The Hammer of Thor
Genre: Action/Fantasy/Superhero
Director: Roar Uthaug
Writer: Roy Horne
Based on Marvel Comics characters
Cast: Channing Tatum, Sam Riley, Phoebe Dynevor, Mark Hamill, Sophie Lowe, Danila Kozlovsky, Laurie Davidson, Denis Menochet, Sung Kang, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Caitriona Balfe, Ulrich Thomsen, Adam Nagaitis, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson
Plot: Odin (Mark Hamill), the King of the godly realm of Asgard calls upon his sons Thor (Channing Tatum) the God of Thunder, Balder (Danila Kozlovsky) the God of Light and Loki (Sam Riley) the God of Mischief. Odin sits upon Hlidskjalf, the throne of the ruler of Asgard, and tells his sons that he has received word that an army of ogres have attacked Nidavellir, the realm of the dwarves. Thor questions why they should care about the dwarves. Balder then reminds his hot-headed brother that the dwarves hold a valuable place in the Ten Realms as the finest forgers and blacksmiths. Odin asks his sons to go and defeat the rock trolls to keep the dwarves as friends of Asgard. Loki asks why he is being sent as he is not a warrior like his brothers. Odin tells Loki that it is never too late to learn something from his older brothers. [1]
[1] Welcome to The Hammer of Thor - I'm the writer, Roy Horne. I purposely didn't give a ton of backstory right away. One thing I was very conscious of here was introducing all three brothers as efficiently as possible. Thor asks why they should help the dwarves because he's still arrogant and doesn't understand responsibility yet. Balder immediately sees the bigger picture because that's who Balder is. Then Loki questions why he's even there because he's already convinced he's the least valued son in the room. Those three reactions basically tell you everything you need to know about the characters before anybody picks up a sword.
The three Odinson brothers make their way toward Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that can transport them to other realms where they find Lady Sif (Sophie Lowe) and the Warriors Three - Fandral the Dashing (Laurie Davison), Volstagg the Valiant (Denis Menochet) and Hogun the Grim (Sung Kang) - waiting to accompany them to battle in Nidavellir. The group crosses over Bifrost and finds themselves in Nidavellir where they quickly find themselves in the midst of the rock troll attack. Balder tells everyone to cover their eyes for a moment and uses his powers to momentarily blind the rock trolls with a bright blinding light. Sif and the Warriors Three take the chance and attack the disoriented trolls with their weapons. Thor summons bolts of lightning from the heavens to strike down several trolls. Loki uses his gift of sorcery to make several trolls attack each other. They all make pretty quick work of the trolls. Their victory is celebrated by the dwarves, who invite the heroes into their kingdom for a feast. [2]
[2] This scene isn't about defeating trolls. It's about showing how everybody approaches conflict. Thor uses force. Balder uses leadership. Loki uses manipulation. The Warriors Three use experience. Sif uses discipline. Once you understand how each character fights, you understand who they are. I also didn't want to spend twenty minutes introducing everybody individually. The Warriors Three work best when they feel like old friends you've dropped into the middle of an adventure.
During the feast, the dwarves gift the sons of Odin each with a special weapon to show their appreciation. Thor is given Mjolnir, a mighty hammer that can harness the power of thunder. Balder is given Svraden, a majestic sword that can emit the brightness of a star. Loki is given the Laevateinn, a staff which can channel his natural sorcery into powerful energy blasts. Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three get drunk on dwarven mead. The calmer Balder goes outside away from the revelry to get some peace and quiet. [3] While drinking and partying, Thor and Sif steal away for a romantic encounter. Loki follows Balder outside and brings up a conversation about what should happen if their father, Odin, goes into Odinsleep anytime soon. Balder suggests that it is not their business what happens as their father will decide on a plan. Loki states that he believes Odin will select Balder or Thor to maintain the throne, but certainly not himself. Balder tries to reassure his younger brother, but Loki suddenly stabs Balder in the back with a poison dagger. Balder is stunned by Loki's actions and uses what little life he has left to question why Loki would choose to murder him. Loki explains that since Odin would never choose him to rule Asgard over Balder or Thor, he must take matters into his own hands to assure himself of the throne. Loki then runs back inside and frantically tells everyone that an assassin has murdered Balder. Thor runs outside to see Balder's body, trying in vain to bring life back to his brother. [4] Loki announces that he will head back to Asgard immediately to inform Odin and their mother. Thor grabs Mjolnir and proclaims that he will start searching for the assassin and beat him with his hammer. Thor, Sif, Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral all spread out around the dwarf kingdom in search of Balder's murderer.
