Marvel Studios continues to make history in Phase 4. Following the first director to helm a full trilogy and the first origin story on Disney+ comes Thor: Love and Thunder, the first time a solo franchise has received a fourth installment. Director Taika Waititi reunites with leading man Chris Hemsworth in this post-Avengers: Endgame adventure that chronicles the God of Thunder’s road to redemption.
The highly-demanded teaser trailer profiled that redemption arc by showcasing Thor’s training montage, as he transforms from “dad bod” to “god bod.” Beyond that, fans got their first glimpse at Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor, the first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance for the actress in nearly a decade.
Despite all that the teaser delivered, one key character was noticeably absent: Christian Bale’s Gorr the God-Butcher. With “blow your mind” promises about this trailer from Hemsworth himself, fans went into this fresh footage with high hopes.
Immediate reactions to the official trailer were overwhelmingly positive, but fortunately for those holding their breath until July 8, the new Thor 4 footage offers much more than what’s on the surface. Without further ado, here are 11 Easter eggs, hidden meanings, and plot details from the new Thor: Love and Thunder trailer.
Korg’s Campfire Story
The space Viking, Thor Odinson.
The second Thor: Love and Thunder trailer opens with Taika Waititi’s Korg narrating a campfire story about the titular character. As evident by the familiar tree in the background, this takes place on the same planet on which the God of Thunder has retired.
While this scene takes place at the start of the trailer, the context of it could place it in the film’s final moments. Korg could be catching his audience up on the “500 times” Thor has saved the world in the past, or he could be recounting the life of his inactive Asgardian buddy.
That, or this could be a tribute story to the original Avenger after he has passed. Considering this is Hemsworth’s fourth solo Thor movie and his ninth MCU appearance overall, Love and Thunder could very well be his swan song. If the mighty one goes the way of his father and evaporates into the stars, this “Story of the Space Viking” could serve as a tribute.
New Asgard’s Tourist Attractions
What’s old is new again.
After having their home planet destroyed by Surtur and half of their people slaughtered by Thanos, the remaining Asgardians found refuge in Norway, claiming a plot of land for their own. First revealed in the opening act of Avengers: Endgame, New Asgard rebranded the formerly regal civilization as a fishing colony, as the Asgardians traded in their golden robes for neon rain jackets.
Not only did the Blip restore the missing half of their population, but it gave the country a facelift as well. New Asgard has been remodeled into a tourist attraction, complete with docked cruise ships and a golf course.
As evident by merchandise, New Asgard’s new look will play a major part in the fourquel, even if the majority of the adventure takes place off-world. That said, the country is far from exempt from high-octane action.
Throwdown in New Asgard
These Asgardians can’t catch a break.
This trailer’s Mighty Thor reveal is accelerated to the beginning of the footage, as Natalie Portman’s hero fights side-by-side with her former flame. Hemsworth’s Thor is left equally confused, uttering a puzzled, “Jane?!” when the Mjolnir-wielder arrives.
Based on background “keep clear” and "the bla-" text on buildings, this battle appears to be going down within New Asgard itself. The mighty duo are battling Gorr's Black Berserkers, indicating that the God-Butcher will make his presence felt on Earth before targeting other terrestrial entities.
Beyond that, this scene confirms that Jane will have been on-world at the beginning of Love and Thunder. Considering Thor starts with the Guardians of the Galaxy out in space, Foster’s Mighty Thor could have some crime-fighting experience by the time her ex-boyfriend reunites with her.
This throwdown also includes an odd bit of trailer trickery.
Thor’s Helmet Returns
Winged helmets are officially in.
Mighty Thor rocks her helmet in most of her battle-ready appearances, but Thor himself joins her in one frame. The God of Thunder dons a new winged helmet that covers his face, unlike the one he wore briefly in 2011’s Thor and the Sakaar battle armor he sported in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.
If this one shot of Thor’s winged helmet feels out of place, that’s because it very much is. When Thor first reaches out for Mjolnir, he’s rocking his sleeveless, fur-coated shoulder pad suit. When the hammer returns to Jane’s hand, the reaction shot of Thor includes the winged helmet, as well as the red and gold sleeved suit.
This could be a result of Thor upgrading his armor mid-battle, which he’s been known to do, or a suit swap-out specifically for the trailer, like Cap’s Nomad suit in the Avengers: Endgame official trailer.
