WARNING: This article contains potential SPOILERS for Thor: Ragnarok
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When the world first met Marvel's Thor he was on his way to becoming the King of Asgard, but when Thor: Ragnarok ends, he may finally claim the throne - just in time for the Infinity War. It's been no secret that, despite all its colorful, trippy, cosmic adventure action, Ragnarok will leave Thor a changed man. With director Taika Waititi going so far as saying there's really no way Marvel can undo or take back the progress Thor makes - and knowing the larger forces and foes on their way to torment the Marvel Cinematic Universe - one answer seems to be making more and more sense.
During our visit to the set of Thor: Ragnarok, the message was clear: not only would the third film in the solo franchise have the attitude to make it the biggest Thor movie so far, but it would be a more important adventure than fans expected. Ragnarok would bring real change, real character growth, real trauma for its hero, and in the end, introduce a new Thor to Marvel's Universe. Judging by our interviews with cast and crew, that means a Thor finally worthy of leading Asgard.
And from the looks of it, Thor ascending the throne as King of Asgard may be what's needed to bring an end to Ragnarok. How much of the kingdom will remain, and for how much longer... isn't so easy to predict.
Thor Has Become an Expert on The Cosmic MCU
It's been years since Chris Hemsworth's 'Thor' has seemed anything less than a superhero, but his cinematic story began with him being distinctly unworthy of his own power. Introduced as an entitled, warmongering champion, it took the first Thor movie to learn true humility, compassion, and the temperance befitting a king. Yet when Ragnarok's director suggests that the Thor movies may have let their hero down - or at least given the spotlight to other characters - his case is easy to see. Since the first Thor taught its hero to be a worthy king... not much else has happened.
He's fought some memorable battles (and less memorable enemies), and chosen to delay his ascent to the throne to protect Earth... and keep in touch with his girlfriend. Since then, 'delayed' he has remained, in terms of character development. But according to Chris Hemsworth, the glimpse of powers and forces far beyond Asgard or Earth seen in Age of Ultron has kept him busy:
A lot of Thor's story is about, as you see from the first film, being the rightful king and earning that right to take that position of power, and taking on responsibility. At the end of the second film he's pulling away from it. I think there's still kind of a reluctance with it all.
I think he's spent a lot of time on earth, he's part of that team now and that world. And we ended Avengers with him saying 'There's something going on out there. There's some bigger questions I need answered.'
Thor missed out on Civil War for good reason, we learned on the set. While Ultron may have kept most of Thor's revelations from the audience, he understood more than enough to get him started. By the time Ragnarok starts, Thor has spent "years" on Thanos's trail, with one problem or challenge leading into the next. But before he can return to Earth in search of Avengers back-up, Thor has Asgardian business to set right - and is in for more than one surprise.
Thor Has 'No Choice' But To Return Home
Director Taika Waititi may have cooked up a comedic explanation for what Thor's been up to since Age of Ultron, but the truth is that the hammer-wielding hero has arguably become the greatest hero of the Marvel Universe off-screen. Spending the close to two years searching and battling his way across the cosmos (a fight with Surtur of Muspelheim included), Thor has been trying to make sense of his vision - and prevent the death of the gods that Heimdall claimed he was responsible for in the same fantasy.
He may not know his true enemy yet, or what his intentions with the fabled Infinity Stones truly are, but his experiences have made him tougher, wiser, and more determined than ever. Unfortunately, if that leads fans to think that Ragnarok sees him return to his Asgardian duties by choice... they would be mistaken. As Hemsworth explains, his home is in need of him:
So he's on this personal journey to do his own discovery, you know: find these answers for himself. And then his, what would you call it, his origin or his home calls him back, or has drawn him back now and he's drawn to this thing. So there is a reluctance. It's not necessarily him trying to now become the king. He has no choice, I think.
The most obvious explanation for Hemsworth's comment will be the emergence of the Asgardian goddess of death, Hela. And Cate Blanchett's villain truly is an enemy that will prove to be Thor's most challenging opponent yet. But even before she begins her conquest of Asgard - and Thor begins his journey to the gladiator planet of Sakaar with Hulk - Thor will have his future decided for him.
With what we gathered from the filmmakers and cast, and what's already been teased in Thor: Ragnarok's trailers and set photos, the answer is clear. Thor doesn't get to choose to take the throne of Asgard - he becomes the only living Asgardian up to the challenge.
Loki Forced To Give Up The Throne?
