Chris Hemsworth's Thor will completely transform from Fat Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, losing a whole lot of weight in the process, and potentially concluding a long journey that began with Fat Thor's Marvel Cinematic Universe outing in Avengers: Endgame. In fact, footage for Taika Waititi's second MCU movie has confirmed that Fat Thor is no more, and even shows the God of Thunder working out to get back to his former shape before Thanos' genocidal Infinity War snap. As Korg explains in the second Thor: Love and Thunder trailer, the movie will explore Thor's journey "from dad bod to god bod." This dramatic change sees Thor finally dealing with the physical manifestations of guilt, shame, and trauma from losing Asgard and the events in Avengers: Endgame.
Understanding why Thor looks so different in Thor: Love and Thunder entails remembering how Fat Thor came to be in the first place. Avengers: Infinity War was very tough on Thor: beginning with Thanos' attack on the remaining Asgardian population and Loki's death, and ending with Thor's failure to kill Thanos before he could snap. After these events, Thor displayed clear symptoms of PTSD and depression in Avengers: Endgame, one of which was significant weight gain. In a move that earned plenty of backlash, Marvel played Fat Thor off as comedic, but it looks like Thor: Love and Thunder plans to take a more genuine approach to Thor's mental health and personal journey with processing trauma.
Endgame's conclusion saw Thor turning his back on his duty to Asgard and heading off with the Guardians of the Galaxy to "find himself" and presumably continue his journey to true worthiness. While Thor was supposed to be a part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, the shift in the MCU's slate (partly thanks to James Gunn's removal and then reinstatement as director) has brought Thor into Phase 4 before his new Asgardians of the Galaxy team-mates return under their own headline. Whatever plans that might have seen him drop the Fat Thor look in Vol 3 have fallen into the abyss, leaving Thor: Love and Thunder with the job of explaining the change – and it's actually pretty heartwarming.
The Reason Thor Looks So Different In Love And Thunder
As shown in Thor: Love and Thunder's official footage, the God of Thunder is sporting an entirely new look and wardrobe in his fourth solo film to reflect his new outlook on life. For starters, he's clearly shifted all the weight from Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder actually addresses that part of his journey, as Fat Thor is shown working out using massive chains as battle ropes. Beyond his weight loss, Thor has also picked up a new sense of style, with Thor: Love and Thunder footage showing him in casual clothes in contrast to Thor's traditional Asgardian battle armor, and even a new set of armor that looks flashier and fresher than previous iterations. Most importantly, Thor's mindset also seems to have changed significantly in Thor: Love and Thunder, as he voices over the trailer talking about peace, love, and finding himself. Clearly, this mental shift plays a big part in his physical transformation.
Thor Is Finally Happy, And That Raises The Stakes
Thor's transformation in Thor 4 should presumably fit with his motivations at the end of Avengers: Endgame, and his transition back to his fit, muscular self seemingly confirms that he is recovering from his breakdown. While some audiences accused Endgame of making a joke of Fat Thor, the Avenger was suffering from PTSD after failing to stop Thanos, which manifested his transformation. His trauma led to self-punishment and weight gain; the weight of his past and his perceived Infinity War failure became too much. However, Thor: Love and Thunder's trailer reveals Thor not only back to peak physical condition - perhaps even better than ever - but with a completely different aesthetic. Thor's time with the Guardians may have helped him discover himself, come to terms with his trauma, and separate himself somewhat from the Thor that Asgard wanted him to be.
Fat Thor's failure to stop Thanos forced him to confront his notions of worthiness, which were, in turn, tied to his self-image. Thor, after all, proudly told his fellow Avengers repeatedly of his superiority and his mightiness, and his initial transformation came as a result of all of that crashing down when Thor failed to kill Thanos in Infinity War. But Thor's issues came long before that when he struggled to live up to his father's legend, first turning attempts to please Odin into an arrogant need for conquest and finally pushing away from his influence in Endgame. Thor's change in appearance and rejection of Asgardian clothing – his ceremonial robes of duty – is just as central a part of his transformation as his weight loss.
In short, Fat Thor was unhappy – even if his transformation didn't stand in the way of his role in Avengers: Endgame's conclusion – and his journey of self-discovery with the Guardians must have changed that. Thor has not only adopted a more casual look that fits with the crew of the Benatar but also found the clarity of self that he was looking for, indicating that his return to New Asgard in Thor: Love and Thunder will feature a new version of the God of Thunder. Thor's newfound contentment also means he has more to lose. With Gorr The God Butcher playing a key role in Thor: Love and Thunder, it's possible that the villain will unravel Thor's peace and happiness in wild fashion.
Thor Will Be Fully Nude For The First Time In Thor 4
Thor: Love and Thunder's new trailer shows Russell Crowe’s Zeus completely disrobing Thor before an arena, and while the scene is played for laughs, it's a moment of achievement for Thor to be so publicly naked after his transformation from Fat Thor. Given how several women around Zeus faint from the shock upon seeing the God of Thunder fully unclothed, the trailer also makes it clear that Thor certainly hasn't slimmed down in other areas. Jane Foster and Valkyrie consider helping him, but in a great moment for the female gaze, just continue eating grapes and laying back to see what happens. All of this puts into focus how Chris Hemsworth's transformation from Fat Thor back to his impressive Asgardian physique is part of the character's journey toward reclaiming his confidence and processing his Infinity War trauma. Bearing in mind Thor's journey from bloated and miserable to fit and positive, getting such reactions for his naked body, even in such a vulnerable state, confirms that Thor's godly workout is achieving positive results. Thor is clearly not 100% delighted about the disrobing, but it’s ultimately a great, character-building use of nudity.
