Fans finally got their first look at Thor: Love and Thunder with a new trailer that teases the God of Thunder embarking on a journey of self-discovery. The teaser only lasted for about a minute and a half, and it didn’t even reveal exciting elements like Gorr the God Butcher, but the first footage fans got to see may spoil the movie’s ending.
One of the trailer’s opening shots shows Thor planting Stormbreaker upright in a patch of dirt, while his voiceover claims that his hands, which were “once used for battle,” are now “humble tools for peace.” The confusing part here is that Thor will likely spend the majority of his fourth solo MCU movie doing the one thing he’s swearing off: battling bad guys.
From fending off Gorr’s supposed Black Berserkers to flying around in cool new armor, Stormbreaker is featured throughout Thor 4’s marketing as the Asgardian’s trusty companion. The ax also serves as a distinct difference in combat between Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Natalie Portman’s Mjolnir-wielding Jane Foster.
Considering Thor and co. will be going up against Gorr the God Butcher in Love and Thunder, it’s probably safe to assume Thor will keep Stormbreaker nearby until Gorr is dealt with. Plus, Stormbreaker serves another purpose in the film as it's also confirmed in the trailer to be the way that Thor’s new “Goat Boat” will be able to use the Bifrost.
Since Stormbreaker seems to be needed for several things in Thor: Love and Thunder, the look that fans get at the Asgardian planting his ax in the ground could be a shot shown much later in the film. In fact, this scene could symbolize the end of Thor’s regular MCU appearances as he closes his fourth and final solo film by laying down his weapon for good.
Will Stormbreaker Help Establish a New Asgard?
Thor planting Stormbreaker in the ground could be his way of establishing a new home for Asgard, which would explain why he claims his super-heroing days are over. Additionally, it could be more than just a symbolic gesture telling the audience that Thor won’t be decapitating any more Mad Titans; putting his magical ax in the ground could also grant that land access to the Bifrost.
The trailer shows Stormbreaker being attached to the front of Thor’s boat, which allows the boat to be teleported using the Bifrost. What if Thor can fully restore Asgard’s access to the Bifrost by planting Stormbreaker in Asgard’s new land?
Using Stormbreaker’s makeshift wood handle, courtesy of Groot, the ax could take root in the ground and grow into a new way to use the Bifrost in a much more similar way to how Asgard once had it.
There’s no telling how long the wood from Groot lasts before it’s too late to plant it, but if the Guardians were able to make a whole new Groot with just a twig in their first film, then it isn’t far off to think that Groot’s influence on Stormbreaker may have bigger implications after Thor is done using it in battle.
This is largely assuming Asgard doesn't stay on Earth for long. Valkyrie appeared seemingly discontent with the tourist attraction that New Asgard has become on Earth, and the new trailer also showed a village being set ablaze that looked a bit too similar to the Asgardians’ new home.
With that in mind, plus the supposed "political turmoil" that New Asgard is dealing with, it isn’t impossible that Asgard’s stint on Earth comes to a close during Love and Thunder—especially if Asgard’s population is reduced even further once Gorr comes around.
Maybe, along with Thor’s journey to find peace, he also plants Stormbreaker to establish a new Asgard with that new purpose of peace in mind.
This would make Jane Foster’s inclusion in Love and Thunder feel much more impactful if she's essentially replacing Thor on the Avengers roster as he retires to a more distant Asgard. On top of that, it could Asgard's displacement issues, and although Earth would still have a Thor that can stay on-world via Jane Foster, Asgard could go back to being separate from Earth while still having the same affiliation with it as the earlier MCU movies.
Similarly to how fans didn’t realize they were watching the closing moments of Avengers: Infinity War when that movie’s first trailer dropped, audiences may have already gotten a glimpse of how Thor: Love and Thunder will end within the summer blockbuster’s first batch of footage.
Thor: Love and Thunder premieres in theaters on July 8.
