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Overanalyzing Anime
Blog Owner & Lead Writer
For this series I’ll be taking an in depth look at each of the original Avengers by analyzing both their stories before Avengers: Endgame, but also how their respective stories end.
Click here for the full list so far!
Needless to say – SPOILERS follow.
My biggest worry heading into Infinity War was how exactly the writers/directors would handle Thor. I was worried that, with this movie being presented as dark, that the writers/directors might return to the Pre-Ragnarok Thor; the one who was good for a brawl, but who was otherwise a pretty uninteresting character. Luckily for me, and, I would say for audiences, the writers/directors decided to keep the new Thor, who shines brightest in practically every scene he appears in - even when he's sharing the screen with other fan favorites like.. well, like every character in this movie, really.
Thor is the standout for a number of reasons. Firstly, he, by far, has had the worst experience with Thanos. Only hours/days after the destruction of his home world, his refugee ship, filled with frightened Asgardians, was ravaged by the Sanctuary II. While we never get a chance to see the actual battle that took place, we do see what's left in it's wake as dozens of Asgardian corpses surround the area. It's heartbreaking because, for all the strength that he possesses, Thor is left helpless at the overwhelming power that Thanos wields. But, unlike his big, green friend, Thor doesn't allow this exchange to discourage him, and instead looks for a way to become even stronger so that, when he faces Thanos again, he can avenge those that were killed by him and his children.
In addition to that, Thor also has the honor of being the connective tissue that bring the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy together. Aside from his introduction to the Guardians after his refugee ship is destroyed, he's also what the two teams (Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange / Starlord, Drax, and Mantis) have in common when they originally meet on Thanos's home world, Titan.
Perhaps though, the most compelling part of the Thor we see in Infinity War is just how vulnerable he is. Thor's story has always been a sort of Shakespearean tragedy. In his first film, he believed he had lost his brother; in the second, his mother was murdered by a dark elf and his brother was, yet again, presumed dead; his third film dealt a catastrophic blow as he lost his girlfriend, his father, and his planet over the course of just a few days. Now, in this film, he's lost his brother again (seemingly, permanently) as well as a considerable amount of his people.
Say what you will about the tragedy that has befallen the other members of the Avengers/Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor has it the worst, and we really get to feel the extent of it all in this movie during his conversation with Rocket as the trio approached Nidavellir. We see him trying his very best to remain optimistic, but as he tells Rocket about all that he's lost over the last few years we get an understanding of just how much of a toll it's taken on the 1500 year-old Avenger. He tells Rocket that Thanos is just, "the latest in a long line of bastards to feel [his] vengeance]" but when Rocket retorts with, "what if you're wrong?" we see Thor's optimism fade as he replies, "well.. what else have I got to lose?"
I'm glad that Thor's journey was fruitful and that, because of the newfound power endowed into him by Stormbreaker, he was able to make quick work of Thanos's army in Wakanda. And even more kudos to Thor for being capable of inflicting a substantial amount of damage on the Titan - though I do agree, he probably should aimed for the head.
All in all, when he was first introduced, I didn't particularly care for Thor. Where Tony Stark's arrogance was intriguing in his first outing as Iron Man, Thor's was very lackluster and boring in comparison. His powers were cool, but I still preferred seeing Hulk fight the Abomination more than I did Thor taking on the Devastator. And his story, while interesting, didn't have the same emotional depth as the First Avengers WWII story. Thor was my least favorite Avenger. But with his revitalization in Ragnarok, and his continued growth in Infinity War, Thor has become my favorite Avenger, and I can't wait to see what Avengers 4 has in store for the Mighty Thunderer!
What are your thoughts on the King of Asgard? Let me know in the comments below! And be sure to check out the rest of our site!
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