THOR: RAGNAROK: 5 Ways The Events Of The Movie Could Impact The Future Of The MCU - SPOILERS Ahead
Now that Thor: Ragnarok is on general release, we take a closer look at five of the biggest plot/character elements in the film which could play a part in significantly altering the future of the MCU...
Though Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok is a self-contained story in most respects, there are several elements and plot points that could have significant repercussions for the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe - and more pressingly, Avengers: Infinity War.
Most of the film's main characters have actually gone through some fairly big changes - both physically and from a motivation standpoint - by the time the credits role, and then of course there's the whole destruction of Asgard thing.
Here, we break down the top 5 ways the events of Thor: Ragnarok could play a part in influencing the future of The MCU - for better or worse.
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5. Korg And Miek Will Return
When Thor is captured by The Grandmaster he encounters two characters who were originally introduced in the Planet Hulk storyline... although they are both very different from their comic book counterparts.
For some, Korg and his silent pal Miek were an unnecessary addition, and while it is true that you could completely remove them from the script without altering the plot in any way, most would agree that they added a lot to the proceedings.
Good news, then, that Kevin Feige has confirmed that they'll be back. Will Korg and Miek remain with Thor's people, or fight alongside The Avengers? They'd certainly be a good fit for The Guardians of The Galaxy. Whatever happens, The MCU is set to be injected with a hugely entertaining dose of Kiwi charm.
4. The Destruction Of Asgard
We probably should have been alerted to this by the big clue in the title, but yes, Asgard is actually destroyed at the end of Thor: Ragnarok when The God of Thunder is forced to unleash the full might of Surtur in order to save his people from Hela.
This will obviously have major ramifications for The MCU as an entire civilisation of space vikings now find themselves in need of a new planet to call home.
At the end of the film Thor settles on earth, but obviously the appearance of Thanos is liable to throw a spanner in the works, so it'll be very interesting to see where The Asgardians eventually settle.
3. Loki The Hero
By the end of Thor: Ragnarok, Loki has (seemingly) fully reformed his villainous ways, and is ready to fight alongside his brother... probably. Though The God of Mischief does appear to be genuine, it is strongly implied that he swipes the Tesseract when he releases Surtur, so there's definitely potential for more skulduggery down the line.
But if he really is a hero now, does that mean he'll join The Avengers in the war against Thanos? Will the people of earth really welcome the man who attempted to enslave them only a few years before as their saviour?
We'll have to wait and see, but Loki the hero has the potential to alter the MCU's status quo in a big way.
2. No Banner Only Hulk?
In Thor: Ragnarok, Bruce Banner tells Thor that he's afraid of being stuck as The Hulk if he transforms again, and that's exactly what happens in the film's final act. What does this mean for the Green Goliath moving forward?
Well, thanks to some Avengers 4 set pics featuring Mark Ruffalo's Banner we know that the change won't be permanent, but that doesn't mean some big things aren't in store for The Hulk in the interim.
It's been confirmed that Ragnarok kicks-off a three-film arc for the big fella, so don't be surprised if he begins to feel a little smashy upon his return to earth. World War Hulk, anyone?
1. King Thor VS. Thanos
Just as The God of Thunder decides to return to earth with his people, Thanos shows up in his immense flagship to block the path. This obviously suggests that Thor will be the first Avenger to engage the Mad Titan, and based on what we know from Infinity War, things probably don't go very well for the newly crowned King of Asgard.
So, assuming Thor escapes and enlists the help of the Guardians, what becomes of Loki, Hulk, Valkyrie and the others? If they become Thanos' prisoners it would set up a significant plot point that we weren't previously aware of, and if they manage to get past him and make it to earth then the other Avengers are in for a shock.
We'll have to wait for Infinity war to find out for sure, but let us know how you think the events of Thor: Ragnarok will influence future MCU entries in the comments below.