Thor The series has seen many villains come and go, each leaving behind some strong words before their final appearance. It is one of the longest running solo film series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Thor has faced many antagonists of varying levels of threat, and each time he has somehow managed to emerge victorious. Each encounter with a villain fundamentally changed Thor, thanks in large part to their memorable dialogue.
The best villain arcs in Thor’s journey in the MCU can be great for a lot of different reasons. Some of these are poignant statements or thought-provoking statements that cause Thor to question his most basic beliefs, resulting in profound changes in character. Others are simply cold one-liners or even funny jokes that perfectly sum up what the villain is saying and leave a lasting impression on the audience even years later.
10
“I’m proud of it, but it’s a shame how he got it.”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
Cate Blanchett’s Hela was perhaps the greatest female villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only was she extremely powerful, capable of summoning the souls of the dead and terrifyingly sharp divine blades, but Hela also had some valid points about the Asgardian empire. IN Thor: Ragnarok, Hela is revealed to be the long-lost sister of Thor and Loki, the goddess of death who helped Odin conquer the nine worlds that make up Asgard.
Upon her return, Hela points out Odin’s hypocrisy in keeping her sealed after she helped him take over the various lands that make up Asgard during her emergence. Odin may have clearly felt some remorse for his more tyrannical past as an invader and conqueror, but still enjoyed the benefits his empire gave him, banishing the one person who had helped him most in his conquests. It’s hard not to feel some sympathy for Hela when she says this line.
9
“We’ll call it a draw.”
Grand Master Thor: Ragnarok
In the grand scheme of things, the Grand Master is a fairly minor villain. Thor: Ragnarok, it is rather an obstacle to the liberation of Asgard from Hela. That being said, Jeff Goldblum’s irreverent delivery of his lines as the character easily creates some of the best jokes in history. Thor: Ragnarok, with its quirky rhythms and aloof character as the Grand Master does some heavy lifting. One of the character’s best jokes is his final appearance in the post-credits scene after the revolution on Sakaar.
After ruling for centuries as the wealthy dictator of Sakaar, the Grand Master is finally usurped when Korg leads an uprising of gladiators and other oppressed lower castes exploited by the planet’s upper classes. Finding himself surrounded by hostile actors, the Grand Master makes a last-minute appeal, saying that while they all had fun, without him there would be no one to rebel, so he should deserve credit for his role in it. conflict. He ends his prosaic speech with the sentence:call it a draw“, despite the fact that he was clearly at the mercy of the revolutionaries.
8
“I didn’t do it for him.”
Loki, Thor: The Dark World
Loki’s journey through the MCU has been just as intense and dynamic as his brother’s, if not even more so. While he’s more of an anti-hero in the current era of the series, it’s easy to forget that Loki was clearly a villain in most of his appearances. At the same time, Thor: The Dark World was the first film to begin experimenting with Loki’s redemption arc, even assuming he would nobly sacrifice himself to save Thor’s lover, Jane Foster.
With tears in his eyes, Thor hugs his brother as he watches him die and promises Loki that he will make sure Odin knows of his bravery. Loki can only answer.”I didn’t do it for him“, letting Thor know where his allegiance truly lies. Even if this “death” turned out to be another illusion of Loki, it doesn’t make the feeling presented here any less real – no matter what evil deeds he does, deep down, Loki really is takes care of his brother, and later learns to take care of other people.
7
“I could do it, father! For you, for all of us.”
Loki, Thor
Even in the very first Thor, Loki’s love for his family and noble (in his opinion) intentions were somewhat obvious. While hanging from the Bifrost Bridge, Loki laments the failure of his plans, telling Odin that everything he did was in the interests of the throne of Asgard. Odin still tries to extend an olive branch here by saving Loki’s life, but the trickster god still refuses to back down, leading to the first of many fake deaths for Loki in the MCU.
These words are later repeated again in the series’ second season finale. Loki Disney+ series. Accepting the finality of his decision to accept the title of God of Stories and act as the new living time loom holding the MCU timeline together at the cost of ever seeing his loved ones again, Loki states: “I know what I want, what kind of god I need to be – for you, for all of us.” Repeating his words in Thor, Loki shows how much character growth he has undergone since then.
6
“What, because I’m the monster that parents tell their kids about at night?”
Loki, Thor
It is interesting to analyze where Loki’s frustrations and his constant struggle for recognition or admiration in the eyes of Asgard actually come from. His biggest breakthrough was his first appearance in Thor Gives his psychology the revelation of his heritage as a frost giant adopted by Odin rather than the true successor to the throne of Asgard. The gripping drama between Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins in the scene in which Loki tells his father about his origins is a masterclass.
