Concept art is typically released shortly after theatrical releases and season finales, often showing minor differences in early iterations. However, it seems that for Thor: Love and Thunder, they've given fans glimpses of multiple cut sequences from the film, including one involving scrapped child scenes.
Such a reveal is similar to concept art showing how Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster was likely involved in saving the heroes after their defeat by Gorr in the Shadow Realm. But, as previously reported, all of Goldblum's scenes were cut.
The same has happened to a plot point involving the kidnapped children of New Asgard in newly posted concept art.
Sacrificing Souls of the Innocent
Concept artist George Hull posted concept paintings from Thor: Love and Thunder that were "for the director & team as they considered different options for the final act in the film."
The first painting presumably shows an early iteration of the Gates of Eternity, as Thor, still in possession of Stormbreaker, witnesses hundreds of children being brought to Gorr.
Hull also revealed that "the early script had the children's souls as necessary to enter Eden," but that director Taika Waititi chose to streamline the story instead, regulating it to Gorr only needing Stormbreaker.
However, the last piece shows Stormbreaker being used similarly to the film's final cut, but instead, a child is in the path of the beam, perhaps still attempting to depict Gorr's need for the children's souls to enter Eternity's realm.
Evidently, Gorr needing their souls wasn't present or even alluded to in the final film, but it did leave a big question.
So...Why Did Gorr Still Need the Children?
Gorr used the kidnapped children of New Asgard as bait for Thor to take Stormbreaker from him. So far, so good.
But then, after Gorr has what he needs—Stormbreaker—why does he still bring all the children with him? The God Butcher no longer needs the children, so why didn't he leave them in the Shadow Realm?
Perhaps he planned to continue using them as hostages, but that's a stretch. It seems painfully obvious that the only reason they were brought along to the Gates of Eternity was so that the sequence of Thor empowering them all could still happen.
It certainly would have added more tension and peril to the climax if Gorr still needed the children's souls to open the gate, as depicted in Hull's third painting piece. It would have also explained why Gorr took them along with him to the Gates of Eternity.
Fans can watch Thor: Love and Thunder again on Disney+ on September 8.
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