Earth-Shattering Revelation: The MCU Unveils Thor's True Origins, Rewriting an 11-Year-Old Avengers Myth

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Episode 3 of Loki Season 2. Thor's backstory in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has undergone a significant change due to the actions of his war-mongering younger brother. In the process, Loki Season 2 provides crucial insights into Thor's history prior to the events of the MCU, resulting in a potential inconsistency with a movie released 11 years ago.

Until now, Thor's timeline in the MCU has been relatively straightforward, with some ambiguity surrounding his age in human years. This ambiguity was resolved in Avengers: Infinity War, where Thor's age was stated as 1500 years, along with the revelation that he had killed 3000 people. This confirmation supports Thor's earlier claim in The Avengers that he frequently engaged in warfare during his youth. Other than these glimpses and the occasional anecdote from both Loki and Thor regarding their relationship and their interactions with their father Odin, much of Thor's backstory has remained unknown. However, Loki Season 2 now adds a significant detail to Thor's story, while also confirming the existence of his Marvel Comics counterpart, Balder the Brave.

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Loki Confirms More Of Thor's Past Before The MCU

Following the suspenseful ending of Loki season 2 episode 2 and the destructive act of General Dox eradicating the alternative universes, the next installment takes us to an entirely different setting. In Loki season 2 episode 3, the mischievous God himself, accompanied by his trusted ally Mobius (portrayed by Owen Wilson), travels back in time to the 1893 World's Fair held in Chicago on Earth. Their mission revolves around tracking down the elusive Kang variant, Victor Timely (played by Jonathan Majors), along with Renslayer and the enigmatic Miss Minutes. During their pursuit reminiscent of a detective's quest, Loki and Mobius stumble upon remarkable statues depicting Odin, Thor, and the long-lost sibling Balder the Brave, providing undeniable evidence of Earth's worship of the Asgardian deities.

Despite Asgardian history's influence on Earth's mythology and legends, Thor's role in these stories was largely absent. This exclusion was deliberate, as his arrival in New Mexico in 2011 was portrayed as an alien "invasion" rather than the arrival of a god with complex philosophical implications. Importantly, this approach confirmed that Thor had visited Earth as an adult, long after Odin had fought the Frost Giants there during Thor's childhood. However, intriguingly, Thor does not appear to recall his own adventures on Midgard.

Thor's Past Makes 1 Avengers Line A Weird Lie

Thor's image being known on Earth in 1893 suggests that he built his legend as an adult on Earth. This contradicts a line in The Avengers where Thor discusses his arrival on Earth in 2011. However, Loki season 2 disproves this claim, making the line a peculiar inconsistency.

New episodes of Loki season 2 release every Thursday on Disney+

Loki, having escaped from a different timeline, takes center stage in his own series. Here, he delves into the life of his predecessor and uncovers the truth about time and space. Reluctantly joining the Time Variance Authority (TVA), a governing body that maintains order across dimensions, Loki finds himself in a precarious position. In order to save himself, he must assist the TVA in apprehending a more dangerous version of himself - another Loki.

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Richard E. Grant, Erika Coleman, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Owen Wilson, Wunmi Mosaku, Sasha Lane

Seasons: 2