Eternals: Kingo Owns Captain America's Original Shield | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

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

One of the inherent strengths of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is how surprising elements from previous films can easily reappear (both as Easter eggs and as major revelations) in other stories. This interconnected nature only appears sporadically in Eternals, which largely focuses on its new cast of characters and their uniquely metaphysical mission.

But a brief moment in Eternals reveals that Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) has a Captain America shield on display in his private jet. But the specific design of the shield -- the original version first used by Steve Rogers before he gained his trademark round one -- suggests it's from Cap's early days with the USO. And if anything, that makes Kingo's purchase of one even more fitting.

After spending centuries on Earth hidden away from humanity fighting the Deviants, the titular Eternals are revealed to have spent the last few hundred years finding their place across the world. This includes Kingo, who found a new public life in Bollywood. As he explains to his friends when they find him in India, he's made a life out of embodying multiple "generations" of an assumed family, becoming an acting dynasty in Bollywood. This has afforded him a great deal of fame and wealth, from which he's easily able to share with the Eternals as they make their way across the Earth to reunite their number upon learning of Ajak's death.

This extends to the use of his private jet, which is full of mementos from past decades, including Captain America's original shield designs, utilized during the course of Captain America: The First Avenger. After receiving the Super Soldier Serum, Steve Rogers was initially kept out of battle. Instead, he was forced to participate in USO shows to try and convince Americans to invest further to support the war effort. His mock shield and original costume were major parts of his original identity as "Captain America." When Captain America first rushed into combat to save Bucky Barnes and the rest of the 101st, he took the shield with him. On later missions, however, he replaced it with the iconic circular one made from Vibranium.

It's perfectly fitting that Kingo would want one of Steve's shields as a memento, especially considering both of them spent some time in the entertainment industry. While Steve's personal version of the shield was severely damaged while fighting against the Red Skull, it's likely there were plenty of similar props that became increasingly popular and rare as his career blossomed and he eventually became a war hero. The place of prominence it has on the plane suggests this is, in fact, a collector's item and was likely used by Steve Rogers on some stage during his early contributions to the war effort. As someone who also saw the power in appealing to the public, Kingo might see his own Bollywood career as an extension of that same idea of heroes helping bolster morale and entertain on top of saving others.

It also makes perfect sense for someone like Kingo -- who has framed vintage posters of his past work hanging in the plane as well -- to try and compare his own career with that of Steve Rogers. Bollywood experienced major growth in popularity during the 1940s, meaning it's possible that Kingo was actually already active in the film scene at the same time that Steve Rogers was performing in USO shows and may have even seen him on stage. If any MCU character was going to have a memento from that period of Captain America's life, it makes perfect sense that it would be Kingo.

To spot Captain America's original shield for yourself, Eternals is now in theaters.

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Brandon Zachary (4119 Articles Published)

Brandon Zachary is an Associate Writer with Comic Book Resources and has written for CBR since 2018. He covers breakouts on comics, film, television, video games, and anime. He also conducts industry interviews, is a Rotten Tomatoes certified film critic, and knows SO MUCH about the X-Men. For requests, comments, or to hear his pitch for a third Avatar series that incorporates robots, you can contact him through bs.zachary@gmail.com.