[SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder. Last chance to turn back now if you’re not ready!]
Post-credits sequences are literally built into the DNA of Marvel Studios’ projects. So much so, that they’ve expanded beyond Marvel and seeped into other movies in pop culture as well. Of course, it’s no surprise that Thor: Love and Thunder has post-credits scenes too: one in the middle and one after the long credit roll has gone past the screen.
Thor: Love and Thunder saw the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth), Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman), King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Taika Waititi) try to save the children of Asgard from the hands of Gorr the God Butcher. Part of Thor’s plan to save the children included creating an army of Gods but the King of Gods, Zeus, was unwilling to help. The God of Lightning even struck down on Korg, instigating Thor to attack back. In his retaliation, Thor killed Zeus. Or so it seems.
The first mid-credits scene sees an injured Zeus being tended to by a harem of women. As they clean his wound, Zeus talks to a person off-screen about how he wishes to strike back and ensure that the God of Thunder falls from the sky. The camera later reveals that Zeus has been talking to his son Hercules (Brett Goldstein), who he asks to avenge him.
Hercules was first introduced in 1965’s Journey Into Mystery Annual #1. Hercules has done everything from leading his own series to suiting up as part of the Avengers. With Hercules effectively seen as Thor’s Greek counterpart, he’s a prime candidate to replace Hemsworth onscreen as the MCU’s resident god Avenger, if the Thor actor ever bows out. That said, this scene suggests that Hercules is finally joining the MCU and will go face to face with Thor in time.
The second credits scene gives some sort of conclusion to Portman’s Dr Jane Foster / Mighty Thor. Thor: Love and Thunder has kept Mighty Thor’s origin similar to the comics where the scientist is sick and dying from cancer but gets her strength each time she wields Mjolnir and becomes the Mighty Thor. However, each time she transforms into the hero, her cancer worsens. In the comics, Jane dies after wielding Mjolnir one last time in battle, ultimately sacrificing herself. We see a similar story play out in the Marvel movie.
The credits scene shows Jane entering Valhalla, a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries to be with Odin. Think of it as a Viking’s and warrior’s version of heaven.
That’s not all though, when Jane enters Valhalla, she is greeted by Heimdall (Idris Elba) – a beloved character that died in Avengers: Infinity War. Whether fans will see Portman wield Mjolnir once more as the Mighty Thor remains to be seen, but this credits scene could be interpreted as the final chapter in Jane Foster’s story.
Thor: Love and Thunder is now showing in cinemas.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.
Natalie
Si Jia
