In the eyes of even the most diehard fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Thor trilogy is typically viewed as the worst among the main trio of heroes. The original in 2011 was seen as solid and the 2013 sequel usually has the lowest ratings on review websites of any MCU film.
Things turned around with the third entry in 2017 in a huge way and now a fourth film is on the horizon. Despite the mixed reviews at times, the characters of the franchise have become some of the most memorable in the MCU, often thanks to their most iconic scenes.
Grandmaster - Meeting Thor For The First Time
As far as secondary antagonists go, it doesn't get much better than The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. The ruler of the planet Sakaar, he was first seen when Thor was brought in by Scrapper-142 to be one of the gladiators in the planet's fighting pits.
This was the case of a perfect introduction as Grandmaster got to showcase all of his eccentric behavior and oddities. From his Willy Wonka style preview to his banter with Topaz and Scrapper-142 to the way he mocks Thor's "sparklers," The Grandmaster immediately stole the show. That's not even mentioning how this scene also has him acting as a DJ and pardoning his cousin from life.
Hulk - Fighting With Thor On Sakaar
Like Grandmaster, Hulk's (Mark Ruffalo) only appearance in this trilogy came in the third entry. There, fans finally got the moment they had been waiting for since 2012's The Avengers as Thor got to go one-on-one with The Incredible Hulk in an all-out battle.
Of course, this was a Hulk who had been in that form for two years and didn't really mind fighting his old buddy. Fans will never forget the "He's a friend from work" line or getting to see these two powerful Avengers go at it. Though no official winner was named, Hulk did get to slam Thor around like he did to Loki.
Frigga - Sacrificing Herself For Jane
It is typically agreed upon that Thor and Loki's parents were underutilized in the early films. That was especially the case for Frigga (Rene Russo) as she was mostly a background character in 2011's Thor. Thankfully, she was given a bit more to do in 2013's Thor: The Dark World.
For starters, her relationship with Loki was further expanded on and helped humanize him. However, her standout moment came when she defended Jane Foster against the Dark Elves, sacrificing herself and losing her life in the process. In the end, Frigga's best MCU scene actually came years later in Avengers: Endgame.
Odin - Taking Away Thor's Hammer
The start of Thor saw the titular God of Thunder in line to become the ruler and king of Asgard. To do so, he'd have to place his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) but that plan had a wrench thrown in it when Thor's rash and sometimes immature actions got him in trouble.
As punishment, Odin banished Thor from Asgard and sent him to Earth. While doing so, he also disposed of Mjolnir and whispered to the hammer that whoever was worthy shall wield it. That set the stage for Thor to become worthy and ultimately get Mjolnir back in a heroic moment.
Korg - Introducing Himself To Thor
A short while after The Grandmaster's fantastic debut in Thor: Ragnarok, another one came when Thor met Korg (Taika Waititi). The Kronan gladiator acted as Thor's and the audience's introduction to the world of fighting on Sakaar but it was the way he did it that worked so well.
Like Grandmaster, Korg immediately shined due to his fun personality. He looked like an imposing figure but was soft-spoken and cracked a rock, paper, scissors joke. It not only was a great moment for Korg but it set the tone for the kind of character that he would be going forward.
Heimdall - Saving The People Of Asgard
It's fitting that so many of the good guys in these movies had their best moments being their heroic acts. Heimdall (Idris Elba) had a handful of them but the one that stands out is likely from Thor: Ragnarok when he helped get his people to safety.
With Hela threatening the well-being of almost everyone on Asgard, Heimdall managed to get many of them into the forest to escape her forces. He also helped Thor while doing so, proving his versatility as a hero. Heimdall's other memorable moment was likely going against Loki as king in the first film to do what was right.
Jane Foster - Slapping Loki
Honestly, it's a shame that Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) didn't get more to do in the first two films. She was mostly relegated to just being the love interest of Thor and wasn't even afforded the opportunity to use much of her genius intellect to resolve any major problems.
So, her most iconic moment is likely when she slapped Loki in Thor: The Dark World. It was her first time meeting him and she stood up to the God as if they were evenly matched, showing her bravery. It's very likely that she'll get a true standout moment in Thor: Love and Thunder as she takes on the mantle of Thor.
Valkyrie - Fighting On The Bridge With The Revengers
Unlike Jane Foster, Scrapper-142/Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) was given ample opportunity to come across like a badass figure in the MCU. There's a reason she has quickly become so popular with fans. Her introduction was great as she used her ship to send away people trying to capture Thor before taking him for herself.
While that was good, her best moment was certainly teaming up with the rest of the Revengers. She finally got over some of her past and donned the Valkyrie outfit again. Watching her walk with her sword on the bridge as fireworks went off before she kicked butt was iconic. Valkyrie will likely also get to shine in the next movie as King of Asgard.
Loki - Sacrificing Himself For Thor
As popular as Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has become over the years, he didn't get off to the best start. In 2011's Thor, he was at his worst and least likable before becoming a great villain in The Avengers. So, he got an expanded role in Thor: The Dark World.
While that film wasn't well-received, most audience members agree that Loki was the highlight. Along with his emotional outburst after Frigga's death, Loki had his first true moment of redemption when he sacrificed himself to save Thor. Though he was revealed to be alive in the end, this scene still worked.
Thor - The God Of Thunder Arrives
One of the issues brought up with the first two movies in this trilogy was that Thor (Chris Hemsworth) didn't get enough interesting ways to showcase his power level. That all changed in Thor: Ragnarok with cool ideas like the fight against Hulk and using his hammer against Surtur's minions.
Interestingly, Thor's best scene came after both the loss of Mjolnir and his eye. A vision of his father reminded him that he's the God of Thunder, not hammers, prompting Thor to summon his ultimate power. With lightning surrounding him, Thor took out Hela and many of her minions as "Immigrant Song" played in the background.