Thor: Love and Thundertells the fabled story of the space Viking, the God of Thunder role that Chris Hemsworth has made his own for the past decade. His fourthMCUmovie makes a compelling case for why he may just be the best Chris of them all. And yet, Taika Waititi’s film seems to have taken Thor in a new direction, erasing some of the advances the character has made over the years. So what does all of this mean for Thor?
Love and Thunderseemingly ends on a highnote for the character, as both post-credits scenes lay out the path for at least “another classic Thor adventure” and direct confirmation that this is indeed the case. Nevertheless, in creating this comedic joyride, Waititi sets Thor on a new course, now as a father with a superhero daughter (played by Hemsworth real-life daughter), whose emotional arc has seen him fall in love, only to lose Jane Foster and find a new kind of love.
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The Deconstruction Of Thor Odinson
Having Thor’s life story retold by Korg is the perfect way for Waititi to sort of retcon the protagonist’s character arc. The rocky sidekick doesn’t change much about Thor’s upbringing, his journey to becoming worthy of Mjölnir, nor his motivational training montage. Instead, the biggest shift comes in his relationship with Jane. In a way, it’s absolutely brilliant how he pulls this off by simply asking the audience to reconsider that maybeJane and Thor’s relationshipwas more than what his first two movies showed, with a rom-com setup that plants the seeds of the film’s entire premise.
Of course, taking a step back fromThorandThe Dark Worldis hardly a sin, since the two movies are consistentlyranked among the weakest entries in the MCU. But inRagnarok,Waititi had already wanted something slightly different out of Thor.Love and Thunderlocks this idea by giving audiences the silliest bro Thor, making him the most introspective he’s ever been, and also producing what are perhaps the character’s biggest emotional moments, even counting all the deaths he’s had to witness and the fall of Asgard.
The first couple of Thor films are all about teaching Odin’s son a lesson, that there’s such a thing as collateral damage. Yet at the start ofLove and Thunder,he seems to have gone back to his childish ways as if he had to learn it all over again. The same goes for him getting back in shape and ascertaining the aftermath of Thanos’ destruction, which up to now were pivotal moments for the character.
As more reviews and fan impressions start to come in, it will become clear how audiences react to this new version of Thor. Make no mistake, Waititi has been quite blatant about his efforts to present the character in a new light. It’s likely that next time Thor shows up in the MCU will be as part of Phase Four’s first Avengers team-up, as the superhero lineup starts to take form once more. Fans should just keep in mindLove and Thundercould ultimately determine what kind of Thor that will be.
What’s Next For Thor?
Thor will be facing some major foes in his next solo adventure. Russell Crowe’s Zeus was shown to be alive, well, and harboring a growing desire to put gods back in their rightful place in this new world dominated by superheroes, but his son Hercules might offer a better perspective into the future. Having Brett Goldstein cast as Hercules potentially says a lot about Thor’s future antagonist, with theactor’s CGI likeness associated with Roy Kent, an over-the-top if complex character that could match up perfectly with Waititi’s newly deconstructed Thor.
That is, of course, if Waititi stays on for Thor’s next adventure. The director’s signature style, which he’s plastered so well on the God of Thunder, is quite hard to imitate. Each of his works truly stands out, especiallyLove and Thunder,which pretty muchdoubles down on the tropes he introduced inRagnarok. In a way, ifOur Flag Mean Deathis about gay pirates,Love and Thunderis about a silly yet lovable space Viking. It’s an absurd premise, but one that works precisely because it commits even harder to that ludicrous setting.
Love and Thunder’sThor feels very differentfrom the character’s other appearances. It would be hard to walk back on that personality, the same way it would be difficult to abandon King Valkyrie’s particular governing style in New Asgard. After all, The fourthThormovie already tells fans that the villains moving forward will be a pair of gods whose silliness matchesthe hard rock ballad of the space Viking.
Naturally,Love and Thunder’s box office performance will affect the character’s creative direction, but there’s one thing for sure: fatherhood alone is enough to ensure Thor will never be the same again.
Thor: Love and Thunderis currently available in theaters.
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