Of the three main stars of the MCU in Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, it was the God of Thunder whose story remained incomplete by the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame. We saw Thor head off into space with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the recent announcement of Thor 4 means he will most likely be solo once more in a distant part of the solar system.
We’ve seen a proven cast of characters for the Thor series, and know now by certain which ones we’d like to see return in the next installment and which ones we’re not interested in. In this list, we’re also considering characters from other MCU films who have interacted with Thor before.
Want: Hela
Before Thanos, we found our first villain we loved who didn’t have any redeeming qualities in Hela. Despite having the usual universe conquering plan that every other antagonist has, Hela made sense because of her connection to Thor and Loki, being their elder sister.
Her powers were also a thing of wonder, and we just couldn’t get enough of how beautifully she took out anyone who opposed her. The case is clear for Hela’s return: we never actually saw her die. Her last image was being impaled by Surtur, but the glow that resonated from her made it seem as if she’d vanished rather than be killed. Another go at Thor in the sequel would be just what the doctor ordered.
Want: Korg
The Thor series tried its best to give the protagonist a funny best friend, first by dabbling with the Warriors Three and then trying out with Darcy Lewis on Earth; Korg finally answered these prayers by being a sweetheart in personality and the source of the best comedy.
Being portrayed by Taika Waititi himself, Korg’s return should be a given, but there’s the question of how he might come back considering we last saw him bingeing Fortnite on Earth. Perhaps we could see Korg introduce the PlayStation to beings in outer space? What we do know is that Thor 4 would be very dull if Korg wasn’t included in it.
Don't Want: Jane Foster
The time for Jane is done, and Avengers: Endgame’s cameo of the character should be the last time we even hear of her anymore. Thor: Ragnarok proved that Thor was way more entertaining when he wasn’t bogged down by a love interest, and with Jane all he did was come across as some kind of loverboy prince.
Jane was pretty good, but she just wasn’t interesting enough to come along for this adventure, not when we’re looking to place Thor in space rather than on Earth. Jane had her time in the MCU, and the door should be firmly shut where she’s concerned.
Want: Valkyrie
Taika Waititi did a wonderful swerve by having Valkyrie as Thor’s equal rather than a love interest, as this has given her a character of her own, free of being tied to Thor to be relevant. She was just as interesting in Avengers: Endgame as she was in her first appearance, and we’re excited to see what’s up with New Asgard.
Ideally, her side of the story should be about how the reversal of the Snap has caused New Asgard to face difficulties, and now she’s looking to find a new settlement for the Asgardians in space along with Thor. Whatever way they use to bring her back, we just want her to be free of any love interest, the same as we want for Thor.
Want: Lady Sif
Of all the characters we’ve seen so far in the MCU, Lady Sif is one whose story remains incomplete in feeling. There were moments in Thor and Thor: The Dark World where her attraction Thor was evident, but nothing came out of this and there was no conflict between Sif and Jane either. Avengers: Endgame directors confirmed Sif had died in the Snap, meaning she was brought back in 2023.
Thor 4 is where Sif should be brought back into importance, and it needs to be in such a way that proves she had a point to begin with. The teases with Thor need to be abandoned; in its place, Sif should be out to find the Asgardians and return home once more.
Don't Want: Darcy Lewis
What would be the point of bringing Darcy back, really? Her relevance was when she was connected to Jane Foster, and there’s no way Darcy’s still an intern over a decade later. Besides, she was just there to serve as comic relief, and with that role now being taken, Darcy doesn’t need to be seen again.
Even in Thor: The Dark World, it was clear Darcy was just there because she’d been in the first film, so she’s never been useful if you think about it. Having her featured in the latest part would mean another trip to Earth, and that’s something we’re not interested in.
Want: Rocket Raccoon
Yes, we are aware Rocket was never in a Thor film to begin with, but he was Thor’s buddy in all of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, making him a close personal connection to the God of Thunder.
The banter between Thor and Rocket was one for the ages, and we’d love to hear more “melted ice cream” insults coming from Rocket. Heck, Thor 4 could even have Rocket be the gym trainer for Thor and we’d be cool with it. These two just had a special connection that would be a shame to be ignored, and Rocket should at least be featured enough to give us a sense of closure for this dynamic.
Want: Bruce Banner (Without Hulk)
As it turned out, Thor’s best friend in the Avengers had been Bruce all along and we are far from done watching these two being buddies. Thor: Ragnarok proved Thor was equally as fun with the Banner persona, with the Avengers: Endgame version of the character being Banner in conscience as well.
However, we don’t want the Hulk to return, as it’s time to show us what Bruce Banner is really capable of. In our point of view, the Professor Hulk angle fell flat and had no payoff; this opens up a story for Bruce to revert back to being Banner and accept that he doesn’t need the power of the Hulk to feel useful.
Don't Want: Odin
They’ve done all they could with Odin, and more of him would mean more evidence of him being a very questionable father, which would only sully his reputation further for the audience. In Thor: Ragnarok, Odin had his farewell and we just can’t see any more sense in bringing him back for those therapeutic flashes he had with Thor in the film.
Odin’s part was played well, but now it is time for his legacy to do the rest, and Hela, Loki, and Thor are enough to keep us engaged going forward. A couple references to Odin would be okay, but a full appearance is unneeded.
Want: Loki (Second Timeline Version)
Even though we loved how Loki and Thor loved each other by Avengers: Infinity War, that was the end of the road for the God of Mischief's character development. Who would Loki be without his duplicity? And the one who died by Thanos’ hand wasn’t the person who would look to dupe Thor anymore.
This leaves out the version of Loki who escaped in Avengers: Endgame, the guy who had no character development starting from Thor: The Dark World, making him a villain and in a highly intriguing position for Thor 4, where a team up with Hela would be a dream to see unfold onscreen.