EDITORIAL: 5 Ways THOR: RAGNAROK Can Improve On THOR: THE DARK WORLD

EDITORIAL: 5 Ways THOR: RAGNAROK Can Improve On THOR: THE DARK WORLD

With Marvel's Thor 3 officially titled and scheduled for July 2017, I thought I'd present a list of 5 ways it can improve on its predecessor, Thor: The Dark World. Click on for my thoughts and be sure to leave your own in the usual place.

Editorial Opinion
By RebelVulcan - Oct 29, 2014 08:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Thor: The Dark World


Hey guys! RebelVulcan here. You may remember that a few months ago I wrote an article about 5 ways Batman V Superman could improve on Man of Steel. I’ve been planning to do a follow-up to that by turning 5 Ways into a series for a while, but just haven’t got round to doing it. Now however, I can finally bring you the second instalment in the 5 Ways series, this time focusing on the third instalment in the cinematic adventures of a certain thunder god…..

I don’t think I’ll upset a lot of people by saying that Thor: The Dark World was one of Marvel’s weaker outings. On the upside, it had great performances from Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, some witty dialogue and gorgeous effects and production design. On the downside however, the villains were extremely underdeveloped, the plot was clumsy and exposition-heavy, the humour got overstuffed and the whole thing just felt remarkably inconsequential- as if the whole thing could have not happened and the MCU wouldn’t be any different for it.
That’s all set to change however with Thor: Ragnarok, the recently announced third instalment in the Thor franchise. Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Fiege has promised that the film will take the franchise to a new level and really shake things up for the Marvel universe, much like Cap 2 did with the fall of SHIELD and the re-emergence of HYDRA. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to put together a list of 5 things Thor: Ragnarok can do to improve on its predecessor. Let’s get started!
5. Tone Down The Humour



The Marvel movies have always had humour in them to a lesser or greater extent. Sometimes this works really well and is a great tool to help build the characters and their personalities- I think Guardians of the Galaxy is a great example of this. In The Dark World however, I think they went overboard with the humour. It got to the point where it was actually holding back the development of the characters and the plot, and I think prevented the movie from being greater. Now, I’m not suggesting they get rid of it entirely- but I do believe that this time around, the humour should be toned down a lot. Also, hey should make the humour come from the characters and their interactions with each other. Have it arise as a side effect of the different personalities of the characters clashing, like GOTG did. If they do it well, the humour could help further define the characters and their personalities, as opposed to holding them back.

4. Ditch The Human Characters



When Thor first came out, it was considered to be Marvel’s biggest risk so far. Up until then, the studio had stayed firmly on Earth with Iron Man 1/2 and The Incredible Hulk- so venturing out into other dimensions of space and introducing crazy science-magic stuff seemed incredibly out there. This is why most of the film takes place on Earth and centres around human characters- Marvel felt the need to use them to ground the movie on earth and thus make it more relatable for audiences. Now however, with two hit films and the character of Thor firmly established in the public eye, it’s time to ditch the human characters and focus solely on the inhabitants of the other Nine Realms.
I never really liked them to begin with. Darcy was kind of funny in Thor, but was given way too much screen time in The Dark World. Jane was always a bit flat, and Natalie Portman has voiced her dissatisfaction with her character. Selvig was probably the most interesting, but was reduced to being a punchline in The Dark World- which is a shame, as I liked his character in Thor and The Avengers. To be honest, I reckon they’re all gonna bite the dust in Age of Ultron anyway.

3. Explore The Nine Realms



One thing I think the previous two Thor films have failed to do is give us a proper look at the vast universe this character inhabits. Thor is the only character who actively explores all Nine Realms of Yggdrasil, and it’s a real shame that we haven’t got to see more of them. We’ve remained mostly in the realms of Asgard and Midgard, with only the occasional voyage to Jotunheim or Svartelfheim. Which is a shame, as there’s a ton of awesome locales and creatures and landscapes to be explored in the rest of the Nine Realms.

