WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Eternals #5 by Kieron Gillen, Esad Ribic, Matthew Wilson and VC’s Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU is primed for new heroes. While certain players have stepped up, filling some voids, and new heroes are rising, it is the Eternals that appear to be the next central super-team that will guide the future of Earth and its people. Having lived for a millennium, their upcoming film promises to bring major change and break new ground. At the same time, the Eternals are in the midst of their return to the Prime Marvel Universe, being reawakened after their death at the arrival of the Dark Celestial. Now, with Eternals #5 from Kerion Gillen and Esad Ribić, it seems that one of these future MCU heroes has joined Thanos.
Following their latest resurrection, the Eternals began to suffer casualties, as many of their members were brutally murdered. Although it was clear that Thanos, who had also been returned with the Eternals, was the main culprit, his movements could not be explained. The Resurrection Machine that brought Eternals back to life also stopped working. With the Machine offline, Earth soon began to suffer anomalies with its weather, only adding to the stakes of the Eternals’ current mission. For this reason, Ikaris, Sersi, and other Eternals began to search for a potential traitor among their ranks, as Phastos worked to fix the Machine.
In Eternals #5, Sersi and Ikaris set a trap for Gilgamesh, the Forgotten One, who was briefly a member of the Avengers. Given his stance as a force of accountability against the other Eternals, there was the possibility that his beliefs had finally pushed him too far. Yet, after briefly questioning him, it was clear that the Forgotten One would never align himself with Thanos, being a defender of humanity. With their purposes now aligned, the Eternal agreed to examine the Machine himself, since he had tampered with it in the past and had long been able to move secretly through its pathways. Arriving there, the Forgotten One found the place of sabotage in the spot that he had once attacked, a method that he had already shared with Phastos.
As an Eternal, Phastos was always a more reserved member, avoiding fighting and striving for peace. Serving as the creator of their weapons and head of their technology, Phastos has often been confused with the Greek god, Hephaestus, both spending the majority of their time with their workshop and inventions. Although he has abilities similar to his fellow Eternals, it is his mind that separates him from the likes of Ikaris or Thena. Within the MCU, Phastos is set to be played by Brian Tyree Henry. While these qualities seem to indicate that he would never work with the Mad Titan, his choice to unleash Thanos upon his fellow Eternals only confirms his betrayal.
With this revelation, Phastos joins the growing list of other Eternals that have betrayed their brethren in the past. Although someone like Druig is the usual candidate when it comes to deception among Eternals, this latest development bears similarities to Sprite’s betrayal in Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr.’s Eternals run. After being stuck in the body of a child for eons, Sprite made the choice to destroy the Eternals so that he could finally grow up and enjoy a normal life as an adult. Although Phastos spent centuries as a supporter of his fellow Eternals, he now confesses that he is intent on destroying them for some unknown reason.
As the Eternals draw nearer to their former ally, Phastos’ motivations are sure to be revealed. Having spent his life dedicated to peace, it is quite a departure to see him direct Thanos, the lover of Death, to battle. Perhaps, a mistake in his workshop has led him down this path, as his mind strains against the directives that define him as an Eternal.
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