Thor: Ragnarok

Image Credit: MARVEL

Around two years have passed since the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) when the plot begins. Chris Hemsworth's Thor is hanging in chains above a fire pit before being hauled before the terrifying fire demon Surtur after failing in his mission to get the Infinity Stones and being rejected by Jane (although he claims it was a "mutual dumping"). Surtur is convinced that it is his destiny to bring about Ragnarok, the total annihilation of Asgard.

Thor, who has learned from Surtur that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) is not on Asgard, uses Mjolnir (his hammer) to flee and kill Surtur while retaining the demon's power source—his crown or skull. After sending Surtur's skull to the vaults upon his return to Asgard, Thor discovers that Heimdall (Idris Elba) has been replaced as the sentinel of the Bifrost Bridge by the incompetent Skurge (Karl Urban), who says that Odin accused Heimdall of betraying the realm. After that, Heimdall escaped, and it is unknown where he is now.

As Thor finally arrives in Asgard, he notices a huge statue of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Odin relaxing and watching a performance about Loki's "great sacrifice" while battling the Dark Elves. As Thor realises what has transpired, he compels Loki, who had taken Odin and assumed his identity before the events of "Thor: The Dark World," to end his ruse and wants to know what has happened to Odin. Loki had put Odin under a spell and abandoned him in a retirement community in New York City, it is revealed.

When they arrive, it has already begun to be destroyed. Loki is abruptly drawn through a dimensional opening in the sidewalk before they can decide how to proceed, leaving them a card with the address 177a Bleecker St. Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the mystic protector of Earth, is present when Thor arrives, and he promises to assist him locate Odin in exchange for Asgardians leaving Earth. Thor concurs, and Doctor Strange discovers that Odin is in Norway after conducting study (during which time Thor is frequently moved around Strange's Sanctum, a bewildering experience). The doctor then frees Loki from his never-ending fall, and when Loki tries to assault a frustrated Strange, the doctor sends both of them through a different portal without ceremony.

After shaking off Loki's influence, they discover Odin in Norway seated next to a picturesque cliff. He confesses that Ragnarok is drawing nigh and that he is dying. Thor is adamant that by destroying Surtur, he stopped Ragnarok. Hela (Cate Blanchett), the goddess of death and the one who would capture Asgard from Odin's sons, is mentioned by Odin. Odin informs Thor and Loki that their (unknown to them) sister was shut away after becoming wholly absorbed by darkness, and that Odin himself is the only thing keeping her in exile.

Before passing away and vanishing, he expresses regret to Thor for failing him. As soon as he leaves, Hela escapes from her cell and strikes up a brief conversation with the two. Thor hurls Mjolnir her way after determining that she cannot be persuaded; however, the goddess easily catches it and destroys the once-invincible weapon.

As Loki realises that they have no chance of survival, he requests to be sent back to Asgard via the Bifrost. But, Hela also enters the portal, drives Loki and Thor out of it at various places, and then uses the portal to travel to Asgard. As soon as she arrives to the Bifrost Bridge, she dispatches Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) and Fendral (Zachary Levi) before enlisting the aid of a terrified Skurge. She then travels to Asgard, where she murders Hogun and the entire palace guard by herself (Tadanobu Asano).

Thor is dropped off by the portal on Sakaar, a planet that appears to be made up solely of enormous garbage mounds that are supplied by enormous portals in the sky. Many scavengers attack him. He is now defenceless and quickly defeated before the hard-drinking bounty hunter Valkyrie scares his assailants away (Tessa Thompson). The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) is ecstatic with his newest acquisition and decides to pit him against his champion fighter, but she later grabs Thor and uses a small shocking device on his neck to calm him.

Thor discovers that Loki is also there and has been for weeks (due to the speed at which time passes on the Grandmaster's world). During this time, Loki has gained the Grandmaster's favour. Thor is imprisoned in the dungeons where he encounters the rock creature Korg who says that everyone who has faced the champion has been killed out of fear of losing his position. Loki plays along, pretending he doesn't care about his brother. The fresco above the throne, which depicts Odin and the royal family as exercising benevolent rule over their realm and the universe, is torn down by Hela as she enters the throne room of Asgard, revealing the darker history of the realm in which Odin and Hela overcame the Nine Realms before Hela was banished by her father.

Then, Hela descends to Asgard's vaults where she uses Asgard's Eternal Flame to resuscitate Fenris, her gigantic wolf, and her entire army. (She also declares the Infinity Gauntlet to be a fake, which is kept there.) She then makes an attempt to open a gateway and take control of all the realms, but Heimdall, who has been hidden in the hills, has stolen the Bifrost sword and is now protecting the fleeing Asgardian citizens.

The Incredible Hulk is introduced as the champion, and Thor is brought to the arena to compete against him. As Thor recognises an old teammate, the Hulk attacks him. Thor wins the advantage as the two fight it out in the area. He tries to use Natasha Romanov's calming technique to get Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to change back into himself, but it doesn't work and Hulk beats him up (Loki is very unsettled to again see the creature that gave him a sound beating during his attempted conquest of Earth).

