Marvel Presents a Global Utopia and Confronts Nationalism: Eternals as a New Mythology Forged from Western Roots

Marvel’s 2021 film <i>Eternals</i> presents a new mythology for a new century, for an audience grappling with the complexity of postcolonialism and concerned about resurging white nationalism. Its mythology, while rooted in Western narratives, presents a utopia in the form of a multicult...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Emma de Beus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-05-01
Series:Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/11/3/60
Description
Summary:Marvel’s 2021 film <i>Eternals</i> presents a new mythology for a new century, for an audience grappling with the complexity of postcolonialism and concerned about resurging white nationalism. Its mythology, while rooted in Western narratives, presents a utopia in the form of a multicultural pantheon, presented by a carefully selected, diverse class. While Marvel undoubtedly has commercial concerns, its careful construction of this new mythology and the considered adaptation process show a moral vision for the future. Importantly, this vision presents a direct contrast to the resurgence of the appropriation of classical mythology as justification for white supremacy. Marvel’s <i>Eternals</i> therefore can be seen as utopian: it offers the perfection of moral predictability, of good triumphing over evil. However, it simultaneously undercuts its story by couching it in the genre of a comic book superhero fantasy adventure–the reality <i>Eternals</i> offers, even fictionally, is beyond ordinary, mortal humans.
ISSN:2076-0787