We all know why we’re here. A new Marvel movie has come out, you’ve devoured all the trailers and interviews, and now you’ve actually seen the film and want to talk about the post-credits scenes. For our part, we want you to read us talking about the post-credits scenes.
So let’s cut to the chase. Thor: Love and Thunder sees Chris Hemsworth return as the God of Thunder, reuniting with Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Natalie Portman as Dr Jane Foster and the film’s director Taika Waititi as Korg for a big old movie full of magic hammers, screaming goats and nasty bad guys.
It’s also a movie with two after-credits teases that hint at future Thor storylines – and we’ve broken them down for you below.
If you haven’t seen the ending of Thor: Love and Thunder yet then look away now, but if you have seen it, for Gods’ sake (see what we did there) keep reading.
Thor: Love and Thunder end credits scene one
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The first after-credits scene picks up with Russell Crowe’s Greek God Zeus, who Thor and his friends clashed with earlier in the film. The good news? Thor didn’t kill him after all! The bad news? Now he’s out for revenge.
“It used to be that being a God, it meant something,” Zeus complains in a darkened room, noting that the pantheon of various deities has been replaced in the hearts of people by colourful superheroes.
“No more – they will fear us again, when Thor Odinson falls from the sky,” Zeus continues. “Do you understand me, Hercules my son?”
Cut to Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein debuting as Hercules! “Yes father!” he replies, cradling a mace in menacing fashion (as if there’s any other way to cradle a mace).
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This scene appears to set up a future conflict between the Gods – possibly in a future Thor movie, possibly in an earlier team-up – and also introduces Hercules, a longstanding character in Marvel comics only now making the jump to the MCU.
Like Thor, the Hercules of the comics is based on the God of myth, and has regularly joined up with heroic groups like the Avengers and the Champions to battle villainy across decades of stories. He often spars with or has a rivalry with Thor, and it looks like the MCU is drawing on that tradition for Goldstein’s version of the character.
Anyway it’s a very fun casting for a great character, and we’re sure fans will enjoy seeing Goldstein in action – however and whenever that actually ends up happening onscreen.
Thor: Love and Thunder end credits scene two
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The second post-credits scene picks up after (spoiler!) Jane Foster’s death during the main events of the film. After dissolving into glowing dust in the final battle with Gorr, Jane rematerializes beside some unusual gates in a beautiful, wide-open world.
She’s in Valhalla – the traditional resting place of Norse Gods and warriors who die in battle. And there to greet her is Idris Elba’s Heimdall, last seen being killed off in Avengers: Infinity War.
“Jane Foster – I see you’re dead now,” he tells her, thanking Jane for helping his son Axel/Astrid survive Gorr’s imprisonment.
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“Welcome to Valhalla.”
The scene ends there with the onscreen message “Thor will return” – but which Thor? While we would have assumed Hemsworth’s Thor would be back in action again, the message’s proximity to a scene starring the film’s other Thor, Jane, could imply she’ll somehow be back herself.
“But she’s dead,” you may cry – but who’s to say that stops anything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Maybe this tease of Valhalla could hint at a story set there with other deceased god-types, possibly tying in with an upcoming Marvel Project (Loki season two is currently filming, after all).
Or maybe it’s just a nice send-off for Jane, and the “Thor will return” message is exactly as it first appears. Either way, we’ll be watching the future of the franchise with interest…
Thor: Love and Thunder is in UK cinemas now. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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