Who doesn’t love the villain? Fans of comics usually do root for the dashing and brave heroes of universes like Marvel. Yet, there are times when the villains can be just as good as the heroes, like the villains of Thor’s rogue's gallery.
From immortal Gods to vile butchers and magical creatures, Thor’s faced plenty of foes over his storied career. However, while many do stand out as iconic villains, some end up being less so, perhaps even appearing lame in comparison to some of the iconic and legendary rivals who plague the himbo God of Thunder on his journey into mystery.
Updated on June 13th, 2022 by George Chrysostomou: Thor is about to face his toughest test yet on the big screen, but while fans anticipate the release of Thor: Love And Thunder, it's definitely appropriate to revisit some of the villains that he has previously bested in the comic books; no matter how pathetic or lame they may be!
Wrecking Crew
Although most of Thor’s villains originate in his comics, the Wrecking Crew first appeared in the Defenders comics. Over the years, they would have plenty of foes but their main one would be Thor… who would soundly beat them.
After all, the Wrecking Crew is a group of muscular dudes armed with enchanted weapons taking on the literal God of Thunder. While they may be a problem for lower-level heroes, Thor doesn’t seem to have much of an issue with them.
Laufey
Being the king of the ice giants, one would expect the likes of King Laufey to be a massive and unmovable threat for Thor to face. And while Laufey has been somewhat decent over the years, the problem with Laufey stems from his defeat or rather how often they occur.
There are plenty of times when villains do manage to beat or beat down their hero but the likes of Laufey have only seen failure beyond a few wins. Add that to the fact that they always seem to die, return, then die again, and Laufey’s greatness becomes diminished.
Ulik
While Laufey and the Wrecking Crew can be seen as jokes, there are some who would say that Ulik the troll is a decent Thor villain. While the rock troll has proven himself a worthy adversary for Thor, nearly stealing Mjloner and trapping Thor while in his human form, in recent years, however, Ulik’s become more of a henchman than a big villain.
Time and again in the comics, Ulik’s been utilized as a side-villain and not given a large role beyond being ordered to attack. As such, the otherwise epic villain has decreased over the years and while not as bad as some of the others, isn’t the best.
Kurse
A monstrous beast that can certainly best Thor in physical combat if, given the right power upgrades, Kurse is a villain that Thor has faced a handful of times and was even adapted to the big screen. He doesn't have the personal rivalry with the Odinson as other foes though.
He's a little goofy in his appearance and has been known to make mistakes. As a former Dark Elf, he has risen far above his station representing his people. In many ways, he's a hired hand and a thug, who couldn't mastermind some of the schemes that have taken the fight to Agard.
Skurge the Executioner
Like Ulik, Skurge the Executioner has been seen more as a henchman than a man standing on his own. A servant and lackey for the likes of the Enchantress, Skurge has tried and failed over the years to truly make a mark on Thor but did make a mark in his own way.
While Skurge isn’t the best villain, he’s had a couple of heroic moments over the years. From striking a strange friendship with the Asgardians of the Galaxy, fighting for Asgard, and even going to Valhalla at one point, Skurge is now working with Beta Ray Bill. Again, he may not be the best villain but isn’t a half-bad hero.
Minotaur
Thor’s gone through plenty of changes over the years. From being an outcast to unworthy to the All-Father, something most fans recall is when Jane Foster became Thor and wielded the hammer against the likes of Darrio Agger, The Minotaur.
The head of ROXXON who is imbued with the ability to change into a superpower Minotaur following the death of his family, Agger proved himself to be a vicious and violent villain for Thor. Yet, he always seemed to let greed get in the way of things that would always lead to his downfall. Eventually, Agger was taken off the board following an encounter with the Immortal Hulk and Xmennu.
Ragnarok
When it comes to ranking Thor villains on the big screen one of the major foes from the comics that has thus far been left out is Thor himself. During the Civil War arc, a clone of Thor was created using state-of-the-art android electronics. That creation was named Ragnarok.
Mister Fantastic and Iron Man lost control of this monstrous being though, with Ragnarok murdering Goliath in cold blood. While Ragnarok is a pale imitation of Thor, it does boast many of his same abilities, but the clone has been beaten by both Hercules and the God of Thunder himself.