If they’re serious about doing Ragnarok, then they need to show us more of the Nine Realms. Let’s see the fiery ravages of Mispelheim, the icy wastes of Jotunheim, the desolate plains of Hel in all their glory. Let’s see some Fire Demons and Hel ghosts and Light Elves and Rock Trolls brought to life with motion-capture tech- not practical effects. I love practical effects, but there comes a time when they’re not enough. I have to go with OdinSon2K14 on this one- Marvel should get in some big-league CGI guys for this movie.

2. Better Villains



Many people lament The Dark World for its under-developed villain Malekith, but often forget that the Thor movies have brought us Marvel’s most endearing villain in the form of trickster god Loki. If you look at this, it’s kind of funny- the Thor movies have brought us Marvel’s best villain and their worst. Given that we’re heading to Ragnarok this time around, it’s pretty obvious that the main villain will be none other than the king of the Fire Demons, Surtur.

What Bane is to Batman or Doomsday is to Superman, Surtur is to Thor-he is the biggest threat the Thunder God has ever faced. He may not be his main villain, but he is the villain that poses the biggest threat to him- he is the villain that has broken the hero. My personal choice for Surtur is Ian McShane, but that’s a topic for a different article. On top of this, I’d also like to see the Enchantress and the Executioner. We were already introduced to her sister in Agents of Shield, so I think that she’d be a great villain for the Thunder God threequel. The best villains I think are ones that can challenge the hero not just physically but mentally and spiritually. Surtur represents everything Thor fears the most- the destruction of his people and his home, the collapse of civilisation etc. The Enchantress could be like an evil Scarlet Witch- get inside people’s heads, manipulate people, that sort of thing. Loki should not be a villain in this one. I think it would be cool to see that he’s actually done a great job ruling Asgard, and wants to protect it instead of destroy it.

1.    Conclude Thor’s Character Arc



My biggest problem with The Dark World is the lack of consequence- not just for the MCU overall, but for the character of Thor. He didn’t really change that much or go through any specific character arc, basically remaining the same character he was at the end of Avengers. This cannot be the case in Ragnarok. I already mentioned my theory that Darcy, Jane and Selvig will be killed in AOU, which ties into my theory about where he will be at the start of Ragnarok.

My idea is that at the beginning of Ragnarok, we’ll see Thor at his lowest point. His mum is dead, his brother is ‘dead’, his friends are dead, his girlfriend is dead- basically everyone around him is dead. He’ll be like Bruce Wayne at the beginning of TDKR- a broken, bitter soul who was lost everything and can’t think of a reason to go on. So through the course of the film, we see him rise to his highest point and become the true God of Thunder, see him become the king of Asgard.

Anyway, those were 5 ways I think Thor: Ragnarok can improve on Thor: The Dark World. Disagree with my suggestions? Have any of your own? Let me know in the comments below! Live long and prosper!

 

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DaniDeSanta
DaniDeSanta - 10/29/2014, 8:30 AM
Great Editorial! Can't wait for Thor: Ragnarök!
TheRationalNerd
TheRationalNerd - 10/29/2014, 8:48 AM
Fiege built up my anticipation again for Thor: Ragnarok when he said that they want to do to Thor what the Russo Brothers did with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Are there new writers for Thor 3 or are they the same ones from the previous films? Same goes for the Director as well. Will they change it up again this time and have another new director come into the picture?
Invictor
Invictor - 10/29/2014, 9:22 AM
@TheRationalNerd

It's been said that Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost will be writing.
Pasto
Pasto - 10/29/2014, 9:23 AM
I liked Thor The Dark World.

Guess I'm in the minority...
HulkOnion
HulkOnion - 10/29/2014, 9:57 AM
Wait, 10 realms? did I miss something?


Also, it not being TDW is the only thing it needs to be better.
ZeoTV
ZeoTV - 10/29/2014, 10:07 AM
I like thor:the dark world its just no where near the quality of other marvel films
jrp6048
jrp6048 - 10/29/2014, 10:13 AM
Great article! My only thing is have Thor be rage fueled and broken, instead of sad and bitter
RobtimusPrime
RobtimusPrime - 10/29/2014, 10:14 AM
Good read.

