Why ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Is Marvel’s Most Queer and Diverse Movie

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth, protagonists of “Thor: Love and Thunder” (Marvel Studios)

After the controversy caused by the Lightyear kiss, no one expected that Disney would return so soon to the battle to include LGBT+ diversity in its content. And while the Baymax series (the spin off of one of the most beloved characters from the animated feature film Big Hero) brought the first trans character to the Disney+ platform, wow: nothing like the controversies caused by openly diverse characters reaching the big screen, once again opening the discussion about the famous “forced inclusion”.

[Advertencia: a partir de este punto, esta nota puede contener algunos spoilers ligeros]

Now, with the arrival in theaters of “Thor: Love and Thunder”, we can say, without fear of being wrong, that this is the gayest film in the entire MCU. And no, there is nothing forced about it: the inclusion of LGBT+ characters works perfectly and flows organically into the narrative, as well as respecting the starting point of the comics (something that many often criticize from other productions). But let’s analyze point by point why we affirm that the new installment of the so-called ‘Strongest Avenger’ is —at least until now— the most “LGBT friendly” of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A Valkyrie who can finally show her colors

5 years ago, when “Thor: Ragnarok” hit theaters, many people were delighted with the debut of one of the strongest female characters in the MCU: Valkyrie. And the obligatory question that has arisen since this mythical warrior appeared in the previews is whether Marvel would dare to take “the big step” and show her as part of the LGBT+ community.

For those not understood in comics, Valkyrie is a character that was expressly conceived as part of diversity. In fact, in the comic series “The Fearless Defenders”, Valkyrie is bisexual in a (very) explicit way and even has a relationship with the anthropologist and researcher Annabelle Riggs. With this background, it could be expected that he would also be bisexual in his film version, however his orientation was suppressed in the final cut of “Thor: Ragnarok”.

How did this censorship occur? Director Taika Waititi reportedly shot a scene in which a half-naked woman left Valkyrie’s bedroom, suggesting a relationship with her. The reason why this scene was eliminated —according to what the director himself says and which was the reason offered by the producers— is that “the sequence was a distraction within the plot.”

Valkyrie (left), played by Tessa Thompson, is the film's queer heroine (Marvel Studios)
Valkyrie (left), played by Tessa Thompson, is the film’s queer heroine (Marvel Studios)

Despite this censorship, Tessa Thompson—the actress who plays Valkyrie and who is also bisexual in real life—always portrayed her character from a bisexual perspective. She and she has said it clearly in various interviews, such as when she stated: “In Thor: Ragnarok there were things that we talked about characterization, but that may not be explicit in the film. There’s a great shot of me going down with one of my sisters, who just got killed. In my head, that was my lover.”

Finally, the character of Valkyrie in “Thor: Love and Thunder” has overcome censorship, and openly expresses in her dialogues that she is attracted to women. And not only that: she even gallantly kisses the hand of one of Zeus’s young companions. One thing that is also striking is that when she plays her role as ruler of New Asgard she calls herself “King Valkyrie” and not “queen”, so we could also be facing a fluid gender character. What a way to come out of the closet!

Lesbian moms showing themselves organically

The issue of lesbian motherhood seems to be having special importance at Disney, because after the controversial kiss of a second in Lightyear, once again “Thor: Love and Thunder”, shows a sequence in which two mothers hold hands worried, because one of his children is kidnapped by Gorr, The Butcher of Gods.

As in the Lightyear scene, here there is nothing that is really shocking or that goes beyond a second, but it does contribute to a path of positive representation in which all families have a place.

This pair of women comforting each other over their loss shows that LGBT+ couples go through the same feelings of unease when their children are in trouble. With a “simple” and brief scene, “Thor: Love and Thunder” says that the love of fathers and mothers of diversity is as unconditional as any other.

Korg: another character who finally comes out of the closet

After the representation of a bisexual woman and two lesbian women, it is now Korg’s turn, an alien male character who already had some ambiguous mannerisms since “Thor: Ragnarok” and who is played by the same director Taika Waititi.

According to Waititi, Korg had always been thought of as a gay character, but there was no way to organically introduce his story into the film. Contrasting with his stocky build and his rock-like texture, Korg has a sweet voice and has always been shown to be a very sensitive character. But it was not until “Thor: Love and Thunder” that he was finally able to tell that he is not only gay, but that in his race/species there are no females.

Director and actor Taika Waititi at the premiere of "Thor: Love and Thunder" in London this week (REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska)
Director and actor Taika Waititi at the premiere of “Thor: Love and Thunder” in London this week (REUTERS / Maja Smiejkowska)

“We are born when two guys hold hands for a month. And they love each other so much that then a little one like us is born, ”she tells Valkyrie.

In addition to this story where it is clarified that he comes from a homoparental family, Gork at the end of the film finds love with another being of the Kronan race. Like his parents, he and his partner Dwayne hold hands for a month and “give birth” to a new little one, thus showing this film to the second set of gay parents in the MCU (the first appeared in “The Lost Boys”). Eternal”).

Marvel’s Gayest Movie…So Far

Director Taika Waititi has never been afraid to mix serious themes with moments of zany comedy. It is enough to see “Jojo Rabit” to realize that he can introduce acid humor even in a story that takes place in Nazi Germany. And this narrative contrast is something that occurs in “Thor: Love and Thunder” as well. Many wondered how the writer-director would take on topics like sexual diversity or Jane Foster’s (Mighty Thor) cancer without falling into a tone of parody or disrespect, but boy did he pull it off.

The actors also know about these inclusion efforts and are proud of them. In one of the first screenings before the public, in a question and answer session, a fan had no qualms about asking Natalie Portman (who plays Mighty Thor/Jane Foster) “How gay is this movie?” “Very gay” is all she said, smiling. For her part, the New Zealand director took the microphone and added, shouting jubilantly “Super gay! Enjoy it!”, to which the audience responded with laughter and applause.

It seems that from the comics – and even from Norse mythology – Thor’s fate was sealed. Since then, the God of Thunder could be seen traveling between dimensions with the help of the Bifrost, a path with the colors of the rainbow that, although it is part of the Nordic imaginary, today, in its film version, is an allegory of this path that Disney is moving towards inclusive representation. Yes: “Thor: Love and Thunder” is the gayest movie in the MCU, but that’s until now, because we don’t know what the future holds. Will the couple that fans ask for between Valkyrie and Captain Marvel materialize? Will we see more of Phastos, the gay character in Eternals? Will América Chávez have a girlfriend in the future? The rainbow road in Marvel still holds many surprises!

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Why ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Is Marvel’s Most Queer and Diverse Movie