In Thor: Love And Thunder, Valkyrie's romance will improve the MCU's queer representation approach, and she has a lot of potential partners. Valkyrie is canonically bisexual, though the scene which would have confirmed this in the MCU was ultimately cut from Thor: Ragnarok. With Disney having recently committed to greater LGBTQ+ representation, the MCU exploring every step of a queer romance for the first time can be a significant step in the right direction. While there are few confirmed details so far, there’s plenty to speculate about who will be Valkyrie's queen.

Valkyrie made her MCU debut in Thor: Ragnarok, as an estranged Asgardian warrior making her way as a scavenger on the warlike world of Sakaar. A flashback sequence shows the tragic loss of one of her fellow warriors – actor Tessa Thompson has since said she portrayed this scene as the loss of her lover. Since then, Valkyrie abandoned Asgard, leaving behind even her true name, Brunnhilde. Her story in the movies has led her home, eventually being named King of Asgard by Thor at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Her next step is to find a queen, and it’s been confirmed this will be a central part of the upcoming story in Thor: Love And Thunder.

Related: Thor: Love & Thunder - Every Theory On How Jane Foster Gets Her Powers

There’s no shortage of characters who could serve as potential love interests for Valkyrie. While confirmed LGBTQ+ characters are still a rarity in the MCU, the comics have been leading the charge for some time. After Avengers: Endgame saw Thor leaving Earth on Peter Quill’s spaceship, the best of Valkyrie’s potential partners are likely to be found in the Thor and Guardians Of The Galaxy comics. Here's every theory on who will be Valkyrie's queen leading up to Thor: Love and Thunder.

Jane Foster – Worthy of the Power of Thor

Thor Love and thunder Jane foster natalie portman

The entire mythos surrounding Thor is that whomsoever holds the hammer, if they be worthy, shall wield the power of Thor. The most significant development for Thor 4 is that this power will be wielded by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) following her return to the MCU. As such a central figure in the story, she seems an obvious choice for one of Valkyrie’s prospective partners.

If Jane Foster were to become the Queen of Asgard, it would mean that Asgard could still be ruled by someone with the power of Thor while freeing Thor himself from any remaining obligations as a monarch – obligations which he clearly no longer wants. This could provide an interesting way to complete Thor’s main ongoing story arc, transforming from an eager and headstrong prince to finding not one but two worthy leaders to rule Asgard in his stead, even if it creates some tension between Thor and Valkyrie over Thor's prior relationship with Jane. Ultimately, Jane is a fascinating choice in terms of who will be Valkyrie's queen.

Lady Sif – Warrior-Goddess of the Vanir

Sif fighting in a fiery battle.

Thor: Love And Thunder will also see the return of Lady Sif, who’s been conspicuously absent from the MCU ever since Thor: The Dark World, barring a brief appearance in Loki. Having survived both Hela and Thanos, Sif and Brunnhilde will have plenty to bond over. They may even develop romantic feelings for each other as a result. Sif’s actor, Jaimie Alexander, is clearly in favor of the idea, having publicly volunteered her character as Valkyrie’s prospective queen (via The Mary Sue).

Related: Thor 4 Theory: Lady Sif Returns With Loki In Love & Thunder

Angela – Thor’s Forgotten Sister

Angela holds a sword in Marvel Comics.

Thor: Ragnarok established Hela as the long-lost sister of Thor and the former wielder of Mjolnir. However, in the comics, these traits belonged to Angela – an angel and a bounty hunter. Angela made her debut in Marvel comics during the 2013 Age Of Ultron storyline (not to be confused with the 2015 movie, The Avengers: Age of Ultron). This storyline saw her pulled from heaven after Wolverine damaged the Omniverse (and it’s not hard to imagine that Doctor Strange’s damage to the Multiverse in the MCU might have had the same effect – there'd be narrative cause to introduce her).

Since then, Angela has appeared numerous times in comics alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy, often showing her as Gamora's battle companion. Angela is also canonically lesbian in the comics, which opens the possibility she may be interested in Valkyrie. Angela is rumored to appear in Thor 4, but considering how much of her character was already given to Hela, it’s uncertain what role she may take.