[3] This whole sequence was designed around contrast. I wanted Balder to walk into the movie looking like the hero everybody expected Thor to be. Danila has this incredible movie-star presence. He's calm, handsome, noble, thoughtful. He looks like he stepped out of a fantasy painting. Channing's Thor, meanwhile, is getting drunk, chasing women, and generally not acting like a future king. That wasn't an accident.
[4] I think a lot of people had this image of Thor as the finished product. The noble king. The wise ruler. But if you read enough Thor comics, especially the early stuff, Thor spends a lot of time being arrogant, impulsive and emotionally driven. Taum was perfect for this starting point, which is ultimately what led to his casting over more obvious choices like Charlie Hunnam. I was casting the Thor at the beginning of it. Balder is the man Thor wishes he already was, and that's why losing him hurts so much.
Loki returns to Asgard, informing Odin and his mother Frigga (Jeanne Tripplehorn) that Balder has been murdered. Odin questions who could have been cunning or powerful enough to kill a fine warrior like Balder. Loki tells his parents that he suspects that Thor is the one responsible. Odin uses his powers to immediately summon Thor back to Asgard, demanding to know what happened to Balder. Thor regretfully confesses that he and his friends were celebrating and consuming libations following their victory over the rock trolls, so he was not witness to Balder's murder. Odin reveals that Loki suggested that Thor may have been the killer. Thor bristles at this revelation, insisting it isn't true. Odin states that while he does not believe that Thor was the murderer who physically wielded the knife that killed Balder, he still believes that Thor should have been there to help protect Balder. Loki enters that throne room. Thor angrily claims that Loki must be orchestrating all of this to claim the throne of Asgard for himself. Thor then attacks Loki, violently hitting him with Mjolnir. Loki is sent hurtling across the room into a pillar. Odin, in a rage, decides to banish Thor to Midgard and strips him of his godly powers, as well as his mighty hammer Mjolnir. Odin tells Thor that the way back home to Asgard will present itself once Thor has proven himself worthy of his godhood. [5]
[5] One of the things I was trying to do with Odin throughout these films is make him a very good king and a very flawed father. Those aren't the same skillset. Odin sees the larger problem with Thor immediately. Thor is reckless, impulsive, and wasn't where he needed to be when his brother died. Odin correctly identifies that. What Odin completely misses is the son standing right next to him... Loki.
Thor's body crashes down to Midgard, the Asgardian name for Earth, in a bolt of lightning. The year is 802 AD. When he finally wakes up, he finds himself in a clearing in a forest. As he wanders the forest, disoriented, Thor is confronted by a hunting party led by Anders (Adam Nagaitis) and Wulfgar (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson). Without powers or any weapons, and still confused from being thrown into Midgard, Thor is overpowered by the two Viking warriors and captured in a large net. They drag him back to their village, Heorot. They bring Thor before King Hrothgar (Ulrich Thomsen), who demands to know what village Thor hails from. Thor claims he is Asgard and is a son of Odin. Hrothgar scoffs at this claim, stating that Odin is a god and all he sees before him is a foolish man. Hrothgar orders Wulfgar and Anders to chain Thor up outside until he decides what should be done with him. Hrothgar's daughter, Johanna (Phoebe Dynevor), watches. Her eyes catch Thor's eyes for a split moment. Thor is immediately taken with Johanna's beauty, boasting that he will make her love him, even if it is the last thing he does. When Anders sees how Thor and Johanna look at each other, he angrily tightens Thor's chains. [6]
[6] Setting the story during the Viking Age was easily the biggest swing I took in crafting the entire movie. Everybody knows Thor landing in modern America. Everybody knows Donald Blake. I wanted to know what happened if Thor landed among the people who would eventually tell stories about him. Instead of a superhero visiting Earth, it became a legend being born. The idea was that Thor wasn't arriving in the middle of his mythology—he was earning it. Most Thor adaptations start with the legend already existing. I wanted to tell the story of how the legend started. When I thought of the previous takes on the Marvel version of the character - MCU, NYC, etc. - I kept asking myself why we always rush Thor away from the people who actually believed in him as a God with a capital G. I also wanted the Vikings to react like real people. If some naked stranger fell out of the sky claiming to be the son of Odin, you'd probably chain him up too.
