The plot of Thor: Ragnarok may take its hero far from home, but have no fear: the question of where Lady Sif and the Warriors Three end up when 'Ragnarok' comes will be answered. It's strange to think that such a confirmation would even be needed given that the collection of Asgardian friends and heroes were all introduced as an inseparable, painfully loyal family. But with all the evidence that Thor will be permanently changed by Ragnarok, and even signs of Asgard as a whole being destroyed, nobody is guaranteed to make it out alive.

It was for that very reason that reports of Lady Sif and the Warriors Three on Ragnarok's set were taken with a grain of salt. Just because the cast members were in the movie didn't mean they had another film, or even pivotal scenes in their future. The writer of Ragnarok has hinted at deaths, and a villain like Cate blanchett's Hela is definitely strong enough to take out a handful of Odin's best warriors. We can't say what fate Thor: Ragnarok has in store for Lady Sif, Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral - but fans will be given a definitive answer, one way or another.

If it seems odd to casual fans that Jaimie Alexander's 'Lady Sif,' Ray Stevenson's 'Volstagg,' Tadanobu Asano's 'Hogun' and Zachary Levi's 'Fandral' should be completely missing from the trailers, the simplest answer may be the right one. With Thor: The Dark World ending by putting Loki on the throne of Asgard disguised as Odin, and Thor heading to protect Earth with his Avenger friends, Loki had one loose end to tie up. It was the same loose end that ultimately cost him the throne in the first Thor movie too: you can get rid of the god of thunder, but his friends are another story.

Lady Sif and the Warriors Three

During our visit to the set of Ragnarok, the secrets of the missing Asgardians weren't openly revealed, but producer Brad Winderbaum did soothe the fan fears that the group had been written out of the series altogether. Jane Foster may get an off-screen break-up, but Thor's friends are for life:

It sounds like we're not seeing Sif and the Warriors Three, but do we learn what happened to them?

"Um... That's not necessarily the case. And yes."

The studio is intent on keeping the role played by Thor's former partners under wraps for now, but the response is confirmation that even if the characters aren't seen, their absence and story will be conveyed to the audience (and, presumably, to Thor). Even if Thor is assembling a new Ragnarok team for this adventure, he wouldn't forget them so quickly.

That doesn't put Lady Sif and the Warriors Three in the clear, however, since their capture or exile as a precaution by Loki would be the most preferable explanation for their absence. Assuming they were fooled by Loki's magic and remained in Asgard, that could put them front and center against Hela's invasion. For obvious reasons, fan favorite characters going up against what may be Marvel's best movie villain to date is never a good thing. If the Valkyrie fell to the goddess of death, we wouldn't give Thor's pals the edge in a fight.

All that being said, the characters did step aside to give Thor and Loki the spotlight of the series in Dark World. If that's a sign of where the franchise is heading, then a glorious sacrifice might be better than a permanent sidelining without explanation. But hey, it's just as likely the studio doesn't want to ruin the surprise when they swoop in to save the day, so fans can start crossing their fingers.

Thor: Ragnarok advance tickets are now on sale wherever tickets are sold.

NEXT: Ragnarok Will Explain Thor & Jane's Break-Up

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