The Thor: Love And Thunder Theory That Has MCU Fans Worried For The Eternals
Marvel Studios' "Eternals" has been quite a boon for the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU. As of press time, the movie has topped the American box office for two weeks running, and has earned over $284 million worldwide (per Box Office Mojo). While "Eternals" didn't make much of a splash with critics (it has a 47% critical approval score at Rotten Tomatoes), moviegoers seem to adore the film (it has a 80% audience approval score at Rotten Tomatoes and holds a 6.9 out of 10 at IMDb).
Fans have become so enamored of the immortal characters who populate "Eternals" that a recent theory connecting the film to the upcoming MCU release "Thor: Love and Thunder" has them worried about the group's fate. Posters who congregate at the r/FanTheories subreddit have indulged in a bit of forethought about what might happen to them in the future. What fan theory has them worried that the Eternals might be headed for a serious fight?
Will Gorr The God Butcher be a worry for The Eternals?
*The rest of this article contains spoilers for "Eternals"*
Gorr The God Butcher is one of Thor's arch rivals in Marvel Comics' main continuity, and the character is set to appear in "Thor: Love and Thunder" under the guise of actor Christian Bale. u/TheMediocreCritic has a theory that the backstory we learn about the Eternals' original purpose on Earth during their film provides a springboard for Gorr's appearance in "Love and Thunder." This would be bad news for the Eternals, since Gorr is notoriously ruthless in his quest for vengeance.
In Marvel Comics' continuity, Gorr is an atheist whose planet is suffering from constant calamities and whose personal life is blighted by loss. When he learns that the Gods are real but have turned a blind eye to his suffering, he vows to kill them all. In "Eternals," we learn that the titular group is not on Earth to make the lives of those inhabiting the planet better, but to prepare it for "The Emergence," which will begin with the birth of the Celestial Tiamut and end with the destruction of Earth. This is a process that has happened across many other planets with other clusters of Eternals. u/TheMediocreCritic posits that Gorr's planet could have been "farmed" in this manner, motivating him to kill the Eternals. This would connect two parts of the sprawling MCU and encourage the heroes to work together. It would change Gorr's origin story, but u/TheMediocreCritic says that would ultimately make more sense in the long run.
The theory was popular with devotees of the subreddit, receiving over 900 upvotes and an award. Fans will see if it becomes a reality when "Thor: Love and Thunder" hits theaters on July 8, 2022.