Loki secretly travels to another realm, Vanaheim. Deep in the dense forests of the realm, Loki rendezvous with his lover, Amora the Enchantress (Caitriona Balfe), who tells her that the dagger she gave him was successful in killing Balder. She asks what has become of Thor. Loki informs her that Odin stripped Thor of all his powers and gifts and banished him to Midgard until he is "worthy". Amora asks if Loki is worried about that. Loki laughs, insisting that everyone in Asgard knows Thor is a joke. Loki states that he will send a Fenris Wolf to kill Thor in his new realm, solidifying himself as the next ruler of Asgard once his father enters his Odinsleep. [7]
[7] This is probably the scene where I had to eat my vegetables as a writer. There's a lot of exposition here. We have to explain Loki's plan, establish that Amora was involved in Balder's murder, set up the Fenris Wolf, and make it clear what Loki thinks happens next. Normally I try to avoid spelling things out that directly, but I was also introducing Amora, who I'd wanted in the movie from the beginning. So the compromise became using the exposition to accomplish something else at the same time. If the audience is going to sit through a plot-explanation scene, they should at least get a new character and a new realm out of it.
Thor is still imprisoned in the courtyard of the village. Johanna brings him bread and water. Thor quickly eats it all up, thanking her. She asks why he claims to be the son of Odin. Thor says because it is the truth. Just then Wulfgar and Anders come running through the village toward the armory, clearly preparing for battle. Hrothgar demands to know what is going on. Anders informs him that a beast lurks in the woods beyond the village. Thor asks him to describe the beast. Anders struggles to describe, finally settling on it looking like a giant wolf with eyes as red as fire. Thor knows this is a Fenris Wolf and pleads with Hrothgar to free him to help fight it as he is familiar with the beast. Anders suggests that maybe Thor lured the beast here. Thor simply asks for a sword so he can help fight. Hrothgar orders Wulfgar to free Thor. To arm him, Anders gives Thor a dull sword. [8]
[8] This is the first scene where Thor starts earning people's respect instead of demanding it. Earlier in the film he keeps telling everyone he's the son of Odin, as if that should solve every problem. Nobody cares. What finally gets him taken seriously isn't his title—it's his knowledge. He recognizes the Fenris Wolf immediately. That's one of the reasons I liked setting the movie during the Viking Age. The villagers already believe in monsters and gods. They just don't believe this particular guy is one of them. Thor has to prove it. There aren't a lot of jokes in this film, I loved the idea that they free him, but Anders still gives Thor the worst sword he can find because Anders still thinks Thor is a fraud. It's not an "LOL" moment, but it made me chuckle as I wrote it.
Thor helps the warriors of the village track the Fenris Wolf into the deepest parts of the forest from its giant paw prints. The tracks eventually cease though, putting Thor and the vikings on high alert. The vikings decide to split up, even though Thor advises against it. Soon, Anders and Wulgar are cornered by the Fenris Wolf. Just as the wolf is about to crush Anders and Wulfgar with its giant canines, Thor leaps into action from a nearby tree and stabs the beast in the eye. Anders and Wulfgar are frozen in fright as they watch Thor grapple with the giant wolf. Thor hangs onto his sword which is protruding from the wolf's eye. He calls out to Anders and Wulfgar, asking them to give him one of their swords. Wulfgar tosses his sword up to Thor who uses it to stab the Fenris Wolf's other eye, blinding the creature. [9] Thor feels a slight burst of lightning power which he is able to use to stun the Fenris Wolf. The rest of the Vikings finally show up and begin firing arrows at the wolf with their bows. Thor grabs the swords from the wolf's eyes and uses them to stab it in the heart, killing it. [10]
[9] This might be the most "Viking" thing in the entire movie - and frankly probably pushed the studio's preferred PG-13 rating a bit. This version of Thor is not a master strategist like Balder or schemer like Loki - his solution to the monster problem is simple but effective: stab the giant wolf in the eyes.
[10] This is the scene the whole movie was built around. I always felt Thor needed to prove he was worthy before he got Mjolnir back, not after. He's got no armor, no hammer, almost no powers, and he's fighting a monster that everyone else is terrified of. If he only becomes a hero once the lightning returns, then the movie doesn't work. The lightning showing up is just the universe acknowledging what Thor has already become. I never wanted Thor's powers to come back all at once. I wanted them to return the way a muscle returns after an injury. If Thor can't be heroic without Mjolnir, then Mjolnir is the hero—not Thor. So this was the title character's real hero test.
