8 Best Moments From Thor: Ragnarok

One could argue that the involvement of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange did little, if anything, to further the plot in Thor: Ragnarok. And while it’s true that his cameo appearance was almost entirely unnecessary, that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. It begins with Loki vanishing into one of the Sorcerer Supreme’s sling ring portals, which leads Thor to the infamous Sanctum Sanctorum. Here, we revisit the post-credits scene from Doctor Strange, with added context and added humor thanks to the witty banter between Strange, Thor, and Loki, who’s a tad bitter after having fallen for 30 minutes straight. It’s a fun scene that once again reminds us that these characters are part of a larger overarching universe, as well as a clever way to help set up Thor and Loki’s emotional reunion with Odin.

Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie is a natural fit for not just the Thor franchise, but for the MCU as a whole, beginning with her emphatic first scene. After landing on the junk-filled planet of Sakaar, Thor quickly finds himself surrounded by a horde of hostile scavengers. The hammerless God of Thunder is able to fend them off at first, but he’s soon trapped within an electrified net. Enter Valkyrie, who arrives on the scene to seemingly make the save, but only after she drunkenly falls off of her ship’s ramp. After that, though, it’s all business as the one-time warrior of Asgard lays waste to the scavengers with her ship’s Gatling Guns, taking Thor for herself so she can bring him to the Grandmaster. 

When we first meet up with the God of Thunder, he’s in a rather precarious position (i.e. in a cage in the fiery realm of Muspelheim). Seemingly poised to face the wrath of the demon Surtur, Thor turns the tables on the beast and summons Mjolnir, which sets the stage for an action-packed, visually stunning opening battle. Thor makes quick work of Surtur and his minions, but there’s no shortage of incredible shots, such as Thor using Mjolnir to deflect fiery blasts or the POV shot of Mjolnir flying around while Thor fights in the background. Set to the backdrop of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, this opening scene sets the tone for the entire film, assuring fans that they’re in for one hell Hel of a ride.

While she certainly would have benefitted from more screen time, Cate Blanchett’s villainous villainess Hela immediately proves that she’s a force to be reckoned with by crushing the Uru-forged Mjolnir with her bare hands. However, that’s nothing compared to what she does to Asgard after arriving via the Bifrost. Hela makes quick and brutal work of Volstagg and Fandral before turning her attention to the Asgardian army, led by Hogun, and in a decidedly deadly fashion, she manages to kill all who stand in her way. Hogun’s death, in particular, is surprisingly gruesome for the Disney-owned Marvel Studios, as Hela forces a spear right through the warrior’s chest.

Wanting nothing more than to have a purpose, Karl Urban’s Skurge becomes the apprehensive executioner of Hela, and while the character is given little to do in this role, he eventually fulfills his comic book destiny and goes out in a blaze of glory. Much like in 1985’s The Mighty Thor #362, Skurge grabs his trusty M16s and sacrifices himself to defend Gjallerbru from Hela’s evil undead army, becoming a hero in the process. For casual fans, this moment might not have much impact, but most longtime readers will agree that this is one of Thor: Ragnarok’s greatest torn-from-the-pages-of-the-comics moments.

You’d think that the entire movie being marketed around this one scene might lessen its impact, but nevertheless, it manages to not just meet, but exceed expectations. Thor and Hulk’s superhero slugfest delivers some of the film’s best action sequences, from Thor getting the upper hand on Hulk with the Green Goliath’s hammer to Hulk scoring a cheap shot by playing possum during Thor’s “lullaby.” The humor is spot-on, too, such as Loki’s elation when Hulk ragdolls Thor much like he did to him in The Avengers. All in all, it makes perfect sense that this fight was chosen as the focal point of Thor: Ragnarok, as it fully encapsulates the film’s bombastic, over-the-top tone.

If Thor’s opening battle with Surtur is the appetizer and his brawl with Hulk is the main course, then the dessert of Thor: Ragnarok is definitely the God of Thunder’s climactic battle with Hela. No single end of the emotional spectrum is left untouched by this scene, from humor, such as Bruce Banner landing flat on his face instead of Hulking out after he jumps out of Valkyrie’s ship, to horror, such as Hela gouging out one of Thor’s eyes with her necrosword. Plus, who can forget the devastation of watching the resurrected Surtur turn all of Asgard into a pile of rubble floating in the cold vacuum of space? It’s a fitting end to an era that began in 2011 with the release of Thor, and the repercussions will surely be felt when the God of Thunder returns to the big screen in 2018 for Avengers: Infinity War.