How Chris Hemsworth's Thor Can Exit The MCU (Will He Really Die?)

Chris Hemsworth's Thor has been a staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Phase 1, and the actor's recent comments have led many to wonder how exactly that long journey will end. As of the end of Phase 4 with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Thor is one of three remaining members of the original six Avengers alongside Hawkeye and Hulk. With Hawkeye passing the reins to Kate Bishop, and Hulk's journey moving more cosmic and away from the Avengers, Thor's next appearance could well be his last, putting to bed his longstanding MCU run.

However, there are many possible ways this handover could happen. Whether Thor's journey ends happily, more akin to Captain America's, or is more of a heroic sacrifice like Iron Man's in Avengers: Endgame remains to be seen, although there are plenty of different ways each could happen. From the introduction of the multiverse to the upcoming tent pole movies like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, - alongside elements set up in Thor's MCU past - here is every major way Thor could leave the MCU, both happily and more tragically.

Thor Retires With Love After Fighting Against Kang

Thor and Love spring to action at the end of Thor Love and Thunder

One of the happier ways Thor could leave the MCU was set up in Thor: Love and Thunder, which lends its name to the film's title. The ending of Love and Thunder saw Thor taking custody of Love, the daughter of Gorr the God Butcher, and becoming a father in a way he was unable to with Jane Foster. In the film's final sequence, Thor and Love are shown to engage in superhero activities together across the galaxy, with the former wielding the rebuilt Mjolnir and Love being given Stormbreaker. One of the main options for Thor leaving the MCU would be retiring happily with his newfound family.

This would not only be a great ending for Thor, but it could create a nice parallel with the original Avengers depending on where Hawkeye and Hulk's stories go. Iron Man and Black Widow sacrificed themselves to defeat Thanos, while Captain America retired with Peggy Carter in the past. With Hawkeye likely to also retire with his family, it would be fitting for Thor to do the same. If Hulk is killed in the MCU's future, three of the Avengers would have died and three would have survived. Not only would this be a neat parallel, but Thor is arguably the original Avenger who has lost the most, meaning retiring with his newfound child would be a fitting, heartwarming end for the God of Thunder.

Thor And Loki Retire Through The Multiverse To Payoff Infinity War

One of the other happier endings for Thor could come through Loki season 2, with the two brothers reuniting after the setup in Avengers: Infinity War. Shortly before Loki's death at the hands of Thanos at the onset of Infinity War, Loki insists that the sun will shine on Thor and Loki again. At first, this seemed like a line to simply make Loki's death much more tragic for both Thor and the audience. However, this line could come full circle in the MCU's Phases 5 and 6 by reuniting Thor with the multiversal variant of Loki currently present in the MCU.

With Loki season 1 setting up the arrival of Kang to the MCU, it is expected that season 2 will further explore this and tie directly into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty after Kang replaces Thanos as the MCU's next villain. If this is the case, it is likely that Loki and Thor, should the latter's next appearance come in Avengers 5, will reunite. Through this, the two could survive the fight with Kang and journey through the multiverse together with Love, paying off Loki's line from Infinity War, despite being a variant.

Thor Sacrifices Himself Fighting Kang In The Kang Dynasty

One of the more tragic endings for Thor in the MCU would be his death in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. As Phase 6 is expected to end with Avengers: Secret Wars, akin to the two-part event of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, The Kang Dynasty will need to end in a way that differentiates itself from Infinity War. One of the ways this could be possible is through killing some longstanding MCU characters off for good, rather than the temporary deaths of Thanos' snap in Avengers 3. This would not only establish very high stakes going into Secret Wars but could provide heroic sacrifices for MCU heroes like Thor.

With Avengers 5 and 6 expected to usher in the age of the New Avengers and potentially the Young Avengers, it is likely that the remaining Avengers from the 2012 film will be retired in one way or another. Given Thor's selfless arc that began his journey in Thor, it would be fitting for him to sacrifice himself in The Kang Dynasty. Thor's sacrifice could save the more central members of the New Avengers/Young Avengers, and take the adage of the old making way for the new in a very literal way. Thor's death at the hands of Kang would then set up Secret Wars as the surviving heroes getting revenge against the Conqueror, alongside establishing him as a massive threat.

Thor Dies In Secret Wars After Reuniting With Multiversal Variants Of The Avengers

As Secret Wars is expected to feature the multiverse prominently, Thor's death in this film could be made a bittersweet ending. While it is currently unclear how Avengers: Secret Wars will feature its expected cameos, some of them could come from the actors of the original Avengers that were retired in Phase 3. From Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the Avengers could be reunited through the multiverse albeit with different dynamics. Regardless, seeing the actors of the original six back together on screen would be amazing, and Thor sacrificing himself after this to rectify his guilt of their original deaths could be a beautiful way to end his character.

Thor Reunites With Jane, Heimdall, And Original Loki In Valhalla

The MCU's Thor and Marvel Comics Valhalla

Arguably one of the most rewarding endings for Chris Hemsworth's Thor was set up in his last solo adventure, Thor: Love and Thunder. In the post-credits scene for Thor: Love and Thunder, Jane Foster meets Heimdall in Valhalla, which is the Norse afterlife in which soldiers live in peace after dying a hero's death. This post-credits scene could mean a lot to Thor's pocket of the MCU, potentially meaning that everyone Thor has lost is living in peace in the afterlife. This would include Jane and Heimdall as mentioned, but also the original Loki, Odin, Thor's mother Frigga, and the Warriors Three, with all of these contributing to Thor's immense loss.

If one of the sacrifices mentioned above, either in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars, comes to pass, Thor's final scene in the MCU could be him being welcomed to Valhalla by Heimdall. This would be an extremely emotional ending for Thor, reuniting him with everyone he has lost in his life. Not only would this be fitting for both Thor's character and his Norse mythological inspirations, but it would be an extremely bittersweet ending for one of the remaining original Avengers, much like those of Black Widow, Captain America, and Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Next: Love & Thunder's Humor Failure Secretly Reveals Thor's MCU Future