Once they have discovered what has happened to Thor and that Loki claimed Thor killed Balder, Sif informs the Warriors Three that Thor could not have killed Balder that night since he was lying with her at the time. Volstagg wonders why Loki would make up such a thing. Fandral quietly suggests that Loki must know the real killer. Hogun grimly adds that Loki may be the killer himself. Sif suggests they keep this conversation between themselves as Odin may have banished Thor, but he would not hesitate to simply smite them from the ten realms. [11]
[11] This is the scene where the audience catches up to the movie. We already know Loki is guilty. Now the people closest to Thor are starting to figure it out too. I especially liked giving that progression to the Warriors Three. Volstagg asks the obvious question, Fandral starts connecting the dots, and Hogun immediately jumps to the worst possible conclusion—which of course happens to be the correct one. It's also one of the first scenes where Sif really emerges as the most perceptive person in Asgard. She's the only one with proof that Loki's story doesn't add up as she know what tawdry thing Thor was up to at the time instead. I felt like the Warriors Three really were underutilized in another company's Thor films, so making them active and important was one of my biggest goals with this story.
Loki tells Amora that he clearly underestimated Thor as he has managed to defeat the Fenris Wolf even without his powers. Amora asks Loki what should be next. He tells her that must go all-out now and summon Jormungand the World Serpent. Loki pulls out the dagger he killed Balder with, using drops of Balder's blood from it to begin the process. He drips the blood onto the head of a small snake. The snake begins to convulse and grow in size. Loki assures Amora that no amount of cunning and luck will be able to help a powerless Thor this time. [12]
[12] This is the point where Loki crosses a line even he can't really come back from. Earlier in the movie his goals are political—he wants the throne, he wants recognition, he wants control over his own future. Summoning Jormungand isn't political. It's madness. The Fenris Wolf failing forces Loki to confront something he doesn't want to believe: that Thor might actually be becoming worthy of the things Loki envies. So instead of adapting, he escalates. I also knew if I was making a Thor movie it might be my only chance, so there was no chance I was leaving Jormungand out of it. Thor and the World Serpent is one of the great rivalries in all of mythology.
Thor and the Vikings return to Heorot with the severed head of the Fenris Wolf as a trophy. Anders and Wulfgar inform the village of Thor's bravery as he saved their lives from the beast. King Hrothgar thanks Thor, stating that he may not really be the son of Odin, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fine warrior and an honorable man after all. Hrothgar then proposes they celebrate and welcome Thor into the tribe. At the village's mead hall, Anders proposes a toast to Thor for saving his life, which Wulfgar seconds. While all the other vikings get drunk on mead, Thor sits down next to Johanna. She begins asking him more questions about Odin and Asgard. They spend all night talking to the point where they are the only ones still awake as all of the Vikings have passed out from over-consumption of mead. Johanna and Thor go outside and watch the sun rise. Thor admits that he has never seen a sunrise from Midgard before, but it might just be the second most beautiful thing he's ever seen. She asks what the first is. Instead of answering, Thor passionately kisses Johanna. [13]
[13] This is the scene where Thor finally stops trying to get back to Asgard. Earlier in the movie he's constantly talking about who he was—the son of Odin, the God of Thunder, the prince of Asgard. Here he's just Thor. That's one of the reasons I liked setting the story during the Viking Age. These two characters can literally spend an entire night sitting in a mead hall talking about the stars, the gods, and their lives. Hrothgar's acceptance is important too. He doesn't decide Thor is a god. He decides Thor is an honorable man. For me, that's actually a much bigger step in Thor's journey than him returning straight to godhood.
Odin informs Frigga that it will soon be time for him to enter his Odinsleep and asks her if she thinks that Loki can rule Asgard for a short while. Frigga confesses that she thinks Loki is a bitter, angry young man, but he is an Odinson so he will probably figure it out in the end. Odin confesses that he has become worried that whoever killed Balder may look to kill Thor now that he is powerless. Frigga hopes that Thor will prove himself worthy and his powers will find him again, but Odin says that he isn't holding his breath. [14]
[14] This scene became much more important after the sequel. At the time it looks like a simple conversation about succession, but it's really about parenting. Odin keeps evaluating his sons the way a king would—who can rule, who can protect the realm, who can handle responsibility. Frigga is the only person looking at them as people. She recognizes that Loki isn't really a political problem, he's an emotional one. One of the recurring themes I go back to multiple times in these Thor films is that Odin is a great ruler, but not a particularly good father. Even here, he's worrying about who can sit on the throne while completely missing what's happening inside his family.
