The God of Thunder’s final film in his stand-alone trilogy, Thor: Ragnarok saw the end of life on Asgard, with Thor bringing what remained of his people to Earth to start life over. New Asgard rose from the ashes, a small fishing village in Norway, but by the end of Avengers: Endgame, it was clear that Thor didn't want to be a ruler anymore. He elected to join the Guardians of the Galaxy for space adventures unknown, leaving Thor fans wondering what would happen should a fourth Thor film ever be made.
Unlike the other stand-alone trilogies involving MCU characters, the Thor films always had a colorful cast of supporting characters that appeared again and again in plots completely separate from anything happening on Earth. Though several of them were killed in the many battles leading up to Endgame, there are still many alive that deserve more screen time. Here are five characters we want to return if Thor 4 ever gets off the ground, and 5 we’d take a hard pass on.
Return: Valkyrie
The hard-drinking, hard-talking Valkyrie practically stole the show in Thor: Ragnarok, which was no small task considering all the huge gladiators swaggering around in The Grandmaster’s arena. The character proved a worthy sidekick for Thor with her super strength and agility, helping him and Hulk escape imprisonment while kicking ass Asgardian style along the way.
Obviously, Thor thought highly of Valkyrie in Avengers: Endgame because he named her his successor to rule over New Asgard on Earth while he joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. Maybe in Thor 4 we'll get to see what sort of queen she becomes because viewers can't get enough of this fan favorite.
Pass: Jane Foster
The longtime lover of Thor in both the comics and the Thor films, Jane Foster was introduced in the first movie as a scientist who discovers Thor after he's landed on Earth and keeps his identity a secret—as much as that's possible with Agent Coulson on the case. Her personality wasn't very well established, and she suffered from a lack of motivating principles.
In Thor: Ragnarok, we learn, in a rather flippant line made by Thor, that she dumped him... or he dumped her, or that it was a mutual dumping. There can't have been much meaning there if that's all the attention their break up gets, but it makes a certain amount of sense considering how chemistry-less their relationship was.
Return: Loki
Loki could have been a two-dimensional stock villain in the Thor or Avengers films, but he was given complex motivations, depth of character, and a sense of humor. After fans had spent years emotionally investing in his character arc with his brother Thor, he was unceremoniously dispatched in the first ten minutes of Avengers: Infinity War. Why did a god, with an endless bag of tricks up his sleeve, attack Thanos with a penknife on a fool’s errand? Anyone could have seen the plan would fail, and Loki should have known better.
Fans were treated to a fun cameo in Avengers: Endgame though, when he appeared in the 2012 New York City timeline visited by Captain America. A prisoner at the time, he escaped with the Space Stone, so technically, that timeline Loki could reappear at any moment, and maybe choosing to rejoin his brother Thor for some more fraternal bonding.
Pass: Hela
Though Hela made for one of the more memorable villains in the MCU, there isn't a firm reason why she should return—other than revenge—for an appearance in Thor 4. Asgard was destroyed by the inevitable forces of Ragnarok, Surtur having had his crown placed in the Eternal Flame and then vanquishing both Hela and Asgard in one swift stroke.
With Thor having gone to Earth with the surviving Asgardians to make New Asgard, it isn't exactly the glittering kingdom of the Nine Realms anymore. And Thor himself has given his right to rule to Valkyrie and left for space adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy, meaning Hela would have to track him down. Granted, she is the Goddess of Death, so she could be resurrected somehow, but it seems more likely her time has passed.
Return: Darcy Lewis
It was Darcy Lewis, political science major and intern extraordinaire, who discovered that Thor came out or the very anomaly Jane Foster was studying. Though her off-color humor and general snark made her annoying to Dr. Selvig and Jane, it was well received by audiences in the first and second Thor films, which generally had a more serious tone.
The last we saw of Darcy, she was in London fighting Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark World, trying to locate Dr. Selvig and wondering why Jane Foster suddenly had new abilities. Thor: Ragnarok didn't have Jane Foster in it and that was fine, but we needed to see the pithy banter between her and the Grandmaster. Perhaps she'll appear to help Thor again, this time a scientist in her own right.
Pass: Dr. Selvig
An astrophysicist and professor at Culver University, Erik Selvig was the mentor of Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis. Of Scandinavian descent, he couldn't believe his eyes when he first met the God of Thunder, having grown up on stories of Odin, Bifrost, and the people of Asgard.
Though a brilliant scientist, Selvig lost some credibility when he was affected by Loki's mind control after the first Avengers film, going into public without clothes and generally disturbing the peace. Recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. as a consultant and later the New Avengers, it's hard to see where he might fit into a fourth Thor film.
Return: Lady Sif
Prior to fans flocking to Valkyrie’s battle standard, Lady Sif was the warrior woman on the scene. Following Thor's arrival on Earth she, along with the Warriors Three, searched for the errant prince of Asgard and God of Thunder, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Proud, strong, beautiful, and lethal with a blade, she fought valiantly by Thor's side and some say carried a torch for him.
Alas, scheduling conflicts prevented Lady Sif from returning in subsequent Thor films, leaving a hole that other powerful women had to fill. But now is the time for Lady Sif to return and fight, perhaps even for New Asgard’s queen.
Return: The Grandmaster
One of the highlights of Thor: Ragnarok was the Grandmaster, played with aplomb by Jeff Goldblum, a collector of the superpowered from all corners of the galaxy who fight in his arena as gladiators. He liked bloodsports, a good shade of lipstick, fashion, and had a pimped out starship complete with fireworks and a killer playlist.
We wouldn't mind seeing this raconteur again, especially if he's sending more scrappers and or bounty hunters after Thor to get revenge for the theft of his precious ship and for turning his subjects against him.
Return: Korg
Looking like the unholy lovechild of He-Man and a boulder, Korg was one of the first friends Thor made when he was imprisoned by the Grandmaster. Forced to fight in the Grandmaster’s gladiatorial games, Korg was a gentle giant and most definitely a lover not a fighter. He helped Thor escape and came to live with him in New Asgard once they arrived back on Earth.
Korg appeared in a cameo in Avengers: Endgame, playing video games with Thor after the God of Thunder abandoned the Avengers and went to live a life of boredom and booze in New Asgard. Maybe he reunites with Thor again by joining the Guardians of the Galaxy and becomes one half of a buddy duo with Drax.
Pass: King Laufey
Shown in the films to be Loki’s biological father, King Laufey was the Ruler of the Frost Giants, a proud and powerful people that resented bowing to Asgard and the authority of Odin and his son, the God of Thunder. He wanted nothing more than to retrieve his weapon, the Casket of Ancient Winters, so that he could freeze any opponent at will.
Though he marched on Asgard and tried to ambush Odin in his bedchambers, King Laufey wasn’t killed when Loki double-crossed him, choosing to protect Odin rather than side with his father’s old grievances against the Asgardians. So even though he’s still alive, having King Laufey in Thor 4 wouldn’t make any sense since Asgard was destroyed by Thanos.