Despite delays caused by the pandemic, we're now in the midst of Marvel Studios' Phase 4. It's been something of a mixed bag thus far, especially with no clear indication of where the MCU is heading in the wake of Thanos' defeat in Avengers: Endgame.
Thor: Love and Thunder is the latest MCU movie to arrive in theaters, and despite being relatively standalone in nature, the divisive blockbuster adds to this shared world and sets the stage for future stories. It's those possibilities we're taking a closer look at today, and you might be surprised by the smaller moments that could have major ramifications down the line.
We know Marvel Studios always has one eye on the future, of course, and while we remain in the dark when it comes to what that will look like, the God of Thunder (and many of his allies and enemies) look set to continue being a big part of the continuing saga.
So, for the latest clues on where the MCU could be heading after Thor: Love and Thunder, simply click on the "Next" button below!
5. Valhalla's Potential
After delivering a fatal blow to Gorr the God Butcher, Jane Foster no longer has the power of Thor and is forced to succumb to her cancer. With that, she fades into golden dust as Odin once did, with a post-credits scene revealing that her sacrifice had been rewarded with a place in Valhalla.
Given how characters frequently come back from the dead in comic books, there are instances where heroes have returned from this Asgardian afterlife. Jane even ended up becoming a Valkyrie after her death.
With that in mind, we anticipate seeing the character again, not to mention others who reside there (such as Heimdall). One big question, of course, is whether Loki is in Valhalla. He died a heroic death in battle against Thanos, and seeing as his Variant is currently on the loose, it's possible the original Loki is in the afterlife somewhere (Hel, probably).
Regardless, Thor: Love and Thunder makes such a point of driving Valhalla's importance home, we can't help but think it's a location we'll see more of down the line.
4. Heimdall's Powerful Son
When Gorr the God Butcher attacks New Asgard, he kidnaps the village's children in an effort to lure Thor to the Shadow Realm. His plan is a little questionable and not exactly fully formed, but it gives this Thor: Ragnarok sequel the chance to introduce a newly created character: Axl.
Heimdall's son, it turns out he has the same powers as his dear old dad. By the time the movie ends, Axl has even mastered those abilities thanks to some training sessions with the returning, one-armed Lady Sif.
It's rare that Marvel Studios creates a new character, and depending on how long it is until we see the God of Thunder again, Axl could be aged up and essentially serve as a proxy for his father. Alternatively, we could see the Asgardian factor into a possible Young Avengers project, though it does feel like he's only there because the ball was dropped on Idris Elba's Heimdall.
Whatever the case may be, something tells us we probably haven't seen the last of Axl.
3. Peter Quill's Lost Love
Unfortunately, the Guardians of the Galaxy don't have much more to do in Thor: Love and Thunder than what we saw in the trailers. Interestingly, Peter Quill has grown fond of the God of Thunder and is even there to offer some friendly advice before they part ways (something most of the team seems perfectly fine with).
During that conversation, Star-Lord reflects on a lost love and is clearly referring to Gamora.
In Avengers: Infinity War, she was killed by her father, Thanos, though a Variant from 2014 (who had yet to cross paths with the Guardians), made it into the present day. We're assuming she's still out there somewhere, but this movie confirms that Nebula isn't with Gamora and that the Guardians don't appear to be searching for her.
With that in mind, while we expect to see Gamora factor into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, theories that much of the threequel will revolve around finding the Variant appear to have been proven incorrect.
2. A Formidable New Foe
Thor: Love and Thunder was a little too hit-and-miss for us to be champing at the bit for Taika Waititi to return for a Thor 5, but it's obvious Marvel Studios has plans for another movie.
After Thor attempts to kill Zeus earlier in the movie, we learn that the selfish God survived and plans to make the God of Thunder, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, pay for usurping the denizens of Omnipotence City. It's then we learn that the villain is talking to his son, Hercules (played by Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein).
There are lots of upcoming movies and TV shows that Hercules could make his presence felt in, especially if his mission is to hunt down Thor.
A battle between the two should be a lot of fun, though we are hoping that the Olympian is eventually redeemed. After all, we're talking about a character who has been a loyal ally of Thor's and a member of The Avengers. That's something we hope to see down the line, though it wouldn't be too shocking if he first ends up being enlisted by the Thunderbolts!
1. Thor's New Ally And An Old "Friend"
In another unexpected development, Marvel Studios introduces "Love" in this movie. Gorr the God Butcher's daughter is brought back to life when her father makes a wish for Eternity to raise her from the dead; however, thanks to that powerful entity, she's now been imbued with God-like powers of her own.
Thor takes the little girl under his wing, and appears to be enjoying fatherhood. As the movie ends, Uncle Thor and Love head into battle with the former wielding Mjolnir and the kid making good use of Stormbreaker.
Mjolnir's return is a big deal, and we can't help but think there's a reason for the mighty hammer being back in Thor's hands. We're not sure what, but Avengers: Endgame showed how useful the weapon could be in battle when Captain America wielded it against Thanos. Perhaps Steve Rogers or another hero will be given the opportunity to show their worthiness?
Regardless, an exciting new status quo has been set up in Thor: Love and Thunder which means the next time we see this hero, he won't be heading into battle alone.