Really looking forward to Thor 3. I agree with all 5 of your points & hope Marvel takes Thor to the next level in terms of his power set. I want to see him manipulating weather patterns causing tornadoes, blizzards, etc. I want Mjolnir to be able to traverse pretty much anywhere like the comics. I want him to be the MCU's Superman.
I want the Enchantress & the Executioner
Minty
Minty - 10/29/2014, 11:44 AM
Nice work Vulc. I liked TDW, but you've captured a lot of its faults here. While it made a few steps towards expanding the nine realms and cosmic side of the MCU, all of the Earth/Darcy/Darcy 2.0 drama weighed it down immensely. And I was so disappointed with Eccleston's Malekith. That dude was incredible on Doctor Who!

Surtur and the Enchantress would be the best way to go in the villains department, with Loki just being... Loki - not really a villain or a hero. I agree, we need 99.9% of it away from Earth. The one thing i'd disagree with is killing off all of the Earth characters. It would be unlike Disney to kill everyone, but there is the possibility of just offing Jane. That way, it'd almost bee too painful for Thor to return to Earth for a while.

Anyway, good piece mate, thumbed. Can't wait till Ragnarok comes out!
Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 10/29/2014, 1:10 PM
I agree with all of this, but the fact that Ragnarok has the same writers as Thor TDW makes me anti looking foward to it, since TDW was the first marvel movie i hated. Nearly walked out twice. But you get a thumb up. Great write up
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 2:54 PM
Thanks for posting @RebelVulcan. Some I agree with - some I don't. @GliderMan is more of my mind.

Don Payne was the original writer on Thor 2 and he's dead - RIP. The other writers for Thor 2 also wrote Winter Soldier. Thor 3 has the addition of Craig Kyle along with Christopher Yost. I think we'll get a much better script. Marvel knows what they need to do here. Whatever perceived missteps may have happened in the last film, I blame on a troubled production but Marvel cares about this character. Thor will not go quietly into the night.

Still I loved Thor 2. It is still my favorite Phase 2 film so far. Don't care what anyone else says. Liked the humor better than GOTG actually. They can definitely tone down the humor a bit from here on out - I don't mind - but they still need it. Don't turn Thor into some joyless affair - God no. Just shift the humor more over to Thor's Asgardian compadres like the Warriors Three.

I vehemently disagree that Loki should be doing a great job ruling Asgard. Thor is the rightful heir - he is not some oaf like Loki derides him as. Rip that part of the story right out of the pages of Blood Brothers and you will have an awesome character arc. Make it about the two brothers. That was the best part of TDW. Take that part of the story and run with it. Pure gold waiting to happen right there.

I want to see epic battles and large scale creatures and other worlds but not at the sacrifice of story or characters.

And I do very much hope to see Balder.
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 10/29/2014, 3:33 PM
Good editorial. I agree with all of this. One of the reasons why i disliked Thor The Dark World was because the humor or goofy moments ruined it for me. It was not clever humor, it was cringe worthy moments and cringe worthy "human characters".

Could have had more of Malekith, Marvel could have had a stronger villain but of course the human characters and Loki are more important than having a strong villain with his motivations and character explored.

Also a better director would be suited for Thor Ragnarok. Don't hire Alan Taylor again, he does not know how to direct and bagged out another director to make himself look better.

Just have another director take a jab at Thor Ragnarok and bring in the nine realms, ditch the human characters and have a strong villain. It may be expensive with exploring other worlds but i'm sure Marvel can pull it off.
TopherH
TopherH - 10/29/2014, 4:12 PM
I think your point on his lack of growth--or even simply change--was a little sad for TTDW. It wasn't a bad movie, but definitely didn't keep up with the first Thor film and left the character feeling a bit stagnant.

Definitely like your idea where he'll be before Ragnarok and after AOU. I doubt they kill off Darcy--maybe just write her out. She's forgettable. Jane and Selvig dying in the destruction is a huge possibility, and one I'd definitely like to see. It'll add a much needed other dimension to his character that they can explore.

Great Editorial! I'll have another! (I had to).
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 5:23 PM
How was there no character growth of Thor in TDW? I don't get that complaint at all. Were we not watching the same movie? It continues what was started in the first Thor and sees it through.

