Marvel could reveal the MCU's Atlantis earlier than expected by showing the ancient city before it sank in Eternals. Atlantis is a major location in Marvel Comics, and one of the many corners of the Marvel Universe that hasn't been explored yet. In the comics, it's the home of one of Marvel's oldest superheroes, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and a race of blue-skinned, water-breathing humanoids called Atlanteans.
Black Panther 2, but before that happens, Marvel could dive into the origins of this underwater civilization in its second Phase 4 film, Eternals. Directed by Chloe Zhao, the cosmic epic is expected to explore the history of the MCU by focusing its attention on a race of super-powered, alien immortals. These immortals, known as Eternals, have shared the Earth with humanity for thousands of years and have somehow managed to keep their presence a secret.
By visiting ancient civilizations like Babylon and featuring events that took place centuries in the past, Eternals will show audiences who these mysterious characters are and what they've been doing. The movie is confirmed to span thousands of years, so there's all sorts of historic moments that Eternals could incorporate into its story. One of the civilizations it could feature is Atlantis, but that doesn't mean the film will have to include underwater scenes with Namor's people. Instead, Eternals could show what caused Atlantis to sink in the first place. Also, touching on this catastrophe wouldn't just be a way of setting up Namor; the comics have revealed how Atlantis can tie in with the film's story.
How Atlantis Sank In Marvel Comics
Atlantis sunk nearly 20,000 years ago in an event that has been called the Great Cataclysm. During this time, humanity was being threatened by Lemuria, a region populated by Deviants. The Deviants are a genetic off-shoot of mankind who were created by the Celestials in the same experiment that gave birth to the Eternals. Unlike the perfect, god-like Eternals, the Deviants were a grotesque failure. The Deviants, a war-like race, launched a number of assaults on various civilizations, including Atlantis. At the time, Atlantis was ruled by a man named King Kamuu.
The Deviants invaded Atlantis, and Kamuu was desperate to stop them at any cost. His secret weapon against them was a device called the Serpents' Heads, which unleashed the magma from the Earth. This counter attack was a success, as the Deviants died in a wave of fire and molten lava. What Kamuu didn't know was that his actions had severe consequences for Atlantis itself. Earthquakes erupted all over Atlantis, and the situation was made worse by a different conflict that was unfolding with the Deviants. The Celestials were making a visit to Earth, and the Deviants, quick to view them as a threat, attacked them. The Celestials hit Lemuria hard, and caused it to sink deep into the ocean. The wide-reaching effects of the Celestials' attack combined with what the earthquakes were already doing to Atlantis caused it to sink as well.
Thousands of years later, a species of water-breathing creatures developed. This was supposedly the result of both evolution and experiments conducted by Deviant scientists. These people occupied the sunken city of Atlantis and formed the empire that Namor currently leads in Marvel Comics.
Atlantis Could Be Very Important To MCU Phase 4 & Beyond
Setting the stage for a proper introduction to Atlantis could be a good thing for Marvel to do in Eternals, especially since the mythical city may have a role to play in Marvel's future. Atlantis was intentionally referenced in Avengers: Endgame. Namor is heavily rumored to be the main villain in Black Panther 2 and could be or as a member of a superhero team.
How Atlantis Could Fit Into Marvel's Eternals Movie
An underwater city filled with blue-skinned warriors who can breathe underwater and a man with wings his ankles will certainly take some time explaining, and the best way to introduce something as important as Atlantis may be to do it slowly, instead of working it all into Black Panther 2. Marvel can accomplish this through Eternals. Eternals presents a rare opportunity for Marvel, because its setting gives them a chance to play with all sorts of different places and time periods. A flashback to ancient Atlantis would work in Eternals, and what makes this scenario even better is that it fits neatly what is known of the story. The Eternals synopsis has confirmed that Ikaris (Richard Madden), Thena (Angelina Jolie), and all the others will be up against the Deviants, who are being described as "mankind's most ancient enemy". What better way to illustrate this point than to show an entire city sinking because of the Deviants?
To prove how dangerous the Deviants are to the planet, the movie can go into how they ruthlessly attacked human civilizations and brought destruction everywhere they went. If the Deviants are indeed the main villains, incorporating a comic book accurate history of their race feels like the right direction for Marvel's Eternals. A flashback that looks at these events could also explain why the Deviants' stronghold, Lemuria, is beneath the ocean. Marvel can show that both cities were sunk by the same cataclysm. Marvel could go a bit further in the present-day storyline if it includes scenes in Lemuria. relationship between the modern versions of Atlantis and Lemuria could exist in the MCU, and this could be the subject of a fun tease in the movie.
