Credit: Marvel StudiosThis Thor: Ragnarok (2017) star has always had a great sense of timing!
The Thor franchise has always been somewhat of an odd duck in Marvel. The first two films, Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013), had a wildly different tone from the most recent two, and while each has brought something to the table, there hasn’t been much consistency with Thor. That being said, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has brought some pretty amazing enemies to the Marvel Universe, at least one of which made the jump to fight all of the Avengers on his own!
Related: Marvel Bringing Back Phase Three Villain With Drastically Different Look For New Project
Of course, Marvel fans know which villain that is. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been one of the most beloved villains/anti-heroes in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. So well-loved, in fact, that he’s been brought back from the dead at least three times, including this last time after Avengers: Endgame (2019), when, by all logic, his death should have stuck. It seems, however, his latest variant and reincarnation may well have flipped the switch from anti-hero to full-on hero on a mission to stop Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Though Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) might not have been much to write home about, Christian Bale’s Gorr, the god-butcher, was perhaps the most redeeming part of Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Bale’s performance lent a terrifying authenticity to the character that could have been as campy as the rest of the film. His arc, in the end, was the most emotional moment in what could have been an emotional roller-coaster of a film, cementing him as a fantastic Marvel villain, despite a mediocre movie.
Then, there’s Hela (Cate Blanchett). Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) firstborn on a mission and with a vendetta against Loki (Hiddleston), Thor (Hemsworth), and the rest of Asgard as its perceived rightful heir. Had she not been defeated by Thor (Hemsworth) and, in reality, Surtur (Clancy Brown), Hela (Blanchett) could have laid waste to each of the Nine Realms herself, even without the aid of the Infinity Stones, as Thanos (Josh Brolin) did. Now, in more ways than one, Hela (Blanchett) is back!
Inside the Magic readers will remember that Marvel is bringing the villain back for their next season of What If…?, but fans were surprised with yet another appearance! Disney, via the official Loki series Twitter account, shared a visit that Cate Blanchett paid to Disney California Adventure recently, and it’s a bit of a Ragnarok reunion!
@LokiOfficial tweeted:
Kneel…before your queen. 👑 Cate Blanchett AKA Hela encountered her brothers, Thor and Loki, in #AvengersCampus at Disney California Adventure Park!
Kneel…before your queen. 👑 Cate Blanchett AKA Hela encountered her brothers, Thor and Loki, in #AvengersCampus at Disney California Adventure Park! pic.twitter.com/idY0dChSqg
— Loki (@LokiOfficial) March 7, 2023
Blanchett posed with two actors playing the gods Thor and Loki in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure this week, and it must be said: it’s surprising Thor isn’t guarding Mjolnir a little more closely, considering what happened last time she was near! All in all, the three “siblings” do look a little happier than the last time they were all together, and this visit seems like it went just a little better than the one in Ragnarok!
Related: Marvel Signals Huge Changes For ‘What If…?’ Season Two
Cate Blanchett is slated to return to play Hela in the second season of What If…? on Disney+. The series, when released, promises a fascinating deep-dive into alternate histories of Marvel characters, with many actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe reprising their roles, alongside some new talent. What will happen? Who can tell until the series hits Disney+?
What do you think about this photo from California Adventure? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!