THOR: RAGNAROK: Ranking The 11 Main Characters From Least To Most Memorable - SPOILERS Ahead
Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok is set to hammer its way into theaters this week, but if you want a heads up on what to expect from each of the main characters and don't mind major Spoilers, right this way...
With Thor: Ragnarok about to hit theaters, we've decided to bring you guys a breakdown of the11 main characters that appear in the Marvel threequel.
Director Taika Waitit's has stated that it was intention to finally make Thor the coolest thing about one of his solo movies, and he's (just about) succeeded - although the mighty Asagardian warrior does receive fine support by a group of new and familiar faces.
That said, some heroes and villains aren't utilised to their full potential, and they're the ones that make up the first half of the list.
Be aware that this article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for every character, so if you haven't seen Thor: Ragnarok yet it's best to come back at a later date.
To view the list of characters in its entirety, simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below.
11. Heimdall
If you were hoping for more Heimdall in Thor's third solo adventure, prepare to be disappointed.
The all-seeing Asgardian guardian is arguably given a bit more to do, but because he's absent from the first half of the film (Skurge has taken over as gatemaster) he never really makes much of an impact.
With so many new and returning faces it was inevitable that someone was going to get the short end of the stick, but this still has to be viewed as an enormous missed opportunity to showcase what an actor the caliber of Idris Elba could do with a little more meat on the bones of such a terrific character.
10. Skurge
Now, on to the man who replaces Heimdall as the guardian of the Bifrost, Karl Urban's cockney take on Skurge the Executioner.
Skurge is introduced very early on in a funny sequence that finds him attempting to impress a couple of Asgardian ladies, but after that he's pretty much reduced to henchman status as he follows Hela around looking glum while she reels off exposition.
Fans of the character's comic book fate will be pleased to hear that we do get that moment of redemption towards the end, but because we don't care a whole lot about Skurge one way of the other, it doesn't carry much weight.
9. Odin
Odin is barely in Thor: Raganrok, which suggests that the subplot about him hanging out on Midgard as a homeless amnesiac was removed from the film entirely.
With help from Doctor Strange, Thor and Loki find their father in Norway, where he only has moments left to live. What follows is an emotional scene in which the Allfather acknowledges Loki as his son and passes on to Valhalla, freeing Hela from her prison in the process.
Again, it is only one scene, but the great Anthony Hopkins still manages to bring the necessary gravitas and ensures Odin is given a memorable send-off.
8. Hela
All our hopes were riding on Hela breaking the tradition of lacklustre Marvel - and more specifically, Thor - villains, but unfortunately it wasn't to be.
Cate Blanchett is clearly having a blast in the role, but The Goddess of Death simply isn't fleshed out enough to ever rise above a plot device. Part of the problem might also stem from the fact that she only shares a couple of scenes with Thor, so we never get an real sense of chemistry or a proper dynamic between them.
Hela is not terible by any means and the character might well return for Infinity War, but it's a shame she wasn't firmly established as a memorable baddie here.
7. The Grandmaster
Jeff Goldblum pretty much plays The Grandmaster as a (slightly) more flamboyant and out-there version himself, and it's glorious.
Though the ruler of Sakaar isn't featured that much, most of his scenes are hilarious and he imbues the movie with frenetic energy. The Grandmaster's antics may border on the absurd for some, but most will likely feel he's a welcome addition.
The character seemingly dissapears after his people stage a revolution, but he returns for a brilliant post-credits scene so be sure to stick around for that.
6. Doctor Strange
Marvel made no secret of the fact that The Master of the Mystic Arts would be showing up in Thor: Ragnarok, and even though it's really only a glorified cameo, Benedict Cumberbatch's scenes with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston emerge as some of the most entertaining stuff in the film.
When Thor and Loki arrive to earth in search of Odin, Strange is alerted by the God of Mischief's presence and transports them both to his Sanctum Sanctorum. After a bit of teleportation-related banter, he sends them off to see their father in Norway.
Though they don't share much screen time, these characters spark off each other brilliantly, which bodes well for them meeting back up in Infinity War.
5. Korg
When we first heard that Korg was going to be introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, we assumed he'd be a minor supporting character, but he actually features in far more scenes that we expected and the movie is all the better for it.
To be fair, you could completely remove Korg from the script and it wouldn't really change a single thing about the story, but Taika Waititi does such a fantastic job bringing him to life that it's difficult to imagine the film without him once you've seen it.
Hopefully the hilarious Kronan returns for Infinity War, even if it's just to crack a joke or two and call Thor bro.
4. Loki
Thor: Ragnarok sees the welcome return of Tom Hiddleston's Loki, who is still regarded as the best villain ever to grace the MCU. Of course, he's not really a villain anymore, but that doesn't mean the notorious trickster God doesn't get up to some mischief here.
Loki isn't particularly interested in mass murder of subjugation this time around, but he is still a selfish little bastard. Though he does care about his brother to an extent, he doesn't really seem to mind if Thor is killed or not, which makes for some excellent scenes between the two.
In the end, Loki does seem to completely reform, which suggests that he'll be fighting alongside The Avengers in Infinity War.
3. Valkyrie
Initial reactions and reviews pegged Valkyrie as one of the major standouts of the movie, and that was no exaggeration.
The character is introduced as a boozy mercenary whose only concern is a chunk of change, but as we find out more about why she left Asgard and began working for The Grandmaster, we begin to empathize with her situation. Valkyrie ultimately helps Thor defeat Hela and sticks around as part of his makeshift dysfunctional family, but don't think for one second that means she'll be losing her edge.
Tessa Thompson is excellent in the role (even if the accent does waver a little at times), and she has great chemistry with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, so consider us very excited to see what's in store for Valkyrie in Infinity War.
2. Thor
Yes, Thor is (almost) the best thing in his own movie for a change.
The God of Thunder has always been portrayed as a bit of an arrogant git, and while that side of the character still exists, this time Taika Waititi also wisely taps into Chris Hemsworth's likability and comic timing. This means we're fully behind Thor and are rooting for him to overcome the odds, as opposed to tolerating him while we wonder what the other Avengers are up to.
In his first 2 solo adventures and both Avengers movies, Thor never really made much of an impression, but after Ragnarok it's difficult to imagine the much cooler-looking, eye-patch-wearing Odinson being anything other than a major player in the MCU moving forward.
1. Hulk/Bruce Banner
As great as Thor is, we're going to have to go with the big green guy for our #1 pick.
Unlike the Thunder God, Hulk actually stood out as a highlight of his Avengers movie appearances, but here he's given much more to do than simply rage-out and smash. The Green Goliath's ability to speak is a terrific touch, and makes for some hilarious and even touching scenes as Thor attempts to reconnect with his friend from work. Plus, because Hulk is really two characters for the price of one, Bruce Banner's reintroduction allows for a completely different dynamic with Thor and the other characters.
The movie could have done with one final scene to address Banner's concerns that he may now be stuck as The Hulk forever, but hopefully something was shot and will be included on the Blu-ray.
And that concludes the list! If you've seen Thor: Ragnarok let us know if you agree, and if not, please check back once you have.