How Long Has it Been?
Eight years, seven months, and six days.
Thor wastes no time in making it abundantly clear that he has not stopped thinking about Jane. Despite Natalie Portman not physically being in a new Marvel project since 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, Jane Foster has been directly referenced in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, and Avengers: Endgame in the meantime.
What happened to Jane in that meantime is anyone’s guess. Did she continue her scientific studies? How did her relationship with SHIELD change after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Was she a victim of Thanos’ snap?
That last query was significantly hinted at in a single line of dialogue. Jane questions if it had been “three years” since she last saw Thor, to which the Stormbreaker-wielding hero corrects her to eight years and change. Ignoring the fact that it has been at least a canonical decade since The Dark World, Jane being off by five years, the exact amount of time that passed between the Snap and the Blip, indicates she might have been reduced to atoms following Avengers: Infinity War.
Gorr! Gorr! Gorr!
You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
Christian Bale’s first comic book movie role since 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises sees him trading the batarangs and cowl for the Venom-related necrosword and white cloak. This is Gorr the God-Butcher, the vengeful antagonist bent on slaughtering deities across the cosmos.
This trailer features numerous money shots of the pale white villain, including frames of his face before he assumes his “all gods must die” mission statement. This indicates that Love and Thunder will also serve as a Gorr origin story, which, if it stays true to the comics, is riddled with tragedy.
Mjolnir’s Upgrades
Some reassembly required.
Thor’s first weapon is back, this time in the hands of Jane Foster. As evident by the cracked hammer head shown in the first trailer, this is the same Mjolnir as the one that was shattered by Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.
Mjolnir has not been permanently put back together, though.
During an action sequence on Olympus, Jane tosses the hammer at an array of Olympians. Mjolnir re-shatters, each chunk taking out an individual attacker, before coming together once it returns to Jane’s hands.
The Lightning Thief
Step aside, Percy Jackson.
During a one-on-one clash with Gorr, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie can be seen wielding Zeus’s famed lightning bolt. Considering how protective the Greek God of Thunder is of his possessions, it’s unlikely this iconic weapon was gifted to Valkyrie.
With an antagonist championed as a “god butcher,” bringing Zeus and the Olympians into the fold never spelled well for their fates. If Gorr finds Olympus, it’s not going to end well for the Greek Gods.
Hostile Olympus
A house divided cannot stand.
Despite being welcomed into Olympus with open arms, things quickly turn hostile against Thor. The Asgardian can be seen battling Olympians in a blue robe, before being chained down by Zeus’ lightning shackles. Oddly enough, Jane and Valkyrie watch from the crowd, amused by their friend’s torment, not unlike Loki on Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok.
Eventually, Jane will come to her ex’s defense as noted with the aforementioned Mjolnir upgrades, but why she waits until the going gets tough is still a mystery.
Thor and company’s mission to Olympus is likely to warn their fellow gods of the coming conflict. Zeus could take offense to this and humiliate his Norse counterpart, which would explain Thor’s birthday suit appearance at the end of the trailer.
The Statue Room
What a Phase 4 for the Living Tribunal!
The three-headed mysterious deity makes its fourth blink-and-miss-it appearance within the past calendar year, following Easter egg-sized cameos in Loki, What If…?, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The Living Tribunal is one of many noteworthy statues in this room. Surrounding Jane Foster are also depictions of Uatu the Watcher and Mistress Death.
Fans will recognize Uatu as the all-powerful observer of the Multiverse from What If…?, and comic readers know Mistress Death as the catalyst for the print version of Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet. On the page, Thanos seeks the Infinity Stones as a way to “court Death,” his woman of interest.
Are You Not Entertained?!
All hail the king of the gods.
Russell Crowe’s Zeus makes his full debut in this trailer’s tag. Surrounded by women, Zeus “flicks” too hard and sends all of Thor’s drapes off of his body.
This iteration of Zeus matches the campy vibe of the Olympians in Marvel Comics, much like how Classic Loki is portrayed by Richard E. Grant in the Loki Disney+ series. While his bolt in Valkyrie’s hands earlier in the footage doesn’t bode well for his fate, here’s hoping he’s got a demi-god son running around somewhere in Olympus.
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8.
MCU Writer, Editor, Podcaster
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