Thor: Ragnarok Takes on Masculine Stereotypes and Shows Us a Better Way

[used_songs]

Over at Tor, there's an interesting think piece called "Thor: Ragnarok Takes on Masculine Stereotypes and Shows Us a Better Way".

"But perhaps Quill might have taken Drax’s jab [in Avengers: Infinity War] better—and saved trillions of lives—had he known that Thor’s own journey from “dude” to “man” was pretty recent, having happened in the Marvel movie that sets up this one: Thor: Ragnarok. At heart, Ragnarok is about Thor’s arc from cocky hero to self-sacrificing leader, and his journey from trying to prevent Ragnarok to instigating it. Along the way, he comes into conflict and enters into alliances with a whole bunch of characters who have their own way of being “a man,” and none of them have anything to do with being male."

I was never that interested in Thor as a character until Thor: Ragnarok. I only watched the movie because I knew it featured the Hulk. However, I ended up really enjoying it in part because of the ways in which Thor and other characters grow.

Anyway, it's an interesting article and I thought folks here might want to check it out.

Comments

[snickfic]

Yay, thank you for linking! I adore Thor's character growth in Ragnarok, although I have to disagree with this person's interpretation of Peter Quill's actions in IW. But anyway, I wouldn't have seen it if you hadn't linked it. :)

[used_songs]

I did, too. It was a very enjoyable movie overall, but it definitely showed his growth in particular. It's funny how when it came out I saw a few people grousing that it was mainly a movie about the Hulk. It's 100% a movie about Thor - his choices, his growth, his leadership, his flaws,and his strengths. It really made me appreciate him as a character.

They have quite a bit of MCU commentary on Tor, although I always think of it as more of a place to read short stories and novel reviews.

[kore]

I saw a few people grousing that it was mainly a movie about the Hulk

....WHUT. Don't we see more of Bruce than the Hulk anyway?

[used_songs]

Maybe it just seems like we see more of the Hulk cos he's so big? lol

[kore]

This sets off a crisis of masculinity in Quill that begins with him trying to one-up the God of Thunder and ends with him inadvertently allowing Thanos to kill off half the population of the entire universe

Whaaa? //bewildered

[used_songs]

Yeah. I thought there were dubious thought processes there.

[lynnenne]

I loved Thor's character arc in Ragnarok. Thanks for that link!

[used_songs]

You're welcome! I did, too. That was the first movie I wholeheartedly enjoyed Thor's character in.

[kore]

Thor kinda had me at hello that moment when he winks in the first movie, altho I find him a lot blander in the team movies (except IW).

[kore]

I liked that a lot! I did agree with the people in the comments who objected to how he characterized Hela and Valkyrie as more 'masculine,' though. I really liked that one person's idea of Hela as scourge.

I do not have a bad girl thing

[used_songs]

It seemed like he was making some ... leaps? in order to fit his thesis.

Bad girls ftw!