Any superhero that comes along boasting powers vaguely similar to that of another, more famous costumed crimefighter is always going to invite comparisons to whoever the fans view as the top dog of that particular skill set, something Eternals star Lauren Ridoff has gotten used to during the movie’s promotional campaign.
Even when the cosmic Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster was shooting in early 2020, producer Nate Moore outlined why Ridoff’s Makkari was completely different from a certain Scarlet Speedster over at DC Comics, and the finished product ensures that her abilities are depicted in completely different fashion so as not to display any overtly identical features.
In an interview CineExpress, Ridoff even admitted that she’d heard the exact same line of inquiry from her son, who refused to believe that his own mother was capable of outrunning the Flash in a head-to-head race.
“Okay, so this is a conversation I had with my son. When he first found out that I was going to be the fastest woman in the universe he said, ‘No you’re not.’ He brought over his laptop and looked into the computer and said, ‘Look! It’s true! Flash is faster than Makkari.’ But I’m sure Makkari…because she travels faster than the speed of sound.”
Ridoff puts her own stamp on Eternals‘ resident speed freak in terms of both her performance and physical movements, which are a lot more graceful and balletic than DC enthusiasts have become accustomed to seeing from Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller’s respective Barry Allens. Of course, the debate isn’t going to end, but Eternals has seen Makkari set out her stall as the fastest superhero in the live-action realm, with the ball now back in the Flash’s court.