Ahead of Marvel’s Eternals hitting theaters this Friday, we’re getting more insights into the lore of the film, specifically the abilities and background of one of the heroes, Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry.
As with the other nine Eternal heroes introduced in the film, Phastos is an immortal being created thousands of years ago by the god-like and planet-sized Celestials to help protect the Earth against the malevolent Deviants. Though the group disbanded ages ago, they must reunite once again to protect mankind when the Deviants return.
In the mythology of the films, the Eternals had an ancient and profound impact on humankind’s development and culture, serving as the inspiration for various deities around the globe.
In the case of Phastos, a featurette on Marvel Entertainment’s Twitter page explains that the hero is a technology-minded inventor, a technopath able to create any invention or weapon. The cosmic energy-powered creations are only limited by Phastos’ ability to access the raw materials from which he can break down and build sophisticated tools.
In terms of Phastos’ influence on humanity’s development, the post explains he has nudged forward civilizations’ advancements in technology throughout eons while keeping his own genius secret.
After re-emerging after hundreds of years, the Deviants’ threat to Earth prompts Phastos and the other scattered Eternals to come together once again for a final mission to save mankind.
The character is also breaking grounds in terms of representation, becoming the first openly gay superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Catch the Eternals in theaters, Nov. 5.