WandaVision Introduces One Of Eternals' Most Important Powers

Transmutation, one of the Eternals’ most important powers, has just been introduced early through WandaVision. This is one of many abilities shared by the Eternals in Marvel Comics, and without question one of the most unique skills they possess. It plays a key role in several of their stories.

It’s just one reason why the Eternals are considered to be among Marvel’s most powerful superheroes ever - in fitting with the fact they were created by Celestials, who are immensely powerful in the comics and in the MCU. The Eternals are a race of immortals who have existed on Earth for thousands of years, and are fueled by significant amounts of cosmic energy that flow through their veins. The Eternals are able to channel this power and use it to accomplish a number of impressive feats. Every member of their species is capable of super-strength, flight, telekinesis, emitting cosmic rays through their eyes and hands, mind-reading, and more.

One of their biggest assets is the power to reshape the molecular structure of any form of matter, whether it be organic or inorganic. This is called transmutation, and it’s essentially what Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) does on a consistent basis in WandaVision. Scarlet Witch demonstrates this power on multiple occasions, including when she turned an overcooked chicken into a basket of eggs, and when she transformed a piano into a cardboard cutout. Also, what they create isn’t fake, nor is it a temporary illusion. The changes are very real, and that’s a fact that was recognized by Captain America when Sersi reverted him back to his teenage self with this ability.

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This is a brand-new power for the MCU, and something that audiences are likely to see again when the Eternals appear on the big screen near the end of the year. In the comic books, Eternals like Sersi use it for trivial matters (not unlike Wanda in the Disney+ series). Sersi, who outclasses all Eternals in terms of her transmutation skills, can effortlessly turn water into wine, men into animals, and inanimate objects into monsters. She can also completely change her target’s physical properties. For example, she can turn plastic into stone if she has the inclination. More importantly, though, this ability has been instrumental in helping the Eternals blend in with humans. By reshaping matter, they can quickly generate disguises to fool the people around them.

Given how important it is to their race - and particularly to Sersi - it feels like a safe bet that’ll be included in Eternals. One way that it may be different is how it will work in the movie. It hasn’t been outright confirmed but if the comics are any indication, Wanda’s transmutation ability is really just her reality warping powers in action. Presumably, she’s reshaping reality on a small level when she transforms objects, whereas the explanation for what the Eternals do is less magic and more scientific. Their use of this power is more about the total rearrangement of molecules. Regardless, it could be that there’s an advantage in Marvel showing off this power in WandaVision prior to the movie. Eternals will surely have plenty of new concepts to introduce to viewers, so it may be a good thing for the movie that the MCU will have already introduced this one, thanks to WandaVision.

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