10 Things You Didn't Know About Thor
Thor Odinson is, easily, one of the most recognized Marvel heroes now, largely thanks to his appearance within Marvel Studio's MCU. Based on the god of the same name from Norse Mythology, he has been part of the comic world for a very long time and been part of the MCU since the first Thor film released back in 2011. Chris Hemsworth has played the character since then and continues to do so throughout his own film series, as well as popping up in Avengers' team-up films. Today, we are going to look at 10 things you didn't know about Thor:
10. He Was Cloned By Iron Man
For those of you who don't know, the third film in Steve Rogers'3 arc, Captain America: Civil War, was based on the comic book story of the same name. Obviously, not everything that happened in the comic is covered within the film as it was adapted based on the established MCU characters at the time.
During the comic book storyline, though, Tony Stark is able to make a clone of Thor from strands of hair he happens to have lying around, which is named Ragnarok. The clone exhibits the same strength as Thor, but doesn't think the same. So when it is deployed for battle, it actually ends up doing a lot of damage to other heroes, even killing Goliath. Following this, the clone is deactivated and dismantled.
9. He Nuked China
So I think we can all agree that some strange things have happened in comic books throughout the years, but none more so than the time Thor caused a nuclear explosion in China. Back in the 1960's, Journey Into Mystery #93 saw Thor go up against a Chinese scientist who managed to turn himself into, basically, a walking H-Bomb, going by the name Radioactive Man (not to be confused with The Simpsons hero).
The villain is shown to be a formidable foe for the hero, managing to hypnotize Thor into giving up his hammer Mjolnir, but Thor gets it back and manages to defeat the villain. He summons a tornado which sends his foe hurtling back to China and, due to the high amounts of radiation within the bad guy's body, causes him to explode on impact with land and create a huge explosion akin to a nuclear blast.
8. Can He Actually Fly?
Most fans of the MCU will of course answer yes to the above. We have seen him fly several times, after all. However, there's actually more to it than most think. There have been articles galore questioning his ability to fly and it turns out it's not as simple as one would think. Throughout the comics, Thor has stated, several times, that he is able to fly by spinning Mjolnir extremely fast or throwing the hammer and holding on, so technically he can't "fly."
There's also a small line in Thor: Ragnarok, during the scene in which he talks about his hammer to the character Korg, where he states, "when I spun it really, really fast, it gave me the ability to fly," so even in the MCU it would suggest he is only capable of "flight" when he has Mjolnir. Following the hammer's destruction and his subsequent use of the weapon Stormbreaker, he is no longer seen being able to fly, but instead able to hover.
7. Magical Belt
We all know about Thor's legendary weapons Mjolnir and Stormbreaker. However, another piece of equipment not mentioned in the MCU thus far is his magical belt - Mejingjord. In the comics, the belt would serve to double Thor's already increased physical strength, resulting in him being able to take on even stronger enemies. Thor uses it to fight against a higher powered clone of Thanos, along with a shield and gauntlet empowered with Odinforce by Odin, which results in a win. The belt has not been seen since, with its whereabouts unknown. Could it make an appearance in the upcoming film?
6. You've "Goat" To Be Kidding Me
As mentioned above, Thor is able to "fly" thanks to Mjolnir. However, it's not the only way the god has been able to fly in the comics. The God of Thunder has two pet goats named Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher, who are able to fly and, together, they pull Thor along behind them in a golden chariot.
Talk about travelling in style!
5. Almost Played By His Onscreen Brother
Did you know that before being cast as the mischievous Loki, Tom Hiddleston actually auditioned for the role of Thor in the first place? Despite giving a decent performance, Marvel Studio execs saw him as a better fit for the role of Thor's adopted brother Loki. So impressive and successful was his performance of Loki that the character was written into the second Thor film, which originally did not include him. Fans can't help but wonder, though, how things would have worked out with Hiddleston in the main role instead of Hemsworth.
4. The Film Version Could Have Been Totally Different
Almost everyone remembers the first two Spider-Man films by director Sam Raimi with fondness. The third film is remembered for very different reasons. However, did you know that before directing Spider-Man, Raimi almost directed a film focusing on the God of Thunder back in 1990? 20th Century Fox executives did not think a film focusing on the Norse God would be successful, though.
Considering Spider-Man 2 is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films of all time, it would have been interesting to see Raimi's take on the character. Interestingly, Raimi is the director for the upcoming, highly anticipated sequel to Doctor Strange, finally making him a part of the MCU.
3. Cast Left Speechless By His Onscreen Father
The first two Thor films remain a controversial topic of conversation within the Marvel fandom community, with most fans agreeing that they are inferior to Ragnarok. However, the first film contains a scene which left both Hemsworth and Hiddleston lost for words, thanks to the actor playing their onscreen father.
Sir Anthony Hopkins played the role of Odin, King of Asgard. And during the first film, a scene takes place in which his character banishes Thor to Earth, deeming him unworthy of keeping his titles and infamous hammer. What you may not know is, Hopkins' performance was improvised. At one point, he snarls at Loki, causing Hiddleston to genuinely be caught off guard, and it's said that the performance from Hopkins left many of the cast and crew with tears in their eyes, feeling the pain and sadness he was able to convey as a disappointed father.
2. Thor Casting Caused Some Controversy
As mentioned previously, the first two films focusing on the "Mighty Thor" where not as well received as Marvel Studios had hoped. This is more based on the plot and character development, rather than the actual performances of its cast, but it may surprise you to know that one cast member received quite a bit of backlash when cast.
The actor in question was Idris Elba. He was cast as Heimdall, the all-seeing sentry to Asgard, and a lot of fans were not happy with the decision due to him being black. Now, whilst some of the complaints came from "purist" fans who didn't appreciate changes to the source material, most were just downright racist. Thankfully, Elba would go on to prove these people wrong and absolutely nail the role, proving to be one of the more memorable and popular characters from the movies, resulting in him reprising the role a further three times.
1. Keeps Losing The Hammer
There's little doubt tht, when you think of Thor, you can't help but think about his trusty weapon, the hammer Mjolnir. The hammer is enchanted by Odin and is only able to be wielded by those deemed worthy enough to do so, granting them the power of Thor. Whilst it's almost always related to Thor, there has been a very long list of Marvel characters who have actually wielded the weapon, the most well known being Jane Foster and the alien Beta Ray Bill.
The upcoming film Thor: Love and Thunder seems set to give us an onscreen look at Jane Foster as "Lady Thor," but in the comics, when Beta Ray Bill is able to wield the hammer, Odin has him and Thor battle to see who gets to keep it. Bill ultimately wins the battle, but chooses not to kill Thor. Odin would see the return of Mjolnir to Thor in the end, but would also make another hammer for Bill due to his win.
How many of the above did you know? Are their any other obscure facts you have come across or know yourself?
Thor: Love and Thunder is slated for release May 2022.
Until next time!