Thor: Love & Thunder Can Bring Back Asgard’s Own Avengers Team

Thor: Love and Thunder will see the return of the self-styled “Strongest Avenger,” and it may also bring back Asgard’s version of the Avengers. In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) was shocked to find that Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), who had been one of Asgard’s elite female warriors, the Valkyries, was living on the planet Sakaar. The reason for his surprise was revealed later through Valkyrie’s flashback that showed how Thor’s sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett), the Goddess of Death, had killed all the other Valkyries. The associated survivor’s guilt and trauma subsequently caused her to drink heavily and be reluctant to fight alongside Thor against Hela on Asgard.

Ultimately, Valkyrie joined the fight and helped rescue the people of Asgard before it was destroyed by Surtur. The events of Avengers: Infinity War then saw the tables turned for Thor and Valkyrie. Thor’s guilt at failing to save half the universe from Thanos caused him to retreat into excessive drinking and eating as he hid away in New Asgard. While this was happening, Valkyrie took charge, and following Thor’s redemption and the ultimate defeat of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, Thor made the wise decision to follow his own path and leave Valkyrie as the King of New Asgard.

Since appearing in Thor: Ragnarok, the implication is that Valkyrie is the last of her kind. However, there are reasons to believe that the Valkyries could return in Thor: Love and Thunder. The simple reason for this is the recent appearance of creatures and items in the MCU traditionally associated with the Valkyries in the Marvel comic books. At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Valkyrie appears riding on the back of a winged horse known as a Pegasus, which is the Valkyries’ traditional way to travel. Added to this, Thor: Love and Thunder action figures and trailers reveal that Valkyrie possesses a new Dragonfang sword. It stands to reason that if she’s found one Pegasus and Dragonfang, then it’s possible that she’s found others and could therefore be in a position to bring back the Order of the Valkyrie.

As the ruler of New Asgard, Valkyrie has the authority to make this happen. However, the issue is more a matter of practicality. New Asgard is in Norway and there is no access to the Bifrost except through the use of Thor’s ax, Stormbreaker. As such, the Asgardians can’t move easily between realms, so their potential access to creatures like the Pegasus is limited, while access to Dragonfang swords is likely to be restricted for the same reason. Nevertheless, since Valkyrie already has both it could be assumed that she can find a way to acquire more of them if she wants to bring back the Valkyries.

A possible explanation for Valkyrie regaining the Pegasus and the Dragonfang would be that they were given to her by Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) or Wong (Benedict Wong). Naturally, Masters of the Mystic Arts have access to many mystical and mythic artifacts. Given that they brought Valkyrie, along with the other Avengers, to the final battle in Avengers: Endgame it feels logical that they could have provided her with the Pegasus to help in the fight against Thanos. If Doctor Strange had provided Valkyrie with the Dragonfang sword, it would act as a call back to the comic books in which the sword was a gift that he gave her.

Since it was deemed necessary for Valkyrie to have a Pegasus during Avengers: Endgame’s final battle, it seems likely that facing a foe as formidable as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) will necessitate something similar. The return of Jane Foster/ Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman), the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) in Thor: Love and Thunder certainly suggests that a strong response will be needed. It makes sense for the King of New Asgard to find a way to assemble the Asgardian version of the Avengers. If so, this will, effectively, make Valkyrie the first of a new Order of the Valkyrie who could act as protectors of the remaining Asgardians, along with the other gods that Thor: Love and Thunder introduces.