A few days before the release of Thor 3 – Ragnarök, back on the comics that will inspire the film. Back on this legend of Norse mythology that announces the end of time, narrated in an epic of Marvel Comics released in 1998 and republished this year. This cult comic is written by Michael Avon Oeming and Daniel Berman, drawn by Andrea Di Vito and colorized by Laura Villari.
Ragnarök in Norse mythology
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök refers to the end of everything with a succession of apocalyptic events. Several great deities perished there such as Odin, Thor, Heimdall and Loki. A rebirth will follow from this terrible cataclysm through some surviving deities and a couple of human beings, Lif and Lifprasir, destined to repopulate the world.
Ragnarök is still a source of study. Many scholars argue that the texts referred to the end of the prophetic world listed in the Bible, the Last Judgment, including the Apocalypse and the millenarian end of the world.
Ragnarök is heralded by three winters where wars between men will occur around the world. Then, a wolf will devour the sun and the moon, the stars will disappear, then comes a terrible winter named Fimbulvetr. It is later explained that the mountains will collapse, that the earth will shake, freeing Fenrir. The giant snake Jörmungand will reach the shore sweeping the ocean inland. The sky will open and the sons of Muspellheim will spring forth, commanded by Surt whose sword shines brighter than the sun. Breaking the Bifrost, they will wake up Vigrid. Odin will fight Fenrir who will devour him, avenged by his son Vidar who will tear the jaw of the wolf, Thor will die in front of Jörmungand that he will nevertheless take in his death. Heimbdall will fight Loki and they will both perish while Surt will burn the whole world.
Ragnarök in Marvel mythology
As often, the Marvel vision is somewhat different from the original. Here, the treacherous Loki is obviously at the origin of this unprecedented upheaval in his thirst for power. Seeking the throne of Asgard, he himself awakens Surtur (Surt in the Norse version) to train Ragnarök.
After the destruction of Asgard and almost all of his loved ones, Thor must embark on an initiatory quest to find a solution. His hammer being broken, his friends having fallen, force is not a solution, only wisdom will save them. Thor, with the help of Hugin and Muggin, Odin's crows, goes to the Tree of Life, the Tree that connects and stabilizes the nine kingdoms (for the record, Groot merges with him in Secret Wars). He learns that he is following in his father's footsteps, understands that Ragnarök is an infinite cycle, that it is inevitable and appears constantly. He goes to the well of Mimir, a place of infinite wisdom. The viewer learns how Odin lost his eye, a painful but indispensable sacrifice for the acquisition of wisdom and understanding of Ragnarök. Thor will also have to make a sacrifice , different from that of his father, even greater, he must find his own way. With this painful sacrifice, Thor falls into the hands of the goddess of death Hela, condemned to linger in her realm of death and desolation. But Odin is still watching over him, as Thor begins to understand how Ragnarök works and meets its creators…
Ragnarök in Taika Waititi's film
In theaters on October 25, Taika Waititi's film will not exactly take up the myth of Ragnarök. Via the images unveiled, Fenrir the giant wolf seems present, as well as Surtur. Hela, played by the excellent Cate Blanchett will obviously be there, as well as Loki always carried by the excellent Tom Hiddleston. Similarly, Thor 3 will finally see the introduction of the Valkyrie, central character of the Nordic universe of Marvel and defender of the Earth.
But Thor Ragnarök, as often in Marvel Studio films, will mix the arcs, since Hulk has nothing to do here, as well as The Grand Master (brother of the Collector) played by Jeff Goldblum. The plot with Hulk is from Planet Hulk. A story where the giant of Jade is a gladiator, will eventually free himself and become king of the planet Sakar on which he was sent by the Illuminati. He will find love and serenity, even have a son, the powerful Skaar. But when his planet is destroyed and everyone he loves, the Hulk will return to Earth unleashing his destructive power while Earth's greatest heroes try to stop him. At the end of Avengers: Age of Ulron, Hulk flees in a ship. Since then, no more news. It is doubtful that Marvel Studio will choose the plot of Planet Hulk for the future.
The Grand Master is one of the oldest of the universe like his brother the Collector. It is very powerful. His presence may be related to the infinity stones and Thanos. Since in the comics, during Thanos' Quest, released in 1987, the titan goes in search of infinity stones to seduce the death he is in love with and destroy the universe to impress him. He faces many galactic beings, including the Grand Master who possesses the stone of power, the most powerful of the six.
Anyway, even if Thor Ragnarök does not exactly take the plot of the comics, the film of Taika Waititi should be a real slap, and a real kiff for aficionados as it takes up different exciting frames of the Marvel universe. As for the comic by Michael Avon Oeming and Daniel Berman, it has just been reissued, the opportunity to be in point before the release of the film on October25.
