Why changing Makkari was the right decision

Any film adaptation is often strife with ways that it can go wrong but one studio that seems to be getting it right so far is certainly Marvel. The Marvel cinematic universe has managed to become a cultural phenomenon that might as well define a generation at this point. I don’t know anyone my age who is not excited to watch the latest Marvel film the minute it comes out and Eternals has been no different. The film initially received mixed reviews from critics but seems to be dominating the box office since its release and is set to become another success for Marvel despite some major changes to the source material.

One of these changes is to the eternal Makkari, one of the major characters in the movie who is miles apart from her comic book counterpart. While normally I would look towards mainstream studios gender swapping characters as a somewhat lazy way to be politically correct there is something about Makkari that makes these changes a lot more important. Not only did Marvel change the gender of the character but also made her a person of color who is the first deaf superhero in the MCU. Any suspicion on my part was removed the minute I realized that this was perhaps the first mainstream film I had seen where sign language was being used abundantly in conversation, I can’t even imagine what watching that might have felt like for someone who is deaf.

Another important aspect here is the fact that Lauren Ridloff who plays Makkari in the film is deaf herself and thus this character ends up feeling more than just a lazy effort at representation. I personally don’t know any other deaf actress or actor who has broken into the mainstream the way Lauren Ridloff has managed to do after Eternals, everyone on my twitter has been talking about her nonstop and seems to be completely in love. The fact that a deaf character has not only been introduced but has been accepted in such a widespread manner is bound to open doors for the deaf community in ways that were not possible before. I keep thinking about a clip from an interview I saw where Lauren Ridloff buzzes with excitement as she relates in sign language that she is thrilled to take space as a person who is deaf, a woman and a person of color.

Such representation not only allows marginalized communities to feel that they are seen and open new opportunities for them, but it might also contribute towards widespread acceptance within society that can make their lives easier. Eternals has only been in theatres for about two weeks and already interest in learning sign language by fans has spiked. Research from Preply indicates that there has been an increase of 250% in searches for learning sign language as a beginner. Increased use and understanding of sign language will be paramount in improving the experiences of the deaf community within greater society.

Lauren Ridloff is also the mother of two deaf boys and told The New York Times that her role means that her sons will be “able to dream a bit more wildly” and that is precisely why changing this character was a great decision by Marvel.