Originally, Thor was a Norse god of thunder. But in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he became a protector of Asgard and, by default, of Earth. He joined forces with Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. He fought against giants, aliens, gods, and monsters. He fell in love with a woman, lost her, found her again, and lost her anyway.

The development of this character was a demanding feat for Chris Hemsworth. The actor transformed Thor from an invincible Asgardian god in Thor (2011) to a beer-belly lazybones in Avengers: Endgame (2019) to a dramatic lover and universal hero in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Through this strange evolution, his character retained human traits, including a traumatic experience with relatives and an unfulfilled love.

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Thor Becomes a Fighter and Protector

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The appearance of Chris Hemsworth in Thor was his way to fame. Before the release of this movie, the actor was practically unknown to the world. But there is more to Hemsworth as an actor. He consistently developed an image of the Asgardian god in the cinematic sequence of this franchise.

In Thor, he literally fell on people’s heads to introduce his character. In Thor: The Dark World (2013), his protagonist saved humanity along with other worlds by fighting against external enemies and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Hemsworth deepened the psychological setup of his character in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), where the god met competition within the Avengers’ team. In Thor: Ragnarok (2017), his character grew into full battle mode. Finally, the actor has shown the Norse god experience an inability to defeat his archenemy, Thanos, by himself in Avengers: Infinity War (2018).

Chris Hemsworth intends to continue playing Thor. In an interview with AP Entertainment, this actor said:

Fans know that this role is more than just fun for Hemsworth. The now famous Australian actor has lived himself into the skin of his character.

Thor Loses His God-Like Physique

Avengers: Endgame stands out among Hemsworth’s Thor movies for a very simple reason: the divine Norse athlete dissolves into a fat beer drinker. Yes, Scandinavian gods supposedly drank a lot. What else would they do after battles and… ahem… love battles? But none of them had a beer belly until Hemsworth got one in Endgame to represent his character fighting depression after the destruction of his world.

Thor in such a state is both shocking and hilarious. Even his Asgardian mother managed only a weak smile and advised him to “try eating salad.” In Endgame, Hemsworth used all his skills as a comedy actor to create a paradoxical portrayal of Thor as a drunkard.

The impossible for the God of Thunder appearance is not the only strange aspect of this image. Hemsworth performed the scenes of fat Thor before Ragnarok was filmed. The deconstruction of Thor’s godly image began far in advance and was kept secret for two years.

Thor Finds (and Loses) Love

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In Love and Thunder, Thor recovers his heroic and athletic form to protect the people as expected from the god. An unexpected event is the rise of Mighty Thor, aka Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), in this film. Dying of cancer, Jane turns to Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, that allegedly invigorates its wielder. Holding the hammer, she transforms into a female version of the God of Thunder and fights alongside her former lover, wearing a similar outfit.

The meeting of Thor and Jane, now Thor and Mighty Thor, kindles the old flame. In this movie, Thor finally recognizes how much Jane means to him. The narrative briefly describes their relationship and their falling apart for no reason. Hemsworth manages to combine chivalry with suppressed tension of a man who would do anything to return his beloved. However, instead of restoring Jane’s health, Mjolnir channels her remaining strength into the divine fighting power. Foster dies in Thor’s arms at the end of their battle. The hero gets closure with the love of his life but loses her forever.

Marvel Studios’ Love and Thunder brought over $600 million worldwide, so why were the critical and fans’ reactions so equivocal? Love and Thunder is the lowest-rated Thor film on Rotten Tomatoes. Some critics praised the movie, particularly for the starry duo’s work on their romance story. Other media, however, were more critical. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as “instantly forgettable.”

The wide range of psychological nuances Hemsworth invested into his character made Thor one of the most complex figures in the MCU. The mythological beginnings merged with comedy, heroism and passion make Thor unique. Many returns to Hemsworth in this role.