Midgard Serpent
Interestingly enough, a lot of Norse mythology does make it into comics. Among those myths, beyond Thor, lies the tale of the Midgard Serpent. A powerful being who circled the entire planet, clutching its own tail, the serpent was reworked to be a foe of Thors.
Constantly battling the God of Thunder over the years, the Midgard Serpent was a powerful and deadly foe although hasn't had too many appearances in comics and yet has established itself as one of the best Thor villains out there.
Surtur
Similar to the Serpent, Surtur hails from the fiery realm of Muspelheim comes from Norse mythology but has been given a Marvel update. An incredibly powerful foe, Surtur's faced down Thor time again.
Of course, Surtur always seems to fail with his plans and even died at one point, passing the mantle to his daughter who ruled in his place.
The Destroyer
Not all the villains who face down Thor are simple beings. The Destroyer armor is a powerful piece of Asgardian technology. Utilizing the user's life force, the armor will seek out all targets and kill.
Showing no mercy, the user of the Destroyer armor always seems to be Odin or his brother seeking out a Thor in one form or another. Despite its power, the armor always falls to the mighty God.
Enchantress
Magic is used a lot in comics. Many use it for good but some like Amora the Enchantress, use it for far more villainous and vile reasons.
A powerful Asgardian witch, Amora has cast powerful spells over Thor, Asgard, and other characters, making herself an iconic foe that the thunderer always seems to face at some point.
Hela
Even heroes eventually face death. For the heroes of Asgard, that death leads them straight to Hel and into the arms of Hela, the goddess of death. Leading an army of the dead, Hela's been a foe of Thor for some time, even bringing about his death.
Of course, Thor isn't the only character Hela's tangled with, having struck up a strange relationship with the Mad Titan Thanos which ended badly. As Thor villains go Hela is the one to quite literally bring the God of Thunder closest to death.
Mangog
A lot of villains are born of hate, with the need for vengeance in their hearts. The Magog is a whole different story. The last of a species and breed from their rage, the Mangog only lives to destroy Asgard and the All-Father Odin.
Time again, the Mangog’s gotten close, nearly slaying Odin, Thor, and all of Asgard in the process. An unstoppable beast headset on riding the universe of the Asgardians, the Mangog is a vicious and mighty foe not to be trifled with.
Malekith
MCU fans know all about the Malekith from the somewhat disappointing Thor The Dark World. Yet, many forget that in the comics, Malekith was actually one of Thor’s most deadly foes.
A dark elf who fed his mother to dogs and killed anyone who got in his way, Malekith the Accursed was a powerful magician who spread death and fear throughout the Marvel universe. Recently, he almost conquered all of the ten realms during the War Of The Realms before being slain by a younger Thor.
Cul Borson
Often named the Serpent, not to be confused with the Midgard Serpent, Cul Borson was the older brother to Odin. Never worthy enough to take on Asgard as his sibling went on to do, Cul grew a hatred for his people and those in the Nine Realms for whom they protect.
The Fear Itself narrative saw the Serpent finally unleash his full potential, picking his warriors from among Earth's mightiest heroes and laying siege to Earth. He's one of the most terrifying threats that Thor has faced yet, but follows a redeeming arc as War Of The Realms progressed.
Gorr The God Butcher
Every hero meets a foe that’s the most brutal and vicious of the bunch. Gorr is that Thor villain. One of the most intense villains Thor ever faced, Gorr hails from a world where, after losing his entire family, he became enraged with the Gods and took control of the Necrosword, a terrible weapon he uses against Thor.
Creating a future where he rules and every God is his prisoner, Gorr brutally tortures Thor across the past, present and future. Even when all three came together and beat him, Gorr later returns to plague King Thor as one of his darkest villains.
Loki
It wouldn’t be a Thor list without the god’s half-brother, Loki. An ice giant who was abandoned, the tragic Loki would be taken in by Odin and would go onto serve as the Avenger's first foe and would constantly battle his sibling.
Eventually, though, Loki was given a fresh start as a hero and in more recent years, the god of tricks and lies has become a fan favorite of many. Even with his villainous past, Loki manages to find the side of good more often than not, though he can't help be stray from the path every now and again.