Sera – Transgender Fallen Angel

Sera harnessing her powers in Marvel comics

First appearing in the comic, Angela: Asgard’s Assassin, Sera is a magic-wielding angel who has a turbulent history with Angela. Comic storylines have seen her as a mercenary with the Ravagers, next to Yondu. She’s also canonically transgender and lesbian.

There have been discussions for some time about Marvel Studios introducing a trans character to the MCU, with calls for auditions starting back in 2019. This has led to some speculation that Sera may be introduced in Thor 4 (via RTL). In 2020, Sera was rumored to make her MCU debut in Loki, but she never arrived. Whether or not she’s set to appear in season 2 of Loki, there’s still a chance she could make her debut in Thor: Love And Thunder as a Valkyrie love interest.

Related: Thanos' Horrific Nebula Treatment Teased His Infinity War Plan

Nebula – Redeemed Villain

Karen Gillan as Nebula

The cyborg daughter of Thanos has had a tumultuous journey across her MCU appearances, following the path of Loki as a character who started as a villain before gradually joining the heroes' side. Her story has seen her reconcile with her sister, Gamora, in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, before making her first steps towards having actual friends during Avengers: Endgame. Nebula has changed in the MCU more than most characters, making her highly compelling.

For a character like Nebula, who lives with the emotional damage of surviving abuse, a romantic relationship could be a logical next step in her character development, and an answer as to who will be Valkyrie's queen. A story like this could contain some genuinely touching moments, seeing Nebula learn to trust people while also further absolving her of her past villainy. This can ultimately cement her place among the protagonists – if not as a true hero, then at least as an antihero. Valkyrie could be the one to show Nebula what romance is, maybe getting a chance to let her guard down and open up about her own past trauma in the process.

Moondragon – Telepathic Space Warrior

Comic artwork of Moondragon.

A Marvel Comics character who has yet to appear in the MCU, Moondragon is a telepath and the daughter of Drax the Destroyer. Comic book storylines have seen her trained in combat by the father of Thanos, she’s fought alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy and has helped the Avengers confront Thanos. She’s also bisexual, making her a potential love interest for Valkyrie. One particular comic storyline, in The Defenders #124, saw Valkyrie assigned as Moondragon’s guardian at Odin’s judgment – with an established connection like this, if she doesn’t appear in Thor: Love And Thunder, there’s a good chance she may appear with Valkyrie in future stories. While in the main MCU timeline, Drax's family was killed, it would be easy to introduce Moon Dragon as a variant through the multiverse or by simply changing her origin story as the MCU has done before.

Captain Marvel – The MCU’s Most Powerful Hero

The MCU's Captain Marvel.

Valkyrie and Captain Marvel are a popular fan pairing, but this idea isn’t entirely limited to fans. Mary Livanos, the producer of Captain Marvel and WandaVision, has teased the possibility of Brunhilde and Carol Danvers possibly being a couple (via Pink News). Valkyrie is rumored to appear in The Marvels, which could further support this idea. The actors behind the two characters, Brie Larson and Tessa Thompson, are both advocates for greater LGBTQ+ representation among superheroes and are known for leaving positive responses to fan art of their characters as a couple.

Related: Brie Larson's The Marvels Tease Fixes A Captain Marvel Movie Mistake

Dr. Annabelle Riggs – Archaeologist And Indiana Jones Wannabe

Annabelle Riggs and Valkyrie kiss in Marvel Comics.

In Marvel comics, Annabelle Riggs is an archaeologist from Earth who first met Valkyrie while she was excavating an ancient Viking grave. Canonically lesbian, Annabelle has had an unusual history with Valkyrie in comic storylines, particularly in the Fearless Defenders series. This story saw the two of them accidentally sharing the same body after Valkyrie resurrected her from death (via CBR). It’ll be interesting to see how a storyline like this may eventually be handled on-screen, especially after Venom and Moon Knight have played with similar ideas.

