- Primary Subject: The Eternals / X-Men '97 Season 2
- Key Update: The introduction of Celestial energy in the X-Men '97 Season 2 finale provides a narrative bridge for the Eternals to return to the MCU.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 13, 2026
- Quick Answer: X-Men '97 Season 2 spotlights Celestial energy, connecting cosmic power to Apocalypse and potentially paving the way for the Eternals to return to the MCU.
The Eternals may make their way back into the MCU, thanks to the Celestial concept introduced in the X-Men ’97 Season 2 finale, “Survival of the Fittest.”
The 2021 movie introduced the Eternals, immortal beings tasked with protecting Earth from their ancient counterparts, the Deviants. However, the film received a poor reception from critics and fans alike, with its screenplay and pacing drawing criticism.
Now that the Celestials appear to be making their way back into the MCU, could the Eternals return as well?
WARNING: MAJOR X-MEN ‘97 SEASON 2 FINALE SPOILERS AHEAD.
How Are the Celestials Introduced in X-Men ‘97 Season 2?
X-Men ’97 Season 2 featured the Celestial Eson the Searcher calling to En Sabah Nur, who wanted to destroy his oppressors in Egypt.
After Eson promised him ultimate power, Nur struck a deal with the Celestial to unleash an apocalypse upon the world. It took several millennia for Apocalypse to carry out his plans, while the time-traveling mutant Cable relentlessly hunted him wherever he appeared.
Their conflict culminated in the finale, “Survival of the Fittest,” when Cable took the fight to X-Corp with the help of X-Factor.
However, Apocalypse used Gambit as his vessel, eventually killing him after believing he had been outsmarted by a device that tracked the Celestial energy inside him.
But Apocalypse had a plan of his own. After fully taking over Gambit’s body and incapacitating the X-Men and X-Force, he overrode their minds and turned them into his personal army.
An empowered Rogue then arrived after meeting Eson and offering her life in exchange for the power to stop Apocalypse and save Gambit.
She effortlessly ripped Apocalypse’s spirit from Gambit’s body, sealed it inside a stone-sized crystal prison, and handed it over to Cable, saving her love and the rest of the mutants in the process.
How X-Men ’97 Could Set Up the Eternals’ Return?
X-Men ’97 puts a focus on Celestial energy, or the cosmic essence that gives the Celestials their raw, god-like power.
This limitless energy allows them to manipulate matter, bend reality, travel across dimensions, and seed new universes. It’s the same power that Apocalypse receives from Eson and that Rogue gains after striking a deal with the Celestial.
But they’re not the only Marvel characters connected to this power. Like Apocalypse and Rogue, the Eternals owe their incredible abilities to the Celestials.
So, if Apocalypse eventually appears in a live-action MCU movie, especially with the upcoming X-Men reboot, the Eternals could also return around the same time or as part of the same storyline.
Apocalypse wouldn’t only work as a villain for the mutants; he could also become a major threat to the Eternals.
After all, the last time the Eternals were seen, they were heading off to find their friends, who had been captured by Arishem the Judge.
They were already tired of being controlled by the powerful Celestials. So, if they learned that another creation of these cosmic beings, like Apocalypse, was causing trouble, they would likely want to fight back and stop him themselves.
With Marvel’s renewed focus on the Celestials, this could potentially pave the way for the Eternals to return.
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