Here, Odin confirms that Loki is in fact the biological son of the frost giant Laufey, one of Asgard’s greatest enemies. Loki’s anger at both this revelation and having been lied to his entire life develops into self-loathing, accusing Odin and the rest of Asgard of hating who he truly is. This scene alone portrays Loki as a sympathetic character, a victim of circumstance prone to rash decisions rather than a heartless villain.
5
“Look at my heritage, Algrim.”
Malekith, Thor: The Dark World
Admittedly, Malekith is one of the most memorable villains in the MCU, not to mention the Thor quadrilogy. By the time Avengers: Endgame, The dark elf Malekith’s name and title are merely the punchline of a joke, a comedic footnote in a long-running fantasy series. That said, there is one scene that hints at a deeper, more complex past associated with the one-note character, highlighted by his most memorable line.
Returning after years of exile, Malekith returns to the place where his army failed in its mission centuries ago. Lamenting their failure and the time he lost during his exile, Malekith invites Algrim to look at his dark legacy, acknowledging that he will always be best known for failing his people, the Dark Elves. It’s a shockingly cold moment of introspection for the average Marvel villain.
4
“I thought you’d be glad to see me.”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
Malekith and Loki aren’t the only Thor villains whose motives experience some level of sadness, and Hela is quite vulnerable between her grand gestures of violence. Hela, one of Thor’s most powerful and ruthless enemies, seems to have a very low regard for family and life itself, immediately wanting to make an attempt on the lives of her brothers upon being freed from her esoteric prison. It may be surprising to learn that Hela cares what others think of her, but one line of choice indicates that she wishes she didn’t have to resort to violence to get her way.
Upon returning to Asgard, Hela is soon criticized by the existing government and people, who see her as a demonic invasion and a threat to the current era of order. As the Asgardian army prepares to meet her, Hela seems quite disappointed, admitting that she had hoped for a kinder reception. While she may not blink twice before killing them all, on some deep level Hela hopes for the admiration of the Asgardian populace as much as Loki or Thor.
3
“What were you God again…?”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
As great as it is to see her more introspective, Cate Blanchett’s Hela is at her best when she takes on the role of a shamelessly evil warlord. While fighting Thor, she is quick to gloat about her apparent superiority in combat as one of the MCU’s strongest villains, shaming the God of Thunder for his perceived helplessness without the precious Mjolnir. Introducing herself as the Goddess of Death, Hela sarcastically asks:What were you God again?“, adding insult to injury as she mercilessly attacks her brother.
Of course, this line isn’t just a great boast from Hela, but it also prompts an amazing response from Thor. Forcing him to remember his father’s previous words, Thor summons an incredibly powerful bolt of lightning that sends Hela flying back to the ground level of the Asgardian palace. Now wielding electricity, Thor once again rushes into battle, just like Led Zeppelin. Immigrant Song bellows on the soundtrack, making the most of his wordless response to Hela’s sarcastic question.
2
“Go now while I still allow it.”
Laufey, Thor
It’s easy to forget Laufey in the grand scheme of the Thor quadrilogy over the years of the MCU, since he only appeared once in the original and only briefly. Thor. However, the role of the frost giant leader Laufey, one of Odin’s greatest enemies and Loki’s father, to the plot of the films cannot be underestimated. It helps that the characters’ pure aura of malevolence is quite palpable in the little screen time he gets, even if one of his best lines shows a fleeting moment of mercy towards a heartless ice titan.
After Loki and Thor invade the frost giants’ realm of Jotunheim, Laufey quickly becomes aware of their presence. Despite the obvious intrusion, Laufey actually allows them to escape after discovering them, although he warns that if they linger longer, he won’t be so lenient. Considering that Laufey declares war on Asgard moments later, his allowing the two gods to escape unharmed is a chilling testament to his confidence in his abilities, confident that he would be able to face them on the battlefield later without issue.
1
“So this is my oath. All gods will die.”
Gorr the God Butcher, Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder is the widely criticized fourth entry in Thor’s solo adventures, failing to achieve much of what it set out to do. One of the film’s most egregious offenses is the loss of Christian Bale’s excellent performance as Gorr the Godbutcher, a likable villain with intriguing abilities who deserved more time to shine. No quote captures his motives better than his oath: “All gods will die“, living up to his title as a deity slayer.
Gorr was once a simple family man living on a desert planet whose daughter died of dehydration after his prayers to the local god went unanswered. Having found the Black Necrosword, Gorr kills his former object of idolatry and vows to do the same to all who claim godhood, even going as far as eternity in hopes of making a wish that will destroy the very existence of the gods. This single line embodies his willpower, desires and potential for greatness. Thor the villain is unfortunately misused in his debut film.