The release of Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8, 2022, will make him the first hero to receive four solo films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Chris Hemsworth has hinted it might be his last turn as the titular protagonist, there’s enough material for fans to understand how the Thor series works.

These have ranged from aspects, like the way Thor’s battles against the likes of Loki, Hela, Malekith, and other villains have gone, to the roles of allies, like Jane Foster, Valkyrie, Warriors Three, and Korg. Since it’s unclear if there will be another Thor film, it’s interesting to consider the template a Thor entry follows to understand how fans have been entertained over the years.

The Main Villain Has A Personal Vendetta Against The Heroes

Main antagonists in Thor movies aren’t evil just for the sake of it, as their hatred for the heroes stems from a personal standpoint. In the first film, Loki’s villainy was a result of his jealousy of his brother; the second saw Malekith return for vengeance for his incarceration in Odin’s father’s hands; the third film had Thor’s sister deposing his claim to the throne, and Love and Thunder will be about Gorr’s hatred of all the gods.

The villains generally pursue Thor because he’s either in their way or the person they want permanently removed. There’s also a history that stretches thousands of years back, ranging from Loki’s resentment of over a thousand years to Malekith’s that took place eons ago.

Thor Has A Dedicated Team Of Friends

There are several teams to be found in the MCU, with the Thor films bringing a few to the forefront. The first two movies feature the Warriors Three, who serve as Thor’s close friends and personal guard, along with Lady Sif. On Earth, Thor’s friends comprise Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, and Erik Selvig.

Although the third entry changed things up, Thor still had a dedicated group fighting alongside him – Bruce Banner/Hulk, Valkyrie, Korg, and Loki made up what Thor called the Revengers. Thor: Love and Thunder, once more, brings Thor certain allies, with Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster teaming up with him after the film starts off with Thor as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

A Comic Relief Character Breaks The Tension

There are a whole lot of hilarious quotes in Thor movies, which are usually uttered by the designated comic relief. With films about massively powerful gods and aliens, the level of tension does amp up but is diffused by the funny character, who generally misses the point completely.

The first two films had Darcy Lewis fulfill this role, such as when she ignored the danger at hand to worry about what she would call Mjolnir. Thor: Ragnarok had Korg become the comic relief, routinely forgetting that he was supposed to be fighting for his life and instead joking about things like how much he hates his mom’s boyfriend.

Thor Has A Shirtless Scene

A running gag in the Thor films is that the titular protagonist can be found in varying states of undress. Usually, there’s someone around to marvel at his physical perfection, to which Thor is generally oblivious because he thinks it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Thor: Love and Thunder have fully embraced this joke to feature Zeus’ maidens fainting as soon as they see Thor’s physique. Another spin on the gag was when Thor’s shirtless scene in Ragnarok was contrasted with Hulk emerging without his own clothes, making the hero realize how awkward it is.

There’s A Betrayal Of Some Kind

There are great characters in the Thor series, many of whom should be expected to betray the hero at some point. The films usually have betrayals featured to steer the plot into a new direction, with the first three entries containing numerous backstabbing antics from Loki.

The God of Mischief’s many betrayals became a defining feature of the Thor movies and the characters themselves made reference to this in Thor: Ragnarok. Other traitorous actions include Valkyrie selling Thor out to the Grandmaster, Odin casting Hela and Loki to prison, and the Loki enchanting Odin to claim his place as the King of Asgard.

Characters Travel Between Different Planets

Earth is featured in every Thor film, but it’s not always the primary setting for the stories. While the first entry had Thor banished to Earth, there were significant moments set in Asgard. Thor: The Dark World took things further by presenting different realms like Svartalfheim and Vanaheim. 

Thor: Ragnarok went beyond the Nine Realms and featured Muspelheim and Sakaar, with minimal action set on Earth. Thor: Love and Thunder is set in deep space, as the titular character journeys with the Guardians of the Galaxy, before entering different realms like the home of the Olympians.

Thor Is Initially Outmatched In The Climactic Battle

Thor is usually depicted as a powerful character but he’s always outmatched when the climax arrives in his film series. The first saw him easily defeated by the Destroyer armor, although this then awoke his latent powers. The following films have progressively shown him to be weaker than the villains.

Thor was manhandled by Kurse in The Dark World until Loki came to the rescue, while Malekith was defeated because of Jane and her friends’ efforts. Thor: Ragnarok had the protagonist absolutely stomped by his sister, who made short work of him and prompted Thor to initiate Ragnarok so she could be defeated by Surtur.

New Revelation Of The History Of Gods

While some MCU movies have filler content, Thor fans always learn something new about the lore of the gods in each entry. The first introduced the Asgardian gods, the second featured their backstory of the conflict with the Dark Elves, and the third revealed the existence of Odin’s first-born daughter Hela.

Thor: Love and Thunder has a central theme of the pantheon of various gods, featuring Zeus and other similar beings that are hunted by Gorr the God Butcher. The Thor films can be counted on to bring revelations about the history of the MCU, with fans expected to see the characters from a different perspective when new information is dropped

Allies And Friends Are Separated

Thor’s allies don’t stay together through the films’ events and have to either be reunited or suffer separation from one another. Thor’s banishment in the first entry separated him from the Warriors Three, while the second had Thor believe Loki had died, and the third featured the demise of Thor’s friends at Hela’s hands, with just a few remaining.

The separation aspect can also extend to romantic interests, as Thor was separated from Jane at the end of the first film and at various points in the second; Valkyrie also recalled watching her lover die in a flashback battle against Hela in Ragnarok.