Ego the Living Planet has been around in Marvel Comics for decades. Despite this, his introduction to the MCU only happened a few years ago in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where he was played by Kurt Russell. Fans of the comics were likely initially excited to hear the news about Ego’s appearance and to see Kurt Russell’s MCU debut, but that excitement probably turned to confusion the further they made it through the movie.
To put it simply, the MCU changed a lot about Ego’s character, from his origin to his connections and everything in between. It left fans scratching their heads while admitting that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 delivered on a promise to create a fantastical and memorable adventure. This is one of those movies that lingers even years later.
10 Why Did the MCU Combine Two Characters ?
J'son and Ego Were Merged (Sort of) to Create the MCU's Ego
«I am Ego — the largest, most powerful intelligence in all infinity!»
-Ego
The first question most long-standing fans likely asked is: why combine two characters into one? In the comics, Ego the Living Planet is exactly what he sounds like. Also known as Eros, he’s a cosmic being who’s been around for centuries. He’s plenty ambitious, which fits with the MCU version. But that’s not all the MCU version offers.
In the MCU, Kurt Russell plays Ego and is also the father of Peter Quill. Ego is not Peter’s father in the comics; that title belongs to J’son, aka King J’son of Spartax. He’s the ruler of the Spartoi Empire, or rather, he was until Peter Quill came around and overthrew him, and rightly so. Making Ego related to Quill does admittedly add stakes to Guardians of the Galaxy, but removing the potential for a Spartoi story down the line is a disappointment.
9 Why Did Kurt Russell's MCU Villain Have Literal Skeletons In His Closet?
Ego Didn't Have Any Reason to Keep the Bodies of His Children Around
«Soon, Peter, we will be all there is. So stop pissing me off!»
-Ego, to Peter Quill
Throughout Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, viewers learn that Ego is trying to create the perfect half-Celestial heir. But what is he doing with his so-called rejects? He’s killing them, and probably brutally. While nobody is debating the ethics of this decision, it is confusing that he’s simply leaving them to rot. First, there’s the obvious (and gross) implication: Ego, as a Living Planet, is leaving his children’s corpses inside his own body.
The second concern with this decision is that it feels more like an out-of-sight, out-of-mind problem. Rather than removing the evidence, Ego simply forgot to consider it once he left the cave. Or, quite possibly, he felt he had no reason to care should these bodies ever be discovered. Ironically, the discovery is part of why the final battle kicked off in the movie, so if the latter is correct, his ego costs him dearly.
8 If Mantis Was So Necessary for His Well-being, Why Did Ego Risk Killing Her?
Ego Was Willing to Throw It All Away, Mantis Included
«We did not. That is only an extension… of his true self. He will be back soon.»
-Mantis to the Guardians of the Galaxy
When Ego finally tracks down Peter Quill, it is with Mantis at his side. As it turns out, Ego has a shockingly human complication as he deals with insomnia. As a giant planet, Ego can’t simply take a giant sleep aid, so Mantis is the next best thing. Her role is to soothe him enough to let the living planet sleep. That makes sense, right? There’s just one problem.
Ego’s grand plan is to kill everyone and everything, minus himself and Quill (assuming he’s telling the truth there). He doesn’t mention an exception for Mantis. Does this mean he was willing to live with an eternity of horrible sleep in exchange for achieving his goals? Alternatively, was Ego always planning on sparing Mantis, only turning on her when she allies with the Guardians?
7 How Does Ego Leave His Planet?
The Planet Is Essentially the Rest of Ego's Body
«‘My life, my love, my lady is the sea’ … Peter, this is the sea»
-Ego to Peter Quill
In the comics, Ego the Living Planet is always a planet and doesn’t have a humanoid body. So, how does Ego manage this in the movies? Or, more accurately, why? Ego has demonstrated the ability to make his constructs, explaining how a human (or alien) version of himself could be made. However, this doesn’t really explain how he could go so far from his body.
There are two primary concerns with Ego creating a humanoid construct and heading out into the galaxy. First, his construct is significantly weaker than the planet version, as the Guardians learned. Second, theoretically, he’s making himself more vulnerable by splitting into two parts. It raises questions about how much awareness each part has.
6 Why Did Ego Send the Ravagers to Collect His Children?
Ego Should Be Able to Return to These Planets Himself
«I had Yondu deliver some of them to me. It broke the Ravager code, but I compensated him generously.»
-Ego
The cave of corpses showed that Ego had been leaving his planet body for centuries, finding hundreds of new planets with potential candidates for his ideal hybrid. In other words, Ego seemed perfectly capable of leaving and heading out whenever he wanted to. Likewise, he clearly kept track of where his children were. So why did he need help collecting them?
