Are you ready to feel the thunder again?
Chris Hemsworth is back in THOR RAGNAROK, his third solo film as the Odinson. Mark Ruffalo joins the cosmic adventure as Bruce Banner/Hulk. Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki. The Thunder God needs all the help he can get as one of Marvel’s biggest villains attacks.
Who’s Who and what are the comic book connections?
Here’s what you need to know before you go see THOR RAGNAROK:
Who’s New:
HELA
Oscar winner Cate Blanchett plays the first female super villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hela is the Goddess of Death and Queen of Hel, the Asgardian Underworld.
THE GRANDMASTER
Jeff Goldblum plays this alien overlord who rules Sakaar and over the gladiator games. In the comics The Grandmaster and The Collector (seen in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) are known as Elders of the Universe. The Grandmaster pitted hero against hero in stories called Contest of Champions.
VALKYRIE
Tessa Thompson is a warrior woman who appears to be working for The Grandmaster. In Norse mythology Valkyries are “choosers of the slain” aka women who decide who may live and die in battle and takes them to the Valhalla, the hall of the slain. In comics Valkyrie’s alter ego is Brunnhilde and later Barbara Norris. Odin chose her to lead the Valkyrior, warrior goddesses. Valkyrie became a member of The Defenders and Secret Avengers. Valkyrie is best friends with Patsy Walker aka Hellcat – known as Trish Walker in JESSICA JONES on Netflix.
SKURGE
Karl Urban plays this evil Asgardian known as The Executioner. Armed with a double-bladed axe, this warrior took on Thor and became a member of the Masters of Evil. Skurge is Hela’s enforcer in the upcoming film.
Who’s back?
HULK
Thor is banished from Asgard and lands on Sakaar. This planet was introduced in an epic comic book story called PLANET HULK in which a secret team of heroes (including Iron Man and Doctor Strange) sends the Green Goliath to a lifeless world. Hulk landed on Sakaar where he was enslaved and forced to battle in gladiator style games for a tyrant known as The Red King. Hulk earned the nickname The Green Scar, led a revolution, fell in love with an alien warrior woman. The Hulk returned to Earth in WORLD WAR HULK.
THOR and LOKI
When we last saw the sons of Odin in THOR THE DARK WORLD, the Odinson save the Nine Realms but thought his brother died in battle. Loki was actually impersonating Odin on the throne and sent Lady Sif on a mission to deliver an Infinity Stone to The Collector, the mystery picked up in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. In the post-credits of DOCTOR STRANGE, Thor reached out to the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth to help uncover the mystery of Odin in Asgard.
HEIMDALL
Idris Elba is back as the all-seeing, all-knowing guardian sentry of Asgard. From the trailer, Heimdall leaves his post and joins the action as Thor and Loki fight to take Asgard back from Hela.
LADY SIF
Will the warrior woman secretly in love with Thor return or will she be sidelined again – this time by Valkyrie?
VOLSTAGG, HOGUN, FANDRAL
These are the famed Warriors Three and loyal friends of Thor.
RAGNAROK
Not a who but a what. In Norse Mythology, Ragnarok is the Fall of the Gods. This series of future events led to a massive battle and death of all Gods.
Big Questions:
Where is Odin – the King of Asgard?
Will we see the final Infinity Stone? Thanos, the cosmic super villain seen in nearly all the Marvel movies since Avengers is seeking the six stones of power to affix on the Infinity Gauntlet, an ultimate weapon with the power of life and death from the comics. You may remember seeing the Gauntlet in Odin’s vault of mystical objects from the first Thor movie.
Hela and Thanos?
The big showdown with Thanos (James Brolin) will happen in AVENGERS INFINITY WAR. The Mad God of Titan worships death. In the comics Thanos courts Death, who is an actual entity. Is a Thanos/Hela team-up, romance inevitable? Aren’t Thanos and The Goddess of Death a match made in hell?
The Doctor is in?
Benedict Cumberbatch will make an appearance but how big a role will Doctor Strange play in the cosmic war between the Asgardian Gods?
Who’s the fiery demon thing in the trailer?
Surtur is a fire demon and one of Thor’s oldest enemies.
Where is Jane Foster, Erik Solveng and Darci? The human scientists from the first films are not in this sequel.
Characters to watch:
Iron Man?
In the comics it was Tony Stark leading The Illuminati (a secret group of heroes including Doctor Strange) who underwent secret missions that hid from other heroes. Tony tricked the Hulk into getting into a rocket sending him to a barren planet but ended up on Sakaar. If Stark, Strange or other heroes did this, it could make for a huge story ramifications in AVENGERS INFINITY WAR and other Marvel films.
Amadeus Cho is a teen genius who befriends the Hulk. In the comics, Cho cured Bruce Banner of the gamma radiation. Cho injected himself but could stay in control as the Green Goliath and is known as The Totally Awesome Hulk.
Jane Foster may be MIA in the film but no one can deny the phenomenon of Thor, Goddess of Thunder. In the comics the Odinson became Unworthy, The All-Mother chose Jane to become Thor. The move was a huge success. Could a THOR 4 take inspiration from that?
THOR RAGNAROK opens November 4th.
THE MIGHTY THOR comic book just reached a milestone issue 700! This is an epic story of nearly everyone who has been a Thor – the Odinson, Jane, Volstagg and even the Thor-Frog – yes, it’s a thing!
Enjoy the Thunder!
By Editor