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After three initial phases focusing on science and technology, the Marvel cinematic universe has begun to delve deeper into elements of magic, sorcery, and divine realms, drawing inspiration from various mythologies around the world.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in its fourth phase is not just a playground for superheroes anymore, but also features the presence of numerous powerful deities. The series Moon Knight, which premiered in March, introduced Khonshu and a host of Egyptian gods to the screen, while further exploring their relationship with humanity. Marvel Studios will continue this idea by exploring Greek mythology in the upcoming blockbuster Thor: Love and Thunder.
Here are all the divine groups that have, are, and will appear in MCU movies.
Norse Mythology
Characters inspired by Norse mythology have been introduced into the MCU early on, with names like Thor, Loki, Odin, Frigga, Heimdall, Sif, Tyr, Hela, and Bor. In this cinematic universe, they are depicted as a powerful race living on the planet Asgard and are considered the rulers of the Nine Realms.
For Earthlings, Thor and characters from Asgard are considered gods due to their extraordinary powers and significantly longer lifespan compared to humans. However, the first solo film of Marvel's thunder god emphasized that magic, which is regarded as advanced science in Asgard, is far superior and sophisticated than Earth's. Thus, when mentioning Thor and Asgard, the boundary between divine status and extraterrestrial species is truly fragile.
Moreover, the MCU has shown repeatedly that although their lifespan is very long, there is still a certain limit. It's just that their limit is beyond that of humans, but they are not immortal like in many myths worldwide. Therefore, specifically in the MCU, we can tentatively affirm that for Midgard/Earth, they are gods. But in the vast universe, they are just one of countless other races.
The Egyptian gods have a connection to Black Panther
As mentioned above, the Moon Knight series has introduced various Egyptian gods, most notably the moon god Khonshu, and the evil god Ammit. Unlike the Asgardians, they are depicted more like animals, often concealing their identities, keeping their distance from humans, and operating on Earth through their avatars.
Hathor is one of the gods featured in Moon Knight, representing love and music. In Egyptian mythology, Hathor once transformed herself into a lioness goddess named Sekhmet. Marvel comics have utilized this detail and turned Sekhmet into the sister of Bast, the panther goddess responsible for overseeing the legacies related to Wakanda, while also guiding the Black Panther warriors in the process of using the heart-shaped herb to enhance their strength.
Zeus and the Greek gods will appear in Thor: Love and Thunder
Greek mythology plays a significant role in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) projects, including Wonder Woman, Justice League, and Shazam! However, it's not until July that these gods are explored by Marvel Studios for the MCU - which has been referenced multiple times in the original comics, especially Thor's storylines.
Zeus is set to appear in the blockbuster Thor: Love and Thunder, portrayed by Russell Crowe. However, as the main antagonist of this film is Gorr, the God Butcher, it's certain that many other Greek gods will also grace the big screen. The question remains: what role will they play in the future of the MCU, or will they merely make fleeting cameo appearances?
Eternals are the “living legends” of Earth
In comics and on-screen, the Eternals are seen as the primary inspiration for many myths and legends worldwide, such as Gilgamesh, Mercury, Peter Pan, or Icarus. This complexity makes their story challenging to explore in any version of the Marvel universe, especially with the presence of other gods like those in Norse or Greek mythology.
Marvel has simplified this by turning the Eternals into tools of the Celestials, aiding them in observing, evaluating, and safeguarding many planets in the universe until another Celestial is born from that planet. The Eternals' main task is to thwart the schemes of the Deviants. Additionally, they frequently assist humans with inventions and innovations but never interfere in any conflicts of humanity.
Perhaps the Eternals are akin to the Norse gods: they're revered as divine beings on Earth, but in reality, they're just a small species in the vast universe.
Celestials reign supreme in the MCU
Celestials have made appearances in the MCU through the blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, portrayed as 'true gods' who existed before the dawn of time and created most planets in many galaxies. The Eternals project continues to explore this concept with new Celestials such as Arishem the Judge, Eson the Searcher, Hargen the Measurer, Jemiah the Analyzer, Nezarr the Calculator, and Tiamut the Communicator.
They hold the ultimate divine power, capable of determining the fate of many planets, including Earth. In fact, Arishem once decided to destroy the blue planet to serve Tiamut's awakening before being thwarted by the Eternals. Celestials are the true gods of the MCU, but whether their power is the greatest remains a mystery.
MCU boasts numerous mighty entities that can be considered divine in this universe
While the characters mentioned above are all considered gods to a certain extent, the MCU still has many other entities possessing similar or even greater power, such as Dormammu, Dweller in Darkness, The Watcher, He Who Remains, and Surtur. In the comics, the Collector and Grandmaster are sometimes classified as divine beings, but it seems that has been omitted in the cinematic version.
However, one thing is certain, this is just the beginning for gods in the MCU. Phase 4 of this cinematic universe is delving deeper into spirituality, magic, and the divine realm, rather than focusing too much on science and technology like the first 3 phases. This promises to bring even larger, more epic battles on the silver screen in Marvel Studios' future projects.
According to CBR
