Netflix‘s post-apocalyptic drama The Eternaut has become a global hit within days of its release, drawing comparisons to genre staples like The Last of Us and The Walking Dead. The series adapts a groundbreaking Argentine graphic novel that served as political commentary during a turbulent period in the country’s history.
Héctor Germán Oesterheld first published El Eternauta as a serialized sci-fi comic in 1957. The story depicts Buenos Aires buried under deadly snowfall — the opening salvo of an alien invasion. Citizens don gas masks and improvised protective gear to survive the lethal precipitation.
The narrative centers on Juan Salvo, a grief-stricken protagonist who reluctantly leads a resistance movement against the otherworldly threat.
Oesterheld’s 1969 revision infused the work with more explicit political symbolism. He reframed the alien invaders as metaphors for oppressive systems — whether American interventionism, authoritarian regimes, or global capitalism. By the time of his 1977 abduction by Argentina’s military regime, his work had evolved into pointed political criticism.
The deadly snowfall in The Eternaut functions as a powerful allegory for the silent, sudden repression that descended upon Argentina during its military dictatorship era.
As Argentina fell under brutal military rule in the 1970s, Oesterheld’s storytelling became increasingly defiant. Later versions of The Eternaut reflected the paranoia and violence of life under a regime that eliminated dissenters. His portrayal of powerless citizens rising against faceless oppressors ultimately made him a target.
The military junta that seized power in 1976 conducted what became known as the “Dirty War,” during which approximately 30,000 people were forcibly disappeared. Oesterheld, along with his four daughters, was among those abducted due to his leftist affiliations and increasingly defiant narratives. None were ever seen again.
This historical context gives Netflix‘s adaptation its emotional resonance. While the series delivers impressive visuals and high-stakes survival drama, it simultaneously functions as a testament to voices silenced by authoritarianism. The adaptation not only revitalizes a genre classic but amplifies the message of a disappeared writer, bringing international attention to a story that once challenged a repressive regime.