Sif and the Warriors Three witness Loki sneaking onto the rainbow bridge in the dead of night. They decide to follow him as he traverses into the realm of Vanaheim. They sneakily follow him through the forest and to Amora's lair where they see the growing Jormungand, which is now nearly 100 feet long. Hogun believes it to be the start of Ragnarok. Fandral doesn't follow, so Hogun reminds him of the legendary stories that said that the death of Odin's favorite son will lead to Ragnarok - the cataclysmic destruction of all the realms that starts with a giant serpent. [15] Sif and the Warriors Three hurry back to Asgard to inform Odin, who finds their claims dubious at best. Frigga pleads with Odin to help Thor out in some way just in case what they are saying is true. Odin relents and says that he will send Thor's hammer Mjolnir to Midgard for him to find. [16]
[15] Up until now the characters have been dealing with murders, monsters, and political intrigue. Suddenly Hogun recognizes the signs of Ragnarok and everything gets much bigger. One thing I liked was tying Balder's death directly into that prophecy. In Norse mythology, Balder's death is one of the major warning signs that the end is coming, and I wanted that event to have real weight.
[16] This is a major shift in the story - bringing more of the myths to Earth. It's also a deeper dive into the relationship between Odin and Frigga - the most powerful royal couple in all of Marvel Comics. One thing I wanted to hint at here as well is that Mjolnir isn't just a weapon for Thor - it's his destiny.
While Thor and Johanna are still enjoying the sunrise, they see something fall from the sky and strike a nearby mountain. Thor tells Johanna that he knows somehow that he needs to head to that mountain as soon as possible. Anders and Wulfgar stumble out of the mead hall and insist on tagging along with Thor on his trip to the mountain. They head there on horseback and find the hammer of Thor, Mjolnir. Thor tries to lift the hammer, but it doesn't budge from the rock of the mountain. Anders and Wulfgar each try as well, but can't even lift it an inch off the ground. Thor realizes that he hasn't quite deemed himself worthy to wield it yet. [17]
[17] Everybody knows what's supposed to happen here. Thor finds the hammer, picks it up, lightning starts flying, crowd goes wild. The whole reason I wrote the scene was so that wouldn't happen. He hasn't quite earned it just yet. The entire purpose of this scene is to deny the audience the payoff they're expecting. Everybody knows Thor is eventually getting Mjolnir back. The question is when. I always felt that if Thor became worthy the moment he defeated the Fenris Wolf, the story would be over too early. He's made tremendous progress, but he still has things to learn. I also liked that Thor doesn't throw a tantrum here. The Thor from the beginning of the movie would've blamed Odin or tried to force the hammer out of the stone. Instead he immediately understands why it won't move. That's probably the strongest sign yet that he's changing. It's all part of his hero's journey.
Loki and Amora open up a portal from Vanaheim to Midgard. Jormungandr slithers through the portal, now a massive serpent thousands of feet long. The portal opens up on a lake near Heorot and Jormungandr emerges from the lake, towering over the village. The creature is so massive that Thor, Anders and Wulgar can see the creature from the mountain. They hurry back to Heorot to find that the serpent has already started to destroy everything in the village with its fiery breath. Johanna leads all the women and children to the mead hall for safety, while all the men of the village grab their weapons - even King Hrothgar. When Thor makes it back, he immediately rides straight for the serpent and throws his sword at the beast. Thor is suddenly struck by lightning, re-granting him all of his god abilities. Mjolnir shakes free from the rock of the mountain and propels itself straight into Thor's hand. [18]
[18] This is really the payoff to the entire movie. The important thing isn't that Thor gets Mjolnir back. The important thing is that he's stopped caring about getting Mjolnir back. Earlier in the story he wanted the hammer because it represented his power, his status, and his old life. Here he rides straight at Jormungandr with nothing but a sword because there are people in danger. That's why the lightning returns. That's why the hammer comes to him.
