Eternals: Kingo's Massive Decision Makes No Sense - Here's Why

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Eternals, now in theaters.

In Eternals, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo is a clever blend of comedy and action, integrating into Earth over the millennia as a Bollywood superstar. However, he's quickly united with Richard Madden's Ikaris and C. as they need his energy projectiles and overall badass aura in the field to fend off a strain of new Deviants. However, when the movie's sinister twist is unveiled, Kingo takes a massive decision that doesn't make sense at all given the nature of his character.

Now, he's initially looking to remain in Bollywood when the threat arises, not because he's disloyal, but because he's scared knowing there's something out there on Earth that can murder family members. He eventually puts that aside, buoyed by his butler, Karun, and aids his kin in uncovering what happened to Ajak and why there's a new power-absorbing Deviant loose.

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It turns out, Ikaris is the one playing them all, wanting to unite the family so they could leave the planet. He killed Ajak after she reneged on her deal with their creator, Arishem, no longer wanting Earth to be a feeding cell for the Celestial, Tiamut. Ikaris, though, was programmed for this one purpose so he has to see the mission out, and wants his family with him as they leave with their memories intact, as opposed to dying and being reborn.

It causes a mini-civil war in their ship as the others, led by Sersi, can't betray the planet they've grown to love. Kingo steps up as well, sizing up to kill Ikaris if he attacks any more of their crew, especially as Kingo did view Ajak like a mother. Ikaris eventually speeds off to bring Tiamut to life, but as Phastos and the team come up with a plan to bring their ex-leader down and stop this "Emergence," Kingo decides to leave.

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It's a most disappointing, selfish decision as he prefers to go back to Bollywood, accepting this is what they were made for. The thing is, this literally ignores the narrative of him caring for his family, because if they don't stop Ikaris, everyone he cares for on the planet will die as Tiamut's born. Kingo wants to preserve his kin so he should be fighting with them, not letting a traitor run his gamut and make Kingo come off scared after being cavalier for so much of the movie.

This inaction makes him complicit and just as much a villain as he abandons his team. Even Karun apologizes, showing more heart and soul than Kingo, who touted up unity and togetherness, only for it to feel like propaganda with this weird heel turn.

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To make it worse, after they stop the villains, he just pops back up as Sprite's guardian, taking her to school without his betrayal being addressed. It's an odd creative decision to try to push him back in a caring light when he was rushed into this act of cowardice after putting his life on the line so much for the ones he loves.

To see how Kingo's choice feels inconsistent with his character, Eternals is in theaters now.

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