Thor: Love And Thunder Credits Scenes Explained: Zero To Hero
This article contains spoilers for "Thor: Love and Thunder." Proceed with caution.
Great Odin's raven! With the release of "Thor: Love and Thunder," the Asgardian Avenger has become the first hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to receive four solo feature films. To celebrate this landmark, filmmaker Taika Waititi and the God of Thunder delivered on the promise of more Thor(s) in "Thor 4" (in more ways than one).
But along with revealing the future of Chris Hemsworth's fan-favorite character, the latest Phase Four film gives us a bit of a tease for what else is coming down the line in future House of Ideas projects. And in typical Marvel Studios fashion, they do this with their signature post-credits scenes.
But if you need a bit of a refresher on what happened in these after-movie treats or are looking for some context on these stingers, then you've come to the right place. Venture forth, weary travelers, and gaze into the potential futures of Thor Odinson and the mighty Dr. Jane Foster.
Zero to hero
In the movie's first post-credits scene, we catch up with Russell Crowe's Zeus. When we last saw him in Omnipotence City, he had denied Thor's request for an army of gods to stop Gorr's crusade. As a result, he and the Thunderer got into a skirmish that resulted in Zeus' trademark lightning bolt going right through his own chest. Thor, Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane then took the bolt along with them in the hopes that it would give them the edge against the Necrosword.
Now, the oldest and "wisest" god is left recuperating from this battle that made him a laughing stock among the collection of deities in the sacred city. He laments with a soliloquy yearning for the old days.
"It used to be to be a god it meant something. People would whisper our name before sharing their deepest hopes and dreams. They begged you for mercy without ever knowing if you were actually listening. Now, you know when they look to the sky, they don't ask us for lightning. They don't ask us for rain. They just want to see one of their so-called superheroes. When did we become the joke? No. No. They will fear us again when Thor Odinson falls from the sky. Do you understand me, Hercules? Do you understand me, my son?"
After Zeus wraps up his little "woe is me" speech, that's when the camera pans right to reveal the one and only Hercules played by "Ted Lasso" star Brett Goldstein, who responds, "Yes, father."
Where the brave shall live forever
After the full credits rolled on "Thor: Love and Thunder," the second post-credits scene brings us to an angelic realm adorned in white and gold. Following her emotional death in the arms of her beloved Thor after she fought valiantly against the God Butcher yet still lost her battle with cancer, Jane steps through a gateway into this world and is surprised to see a familiar face.
Idris Elba reprising his role as Heimdall greets this fallen warrior. The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian gatekeeper was last seen perishing alongside a ship full of his people at the hands of Thanos at the beginning of "Avengers: Infinity War." Now appearing as healthy as ever, he says with levity, "I see you're dead now," before thanking her for keeping his son safe while he was kidnapped with the other children of New Asgard in the Shadow Realm.
Jane acknowledges her new status quo and Heimdall goes on to reveal where they are by saying, "You are very welcome here to the land of the gods. Welcome to Valhalla."
The fate of the realms
What could these scenes mean for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well, for starters, Thor has clearly made a new enemy. The Lion of Olympus will likely hunt down the Asgardian at his father's demand. Whether that materializes in a fifth Thor movie or a Disney+ series, that remains to be seen. But due to Herc's history with the Avengers in the comics, there's a good chance that this won't be the last time that we see the actor best known for bringing Roy Kent to life lace up a pair of sandals in the MCU.
As for Jane and her new home in Valhalla, this leaves the door open for the Mighty Thor to make a comeback at some point. As we've seen in "Moon Knight," it is possible to return from the land of the dead. With her unmatched set of skills, Natalie Portman's Dr. Foster could probably figure out a way back to Earth (and Thor) if she really had to.
Also, as Thor pointed out to Jane back in Kenneth Branagh's 2011 Phase One feature, Asgardian cosmology says that there are nine realms that make up Yggdrasill, the World Tree. Among them are Asgard, Midgard, and Jotunheim (where the Frost Giants and Loki came from). There's also Niffleheim aka the realm of the dead. While some sources say that Valhalla is simply a myth, others say that it's actually located in Niffleheim. If Stormbreaker can utilize the Bifrost to transport Thor and his companions to other realms freely, I don't see why they can't go to Valhalla also. Plus, would it be any worse than what Doctor Strange did recently? We just have to wait and see what future threat requires summon the Mighty Thor back from the afterlife.