Marvel

Thor: Ragnarok’s New Characters Explained

The first trailer for Thor: Ragnarok is currently tearing up the Internet, giving us a bold new […]

The first trailer for Thor: Ragnarok is currently tearing up the Internet, giving us a bold new look at the Marvel Cosmic Universe and its inhabitants, thanks to director Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople).

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More so than most Marvel Cinematic Universe sequels (or threequels), Thor: Ragnarok has a bunch of new characters that it will introduce – many of whom would have a larger destiny to come in the MCU (as opposed to being one-offs).

Here is Every New Character in the Thor Ragnarok trailer.

Hela

In Marvel Comics, Helaย (Cate Blanchett) is the Asagardianย goddess of Death, ruler of the underworld realms of Hel and Nifleheim.ย 

We don’t know many concrete details about Hela’sย MCUย adaptation, except that she (clearly) still has powers related to the underworld, and has, as Blanchettย recently said, “been locked away for millennia getting more and more cross, and then, with a mistake, she gets unleashed and she ain’t getting back in that box.”

Skurge

Karl Urban’sย Skurgeย is Hela’sย enforcer. We don’t know much about the MCUย version – such as whether he works for Hela voluntarily, or is (as in the comics) under thrall, with no will of his own (until he’s inevitably freed).ย In any event, Skurgeย is a warriorย from the Norse tradition of berserkers, and his prowess with an axe has earned him the nickname “The Executioner.”

In this scene from the trailer he’s far less graceful, weildingย to big machine guns (as they tend to do in cosmic battles, you know?).ย 

Valkyrie

After all the controversy surrounding this character and casting, it seems we’ll get an interesting take on actress Tessa Thompson’s version of Marvel Comics’ Valkyrie, and the larger mythosย she fits into.ย 

Theย Thor: Ragnarokย trailer seeminglyย establishes a history in which the Valkyrior of Asgard (a squad of warrior goddesses on winged horses) rode into battle against Hela, and fell as a result. From what we can tell, Thompson’s Valkyrieย is presumablyย one of the last in the MCU, and is in service (coerced or otherwise) to Jeff Goldblum’sย Grandmaster.ย 

The Grandmaster

Thor Ragnarok Trailer Jeff Goldblum

In the Comics, The Grandmaster (En Dwiย Gast) is an Elder of the Universe, and the brother of The Collector.ย 

Here’s how Jeff Goldblumย described the MCUย version of The Grandmasterย we’ll meet inย Thor: Ragnarok:ย 

“He’s a hedonist, a pleasure-seeker, an enjoyer of life and tastes and smells. I thought, ‘ can do that, I’ll bet!’ … ย [Taika Waititi] is encouraging me to improvise and make it my own, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

ย 

Gladiator Hulk

Okay, you got us! It’s not aย newย character, per se – but it is a pretty novel way to re-meet an old favorite.ย 

The Hulk has been MIA after running off in a Quinjet during the climatic events ofย Avengers: Age of Ultron; how he gets into The Grandmaster’s game is a big question thatย Thor: Ragnarokย needs to answer.ย 

Based on the “Planet Hulk” comic book storyline, we’ll be getting “Gladiator Hulk,” complete with his iconic armor and weaponry.ย 

MORE: Gladiator Hulk Explained

Fire Demons?

Thor Ragnarok Trailer Fire Demons First Look

We don’t know for sure where the ominous opening to theย Thor: Ragnarokย trailer is set – but we do catch glimpse of someย Gremlins-style creatures lurking in the dark, as Thor is lowered into a fiery underworld.ย 

Thor: Ragnarok has long been expected to follow the comic book storyline of the same name by introducingย the villain Surtur and his fire demons – so could this be our very first look at them?ย 

It’s far from a guarantee: this could easily be Hela’sย realm, Hel, which is different than the realm of the Fire Demons, Muspelheim. Helย is basically a Norse/Asgardian version of Hell, and those creatures could be damned souls confined to the realm.ย 

We’ll have to see more fromย Thor: Ragnarok before we’ll know for sure.ย 

More Thor

Thor Ragnarok Trailer vs Hulk

In Marvel Studios’ Thor:ย Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back toย Asgardย to stopย Ragnarokย โ€“ the destruction of hisย homeworldย and the end ofย Asgardianย civilization โ€“ at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthlessย Hela. But first, he must survive a deadly gladiatorialย contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger โ€“ the Incredible Hulk!

Thor:ย Ragnarokย is directed byย Taikaย Waititiย with a screenplay by Eric Pearson. The film stars Chrisย Hemsworthย as Thor and Tomย Hiddlestonย reprising his role as Loki. They are joined byย Cateย Blanchettย (Hela),ย Idrisย Elba (Heimdall), Jeffย Goldblumย (Grandmaster), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Karl Urban (Skurge), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Sam Neill, Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Tadanobuย Asano (Hogun), Mark Ruffaloย (Bruce Banner/Hulk), and Benedict Cumberbatchย (Dr. Stephen Strange).

Next up for Marvel is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2ย on May 5, 2017. Spider-Man: Homecoming lands on July 7, 2017, followed by Thor: Ragnarok on November 3, 2017. After that Black Panther debuts on February 16, 2018, while Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018. Ant-Man and the Wasp is slated for July 6, 2018, followed by Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019.

How excited are you for Thor: Ragnarok? The film is currently at an impressive 4.11/5 in our Anticipation rankings – rate YOUR excitement, below!

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