Following the release of the Eternals trailer, some have reached the conclusion that the footage showed off the MCU debut of Galactus. While the classic Fantastic Four villain does indeed feel like a character that the MCU will end up using at one point or another, there hasn’t been any confirmation that Marvel has any plans to include him in Phase 4.

Galactus, the being who gave Silver Surfer his powers, is one of the most important villains in the Fantastic Four’s rogues’ gallery. He’s also had a recurring presence in several other major Marvel Comics titles, such as Thor, The Avengers, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Silver Surfer, in addition to being a key player in various Marvel Comics crossover events. Fox’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer became the first to adapt him to the big screen, but unfortunately it wasn’t an accurate or well-received interpretation. Many are confident that if Marvel takes a stab at Galactus in the MCU, he’ll be handled much more faithfully the second time around; it’s just not clear when that will happen.

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Like Doctor Doom, Galactus is a strong candidate to be the first villain faced by Marvel’s First Family in its upcoming Fantastic Four movie. Or, he could be saved for a sequel. Either way, there is at least a possibility that Marvel might introduce him before diving into Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, and all the rest. For this reason, fans have been looking for signs of his early arrival. A particular moment in the final Eternals trailer, which occurs at the 1:15 mark, has generated a great deal of discussion around the character based on the design of the Celestial featured in the shot. But does this mean Galactus is in the movie? Here’s what the character actually is in Marvel Comics, and if he could work as a Celestial in MCU lore.

Galactus' Origin & Powers In The Comics

There are few figures in the Marvel Universe who are feared more than Galactus, a cosmic-powered giant. Known as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus has existed for several millennia, traveling across the universe on his Worldship, which is as large as a solar system. Though not to be regarded as a truly evil character, Galactus’ modus operandi makes him one of the greatest threats that Marvel’s heroes have ever faced. Galactus is often perceived as a being so advanced that most lifeforms are less than ants in his eyes, meaning that the lives of the people endangered by his presence hold no meaning to him. To sate his hunger, he has to regularly consume the lifeforce of entire planets. To find them, he picks “Heralds” like the Silver Surfer, and gives them the Power Cosmic, one of the strongest sources of energy in the multiverse. After being granted this ability, a character can instantly attain Thor-level capabilities.

Even if a Marvel hero or team were to somehow take down a Herald of Galactus, defeating his master would be next to impossible in a physical fight. Armed with the Power Cosmic, Galactus possesses a wide array of abilities, including manipulation of energy and matter, making force fields, reading minds, and wiping out whole civilizations. In other words, there isn’t much Galactus can’t do in Marvel Comics. That’s why stopping him from getting what he wants is so difficult that it’s necessary for most characters to appease him rather than beat him directly.

As for how Galactus came to be, it’s interesting to note that he wasn’t always this way. In a 1969 Thor comic, Galactus told the God of Thunder his origin story. According to Galactus, whose real name is Galan, he hails from a forgotten, utopian planet named Taa. After most of his peopled died to a disease referred to as the Creeping Plague, Galan and the other survivors boarded a spaceship and set a course for an enormous star, basically to commit suicide in the most extraordinary way they could imagine. They all died, save for Galan, who was slowly transformed by the radiation into Galactus. As a result of the process he underwent, Galactus discovered that he had to continue absorbing energy in order to survive. Years later, Marvel Comics established that Galactus’ birth happened prior to the rebirth of the multiverse, an event that was actually caused by the activities of the Celestials. Galactus was apparently brought into existence to help maintain the balance that was previously disrupted by the Celestials.

Related: MCU Theory: Eternals Trailer Shows The Origin Of Mutants

How Galactus Is Different To The Celestials

Galactus

It’s been claimed that characters like the Watcher that Galactus’ power level is comparable to the Celestials. As is the case with them, there’s only a small number of entities in the multiverse that outclass Galactus in terms of sheer power. That being said, the natures of these characters are completely different. The Celestials create life, while Galactus’ purpose is to destroy it. Neither is fundamentally good or bad, but both are integral to preserving balance. There not being a being like Galactus out there to prevent overpopulation is what resulted in the destruction of the multiverse in the first place.

Is Galactus A Celestial In The MCU?

The Celestial Arishem the Judge hovers in space in in Marvel's Eternals

Galactus isn’t the Celestial in the Eternals trailer, who more closely resembles a certain Celestial from the comics, Arishem the Judge. Arishem being mistaken for the Fantastic Four villain can be explained by the fact that Galactus and the Celestials are both towering, cosmic-powered giants who dwell in outer space. Because of these similarities, there have been numerous theories postulating that Galactus could be reimagined as a Celestial. It technically could happen, considering that it would allow Marvel to introduce him by building off existing MCU concepts.

If they went in this direction, Marvel could reveal in a future film that Galactus is a rogue Celestial who lives on his own, away from the rest of his kind. The problem though, is that it would risk robbing the Marvel Comics’ icon of his most significant quality: his uniqueness. Galactus needs to come across as one-of-a-kind, so making him a Celestial might ruin that aspect of his character. For a Celestial origin to work for Galactus, Marvel would need to impress upon audiences that he stands apart from all other Celestials by being a harbinger of destruction, and not life. Regardless of whether or not Marvel keeps his origin or reworks him as a Celestial, Galactus is an unlikely addition to Eternals, especially since he doesn’t really fit into this story. The most he might get is an Easter egg. Someone might allude to his existence when discussing the Celestials and other cosmic beings roaming the multiverse.

More: Marvel's Eternals Powers Explained: What Each Team Member Can Do

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