WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame.
Avengers: Endgame might be the end of a decade-long story, but it also results in a new beginning, especially for the Guardians of the Galaxy who now have Thor on their team. After a seemingly never-ending emotional roller coaster, the original Avengers came together to form a plan to beat Thanos and get back those that he took away. For that to happen, a few characters had to pay with their lives. Those losses will now affect the surviving Avengers and their allies among the galaxy.
Each character dealt with PTSD following the Mad Titan's snap. Some handled it more harshly than others. Clint, for example, shed his Hawkeye identity to turn into a deadly assassin known as Ronin. Thor's grief took him a different route. He lost most of his Asgardian people at the start of Avengers: Infinity War. After failing to take out Thanos the first time, the Norse god became overcome with even more guilt. He constructed New Asgard but let go of his muscular, god-like appearance, transforming into an unkempt, overweight shell of his previous self. Without a sense of purpose, Thor preferred drowning himself with beer and self-loathing.
Thankfully, the Hulk and Rocket convinced Thor to assist in their new mission. The quest re-teamed Thor and Rocket to go back to Asgard in the hopes of retrieving the reality stone. The journey served as a wake-up call for the God of Thunder. Not only did he realize his importance to the Avengers team, but also that there's more than one way to be a hero.
Avengers: Endgame set up a number of storylines that could be investigated in future MCU installments. It also provides gaps in the timeline that can be explored through the various projects in development through Disney+. The Avengers have been through a lot since they were first introduced as an official team in 2012. It's time for a new chapter for the Avengers and the fellow heroes present in the MCU. By the looks of it, the Guardians of the Galaxy will be getting their own changes with the addition of a new member.
Thor Is With The Guardians Of The Galaxy At The End Of Avengers: Endgame
The Avengers successfully defeated Thanos using time travel and undid his galactic destruction, but it was a costly feat. Now down a few members, the original heroic squad will never be the same. But that doesn't mean the MCU won't feature epic team-ups in the future. Endgame closed out with Thor joining the Guardians of the Galaxy in what could be a perfect setup for an upcoming movie.
The God of Thunder went through a very emotional realization throughout Endgame. In the end, he took his mother's message to heart, forgetting who he is supposed to be. Instead, Thor must succeed as the person he already is, even if that means taking more time to find himself again. To follow that path, Thor handed off the reins as the leader of New Asgard to Valkyrie and jumped aboard the Guardians' ship.
Related: Every Marvel Movie Releasing After Avengers: Endgame
Thor clearly felt a bond with members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, specifically his "rabbit" and tree friends, Rocket and Groot. Thor spent much of Endgame as a lost soul overcome with grief and failure. Rocket was a major factor in helping the hero snap out of his self-loathing behavior. It makes sense why Thor would feel a kinship to Rocket. Now that he regained feeling worthy enough, it's no surprise that Thor would want to assist on new quests.
Even though Thor's addition would greatly help the Guardians on their missions, some members seemed more welcoming than others. Peter Quill and Thor quipped at one another regarding the leadership of the group. Drax and Mantis hilariously suggested that the two should solve their disagreements with a knife fight. As fun as it is to see the two powerful egos to banter back in forth, it's obvious that they would have each other's back when necessary. So could this be the official introduction to the Asgardians of the Galaxy in the MCU?
Asgardians Of The Galaxy From Marvel Comics Explained
While Thor joined his new group on the ship, he referred to them as the "Asgardians of the Galaxy." At first, it seemed like Thor was just having a laugh at the pun he came up with, combining the Guardians' title and his own Asgardian identity. The line was probably added in there as a joke, but there's actually a team known as the Asgardians of the Galaxy in Marvel Comics.
The team first debuted in September 2018 in Asgardians of the Galaxy #1. The series, which is still in publication, was created by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Matteo Lolli. The band of Asgardians includes some very interesting characters. Here's a breakdown of the Asgardians of the Galaxy team:
- Angela - The long lost sister of Thor who brings together the team that goes on to call themselves the Asgardians of the Galaxy. She was also a previous member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
- Valkyrie - The warrior is also known by her Asgardian name, Brunnhilde. In the comics, Valkyrie was a part of the Defenders and a founding member of the Secret Avengers.
- Annabelle Riggs - A scientist on Earth that shares a connection with Valkyrie allowing them to switch places through a host body.
- Throg - Also known as Puddlegulp, Throg comes from a community of frogs living in Central Park. It's later revealed that he's actually a human named Simon Walterson who was turned into a frog by a witch. He eventually finds a shard of Mjolnir and becomes the Frog of Thunder. And yes, he wears a Thor costume.
- Thunderstrike - Kevin Masterson is the son of Eric Masterson, a man who served as a host body for Thor. Kevin gets his powers from a mace left by his father.
- Kid Loki - A reincarnation of Loki who encompasses all the traits as the God of Mischief.
- Destroyer - A magical suit of Asgardian armor that is remotely controlled by Kid Loki.
- Skurge the Executioner - The former villain is tricked by Kid Loki into leaving the afterlife to join the misfits who call themselves the Asgardians of the Galaxy.
Will Thor Be In Guardians Of The Galaxy 3?
It's safe to assume that Throg, Kid Loki, and their friends won't be featured in the MCU, but what does Avengers: Endgame mean for the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy? With Thor 4 still up in the air, it now remains possible that Marvel Studios intends to combine a Thor sequel with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Director James Gunn has been reinstated after his controversial firing following his Twitter debacle. Even though adding Thor to the Guardians might not be Gunn's decision, it could have been something Marvel Studios planned all along.
When looking back, Thor: Ragnarok matches the tone of both Guardians of the Galaxy installments. The character of Thor had a notable amount of chemistry with the Guardians and Chris Hemsworth's comedic persona as the God of Thunder fits perfectly with Star-Lord and his crew. Considering Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been delayed for quite some time, this gives the creative team plenty of time to add Thor to the Guardians' equation.
This also gives the MCU an opportunity to feature one of the galaxy's mightiest heroes without having to delve into another solo story. The Gamora from Infinity War is still dead but there is now a past version of Gamora lurking around in the present timeline. Since she has no memories of the Guardians, she felt no allegiance to joining them after taking out Thanos. Quill clearly wants to search for her which provides evidence to the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Whatever option they decide, it's safe to say that Thor will be a part of that new mission.
