The Most Misunderstood MCU Sequel Released 13 Years Ago, And Avengers: Endgame Made It Even Better

Since so much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been met with strong reception from both critics and audience members, it’s hard to consider any installment as something that was misunderstood. Alas, that is the case with a handful of films and shows in the franchise. The Marvels is far more fun and important than some fans gave it credit for, Eternals does a lot right throughout its loaded narrative, Hawkeye is a blast of a holiday miniseries, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was exactly what a show about that character should have been.

Most of those projects are relatively recent, yet there’s one from over a decade ago that might be the most misunderstood of them all. The film in question is a sequel to a solid debut for a major member of the Avengers, and it was, at the time, the lowest-rated entry in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the relatively mixed reviews for Thor: The Dark World in 2013, there’s a lot about the movie that’s worth appreciating that was overlooked initially, especially after the release of Avengers: Endgame six years later, which actually managed to improve the overall film and made it more relevant to the greater MCU.

Thor: The Dark World Is Better Than It Gets Credit For

When Thor: The Dark World came out, it followed two billion-dollar hits in the MCU and the lackluster reviews may have turned some folks away. To be fair, a lot of the criticisms the film faced made sense. Malekith is a dull villain who doesn’t get much character development, the tonal shifts between the stuff on Asgard and the scenes on Earth are jarring, and Jane Foster is reduced to a plot device and damsel in distress rather than a brilliant scientist with actual agency. However, these things tend to make people ignore the good in the film.

Thor: The Dark World has a great depiction of the complex relationship between Thor and Loki. In the aftermath of Loki’s actions in The Avengers and before they truly came together in Thor: Ragnarok, we see them at an interesting point. They’re contentious, yet they work as an uneasy team and their bond grows throughout the adventure. Their dynamic is the driving force of the movie. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston do some of their best work together in these scenes, leading to Loki’s “sacrifice” having actual emotional weight.

The film also deserves some credit for the effort it makes to establish and build out the world of Asgard. In Thor, a lot of the action takes place on Earth, but with more Asgard scenes this time around, we get to learn more about that world. We see what the kingdom is like, we spend more time with Thor and Loki’s parents, and we learn about some of their rituals. It made for a nice change of pace. However, the best thing about Thor: The Dark World is how it laid the foundation for the MCU’s future, with payoffs in Avengers: Endgame.

How Avengers: Endgame Made Thor: The Dark World Better

The Aether is the focal point of Thor: The Dark World and we didn’t notice until later that it’s actually the Reality Stone. That means the item was brought back into the fold when Thanos acquired it in Avengers: Infinity War, though we don’t see him get it. It plays a bigger role in Avengers: Endgame, as the heroes embark on their time heist to regain the Infinity Stones after Thanos destroys them. Getting to see the power of what the Aether is capable of makes watching Thor: The Dark World again an improved experience.

In fact, Thor and Rocket actually travel back to the events of Thor: The Dark World and watching Thor and Rocket sneak around Asgard during this time is a blast. However, what really sells this sequence and adds to the Thor sequel is when Thor runs into his mother. Frigga’s death initially doesn’t hit like other deaths in the franchise because the character was underdeveloped, as was her relationship with Thor. Avengers: Endgame manages to fix that problem.

The film gives us a touching scene between the two where Frigga quickly catches on that this is a Thor from the future and she helps him. Frigga shows the kind of compassion and care that makes a scene between a mother and son work so well. She reminds him of who he is and helps him regain his confidence after the trauma he faced. Meanwhile, Thor gets to face one of the worst moments of his life and get one last moment with his mother. Watching Thor: The Dark World again after seeing Avengers: Endgame makes you appreciate everything between Thor and Frigga, and the events of the film in general, more.

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