Tessa Thompson has clarified why Valkyrie is specifically known as the 'king' of New Asgard in Thor: Love and Thunder. Following on from Avengers: Endgame, the latest adventure for the lightning-wielding god sees Thor (Chris Hemsworth) attempting to find inner peace and leave his superhero days behind him. However, Thor's plans for a more relaxing life are derailed when he is forced to face Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) and recruits various friends to help defeat him. Along with Hemsworth, Love and Thunder sees the return of Thompson's Valkyrie, Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, now The Mighty Thor, and writer/director Taika Waititi's rock gladiator, Korg.
So far, Thor: Love and Thunder trailers have promised a lot of unexpected twists for both the titular Avenger and audiences, from a reforged Mjolnir wielded by Jane's Mighty Thor, to the surprise appearance of the Greek god Zeus (Russell Crowe) — which baffled some audiences given that the deity comes from a different pantheon altogether. However, one particular cause of confusion surrounding Love and Thunder is why Valkyrie is expressly referred to as the 'king' of New Asgard, rather than any other royal title. Thor's delegation of the role of New Asgard's leader to Valkyrie came at the end of Endgame, as the Asgardian decided to join the Guardians of the Galaxy instead of staying to rule over his people.
Now, Thompson has now explained why Valkyrie goes by the unexpected title of 'king.' Discussing the character's role in Love and Thunder with Total Film, the actor clarified how it all stems from Thor originally being set to rule New Asgard before giving the job to Valkyrie instead, stating that they "just didn't bother to change the title." Thompson also describes her character's own relaxed approach to the royal label, explaining:
"She's a kind king. I know there's been some confusion on the internet in terms of the gendering with her being king. The truth is, that's the job that Thor was going to do, and then he just gave her the job, and we just didn't bother to change the title, because the title is 'king', and she's like, 'Well, I can be king.' The suits that she wears – we thought it was sort of a fun nod to Frida Kahlo."
When Thor gave the role of king of New Asgard to Valkyrie, she told the thunder god that she would make a lot of changes to their new home. Audiences will presumably see these play out in Love and Thunder, though previous comments from Waititi indicate that perhaps Valkyrie is not enjoying her new Asgard leadership role. Indeed, the Thor 4 trailers have already suggested that the community has become more bureaucratic under Valkyrie, while the character is missing her warrior days in battle. However, it's clear that her adoption of 'king' as her royal title is a move of convenience, rather than for any radical statements or changes.
For those who were somewhat confused by Valkyrie's royal address, Thompson's comments will at least help clear up one of the mysteries surrounding Love and Thunder, which indicate that the character has simply seamlessly stepped into Thor's shoes. However, as Thompson has confirmed Valkyrie isn't satisfied with being king, it remains to be seen how the role itself will affect the character's relationship with Thor, regardless of its title. And with Thor: Love and Thunder set to release on July 8, it won't be long before audiences will get to see the 'king' of New Asgard in action.
Source: Total Film
