Thor: Ragnarok

Valkyrie captures Thor and later fights beside him to save Asgard. Hela seizes power as a warrior and defeats Thor in battle. The film shows Valkyrie grieving a fallen fellow warrior, whom Tessa Thompson later identified as her lover. Women fill fighter and ruler roles across the story.

Hela uncovers murals that hide Asgard’s conquests and says Odin built its power through war and plunder. The film shows enslaved people in the old murals and links them to Asgard’s wealth. Thor’s discovery changes how he sees his family’s royal past. He chooses to destroy Asgard to save its people from Hela.

Marvel casts Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, a character usually drawn as white and blond in the comics. The film gives her a central role as an Asgardian warrior. Waititi said the production treated the source material loosely to broaden the cast. The change affects a familiar character in a major role.

Fans objected to Thompson’s casting because it changed Valkyrie’s usual comic-book appearance. Looper and ComicBook.com reported those complaints during production and around release. Small X accounts later called the film woke or objected to its powerful female characters. Other posts described Hulk as pushing political ideas.

Waititi has a record of anti-racism and representation work. Victoria Alonso has backed diversity and LGBTQ representation. Kevin Feige has defended diverse Marvel casting and stories. Writer Eric Pearson has described Black Widow as a message against misogyny and control of women’s bodies.