The Revelation of Ego's True Origins
Ego proved to be a worthy foe for the Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the MCU's What If...? season 2 has finally debunked a popular fan theory about the villain's true origins.
Ego (Kurt Russel) giving a speech to Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
The MCU is certainly not shy about making significant changes to the backstories of its heroes and villains, and one notable tweak is the paternal lineage of Star-Lord, aka Peter Quill. Quill's father in Marvel Comics isn't Ego but is instead a man named J'Son, the king of the planet Spartax. That being said, making Star-Lord half-Celestial significantly upped his power level, even if only for a short time.
Ego with an angry snarl in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
The Watcher's Confirmation
One element fueling speculation that Ego may not really be a Celestial is that, up until recently, Ego himself was the only source for the claim. However, in What If season 2, episode 2, 'What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes,' a credible source finally confirms Ego's status as a legitimate Celestial in the MCU.
Ego on his planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
In the episode, The Watcher calls Ego a Celestial, marking the first time the label has come from someone who isn't either Ego or basing their claim on Ego's own words. While the confirmation doesn't do much to explain the marked differences between Ego and other Celestials, it's now hard to argue that Ego isn't who he says he is.
Ego's planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
The Mystery of Ego's Uniqueness Among Celestials
Though an official explanation hasn't been given, it's reasonable enough to posit answers as to why Ego looks so different from other established Celestials in the MCU. The simplest answer is that the full origin and history of the MCU Celestials have been left relatively vague, so it's very possible that there's a wide variety of visual designs and forms of life that fall under the wider Celestial umbrella.
Ego gets shot by Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Given that Celestials are born inside planets and eventually break their way out, a more outlandish but possible explanation is that Ego is a partially developed Celestial who bonded with his planet and never reached his full physical form. Other Celestials, however, are almost guaranteed to appear in the MCU again, so Marvel's godlike cosmic beings likely still have an important role to play.
Arishem the Judge Celestial from Eternals in the MCU holding onto some Eternals