Thor eventually lets go of his reserve and starts to engage in combat; at one point, a vision of Odin causes him to summon uncontrolled lightning. But just as he is ready to triumph, the Grandmaster knocks Thor to the ground because he doesn't want to see the crowd's (and his own) favourite lose. Thor raises his hand in protection as the Hulk flies into the air to crush him before everything goes black.

Hela gathers the last of the inhabitants of Asgard and demands to know where the Bifrost sword is. Hela orders Skurge to execute a random individual if no one steps forward. Skurge hesitates but is still about to kill when someone steps forward and tells him where Heimdall is.

Afterwards, Thor awakens in the Hulk's room, where several stunning women are pampering him. Thor learns from Hulk that he hasn't changed back into Banner since leaving Earth two years ago when they converse privately (the Hulk can now communicate significantly more intelligently than he could in his previous appearance). The Hulk notes that the Quinjet he took off from Earth is still intact and may be used as a means of escape. Also, he finds out that Valkyrie is an Asgardian and was a member of an elite all-female squad that was sent up against Hela during her previous assault but they were all fatally wounded (Valkyrie being the only survivor).

She initially refuses to assist, despite Thor's best efforts to persuade her. Despite the fact that the Hulk is content with his life and wants to stay, he does assist Thor in obtaining the key for his electronic constraint. Thor pickpockets Valkyrie for the key and removes the shocker from his neck. Thor makes his way to the Quinjet after escaping from the Hulk's apartment, but Hulk is after him and breaks the Quinjet in half. The Hulk then changes back into Bruce Banner as a result of Thor playing Black Widow's (Scarlett Johansson) final message to him from Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

Thor recounts what has occurred to Banner, whose final recollections are of Sokovia during Ultron's assault. Unable to believe the Hulk was in charge for two years, Banner is reluctant to morph once more for fear of becoming the Hulk permanently. When Valkyrie and Loki finally meet, they get into a quick battle, and after Loki learns where Valkyrie is from, he uses his abilities to make her remember her previous run-in with Hela. After having a change of heart, Valkyrie chooses to assist Thor in getting back to Asgard, and she displays her good nature by beating and tying Loki up. Following their reunion, Thor and Loki set out to steal a spacecraft, but Loki makes an attempt to turn on Thor to the Grandmaster.

Thor placed the stunning object on Loki's back because he anticipates him making such a move. Thor says he had thought Loki would at least demonstrate some capacity for development and even start to change for the better, but now he realises the trickster Loki will always remain. The control is then placed just out of reach while he leaves the shocking gadget on.

The Grandmaster's party/orgy ship is taken by Thor, Banner, and Valkyrie, who then flee his grasp by using the Devil's Anus, another gateway. Thor arrives in Asgard just as Hela is ready to exterminate the people who had tried to flee through the Bifrost Bridge. They fight viciously, but Thor is still defeated and loses an eye. In a vision of Odin, who explains to his son that the hammer just channelled his energies, Thor, who feels helpless without his hammer, is reminded that he is the God of Thunder.

Additionally, Odin explains to him that Asgard is a people and that they may recreate their society and culture anyplace. Thor releases a powerful lightning bolt that repels Hela after discovering the full extent of his powers. Loki joins forces with Korg and other escaping fighters and acquires a spacecraft, which he uses to eject the Asgardians while Valkyrie and Heimdall struggle to fend off Hela's troops. In order to combat Fenris, Banner also turns back into the Hulk. Skurge gives his life to ensure that the ship can leave since he feels bad about having sided with Hela.

Thor joins forces with Valkyrie and Loki, knowing that Hela would soon return because she is only becoming stronger thanks to the might of Asgard. Thor sends Loki to the vaults to toss Surtur's skull into the Eternal Flame after abruptly realising that he cannot halt Ragnarok and must instead cause it in order to destroy Hela. Upon Surtur's resurrection and subsequent rampage through the kingdom, Loki does as instructed and flees (it is also strongly indicated that he uses this as a chance to steal the Tessaract).

Although Hela launches an assault, it is of little value because Surtur is too strong and dispatches her with his sword. Just before Asgard is fully destroyed, Thor flees with Loki, Hulk, Heimdall, Valkyrie, Korg, and the remaining citizens/prisoners. Thor is saddened by the loss of his home, but he understands that it was necessary to save his people from extinction. After fulfilling his destiny, he sits in the captain's chair on the bridge and issues the order to land back on Earth.

During Credits

Thor's choice to go back to Earth scares Loki since he knows he won't be well received there after his last attempt to conquer the planet. Just as a fearsome spacecraft that dwarfs their own approaches through the window, Thor gives his brother the assurance that he feels everything will be OK.

Following Credits Scene

As the Grandmaster, who had been pursuing Thor, crashes on the garbage planet, the scavengers—who are also a group of former slaves—confront him. He agrees to declare a tie and congratulates them on their uprising.