Thor’s MCU movie backstory is significantly different in his first movie appearance, making for a way more intense origin on several levels.
![Split image of Thor In The Incredible Hulk Returns and MCU Thor looking confused in Thor 4](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/split-image-of-thor-in-the-incredible-hulk-returns-and-mcu-thor-looking-confused-in-thor-4.jpg)
MCU’s Thor has been through some of the franchise’s most drastic ups and downs during his 13-year tenure – but his movie backstory was actually even more intense almost four decades ago. Thor’s first movie appearance came far before his MCU timeline debut with 2011’s first Thor movie – 23 years before, to be exact.
1988’s The Incredible Hulk Returns was the first glimpse of Thor in Marvel’s films, with the movie reportedly intended to work as something of a backdoor pilot for a prospective 80s Thor series. This approach would also be taken with Daredevil, who would appear a year later in The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk. While neither appearance blossomed into an actual show for the respective Marvel heroes, they do mark a fascinating point in the franchise’s history – especially for the way The Incredible Hulk Returns approaches Thor and his backstory.
Thor’s First Movie Backstory Is Completely Different To The MCU
![Lou Ferrigno's Hulk and Eric Allan Kramer's Thor in 1988's The Incredible Hulk Returns](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lou-ferrigno-s-hulk-and-eric-allan-kramer-s-thor-in-1988-s-the-incredible-hulk-returns.jpg)
The Incredible Hulk Returns sees a very different version of Thor’s story emerge, compared to both the MCU edition and the conventional comic origins. In The Incredible Hulk Returns, Thor’s soul is held within Mjolnir, and instead of a conventional Asgardian, he’s an immortal Viking warrior banished from Valhalla. Donald Blake still exists in the movie, but is instead a former student of Banner’s, who finds himself bound to Mjolnir and thus to Thor, who is a separate entity that Blake can summon by calling upon Odin.
All in all, it’s a much bleaker backstory for Thor himself, who essentially has no control over his own life at is instead at the whim of a person he does not particularly like upon the point at which audiences first meet him. While Donald Blake and Thor end the movie on better terms with one another, the idea of being someone who essentially exists in limbo until or unless summoned is a concept that from some perspectives seems more in line with a horror thriller than a light superhero romp.
Why Thor’s First Movie Backstory Is So Much Darker Than His MCU Counterpart
Though it might seem perplexing that The Incredible Hulk Returns sought to tweak Thor’s story so drastically in some regards, these choices do make sense when remembering the primary focus of the installment is supposed to be the Hulk. With this in mind, the Thor changes look set to simplify his story, limiting the amount the movie had to explain Thor’s extensive mythological background to audiences who were perhaps more focused on the Hulk.
While this does mean the first movie Thor is very different to the MCU iteration, the decision does add more dimension to the character’s movie history, showing an alternate take on the beloved hero. Interestingly, the MCU also arguably swapped this dynamic between Thor and Hulk’s story, with Hulk instead appearing in Thor: Ragnarok as a secondary hero intended to assist the God of Thunder’s own arc. However, some aspects between the two version of Thor remain the same – including Thor’s jovial and noble nature – meaning the original film Thor may have inspired features in his successor despite their differences.
News
King Charles, royal family receive bad news after Harry-Meghan show
King Charles suffers first major setback after Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s trips to Nigeria and Colombia. King Charles and the royal family have received first major blow…
Prince Harry secretly returns to UK for frosty William ‘reunion’ at their uncle’s funeral
The pair last saw each other King Charles’s coronation last May. Prince Harry has secretly returned to the UK and “reunited” with his estranged brother Prince William for their uncle’s…
Meghan Markle gives step by step guide to cool down ‘anger’
Meghan Markle talks about claiming her nerves amid sheer anger. Meghan Markle once gave out grey key strategy to fight anger. The Duchess of Sussex, who famously…
Meghan GOES CRAZY As King Charles III REMOVES Lilibet From SUCCESSION LINE: MEGHAN INFURIATED
MEGHAN MARKLE’S HOPELESS! Lilibet KICKED OUT Of Succession Line As A MAJOR EXCEPTION After Baptised In The US The royal family has been rocked by yet another…
Tragic Prince Harry and Princess Catherine update confirms what we all feared
Princess Catherine wants Prince William and Prince Harry to reconcile – but one person stands in the way, expert claims. Kate Middleton has undoubtedly become one of…
IT’S OVER! Camilla FRUSTRATED Over The Monarch’s SHOCKING Action For Prince William And Princess Catherine
A slimmed-down monarchy, she has said “doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing”. Prince Harry, who would once have supported his father and brother…
End of content
No more pages to load