When Loki pulled off his scheme in the final scene of The Dark World, claiming the throne of Asgard by impersonating his father, fans quickly inquired: what had happened to the ACTUAL Odin? Thankfully that question - and the suspicion that Loki would actually murder his father - was settled when set photos revealed a homeless Odin exiled to Earth. Whether or not he retained his memories of Asgard, his loyal son does. And considering that Thor and Loki head to Earth together, we can assume Thor is less convinced by his brother's charade when he returns from his year-long crusade.
Of course, there's the possibility that Loki reveals himself to Thor. Not in hostility... but in a request for help. After all, it was only when he took the throne that Hela escaped whatever prison Odin had presumably been keeping her in. Loki requesting his brother's aid in seeking the advice of his father may be a tough pill for the former villain to swallow, but Death herself is more pressing than pride. Thanks to Marvel's official confirmation, we also know Thor will seek Doctor Strange's help in finding Odin. But not before Strange warns Thor of the destiny that lies ahead of him. A destiny that, judging by scenes contained in Ragnarok's trailers, becomes heartbreaking for the hero in the most personal way.
Assuming Thor and Loki find their father on Earth, and assuming that reunion allows them to drop their disguises... the family moment may be cut tragically short.
The Death of Odin?
It was the image that shocked fans from the very beginning, revealing that Ragnarok would change everything we knew about Thor: Hela destroying Mjolnir with a smile on her face. But breaking the scene down further, and what's not been showed seems as obvious. Thor and Loki in Asgardian dress in a New York City alley, Thor throwing his hammer directly at Hela with a pained look of disbelief on his face, and soon after, Hela caressing her headdress as she regains her lost powers and true form before heading back to terrorize Asgard.
For those who haven't put together the twist, Odin existing in New York before Hela's emergence, and his apparent absence from the plot afterwards suggests Thor and Loki find Odin - only to see Hela close behind, killing the Asgardian king before he can put her back in her bottle. And with Mjolnir shattered moments later, Thor is at his lowest point to date - with his fate now chosen for him.
There's no more denying the throne, and no more running from his destiny to one day rule Asgard. The day has come for him to lead his people. But thanks to Loki and Hela, he may need to lead his people out of total destruction, and no longer ascend the throne: he'll have to take it back. As producer Brad Winderbaum explains, Ragnarok isn't about Thor getting the strength or skills to lead his people, it's simply about him accepting that as his true role in the MCU:
What makes somebody worthy? What helps someone find self worth is at the core of Thor as a character. So that theme remains central in this film, as it was in the first one. However in the first one where he was kind of a petulant prince who had to learn humility, in this one he wants to become a better man, learn to to accept himself as a leader, as a king. As someone who can lead Asgard.
It may have taken the death of the one other person he trusted to lead Asgard better than himself to bring it, but Thor's day has come. But assuming he defeats Hela in battle, and even Loki steps aside to make way for his brother... Thor may have bigger problems to worry about.
Will Thor Rule Asgard in Infinity War... or Mourn It?
It's here where things get more difficult to predict. The near-constant claims that Ragnarok would leave Thor in a new, shocking, completely game-changing place around the film's set make sense for a twist this big. And seeing Chris Hemsworth's Thor become King of Asgard would certainly make him a Marvel hero on par with Captain America or Iron Man, if not far above them. With a villain like Thanos coming to do battle with Earth's human heroes, the forces of Asgard would be more than welcome.
Of course, that requires fans ignore the real meaning of 'Ragnarok' - the death of the gods - and Hemsworth hints that the word will carry weight:
I mean... Avengers 3 and 4, I don't even have a script for yet. But again, without giving anything away, [Thor: Ragnarok] definitely leads nicely into that. You know, as they all tend to do. But this being called Ragnarok, you know¦ everyone knows what that means. Obviously it's going to affect the larger universe [laughs].
The annihilation of Asgard and its godlike heroes doesn't sound like the "uplifting" Thor: Ragnarok promised by the director, but would explain how Thor meets the Guardians of the Galaxy in Infinity War. Waititi has also reassured fans that the footage of Thor's entry into Infinity War isn't a spoiler for Ragnarok - meaning a happy ending is possible.
The only question, then, is whether fans are ready to see Thor stop running from the throne, and lead his people as Asgard's king. Is it what the MCU and Thor need to start a new era for the hero? Or will there be no Asgard left to rule?
Thor: Ragnarok advance tickets are now on sale wherever tickets are sold.
