ETERNALS: What's the Point? | Deeper Meaning Explained + Full MARVEL MOVIE Breakdown

The Eternals divided critics and fans like no other movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But was it really the worst MCU movie? In this video, we explore the movie's many complex themes about creation, motherhood, evolution, and its many Biblical parallels.

Edited by Harriet Lengel-Enright and Randolf Nombrado

The Eternals has finally been released, after a year of delays. And all the discourse seems to be about the rotten tomatoes score, the box office receipts, and which country banned the film for which reason. But I think it’s time we all slow down, take a break from the discourse, and ponder the intention beyond Chloe Zhao’s mediation on time and motherhood.

It’s time for us to take a step back and ask, what’s the point of the Eternals?

The film begins with the words, in the beginning, also the opening words to the Bible, book of genesis. The book is about God creating the universe, the heavens, the earth, animals, and the garden of eden. It’s also a book filled with the destruction of the world through the blood, and numerous cities falling to the wrath of god, as punishment for the sins of mankind.

So by beginning this movie with text on screen that reads “In the beginning,” Chloe Zhao is telling us that this is a Biblical movie...that will revisit the same themes as the book of Genesis.

The very first shot is of the sun, the source of life in our solar system. This is why, in the Bible, God’s first act of creation was to say, “let there be light.” It’s very possible that the celestials made this star, that we are looking into their original furnace of creation.

Arishem tells Sersei that without the celestials, the universe would fall into darkness. It is correct that the universe is spiraling toward eternal darkness. The universe will fall in entropy, as every atom is slowly pulled apart so far that no energy will be produced. This is the darkness which these gods spoke light into. Without them guiding the universe’s energy, the universe’s atoms will separate until everything is in darkness.

The movie begins with the orb coming out of the Arishem statue and entering Ajak, who them awakens the other Eternals. This is like Michaelangelo’s portrait of God granting Adam life. It takes a single touch from God to create sentience.

The movie also occurs over 7 days, just like the world was made in six days, and God rested on the seventh. But there is a twist to this. The movie is not about the celestials creating the world in 7 days, it’s about the eternals creating a new world in 7 days. A world where humankind is freed from celestial inference, where they become the new gods of humanity.

In the Book of Genesis, after God creates the Garden of Eden, a paradise where Adam and Eve can live. I’ve always seen this garden as a metaphor for childhood. We’re born innocent, we're not aware of our nakedness. But then as we eat from our own personal tree of knowledge, we are aware of our nakedness, and eventually have to leave the Garden--our childhood homes.

The Eternals also experience their own Garden of Eden, in Mesopotamia the cradle of civilization. As humanity begins to thrive, their potential seems limitless. The Eternals are optimistic about their future, and excited to help them.

Sersei and Ikarus fall in love, and they are naked together--just like Adam and eve. Sersei even has the gift of creation. She makes water to help the crops grow, and can create animals out of thin air. This Is likely why she was chosen as the point of view character for the movie. Her powers--like the movie--are about creating new life.

When Ikarus and Sersei meet, they are pure, blank slates. They only know their names--much like when Eve met Adam in the garden. [clip from a greatest adventures stories from the bible cartoon] So the two of them are perfect metaphors for Adam and Eve. The father and mother of humanity.

But the story of creation has a tragic ending, the fall of man. In the bible, Eve eats from the tree of knowledge, persuades Adam to the same, effectively rebelling against their creator--their god.

In the Eternals, it’s Ajak, the mother figure of the Eternals, who is this Eve figure. The woman who leads her fellow creations into rebellion against their God. Later she passes this onto another mother proxy--Sersei--who becomes the new leader of this rebellion against god.

But it’s not quite right to compare the Eternals to humans. They’re more like angels, divine servants of god’s will who interfere in the lives of humans. Whereas the deviants are more like the demons and monsters from myth and lore.

[Seelebob]

I have to admit this video really improved my opinion of the movie. I never thought that deep into it

[Wankirby]

i told a friend of mine that the Eternals was Marvel’s most adult movie to date. u just gave the perfect breakdown of why this is so

[coolo]

Damn that was deep. The more I think about it, Eternals was really underrated. This is perhaps the best possible translation of Jack Kirby’s approach to modern myth through comics. I think when folks critique or complain, what they really want is something different than a Kirby comic put to film.

[thehomiespirit]

This was such a great breakdown. There was definitely religious themes I caught while watching, but this explanation really fleshes out the overarching ideas that I (and many others) missed upon viewing.

