Thor has been one of the most popular and beloved Marvel superheroes since his first appearance in comic books back in the 1960s. With Chris Hemsworth portraying the Asgardian god of thunder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films since 2011’s Thor, the character has gained an even wider mainstream following. This was further expanded after Thor: Ragnarok in 2017, which took the character in a more comedic direction that audiences loved.
However, Thor’s future in the MCU has come into question after the events of his fourth solo film, Thor: Love and Thunder, released in 2022. The film ended with Thor giving up his throne and deciding to figure out who he is without his superhero role. This has left fans wondering if Thor will continue to appear in future MCU films or if Love and Thunder was the character’s swan song. Here is a detailed look at the evidence concerning whether or not Thor will return after Love and Thunder.
The events of Thor: Love and Thunder
To analyze Thor’s potential MCU future, it is important to first recap the key events of Love and Thunder that cast doubt on his return. The film saw Thor battling Gorr the God Butcher, a vengeful villain seeking to eliminate all gods in the universe. In the process, Thor’s ex-girlfriend Dr. Jane Foster briefly gains the power of Thor and assists him in the fight. However, she tragically dies of cancer at the film’s end after the final battle.
This loss, combined with Thor’s failure to prevent Gorr from killing numerous gods, leaves him depressed and lacking confidence in himself. At the end of the film, Thor turns down the opportunity to rule New Asgard and instead sets off with the Guardians of the Galaxy, telling Star-Lord that he needs to figure out who he is now without his superhero responsibilities weighing him down.
Key points
- Thor battles Gorr the God Butcher in Love and Thunder
- Dr. Jane Foster becomes Mighty Thor but dies of cancer after the final battle
- Thor turns down the throne of New Asgard and leaves with the Guardians of the Galaxy to find himself
This ending suggests Thor is going through a major transitional period where he may give up being a superhero altogether. On the surface, it seems his time as a key MCU hero may be over.
Evidence Thor will return
However, there are several key reasons to believe this is not the last audiences have seen of Thor Odinson in the MCU:
1. Chris Hemsworth wants to continue playing Thor
Chris Hemsworth has expressed enthusiasm for keeping the role of Thor going forward. In interviews before and after Love and Thunder’s release, Hemsworth made clear how much he enjoys playing Thor and working with director Taika Waititi. The role essentially revitalized his career, and he has stated he wants to continue having fun with the character. While Marvel studios can always recast, it seems likely they’ll want to keep Hemsworth around as long as the actor wants to play Thor.
2. Unresolved MCU plot threads
Love and Thunder did not wrap up all of Thor’s comic book storylines that the MCU could still adapt. One of the biggest is the God Butcher saga that continued in the comics with Thor confronting other god villains like Atum and chasing the mysterious God Quarry. These story elements were teased but not fully explored in Love and Thunder, suggesting there are more Thor vs. God Butcher stories to tell. The grander cosmic mythology established in Thor stories has not been fully tapped by the MCU films yet either.
3. Thor’s bond with the Guardians of the Galaxy
By having Thor leave Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy at the end of Love and Thunder, this sets up his continued adventures with the cosmic superhero team. Thor bonded closely with the Guardians in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and there are many stories left to tell with him as part of the team dynamic. This was set up in the second post-credits scene of Love and Thunder as well.
4. Upcoming Phase 5 and 6 mysteries
The ending of Love and Thunder, along with details about upcoming MCU Phase 5 and 6 films, suggests Thor still has a key role left to play. The post-credits scene shows that Love and Thunder villain Gorr’s prophecy of an unknown looming threat was genuine. This likely connects to larger events in cosmic Marvel stories that have yet to fully unfold in the MCU involving Adam Warlock, Galactus, Annihilus, and more. As a cosmic hero, Thor would likely be at the center of these events.
Evidence suggesting Thor may not return
While the above evidence is compelling, there are a few reasons Thor may indeed not come back that have to be considered as well:
1. Hemsworth may eventually want to move on
Though Hemsworth currently seems game for more Thor, the realities of age and career options may change this. Actors playing superheroes often eventually get the itch to move on to new creative challenges. Hemsworth has succeeded in branching out with other films while playing Thor, but eventually, he may want to close the book on this chapter.
2. Marvel’s new focus on legacy characters
The MCU’s upcoming Phase 5 and 6 plans include introducing many new characters who in the comics go on to take up the mantle of existing heroes. Examples include Kate Bishop as the new Hawkeye, Yelena Belova as the new Black Widow, and Kid Loki. With Foster’s Mighty Thor dying in Love and Thunder, Marvel may see this as the opportunity to definitively pass the Thor mantle to someone new.
3. Making Thor’s ending feel complete
From a story perspective, ending Thor’s journey with him overcoming grief and stepping back from superhero life in Love and Thunder provides reasonable closure. To bring him back risks undermining his moving character arc in this film. Marvel may see value in concluding some heroes’ stories cleanly as the MCU continues over decades.
Conclusion
Predicting Marvel’s plans is impossible – the studio is notoriously secretive and could take Thor’s story in many directions fans do not anticipate. However, upon looking at the balance of evidence, the most likely scenario seems to be that Thor will return in some capacity. With Hemsworth’s willingness to keep playing the role, unfinished comic storylines to adapt, his bonds with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and upcoming cosmic-level threats, there are simply too many narrative factors that would benefit from Thor’s continued presence in the MCU.
While Thor’s days as a central solo hero anchoring his own films may be over for now, there are years’ worth of stories left to tell with him as part of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. As long as Hemsworth remains eager to help bring those stories to life, fans can hold out hope that the God of Thunder will soar across movie screens again very soon.