What I Liked About “Thor: The Dark World”

by Chris Vegvary

If you’ve read some of my past blogs, you know that I’m heavily into all things Marvel-related. If you haven’t, then welcome to that knowledge. Either way, the film Thor: The Dark World was released in October 2013, and I went and saw it in the theaters in glorious 3D. While I enjoyed the film, I wasn’t blown away by it, and I wasn’t really that excited to see it. I knew that it would fill in some gaps here and there and let us know what certain characters have been up to, but in truth, I’m pretty much filling the time while I wait for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But like I said, the movie was good, and therefore, here are some of the things I liked about it.

Firstly, although it was another solo film for Thor, it also features an uncredited cameo by Chris Evans when Thor is leading Loki through an Asgardian hallway, and Loki morphs into Captain America and begins spouting optimistic remarks similar to the way Cap would. Very funny stuff, and while unexpected, it was a good moment in the film. It only lasts for a moment, but it also made me feel better to see that Loki can work his magic to look like anyone he wants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the actor that plays the character portrays Loki’s masquerade.

Another thing you may have noticed when you saw the movie is the giant rock-creature that Thor faces early in the film. This is a reference to one of Thor’s earliest battles in the comics, where he faced these rock-creatures and drove them off, causing them to become terrified when in his presence. This rock-creature, called a Kronan, resembles the character Korg the Kronan from the Marvel comics story arc Planet Hulk, where Hulk was shot off into space and landed on a distant world, where he and Korg, among other alien beings, were forced into slavery and combat. They became “Warbound,” or brothers in war, and were allies when Hulk returned to Earth to take his revenge in World War Hulk. Unfortunately for the Kronan in Thor: The Dark World, Thor is able to destroy him with one upward swipe of his hammer.

I won’t spoil the ending in case you haven’t seen in, but I will mention the mid-credits scene, because that doesn’t reflect the ending of this film. In the mid-credits scene, two of the “Warriors Three” go to see The Collector, a being who collects artifacts throughout the galaxy and stores them for safe-keeping. They bring to him an Infinity Gem, which will fit into the Infinity Gauntlet. Once all the Infinity Gems are placed into the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos can then use it to alter reality. This should be a major plot point in the upcoming film, Guardians of the Galaxy, due to be released in August of 2014. I can’t wait.