Thor joking about the Asgardians of the Galaxy at the end of Avengers: Endgame could be a hint in Annabelle’s favor, as she was a member of a team-up by the same name in the comics. With Valkyrie still on Earth at the beginning of Thor: Love And Thunder, she’d undoubtedly have a chance to encounter Annabelle. As an archeologist studying ancient Viking battles, her character could also be quite easily tied in with the greater comic mythology behind Gorr the God Butcher and his fearsome sword, the All-Black. What's more, Annabelle appearing in the MCU could set up the possibility of a Fearless Defenders movie in the future. As an unassuming character compared with the others on this list, but also an obvious callback to the earlier relationship between Thor and Jane Foster, Annabelle Riggs may be the most likely candidate as to who will be Valkyrie's queen.

Thor: Love & Thunder Will Be An MCU Queer Representation Landmark

Valkyrie crowned as the king of Asgard in Endgame

In terms of who will be Valkyrie's queen, Thor: Love and Thunder has the opportunity to present the first fully-formed LGBTQ+ relationship between two main characters. LGBTQ+ representation is steadily rising in the MCU, thanks to plenty of backlash about the current shortage thereof. Disney has faced recent backlash over its inaction around the "Don't Say Gay" bill, and Love and Thunder is a golden opportunity to correct course despite recent LGBTQ+ inclusions. Eternals saw one of the first openly gay relationships in the MCU, with Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and his husband Ben Stoss (Haaz Sleiman) sharing an onscreen kiss. Another LGBTQ+ addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe was America Chavez's parents in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: In the comics, they're a lesbian couple, both doctors, named Amalia and Elena Chavez, although the MCU's versions are quickly dispensed with in a flashback when America opens up a multiversal portal behind them after being startled by a bee. Thor: Love and Thunder needs to do better.

While these recent additions are well-intentioned and important, Thor 4 has the chance to introduce a queer couple made up of prolific and well-known MCU characters. Both Jane Foster and the mighty warrior Sif are great choices when it comes down to who will be Valkyrie's queen, as they would not only open up the MCU to better LGBTQ+ representation but also provide more screentime dedicated to a fully-formed queer relationship. There’s a steadily increasing number of actors, directors, and producers who are keen to show greater LGBTQ+ representation in movies, and Thor: Love And Thunder is finally due to deliver on this. Queer representation is still sorely lacking in film, especially in properties like the Disney-owned MCU, but Valkyrie holds the potential to have a substantial impact on this front.

Related: Natalie Portman's Thor 4 Return Shows The Problem With The Comic Adaptation

Thor 4 Risks The Age-Old Queer Death Trope And Should Swerve It

Valkyrie fighting Gorr with lightning bolt in Thor Love and Thunder

The offensive queer death trope in popular media — known as "Bury Your Gays" — is an unfortunate possibility for the plot of Thor 4, and it should definitely be avoided. The "Bury Your Gays" trope came about as more representation of the LGBTQ+ community reached the screen. The trope itself suggests that LGBTQ+ characters are "more expendable" than heterosexual ones, leading to a string of gruesome character deaths alongside lackluster representation. More often than not, LGBTQ+ characters die before their heterosexual counterparts in movies and television, and this has rightfully led to outrage within the community. With the advent of more proper representation in the media and the MCU as a whole, there are bound to be more characters in the throes of danger (especially in the MCU's case), which could mean a certain temptation to lean on the harmful "Bury Your Gays" trope.

While some of Thor: Love and Thunder may be dedicated to figuring out who will be Valkyrie's queen, some of her onscreen time will be devoted to fighting Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). In the movie, Valkyrie goes up against Gorr in the Necroverse, wielding one of Zeus' thunderbolts for protection. However, given that Russell Crowe's Zeus could well face an early onscreen death, it's unlikely that one of his thunderbolts can hold up against the power of the Necrosword. Valkyrie may get some assistance from Thor and Mighty Thor, but the fight could end in her demise given the all-consuming nature of the Necrosword's power.

Waititi has the chance to avoid the "Bury Your Gays" trope by letting the King of Asgard live to tell the tale. After all, the director surely doesn't want to add to the recorded list of 225 queer death trope victims. Placing the search for Valkyrie's queen and her bisexuality at the forefront of Thor: Love and Thunder is an excellent start for LGBTQ+ representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That being said, it is yet to be seen if Waititi falls into the queer death trope trap, essentially cheapening Valkyrie's character and adding yet another queer cinematic death to an already long list.

Next: Disney Needs To Properly Fix Its LGBTQ+ Mistakes In All Franchises

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