Love & Thunder's Shadow Realm Comics History & Changes Explained

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Thor: Love & Thunder.

Thor: Love and Thunder introduces the Shadow Realm, a separate plane of existence that appears to be tied to Gorr the God Butcher's powers. Marvel's Phase 4 is embracing the supernatural on a scale never seen before, with Thor: Love and Thunder confirming the Asgardians and the Egyptian pantheon aren't the only gods in the cosmos. The film sees Thor Odinson lead a group to Omnipotence City, where they interrupt a Council of Godheads presided over by Russell Crowe's Zeus.

Unfortunately, not all gods are heroes, as Thor swiftly learns. He isn't the first to have come to that realization, because the film's villain is Gorr the God Butcher, a tragic and twisted being who burns with hatred for the gods after they chose not to intervene and save his daughter's life. Gorr came into possession of the Necrosword, an ancient weapon from the dawn of time that has the power to kill the gods. Using the Necrosword, Gorr has cut a bloody swath across the cosmos, prompting the pantheons to shrink back into Omnipotence City, hoping they will be safe there.

Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher is operating from a mysterious dimension known as the Shadow Realm, one where all color is leached from the world. The Shadow Realm has never been explored before in the MCU, but it's actually a well-established concept in the comics dating all the way back to 1960. Here is everything viewers need to know about Thor: Love and Thunder's Shadow Realm.

The Shadow Realm In Marvel Comics Explained

Marvel Comics cover showing Hulk battling shadow being

In the comics, the Shadow Realm is traditionally portrayed as a two-dimensional realm that exists beneath our own. It was long ago invaded by a race known as the Soul Masters, who consumed the beings who lived there. These Soul Masters long to extinguish all life and light across every plane of existence, and they have frequently attempted to invade higher dimensions. One of the most notable of the Soul Masters is Warlord Kaa, who has launched several invasions of Earth and become something of a nemesis for the Hulk; he has a habit of possessing the Hulk's shadow, allowing him to gain the physical strength and invulnerability of the Hulk. The Shadow Dimension is so named because the Soul Masters who manifest from this realm are flat and two-dimensional beings, able to possess shadows and dispelled by light.

More recent comics have retconned a connection between the Soul Masters and the symbiotes associated with Venom, with both created by the ancient god Knull. Knull was a god of darkness who predated all of creation; he was angered when the Celestials began creating light and life across the universe and dedicated himself to waging war against both. This is the comic book origin of the Necrosword used by Gorr, and Knull subsequently created the symbiotes as his agents. The so-called Soul Masters are essentially an evolutionary offshoot of the symbiotes.

How The MCU's Shadow Realm Is Different From The Comics

The comic book version of the Shadow Realm is a two-dimensional plane, and it is relatively inaccessible. In contrast, in Thor: Love and Thunder the Shadow Realm is simply a plane of existence that is bleached of all light. Gorr the God Butcher is able to manipulate the Shadow Realm with the Necrosword, drawing monsters from it who are conceptually similar to the Soul Masters - shadow-like beings that have physical mass. Unfortunately, Thor and Jane Foster swiftly learn Gorr is more powerful in the Shadow Realm than anywhere else, with the Necrosword clearly giving him the ability to manipulate the entire environment. Gorr is able to capture Thor Odinson, Jane Foster's Mighty Thor, and Valkyrie with apparent ease.

Why Is Gorr More Powerful In The Shadow Realm?

Gorr looking around in Thor Love and Thunder

As noted, in the comics both the Shadow Realm and the Necrosword, the weapon Gorr wields, are linked to Knull, who would have preferred to choke off all life in the cosmos before it ever developed. The comics have never directly tied Gorr's powerful weapon to the Shadow Realm, but they're only one degree of separation apart, meaning it's quite easy to imagine a scenario where they are tied together. The MCU has followed that chain of logic, suggesting the owner of the Necrosword essentially controls the substance of the Shadow Realm.

Thor: Love and Thunder avoids any explicit origin for the Necrosword, settling for simply confirming it has existed since the dawn of time. Assuming its creator was Knull, as in the comics, it's likely the MCU's Shadow Realm was created by this monstrous being as well. Knull burns with a hatred of life and light, explaining why the Shadow Realm is bleached of all color and appears to be completely uninhabited. If the Shadow Realm is the seat of Knull's power, then the Necrosword is an extension of it, and its champions serve his purpose in the universe. It's interesting to note Thor: Love and Thunder associates the Celestials with the gods of Omnipotence City, meaning a quest to kill the gods would also mean slaughtering Celestials - in keeping with the Necrosword's purpose in the comics. Thor: Love and Thunder is clearly building on comic book lore in a surprisingly consistent way, and Gorr's power points the way to even more dangerous villains in the future.

More: Thor: Love & Thunder Post-Credits Scenes Explained: New & Returning Heroes

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