Marvel Studios released a new teaser trailer for Eternals today, and fans are loving this first proper look at the MCU’s latest superhero team. The internet can’t wait to meet the likes of Angelina Jolie’s Thena, Richard Madden’s Ikaris and Kit Harington’s Black Knight in the movie, which comes from Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao. That said, one element of the film’s story is causing a lot of blowback, mostly of a light-hearted nature, on social media.
The trailer establishes that the immortal Eternals have always refrained from interfering with the world until some new threat to the planet forces them to step up. That’s all well and good, but fans are wondering why this mysterious threat is the thing that finally gets the Eternals to do something when they ignored all the other apocalyptic incidents that have occurred over the past decade.
For instance, why did they never lend a hand to the Avengers? It’s something that everyone wants to know and as you can see down below, some folks are now slamming the team for not helping out.
So, uh, why didn’t the Eternals (and Captain Marvel) help the Avengers fight Thanos?
And for that matter, why wasn't Wanda more damn help?
— Douglas Charles (@Douglazilla) May 24, 2021
Avengers: "Thanos is trying to wipe out half the universe. Please help."#Eternals : pic.twitter.com/WtLiiJjVPG
— Commissioner Gordon (@NotoriousJMFG) May 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/kiciaMARiE/status/1396929350663032832
It’s the question everyone’s asking.
but what were the eternals doing during thanos???????
— krist🧚🏼 (@goldloki) May 24, 2021
Maybe they just didn’t feel like it.
Ok but to be clear the Eternals didn’t feel like helping with Thanos
— Shalyah Evans (@ShalyahEvans) May 24, 2021
The matter of why they didn’t lend a hand to stop Thanos gets even thornier when you realize that the Mad Titan is descended from the Eternals.
My biggest gripe with how Marvel is setting up the Eternals is how they mentioned they “didn’t feel like they needed to step in” until now. But they watched Thanos, a part Eternal madman, collect all the infinity stones and then wipe out half the universe.
— | P | (@PenzaminFrankln) May 24, 2021
He was kind of their problem.
Especially since if it’s accurate to the comics Thanos WAS an Eternal so he was The Eternals problem and they let the Avengers deal with him😂
— CAPTAIN_117 (@captain_117) May 24, 2021
They were cheering them on from afar, ok.
The Avengers: fight loki, ultron, thanos. Almost died, wipe half the entire universe
The Eternals: Looking strong, guys🤗🤗 https://t.co/P6lATnn9CU
— nana❄️🫧🫧 (@naanassy) May 24, 2021
As you’d expect, this was the perfect opportunity to drop some classic memes.
The #Eternals watching Thanos beat the Avengers and kill half of all life in the universe pic.twitter.com/5GWddw2MLQ
— David Opie (@DavidOpie) May 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/ajodieleigh/status/1396857172194123780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/soapw1/status/1396855610147315717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Was it wrong of them not to help the Avengers, or was it iconic?
the fact that the eternals knew about the avengers? they’ve been laughing at them trying to save the earth since 2012 and I think that’s iconic of them pic.twitter.com/fbW7bU9Z7K
— alias (@itsjustanotherx) May 24, 2021
The Eternals trailer confirmed that the heroes have been following the exploits of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as the teaser’s stinger features Sprite posing the question of who will lead the team now that Iron Man and Captain America are gone, with Ikaris putting his own name forward for the job. This is maybe teeing up a crossover between the two group at a later date and it should be fun to see how the Avengers react to these secretive superpowered gods if that ever happens.
Eternals enters theaters this November 5th.