[KodyK]

Ryan, I thoroughly enjoy your video essays and ability to sift through a narrative and find a directors narrative themes. You are able to take fantastical nerd movies and prove how they tell meaningful stories about our humanity. Don’t stop doing this, you truly have a gift.

[taylormadealpha]

If people can't see the beauty in this film after a break down like this, they just don't want to see it. Either that or they didn't get the MCU formula as they know it and rebelled against it. Maybe Chloe Zhou is forcing the fandom to evolve using this film. That is extra meta. This movie is deep.

[peepingsue]

Everybody can make easter eggs videos but no one can make these “what’s the point” videos, philosophical analysis of the pop culture movies quite like you do. I enjoyed this video thoroughly, thank you for doing this. And thank you for including the “other” religious beliefs and “other” mother images, even if you are just noting by saying only one sentence, it’s a lot more than some other channels are doing. And I also laughed out loud when you connect the musical Oklahoma to this super deep conversation. Amazing work.

[rui]

I appreciate this take. Though the biblical parallels didn't stand out so much for me, the issues of evolution and faith being the main issues are what stuck with me. I think this is why some people have a problem with this movie. The traditional superhero way is to develop a big bad and have the heroes come together to defeat it. Traditionally the evolved deviant would be this, but the deviants were only there to show that the Eternals were involved in a manufactured massacre, and introduce the method by which Phastos would conceive the Uni-Mind. Once that seeming "plothole" was resolved, it's clear to see that the big bad of this movie is the Eternals themselves, and their mission. They're all fighting and not all fighting for the same thing, but purpose, freedom, love and memories seem to be the things they want to protect, but in different ways. The depth of their emotional bonds and conflicts makes this one of my favorite MCU movies yet.

[HeyItsLeePH]

I always love your videos with "What's the Point?" because you present a more in-depth look and interpretation of the movie. More so, it deepens my appreciation to the said movie.

[MatthewParksSr]

Wow. Just wow. I am late to the party, because I am just watching the eternal for the first time on Disney Plus, but this breakdown is one of the best breakdowns I've ever seen in my life. You really put in work to tide into the religious overtones and I applaused you for it. As a child of the south, I do saw a lot of the religious overtones in the movie but your breakdown crystallized meticulously many many more overtones than I would have picked up on my own. Again, just wow. I also, I think this is why it was a bit off-putting for a lot of Marvel fans because I haven't watched it again for the first time, my wife and I love this movie. Yes it is essentially different from the traditional formula of the Marvel movies, but I believe this is a necessary evolution. I saw the critics scores, but I also see the fans scores on metacritic and on rotten tomatoes in the fans all seem to look at this movie through different eyes.

[rwilks]

Real talk, this is one of the best break downs you’ve ever done. I loved the movie.

[shannonpotratz]

Thank you for this analysis. I enjoy your take on many of the Marvel films but I'm happy to see people recognize the layers in Eternals. It's refreshing since so many people are focusing on the social controversy surrounding this film rather than looking at the film itself...

[ericlipton]

I loved Eternals precisely for its spirituality. In some ways you could remove the deviant plot altogether and still have a wonderful thought provoking film.

There’d not be enough action but I’d watch the hell out of it.

[xiongpaolee]

Exactly! I LOVE the existentialism and spirituality of this movie. One has to be able to appreciate the deepness of life itself, not just on earth but throughout the universe.

[lordodysseus]

I love your video essays. They're all so well written and super intriguing. This one was really interesting and maybe even a bit educational.

[tardigrade]

Thank you for breaking down the meaning of the movie. It only dawned on me at the end when Icarus goes into the Sun (as a character with that name should) that this had a religious storyline along with love and family stories.

[gingerrocco]

Love your take on this and I actually enjoy the film now because they didn’t telegraph the biblical allegories. There’s no question that this was about creationism and evolution, individualism and family, duty and justice, nurturing versus abandoning. I loved this film

[voiceinject]

Hi Ryan, been watching your channel for years. This breakdown is perhaps one of the most comprehensive I have ever seen. Incredible work.

[priyaalrachh]

this channel seriously deserves more hype <3
keep going! absolutely love your videos!

[justingoers]

This movie ruled. There’s so much to unpack in it. The emotions felt real and powerful. The sense of scale was immense. The acting was great. And most importantly—it pushed the Marvel movies out of their comfort zone. And, as a huge MCU fan, these movies REALLY needed to stretch out of the mold.