfterSecret Wars, the Celestials must become more present in futureMCUfilms.
The Celestials, EXPLAINED
The story of the Celestials is unknown, for much of their history is the stuff of legends, and while some details have emerged in recent years, not everything is still known. Before the multiverse, a singular universe existed with an omnipotent intelligence known as the First Firmament. In its loneliness, it created two forms of life, one loyal to itself, known as the Aspirants, and another that sought to developevolving life, known as The Celestials. The two lifeforms, disagreeing on the purpose of life, fought a deadly war that nearly destroyed the First Firmament, forcing what remained of it and the Aspirants to flee the boundaries of reality and creating a functioning multiverse in its wake, one which the Celestials began their work in.
The Celestials Are No Strangers to the Affairs of Earth
Over the millennia and the creation of new multiverses, the Celestials have targeted Earth several times, beginning in the Stone Ages and the creation of both the Deviants and the Eternals, all the way to the last encounter Earth had with the Celestials, known as the Final Host at that time. Back in the Stone Ages, one of the Celestials had disappeared on Earth, and it was discovered that antibodies had been formed to combat the Celestials, as well as the first known mutants. In their final bid for Earth,Ghost Rider Robbie Reyes took controlof the fallen Celestial on Earth and used it to take down the Final Host.
Later, the corpses of the Celestialswere used by Knull, the King in Black, as he invaded Earth, using his symbiotes to reanimate them. The Celestials were Knull’s longtime enemies, having been born in darkness and hating the Celestials for bringing light into the universe. It would later be discovered that Knull’s role as The King in Black was similar to that of the Beyonders, in which he was to maintain balance in the multiverse from inside of it rather than outside of it like the Beyonders. Knull rebelled against this idea and nearly brought about the end of the universe until Eddie Brock became the new Captain Universe, destroyed Knull, and became the new King in Black.
The Celestials in the MCU
Thus far, the Celestials have had very little presence in theMCU. Their biggest debut was in the Eternals film, where they were shown to be the Eternals and Deviants' creators. Arishim the Judge was the main Celestial demonstrated in the movie, while the Celestial that failed to emerge from Earth was Tiamut the Communicator. Before that, the planet/city known as Knowhere is the severed head of a Celestial, which Knull beheaded in the comics when first introduced to the Celestials. Peter Quill’s father, Ego, the Living Planet, is a Celestial with a humanoid body that allows it to travel the universe,making Star-Lord half Celestial.
The Celestials May Be Crucial to the Future of the MCU
Yet their impact on upcoming events and characters is widely known and needs to be explored in futureMCUfilms.With the filmmakers behindVenom: The Last Dancealready promising that this will only be Knull’s introduction, the potential for Venom and Knull to appear in theMCUis even more significant, and the role the Celestials play in Knull’s story makes them vital to his future.Secret Warsis also indirectly impacted by the Celestials, as they created the Beyonders, from whom Doctor Doom faces off and steals their god-like powers in the multiverse’s final bid.
The future may be unknown to the masses regarding theMCUand the Celestial’s future, but the heads over at Marvel know that the Celestials have their part to play in whatever is coming. From the emergence of the mutants in theMCUto the cosmic events already set inmotion during the Multiverse Sagaand so much more, these god-like beings in theMCUare set to add a whole new layer to the franchise’s mythos in future projects.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