We see Thor growing from an arrogant and cruel prince who can't wait to be king to someone who's not sure he even wants it anymore. Despite his inner turmoil, he is doing his duty as son of Odin and heir to the throne by restoring peace to the Nine Realms. Yet he clearly is struggling with his feelings for Jane at the beginning of the film, deciding what future he wants and by the end he decides being king isn't what it's cracked up to be and is not ready for it after all - even somewhat irresponsibly turning away from it. These are signature Thor traits.

In the first film he was eager to wage war. By his battle lust when he slays the frost giants it's obvious he has little regard for life. Odin tells him a "wise king never seeks out war". Loki says of the Jotuns "You would've killed them with your bare hands!"

In the second film Thor's new found respect for life comes into play. He confronts Odin and is disturbed by his father's stand towards the lives of Asgardians after the first attack by the dark elves. You also see a different angle on the father son dynamic - Thor and Odin trade places somewhat in this film and you see were Thor gets some of his obstinacy from.

TDW also shows Thor growing shrewder while retaining his bravado. He saw through Loki's illusion in the cell, he devised the plan to escape Asgard and organized the conspiracy, he slipped the chains on Loki while he wasn't expecting it, he tricked Loki into thinking they were actually taking the Dark Elf ship out of Asgard, and he devised the plan to trick Malekith into extracting the Aether from Jane while they were close by. Yet at the same time, he still acts like Thor and rushes headlong into things and never surrenders.

You're seeing development here with Thor you rarely see in the comics.
kong
kong - 10/29/2014, 5:39 PM
Great read! My tow least favorite Marvel films are the Thor movies. Yes even more than Iron Man 2. I love Thor, Loki, Odin, and Heimdall (biased), but everything else is just like....meh....to me. However, I feel like this movie has so much potential to be Cap 2 of Phase 3. Darker, more badass, and raises the stakes for the franchise.

I'd love to see Loki fully come together with Thor to stop Surtur. I mean Loki's main goal is to rule and have power, what happens when someone comes in trying to destroy everything he believes is rightfully his.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:22 PM
I agree that Malekith took a back seat because of the focus on Thor and Loki. You can't really complain about a one note villain though when Loki, a far more complex villain, is given more screen time as a result. You really have two villains. Now in this film Loki's stance is more ambiguous but he certainly is not a hero. And Loki's story is pretty important.

Instead Malekith serves more as a McGuffin to drive the plot forward. However he wasn't just out to destroy the universe. It surprises me how many people think this. The narrative may have suffered as a result of the many cut scenes which would have flushed out Malekith as a villain but even with all that it was pretty obvious to me why beings that preceded the birth of the universe and have suffered ever since would want to restore things to the way they were. It's like people need everything spelled out for them. This is why we get films with way too much exposition some times.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:25 PM
@aztecRaingod, actually yeah. Feige says Ragnarok "will reshape the Marvel Universe in the same ways Winter Soldier did," which thrills the hell out of me. People who think Marvel aren't taking Thor serious are mistaken.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:31 PM
No Malekith said:

"The Asgardians will suffer as we have suffered. I will reclaim the Aether. I will restore our world. And I will put an end to this poisoned universe."

Some have speculated the Aether is the Reality Gem. Yes he wanted to destroy this universe but he was clearly recreating another reality. The one that predates this one.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:35 PM
I really enjoyed the humor. But I like silly humor. I love the humor in the old Lee/Kirby Thor comics.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:37 PM
I'm a big fan of Langridge's Thor as well. I think the films have taken cues from that and have tried to capture the same whimsical charm. The first Thor definitely so.
Ragnaroknroll
Ragnaroknroll - 10/29/2014, 6:43 PM
Well if you don't like the humor in Thor 2 it's nothing to sweat. Taylor isn't coming back. I'd bet money on it.
Lobo89
Lobo89 - 10/29/2014, 6:44 PM
Great article, I like your ideas.
Carl
Carl - 10/29/2014, 7:07 PM
as long as the token character hogun gets 2 minutes of screen time again im sold!

Prime
Prime - 10/29/2014, 8:07 PM
Thanos will probably come knocking on Asgard's door.
Prime
Prime - 10/29/2014, 8:10 PM
Seriously he needs to show up in this Thor movie.
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