Top 3 Depictions of Thor (That Aren’t Just Marvel!)
by Emily Nagle
Marvel’s latest “Thor” film, “Thor: Love and Thunder“, has been out for less than a week, and it’s already one of the top ten films of the year! Critics love it for the unique, fun approach it takes to the God of Thunder’s return to crime-fighting. While Marvel’s superhero version of Thor is perhaps the most well-known pop culture depiction of the Norse God of Thunder, other franchises have created their own versions of him, each with their own variations on the mythology figure.
Marvel’s Thor
Marvel turns Thor (Chris Hemsworth) into a superhero, making him one of the founding members of the Avengers in the 2012 film. His immense strength, speed, and stamina make him an essential piece of the team, as well as his trusty hammer Mjolnir (and later his axe Stormbreaker). “Love and Thunder” picks up on Thor after the events of “Ragnarok”, when he’s taking a break from the fast, action-packed life of a superhero and taking time to figure himself out. However, when Gorr (Christian Bale) threatens gods and humankind, it’s time for this god to rally together Stormbreaker and his old team to stop Gorr’s evil plans once and for all.
Thor: End of Days
Invincible’s own depiction of the Norse mythological figure in “Thor: End of Days” (available to stream for free on Galxy) is more sci-fi, taking a supernatural approach to his story. Thor (Max Aria) is depicted as crash-landing on Earth with neither Mjolnir nor any memory of why he is there. All the while, his brother Loki is in San Diego, beginning his plan to corrupt humanity to recruit them for his nefarious causes. Time is tight as Thor journeys to regain his power and honor, as well as put a halt to Loki’s wrath.
Record of Ragnarok
“Record of Ragnarok” puts an anime twist on the Norse god of thunder. Originally published as a manga in 2019 before getting adapted into a Netflix animated series last summer, this series depicts Thor as a bloodthirsty god on a mission to exterminate humankind. Like Marvel’s Thor, he wields his trusty hammer Mjolnir, except this iteration of it is much larger. That’s not a problem for Thor, though – with his immense strength, he swings it around, taking advantage of momentum to make his attacks even more powerful.
Who’s your favorite Thor? And which one do you think would win in an ultimate crossover battle? Drop your guess in the comments!