Marvel May Need Hercules For Thor 4 (Because of Ragnarok)

Because of the events that unfolded in Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel may need to introduce Hercules and the Greek pantheon into the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder. In the third installment in the Thor franchise, Asgard was destroyed and an untold number of gods lost their lives in the battle against Odin’s long-lost daughter, Hela (Cate Blanchett).

Over the years, the Thor movies have given the Marvel Cinematic Universe a long list of characters tied to Thor’s corner of the Marvel Universe in the comic books. Ragnarok alone introduced audiences to Executioner, Valkyrie, Hela, the Fenris Wolf, and Surtur. Even more could join the fold in the fourth film, Thor: Love and Thunder. For instance, a relatively new addition to Thor comics - Gorr the God Butcher - will be brought to life on the big screen in the new movie. There’s no official word on what other new heroes and villains will be appearing, but there’s also no shortage of rumors regarding who Thor 4 might feature. Some suspect that Thor’s next adventure with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Lady Sif (Jamie Alexander), and Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) could incorporate key characters such as Beta Ray Bill, Enchantress, Balder the Brave, and Hercules.

These are all characters who have long been missing from Thor’s world in the MCU. Chief among them is Hercules, who is without a doubt the most important Avenger that hasn’t been adapted yet. In Marvel Comics, Hercules is a fun-loving demigod who enjoys brawling with villains (and his fellow superheroes). Along with Thor and Hulk, Hercules is one of Marvel’s strongest characters. He’s someone fans have wanted to see in the MCU for a long time now, and the time may finally be right for him.

Marvel's Gorr The God Butcher Story Explained

Thor and a screaming Gorr the God Butcher battle in a panel from a Marvel comic book.

It’s been confirmed that the villain Thor will be dealing with in Love and Thunder is Gorr the God Butcher, who will be portrayed by Christian Bale. In the comics, Gorr was an alien warrior who faced a great tragedy when he lost everyone dear to him. When Gorr discovered that gods exist, he developed a deep animosity for them, as he couldn’t understand why gods didn’t save his people. His hatred grew until he decided to take matters into his own hands. After acquiring a powerful sword, he began a crusade against the gods and slowly began killing them off. Centuries passed, and finally his actions earned the attention of Thor, who took it upon himself to end Gorr’s killing spree against the gods. This led to an adventure in time where Thor was brought to the future for another showdown with Gorr. In the end, the villain was brought down by the God of Thunder, who had to use Mjolnir’s from two different time periods to beat him.

Why Thor: Ragnarok Makes More Gods Necessary

What made Gorr the God Butcher feel like a compelling and truly dangerous foe was the fact that he was a mortal engaging in a brutal (and successful) war on the gods. To make this same point, Marvel will have to show Gorr slaughtering some of the MCU’s gods. Thor: Ragnarok made this a problem, though, because it already killed off several of Gorr’s potential targets. The Warriors Three and numerous unknown Asgardians perished as a result of Hela’s takeover. The MCU doesn’t really have that many gods left for Gorr to pursue, and will need more to make his story work on the big screen.

Since Marvel has already done away with many of its Asgardian characters, this feels like the perfect time to bring in a new pantheon of gods. Zeus and the Greek gods occupy the secret city of Olympus in Marvel Comics, and have played prominent roles in stories related to Thor and the Avengers. If Marvel adapts the gods of Olympus in Thor: Love and Thunder, it can introduce MCU interpretations of several new characters, including Zeus, Hera, Ares, Hermes, Typhon, and of course, Hercules. Many of them could serve as Gorr's victims in the beginning of the movie. If one of them was Zeus, that would further reinforce the notion that the villain is one of the greatest threats Thor has ever encountered. Any foe that can vanquish a character whose power is on par with Odin’s is someone that has to be taken seriously. With Odin and most of the Asgardians gone, introducing Zeus and the Greek gods is now the best way for Marvel to make sure Christian Bale’s Thor 4 character lives up to the title of “God Butcher”.

How Hercules Can Fit Into Thor 4’s Gorr Story (Without Dying)

The Greek gods being used in this way doesn’t exactly mean doom for the Prince of Power. Thor: Love and Thunder can let the Greek gods be massacred by Gorr without simultaneously taking away someone who has the potential to be a major MCU Avenger in the future. It could be that when Gorr wreaks havoc on Olympus and the Greek gods, Hercules could be the sole survivor. As a character whose strength is close to Thor’s, it seems feasible that’d be one character who could come out of that fight in one piece. Another way for Hercules to avoid death is for him to be outside Olympus when Gorr’s attack occurs. That also fits with who Hercules is both in the myths and in the comics. As a demigod outcast, he spends a lot of his time wandering Earth and mingling with mortals. It may be that when he heads back home, he’ll discover that his father and relatives were killed. He could then embark on a quest for revenge and set his sights on Gorr.

Either way, Hercules surviving the massacre of the Greek gods would set up a team-up between Thor and Hercules, who would have to work together to stop his crusade from going even further. With all his power, Hercules would be a formidable ally for him, plus he could provide some interesting interactions. As character who enjoys testing his strength against his others, he could form a fun rivalry with Thor that mirrors the one they share in the comics. Furthermore, the humorous aspects of his personality, such as his lazy behavior and constant boasting, make him a good fit for the tone of a film directed by Taika Waititi. It’s also worth noting that Thor: Love and Thunder could just be the beginning for Hercules. As a major superhero with decades of Marvel Comics history, he could have a bright future in the MCU as a member of the next Avengers team or as the star of his own Disney+ series.

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