The Eternaut Prepared Us

I've often wondered what would have happened during the so-called pandemic if humanity hadn’t had access to the digital means of communication we now take for granted. I’m talking about the internet, cell phones, WhatsApp, and chat apps. Without them, isolation would have been brutal. Millions would have been completely cut off from their loved ones, knowing nothing about their families, friends, or even what was happening in the world.

And not just that: what would have become of remote work? Of access to information? Of the possibility of maintaining even a minimal sense of connection? Without a doubt, the economic and psychological impact would have been devastating. Fortunately, digital platforms helped keep us sane, connected, informed. They reminded us that, despite everything, we were still human.

In this context, I can’t help but think of Carl Jung’s concept of synchronicity — the idea that certain events don’t happen by mere coincidence but are meant to unfold in a particular way. And that’s where The Eternaut comes in, the masterpiece created in 1957 by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, the author who used science fiction as a political outcry, a mirror of his country and his times.

The Eternaut is something like The War of the Worlds, but in comic form, set in a Buenos Aires besieged by toxic snow, death, and invasion. A story born while Peronism was under attack by a military dictatorship, in a torn Argentina. Oesterheld didn’t just write a tale of aliens — he built a metaphor for authoritarianism, repression, and collective resistance.

It’s no coincidence that authors like Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City) or Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Watchmen) have cited Oesterheld as one of their major influences. Even Alberto Breccia, one of the greatest illustrators in the history of comics, contributed to the work, giving a legendary face to Juan Salvo — the masked hero who left his house not to save the world alone, but to organize others, to resist together. The Eternaut is no lone superhero: he’s the embodiment of the people in struggle.

And now, that story arrives on Netflix. Directed by Bruno Stagnaro, starring Ricardo Darín, and produced with a budget that —according to experts— equates to the cost of a single episode of The Last of Us, this adaptation proves what can be achieved when there’s talent, vision, and a powerful story behind it.

The result? Stunning visuals, a solid narrative, and a cast that delivers memorable performances. Darín’s performance is simply on another level. And Stagnaro, who has surrounded himself with brilliant visual artists, shows how you can do much more with much less. It’s not Hollywood, but it feels just as grand.

What will happen in the next seasons? That remains a mystery. The story grows more complex, more visually ambitious, more symbolic. But if they maintain this formula of respect for the original, technical creativity, and a human focus, The Eternaut could become a global phenomenon.

Because beyond science fiction, what this work transmits is the importance of collectivity in the face of authoritarianism. A Latin American story that speaks out loud, at a geopolitical moment when its message resonates more than ever. Oesterheld, who was disappeared by the very dictatorship he so courageously denounced, could not have imagined a better tribute to his legacy.