Thor seems to be heading towards the finish line in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as the character could soon become the original Avenger with the most replacements. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is a big part of the MCU, with the actor currently holding a major record. Thor is the MCU hero with the most solo movies, and even though Tom Holland will tie Hemsworth with Spider-Man 4, there is a good chance the MCU’s Thor 5 will become a reality. That is because Hemsworth wants to give fans something in return for Thor: Love and Thunder‘s issues.
The latest Thor movie had major tonal shifts, characters disappearing for long stretches, other story issues, and uneven VFX. More than a year after the movie was released, Hemsworth spoke about his Thor: Love and Thunder regrets, saying, “I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself. I didn’t stick the landing.” In other interviews, Hemsworth’s ending as Thor has come to loom. With the character’s arc also heading towards a finale, Thor could soon be replaced in future MCU projects, with old and some possible new candidates taking Hemsworth’s place.
Thor Could Have 4 MCU Replacements
New Characters Have Been Teased
Since the end of the Infinity Saga, the MCU has started to introduce legacy heroes for the original Avengers. While some already had characters that could continue the hero’s mission, with the surge of new characters in the franchise, more possible Avengers replacements came along. Hemsworth’s Thor could potentially become the member of the Avengers with the most replacements at four. Currently, Jane Foster could return from Valhalla and take over as the Mighty Thor, or Love — Thor’s adopted daughter — could be aged up to take on Hemsworth’s place in case Thor dies and stays with Jane in the afterlife.
Besides the two characters, there is another duo that could soon debut in the MCU and replace Hemsworth’s Thor if the actor were to leave the franchise. Beta Ray Bill has been requested for a long time, even being teased with a statue in Thor: Ragnarok. Recently, Lady Sif actress Jamie Alexander revealed she pitched a Sif and Beta Ray Bill series to Marvel, helping the character’s debut chances. The other possible Thor replacement is Balder the Brave. Marvel has tried to put Balder in almost every Thor movie, with Loki season 2 having a scene about the character.
There Are Only 3 Original Avengers In The MCU
And Two Of Them Are Almost Done
Of the MCU’s original six Avengers, only half of them are still active in the franchise. 2019’s Avengers: Endgame saw Iron Man and Black Widow sacrifice themselves, so Earth’s Mightiest Heroes could defeat Thanos. At the end of the movie, it was revealed that Captain America went back to the past to live his life with Peggy Carter. Now, only Thor, the Hulk, and Hawkeye remain of the original Avengers. Like Hemsworth’s God of Thunder, Marvel Studios has already started to set up replacements for the other two Avengers.
Both came through Disney+ shows. In Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton befriended Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, whom he had inspired to become an archer in a previously unseen moment from The Avengers‘ Battle of New York. Then, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law saw Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner train his cousin, Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters, who became She-Hulk after coming into contact with Banner’s blood. Hulk’s son, Skaar, was also introduced in the series. While Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner could stay in the MCU to complete that story arc, it seems like Marvel is almost ready for Thor and Hawkeye to bow out.
When Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Could Bid Farewell To The MCU
Three Movies Make For Likely Projects
With Hemsworth open to returning for Thor 5, that could be his final solo movie. Thor: Love and Thunder set up a fight between Brett Goldstein’s Hercules and Hemsworth’s Thor. Secret Invasion also laid out the perfect setting for Thor 5 to feature an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ “Siege.” Thor befriending Hercules after they fight and dying to defend New Asgard could be the hero’s perfect MCU ending in Thor 5.
Alternatively, Hemsworth could also bow out of the MCU in one of the two upcoming Avengers movies. Whether it is against Kang the Conqueror and the Council of Kangs, the rumored Doctor Doom, or another major villain, the next Avengers movies will be among the MCU’s biggest events. With Avengers: Secret Wars ending the Multiverse Saga, Thor‘s journey in the MCU could end there, with the hero either dying as a major sacrifice or simply retiring to live out his life with Love.