If there’s one thing Ego taught viewers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it’s that he’s horrible with children. His unwillingness to fetch his own children seems to stem from this problem. After all, Ego could’ve forged better relationships with his children if he’d actually gone out of his way to retrieve and raise them—not just make them.
5 Ego Wanted to Destroy the Universe Because He Was Bored?
Ego Would Have Even More Bored If He'd Achieved His Goals
«I called it the «Expansion.» It is my purpose, and now it is yours as well. Over thousands of years I implanted thousands of extensions of myself on thousands of worlds. I need to fulfill life’s one true purpose, to grow and spread, covering all that exists until everything is… me!»
-Ego
Ego has cited several reasons for wanting to destroy or control the known universe, ranging from misguided ambition to the conceited belief that he’s superior to everything in it. He also admits that the universe bores him, probably because he doesn’t see anyone as close to his equal. But if Ego is so bored with a universe full of different beings, does he really think things will improve when he’s all alone?
The problem with villains like Ego is they never ask themselves what happens if they win. They’re so focused on completing the goal that they never consider what comes next. It happened with Thanos; if Ego had succeeded, it probably would’ve happened with him too. This villain would’ve been bored out of his mind within a year or two, tops.
4 Did Ego Intentionally Choose a Planet Hosting a Celestial Seed?
The Eternals Confirmed the Earth Had a Celestial Seed: Coincidence or Intention?
«You’re half-Terran. Your mother was of Earth. Your father, well… he’s something very ancient that we haven’t seen before.»
-Irani Rael to Quill
During one of his monologues, Ego reveals that he’s been seeding thousands of planets with extensions of himself. During his final move in the film, viewers even got to see a few of those planets under attack, confirming that Earth was one such planet. Thanks to Eternals, viewers also know that Earth is home to a Celestial seed. This seed was waiting until humanity had grown enough to enable its hatching.
Ego is likewise a Celestial, so he had to know about the seed on Earth, right? Did he choose Earth for this reason, or did he simply assume that his goal would come to fruition before the seed hatched? Or did he not give any thought at all to the seed’s presence?
3 Did Ego's Extensions All Really Die With Him?
If Ego's Extensions Just Receded, He Could Eventually Come Back
«Over millions of years, I learned to control the molecules around me. I grew smarter, and stronger. And I continued building from there, layer by layer, the very planet you walk on now.»
-Ego
As already mentioned, Ego had been working hard to place extensions of himself all over the universe. A few confirmed planets with these extensions included Earth, Aakon, Arago-7, Xandar, Hala, and Easik. During the final conflict between the Guardians and Ego, viewers watched as dozens of civilians fled from growing masses on their planets.
However, just because they stopped does not mean they’re dead. In the world of comic books, it is always wise to assume something is alive until explicitly told otherwise. So viewers are left wondering if this is truly the end or if these extensions will create a new problem in a hundred years or so.
2 Why Did the MCU Make Ego a Celestial?
Ego the Living Planet Isn't a Celestial in the Comics
«You people have issues.»
«Well, if course I have issues, that’s my freaking father!»
-Rocket and Quill
In the comics, Ego, aka Egros, is a part of an ancient cosmic race, an Elder of the Universe. This puts Egros on par with the gods of Marvel Comics. Ego, the Living Planet of the comic book universe, is not a Celestial. However, the MCU made him one. Why? Realistically, this was likely done to avoid introducing yet another ancient race. However, underestimating one’s audience is always a mistake.
In Marvel Comics, Celestials are another ancient race with godlike powers and abilities that have a very identifiable look. The Celestials are armored giants that are usually around 2,000 feet tall, so they’re very easy to spot. When The Eternals showed the Celestial Tiamat, it resembled the beings shown in the comic, but Kurt Russel’s MCU character didn’t look anything like that. Why make him a Celestial at all?
1 Why Did the MCU Kill Off Kurt Russel?
The MCU Is Too Quick to Kill Great Villains Like Ego
«We need to get off this planet.»
-Nebula
If there’s one mistake the MCU repeatedly makes, it’s killing off its villains too soon. There’s a reason the comics have lasted for generations, and it has to do with the longevity of a story. When a newly introduced villain dies at the end of their movie, Marvel is cutting off all potential. In other words, while the comic version of a villain may appear dozens of times, the MCU only utilized one arc before shutting the door forever.
Unfortunately, the same mistake was made during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2., since the final confrontation with Ego ultimately resulted in the living planet’s death. Since the MCU Ego combines two characters, this theoretically means the MCU wasted twice as many potential stories as usual. There’s always a chance Ego survived, but having to explain that would reduce the impact of later character deaths, as it introduces the revolving door of death to the MCU.
