How ‘Eternals’ Kingo Was a Missed Opportunity

by Josh Ramos · January 23, 2022

It’s one of the most divisive and ambitious films in the history of the MCU, with a narrative that spans a family of ten near-immortal beings, and centuries of human history. We discuss how the Eternals Kingo was a missed opportunity for the film.

A story that delves into the very origin of the Marvel Universe, the Chloe Zhao-led film explored the mighty Celestials’ creation of intelligent life and the purpose of the ten near-immortal beings known as the Eternals.

Photo: Marvel

Sent to protect human life from the unseeable Deviant threat, the film explored ten different characters with vastly different perspectives and personalities confronted with a century-long life on a planet doomed for destruction.

With the eventual confrontation brewing, Ikaris led the charge against his fellow Eternals to continue his intended mission of facilitating the birth of the Celestial Tiamut; an act that didn’t go unopposed.

Photo: Marvel Studios

Ikaris proved to be a tremendous villain, but with every character finding an arc that explored their purpose and presence on earth, there was one character who never lived up to his potential impact on the story.

Because Kingo was a missed opportunity.

Photo: Marvel

The Eternal turned Bollywood star was a fantastic idea for Zhao, a character who uses his immortality to gain fame, and was a constant source of comic relief for the film.

But Kingo could have been so much more for the story; with his flaws mirroring those of Ikaris.

Source: Marvel Studios

Kingo idolized Ikaris, and he agreed with the Celestial cause of destroying the planet, so much so that he abandoned his family when they fought to stop the emergence.

It was him leaving his family in their time of turmoil that should have led to an eventual redemption for a character who had clearly established his likeability to the audience.

Source: Marvel

A performer as magnetic and charismatic as Kumail Nanjiani, Kingo should have returned to help Phastos fight Ikaris in his time of trouble.

This development in his character, growing past his own idolization of Ikaris, and doing the right thing, would’ve crafted a character in Kingo capable of going head to head with the strongest Eternals in a scene that redeemed him as one of the franchises vital entities moving forward.

Source: Marvel Studios

Kingo taking Ikaris’s side, and refusing to fight, was a missed opportunity quite unlike any other; with the character now left with irredeemable qualities after abandoning both Sprite, and his entire family, and never being allowed to atone for his choices, and do what was right.

We can only hope that Kingo gets the chance in the future because not allowing Kumail to portray a true hero on par with his fellow Eternals is the prime reason why Kingo was a missed opportunity.