Marvel Studios constantly has one eye on the future, so it's not exactly breaking news to tell you that Eternals lays the groundwork for some exciting stories. Some are sure to play out in an eventual sequel (assuming we get one), while others look set to have an impact on multiple big and small screen franchises.
With that in mind, we're taking a deep dive into what exactly Eternals does set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future, not only in Phase 4, but beyond that as we move into Phase 5.
You might think it's obvious after watching Eternals' post-credit stingers, but there are lots of hidden details in this film that actually point to some very specific places Kevin Feige plans to take these characters. It's not just about the heroes we meet here, however, as even a certain Daywalker will be affected!
Major spoilers for both Eternals and the MCU's future potentially follow from this point on, folks...
5. Black Knight/Blade Team-Up
Eternals' post-credits scene sets the stage for Dane Whitman to embrace his dark destiny by wielding the Ebony Blade and becoming the new Black Knight. That promises to take him down a dark path there may be no coming back from, but it's no doubt worth it for Dane if it means he can be reunited with Sersi.
However, the ominous voice that asks if he's ready for what taking up the Ebony Blade entails belongs to none other than vampire hunter Blade. What possible interest does he have in the sword?
In the comics, Blade and Black Knight have fought side-by-side and taken on an attempted vampire invasion of Great Britain. That's not much of a basis for whatever comes next, but this could be an indication that Blade is assembling a team or that the Ebony Blade is capable of killing Dracula and his ilk.
With that, the stage is set for Dane's story to continue in Blade for what we imagine will be another big MCU team-up.
4. Return To The World Forge
The World Forge is where Arishem creates the Celestials and stores their memories after their missions are completed and it's time for them to be moved to another world. Ajak, as the Prime Eternal, has been allowed to retain her memories, but we don't know whether she's always been joined by Sersi and company or if she's assigned a random assortment of Eternals each time.
Answers can no doubt be found in Arishem's home, and it's there he's taken Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos to decide whether humankind deserves to live after exploring their memories.
We don't know how long that process will take or what the consequences of his decision will be. However, Arishem deciding that Earth is not worth the cost of Tiamut's life seems most likely, as it would be a pretty dull follow-up otherwise.
Galactus is a literal planet eater, so he could be dispatched by Arishem to unleash his judgement upon Earth in Fantastic Four. That's our guess, anyway!
3. Starfox Makes His Mark
Starfox arrives in Eternals' mid-credits scene with the means to both communicate with the Celestials and take Thena, Druig, and Makkari to their friends in the World Forge. He doesn't shy away from being announced as Thanos' brother (who wiped half of reality from existence, remember), but appears to be on the side of the angels.
He's flirted with villainy over the years, though, and his power to manipulate the emotions of others has caused a multitude of problems on the teams Eros has served on.
For now, he seems intent on helping rescue his fellow Eternals from Arishem, but you'd best believe he has his own reasons for getting involved. What those are remains to be seen, but joined by Pip the Troll (who can teleport anywhere to find anyone), he's someone to keep an eye on.
Harry Styles is also a big name, and someone Marvel Studios is likely to make use of a lot moving forward.
2. Monument To A Fallen Celestial
Sersi successfully turns Tiamut to stone, so Earth now has part of a Celestial's hand and head sticking out of the ocean. We're assuming the planet can survive a massive stone Celestial being imprisoned within it, but the fact that it's sitting there is going to send ripples through the entire MCU.
This disturbance to the world's oceans is almost certainly what brings Namor the Submariner to the surface in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, while there are bound to be those who will attempt to exploit the power within this Celestial being for themselves.
He may be made of stone now, but what's to say even those remains wouldn't be imbued with cosmic energy?
There's a lot Marvel Studios can do with this post-Eternals, though we're guessing Tiamut can't be resurrected in any way. That means Earth is safe for now, but the remains of this Celestial being on display will either serve as a warning or bring even more threats to the home of The Avengers.
1. Sprite's Unknown Future
With so much excitement surrounding how things end in Eternals, a lot of people are overlooking Sprite's importance. After siding with Ikaris, she's eventually transformed into a human by Sersi. That means she'll now grow old and die, and we're assuming she's also lost her powers.
It's possible she has kept her abilities, but as the last remaining Eternal on Earth, there are a lot of questions surrounding what comes next for her. Will she head off to high school or college and cross paths with someone like Ms. Marvel or Peter Parker, or could she join Black Knight in his apparent quest to find the woman he loves?
Either of those possibilities is exciting to consider, and we're sure we haven't seen the last of the talented Lia McHugh.
As noted, Sprite is the only remaining tie to the Celestials and Eternals, so her story could be key in any number of franchises that somehow deal with the fallout from Tiamut's (partial) emergence.