King Hrothgar leads the vikings into battle, charging at the giant serpent. Jormungandr roars, causing an earthquake. The shaking earth causes a building to collapse onto Hrothgar, crushing him. He pleads with Thor, not to save him, but to save his people from this evil. [19] Thor promises and summons a bolt of lightning to strike the serpent. Seeing that Thor has had his powers restored, Loki comes through the portal to Midgard. Loki has Jormungandr set fire to the mead hall after blocking the doors, killing everyone inside - including Johanna. Anders and Wulfgar also die trying to rescue them. Thor cries in anger and flies at Jormungandr, hitting the serpent with thunderous blows from Mjolnir. Jormungandr bites Thor, poisoning him. Thor uses a stream of lightning bolts to charge his powers, before grabbing Jormungandr by the head and snaps its neck. [20] Jormungandr collapses before shrinking back down to its original size, revealing a small dead snake. Thor then turns to Loki, telling him that he is next in line to feel his wrath. Loki warns Thor that Jormungandr’s poison will kill Thor in nine steps. Thor doesn’t believe Loki, but Loki informs him that it is the same type of poison he used to kill Balder - the only poison strong enough to kill a god. Thor takes eight steps toward Loki. Loki smiles, just out of Thor’s reach. Thor uses his last step to strike Loki with Mjolnir, before succumbing to the poison. [21]
[19] I've long been a fan of Ulrich Thomsen, so I wanted to give him a really good moment even if the role isn't a major one for the overall Marvel Universe. It was important to me that Hrothgar never really cared whether Thor was the son of Odin - he simply cared whether Thor was honorable.
[20] Disney's MCU has had eight major appearances of Thor now but never bothered to include or mention the freaking MIDGARD SERPENT aka the WORLD SERPENT aka Jormungand. Always on the bench.
[21] "Before I had a finished outline, before I knew who Johanna was, before I knew how Thor would get banished, I knew there was one scene I wanted in the movie. If Thor fought Jormungandr, I wanted the nine steps. Once I decided Jormungandr was the villain, I knew I wanted to honor one of the most famous moments in all of Norse mythology. The trick was finding a way to do it without ending Thor's story completely. That's why Loki is standing at the end of those steps. In the myths, Thor's final act is killing the serpent. In our version, Thor's final act is reaching his brother. I admittedly had to remind myself a few times that this is the Marvel Universe - not a dark Norse myth - at its core.
Odin, Sif and the Warriors Three arrive in Midgard amongst the destroyed village. Odin uses his powers to revive Thor, killing the poison in his veins. Thor pleads with his father to save all the dead of Heorot. Odin says that is something he cannot do as he is not allowed to use his powers to affect Midgard. Odin then apologizes to Thor for not believing him about Loki. Odin adds that Thor has earned his powers and that Balder would be proud of him. Odin brings the injured Loki back to Asgard and imprisons him in the Yggdrasill, an empty void that binds all of the realms together. The Warriors Three begin helping Thor clean up Heorot while Sif helps bandage the injured people of Heorot. The people begin bowing down before Thor, proclaiming him as their new king. Thor, however, is unsure if he wants the responsibility. [22]
[22] The end of this scene is really the entire payoff to Thor's arc through the film. At the beginning of the movie he thinks he's ready to rule Asgard. He never even questions it. In his mind, kingship is just the next reward waiting for him. Then Balder dies, Hrothgar dies, Johanna dies, and Thor spends the entire film learning what leadership actually means. So when the people of Heorot start calling him king, he doesn't feel triumphant. He feels uncertain. Ironically, that's probably the first moment in the movie where he's actually worthy of being one.
Back in Asgard, an official funeral is held for Balder. Thor is depressed at the loss of Johanna as he had never been in love before. Frigga informs her son that it may take hundreds or even thousands of years, but his love would one day return to Midgard. Thor asks for a more exact time frame. Frigga displays a vision of a woman who looks identical to Johanna in the 21st century working as a nurse. A surgeon calls her Ms. Foster. This makes Thor smile slightly. He tells his mother that he would like to wait in Midgard for Johanna’s eventual return. [23]
[23] This is probably the most obvious sequel setup in the entire film, and honestly that was intentional. The Johanna storyline was always designed to lead into Jane Foster eventually. The challenge wasn't setting up the sequel—it was making Johanna matter enough that audiences understood why Thor would choose to wait for her to be reborn. I never wanted Johanna to feel like a placeholder. She needed to feel like the great love of Thor's life. The vision of Jane isn't there to replace her. It's there to tell Thor that the story isn't over yet.
Well, that's all I've got. Thanks for joining me and taking another trip through The Hammer of Thor. I appreciate you spending your time with me, and who knows—maybe we'll have another story to talk about soon. Thanks for listening.
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