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Thor: Love and Thunder Officially Introduces Hercules to the MCU, Posing a Formidable Challenge to the God of Thunder in Future Films.
Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Studios' latest cinematic endeavor, hit theaters in early July. This blockbuster has shed the 'dad bod' version of the Thunder God seen in Avengers: Endgame and reinstated a robust, familiar Thor for audiences.
Facing the menace named Gorr the God Butcher, a deity slaughtering across the Marvel cosmos, Thor decides to temporarily part ways with the Guardians of the Galaxy to address this threat. Along his new journey, he reunites with many old acquaintances such as Jane Foster and Valkyrie, while also crossing paths with and injuring the god Zeus with his own lightning bolts.
Everything Thor does, though audacious, is solely to thwart Gorr's schemes. However, Zeus has a different perspective. And this leads us to the mid-credits scene of Thor: Love and Thunder.
Hercules Officially Joins the MCU
Despite being struck through the chest by his own lightning bolt, Zeus miraculously survives and begins plotting his revenge against Thor. The head deity of Olympus commands his son, Hercules, to hunt down and defeat the Thunder God of Asgard to reaffirm his stature and divine role. Actor Brett Goldstein, a recipient of the prestigious 2021 Emmy Award, officially steps into the role of Hercules in the MCU.
In the comics, Hercules debuted in the 1960s as Thor's adversary, eventually evolving into an ally and joining the Avengers. While somewhat boastful and prone to showing off, Herc is always a dependable ally to his friends and colleagues.
Hercules originally served as a lackey to the time-traveling villain Immortus. However, later story arcs revealed that this version was merely an impostor. On another note, Immortus also served as inspiration for the creation of Loki Season 1's main antagonist - He Who Remains, a variant of Kang, the next major MCU villain.
Therefore, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Hercules may collaborate with Kang in the future to take down Thor, marking a moment where Odin's two sons converge. However, Hercules, Thor, and the Avengers could very well become allies in the future, much like in the original comics.
However, in an interview with Variety on July 18th, Brett Goldstein shared that he himself is uncertain about Marvel Studios' plans for his character. 'I'm not lying or deliberately hiding anything, I genuinely don't know', the actor stated. 'All I know is that I've already shown everything on screen. It's just three seconds but it's still fun!'
Valhalla, the realm reserved for Asgardian warriors who fall in battle
Alongside its breathtaking action sequences, Thor: Love and Thunder also brings forth a touching love story between Thor and Jane Foster. To combat the vicious cancer, Jane seeks out the Mjolnir and becomes Mighty Thor, wielding powers akin to the Thunder God. However, this very hammer gradually erodes Jane's health and ultimately takes her life in an effort to thwart Gorr.
In the post-credit scene, Jane unexpectedly appears through a dimensional portal to a majestic mountainous landscape. There, she reunites with Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard's Bifrost bridge before being slain by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Heimdall reveals this place as Valhalla, the realm of gods, a paradise reserved for valiant warriors who fall in battle.
If one pays close attention, it can be noticed that after Jane's sacrifice, she dissolves with an effect reminiscent of Odin's passing in Thor: Ragnarok. This detail indirectly confirms Jane's acceptance as an Asgardian deity, despite her Earthly origins.
However, Marvel Studios' credits scenes are typically divided into two types: the first comprises humorous scenes, not heavily tied to the MCU's overarching narrative, and may even 'troll' the audience. The other type serves as a setup for future works. Thor: Love and Thunder's post-credit scene clearly doesn't bring any comedic elements. So, what is its true significance?
Comparatively, it's highly likely that Jane will become a Valkyrie - elite warriors of Asgard's army once slain by the dark goddess Hela. In Norse mythology and Marvel comics, Valkyries guide those who perish in battle to Valhalla. Additionally, as this realm is a dimension akin to the Ancestral Plane in Black Panther or the Duat and Field of Reeds in Moon Knight, Thor could potentially reunite with Jane as he faces near-death experiences.
Will Loki reach Valhalla?
Within the main MCU timeline, Loki was slain by Thanos. The Loki we follow in the Loki series originates from 2012, escaping with the Tesseract and inadvertently creating a new timeline, subsequently apprehended by the TVA. Given Loki's sacrifice on the battlefield, with the noble aim of assassinating Thanos to save Thor, logically, the cunning god should have been brought to Valhalla similar to Jane.
However, another version of Loki once claimed to have deceived Thanos with a hyper-realistic illusion before fleeing to a remote, desolate planet and remaining there for a considerable period. Hence, there are theories suggesting that Loki in the main MCU timeline may still be alive and hiding in an unknown location. Whether this is accurate remains uncertain, with only the future providing the most definitive answer. Currently, it's highly unlikely that Loki is present in Valhalla.
Source: CNET
