Eternals’ Captain America Plan Would’ve Made The Post-Credits Worse

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Eternals.

One of the potential end-credit scenes for Eternals was going to include Sam Wilson’s Captain America, but this would have undermined the most unique aspect of the Marvel movie. Chloé Zhao’s film is the first MCU outing to receive mostly mixed-to-bad reviews (at least during its theatrical run), with fans lamenting its relative isolation from the rest of Marvel’s superheroes. The original plan to include Captain America would have made it feel more connected to the MCU, however, it would have also likely opened it to fresh criticism for different reasons.

Eternals has two end credit scenes. The mid-credits scene introduces Thanos’s brother Eros (played by Harry Styles), while the post-credits one sees the off-screen debut of Mahershala Ali’s as Blade. Reaction to both end credit scenes has been mixed at best, with Blade’s introduction particularly disappointing given fan anticipation of characters coming to the MCU. The writers of Eternals, Kaz and Ryan Firpo have said that originally Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) was going to make an appearance as Captain America but ultimately decided that the Avenger had his hands full with his own adventures in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

While the inclusion of any Avenger in another MCU project is always fun, the decision to let Eternals be separate (for now) from the existing Marvel heroes was the right call. Eternals‘ end credits aren’t’ great, but they do at least fit in with the characters of the movie and their story going forward (as opposed to setting up the next Avengers level threat). Introducing Sam Wilson’s Captain America to the Eternals at this point would have been overkill in terms of dragging the movie into the MCU when it is trying to find its own voice. Eternals’ separation from the rest of MCU and its absence of established characters is one of its most distinctive qualities over other Marvel movies and shows.

While there are no details currently about what Captain America’s scene would have been, it’s likely that the connection would have felt forced and would have also set up further criticism of Eternals as existing only to serve other Marvel stories. Similar criticism was leveled at Avengers: Age of Ultron, which was more interested in setting up Phase 3 and the Infinity Stones than it was its own story. Sam Wilson’s inclusion would have also smacked of deja vu. Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has a similar meet-and-greet end credits scene, with Shang Chi and Katy meeting Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner.

Marvel has a wealth of upcoming content where the Eternals can interact with Sam Wilson’s Captain America or any of the other Avengers. For now, though, the set-up Eternals gives in its end credits is plenty for the characters to continue their journey. The introduction of Eros (aka Starfox) widens the cosmic corner of the Marvel universe that the Eternals will be essential to, and hints at Thanos’s return. Back on Earth meanwhile, Blade and Dane’s interwoven future is set to expand Marvel’s fledgling supernatural genre in new and interesting ways.

About The Author