lynnenne (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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mcu_cosmic2019-06-16 03:38 pm
lynnenne) wrote in mcu_cosmic2019-06-16 03:38 pm
Entry tags:
Thor/Valkyrie, Y/N?
Hello, and welcome to your weekly Sunday discussion post! This week's topic is inspired by the movie Men in Black: International, which opened this weekend. While I have no plans to see it, I'm almost tempted by the fact that it reunites Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth on screen.
I love the Thor/Valkyrie friendship in the MCU, especially in Ragnarok. But there are one or two moments in that movie that hint at a sexual attraction between the two. It's not hard to see why, because Thompson and Hemsworth are two of the prettiest people on the planet. But the MCU never takes their relationship beyond friendship.
Personally, I'm fine with that, but I know some fans would like to see them get together. I wouldn't spit on Stan Lee's grave if they did, but it's strongly hinted in Ragnarok that Val's previous lover (who was killed) was a woman, and I would like to see that acknowledged in some way before suddenly throwing Val into a relationship with a man.
Where do you stand? Do you ship Val/Thor? Why or why not?
(Or how about Val/Loki? Their fight scene in Ragnarok was OMG HOT.)
I love the Thor/Valkyrie friendship in the MCU, especially in Ragnarok. But there are one or two moments in that movie that hint at a sexual attraction between the two. It's not hard to see why, because Thompson and Hemsworth are two of the prettiest people on the planet. But the MCU never takes their relationship beyond friendship.
Personally, I'm fine with that, but I know some fans would like to see them get together. I wouldn't spit on Stan Lee's grave if they did, but it's strongly hinted in Ragnarok that Val's previous lover (who was killed) was a woman, and I would like to see that acknowledged in some way before suddenly throwing Val into a relationship with a man.
Where do you stand? Do you ship Val/Thor? Why or why not?
(Or how about Val/Loki? Their fight scene in Ragnarok was OMG HOT.)
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Yeah, I agree. Thor/Jane had a lot of potential in the first Thor movie, but it was pretty much squandered in The Dark World where Jane became the damsel in distress.
Any interaction between Thor, Val, and Loki is like catnip for me, regardless of whether they're romantically involved.
Same!
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I loved how in Ragnarok, at least the way I interpreted it, they were both attracted to each other and aware of it, but also had much more important things on their minds at the moment/weren't really interested in dating right now and so that's all it was. I don't think I'd want to see Thor/Valkyrie in canon, because I don't trust them to handle it in a way that I would like, but I think I could really enjoy post-Ragnarok Thor/Valkyrie slow-burn. ... *goes to AO3 to bookmark a bunch of fic*
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Yes! Tessa Thompson is firmly behind this interpretation of Val's sexuality, and I would hate to see it dismissed out of hand.
I loved how in Ragnarok, at least the way I interpreted it, they were both attracted to each other and aware of it, but also had much more important things on their minds
I really enjoyed that, too. Like, "OK, yes, you're hot, but we'll talk about that later because I really need to go and kill this undead army right now."
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But yes, they're not so good at canon relationships, probably because in the usual movie the actors cannot know the whole script or who is even in a scene.
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the actors cannot know the whole script
I know, that bugs the hell out of me! I can't imagine how frustrating that must be for the actors. How can you emote when you don't even know the context of the story?
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Report back after the rewatch!
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Friends? Sure, that above all! With benefits? Sure! Lovers in a serious way? Well, you'd have to show me the process of them getting there through the power/fealty issues and Valkyrie's trauma and guardedness, but sure, I'm happy to go along for that process! And god knows they've got the lifespans for a slow burn, Marvel plot rollercoasters aside, if that's what someone wants to write. But I'm happy to see either character shipped with other people too, instead or in addition. (Especially Val -- with Thor I have a couple notps.) And IMO they've both certainly got other contenders for chemistry or potential chemistry.
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I agree, and that's something Marvel is not so great at doing on screen. IMO the only relationship they ever did well was Tony and Pepper, and that's because they had 10 movies to do it.
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Oh, absolutely. I was talking fic more than canon there, really. And to be fair, I'm not even sure how you'd do that in the space of a movie, unless their relationship was a primary focus -- though I'd watch that movie in a heartbeat! Or they could certainly do more in the way of starting them down that road and giving hints it'll work out without getting more solid than that. But to do the full relationship as a serious thing, that's the kind of thing that would need to develop over time, and also the kind of arc that Marvel movies have historically not prioritized. I'd much rather they not do it than do it poorly.
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That's one of the really interesting aspects of her character. I agree that she still has a lot of issues to work through, and it would be fascinating to watch her do it.
Yet another reason to give Val her own movie and/or series. :D
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The end of MIB:I kind of felt like the end of Pacific Rim. Mainstream audiences pretty much expect the main man and the main woman to get together. They put in a couple references to them possibly having feelings for each other, but don't shoehorn in a kiss or anything. It seems like a response to people saying stuff like "It's unrealistic that they'd get together so fast!", and possibly also a way to prevent ship wars (although, why anyone in the movie industry would care about that is a mystery to me). That's the Doylian side of things.
On a more Watsonian level, Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth have enough on screen chemistry that it felt like a believable ship. MIB:I feels like the start to a slow burn fic.
Not sure about Val/Thor. I was too distracted by how I disliked the change of Thor's character compared to the previous movies to really consider him in a romantic ship. I could see them becoming besties.
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What did you think of MIB:I? Was it good enough to warrant a sequel? (Feel free to spoil me, I won't be seeing it in theatres.)
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That said, I really like the relationship between Valkyrie and Thor and how it develops from mistrust to genuine respect to friendship. I love that aspect and while I can see it growing into a romantic relationship with more of a story arc, I just enjoy the friendship. :-)
Canon wise, after seeing how Thor/Jane and other pairings were handled I also worry how Thor/Val would be developed well. Sometimes I feel, fanfiction is a safer route for us fans!
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Agree that canon ships often not really that well developed.
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Considering how many films there have been, I feel it is even worse when they cannot do well by canon ships.
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That's the beauty of fanfic - you control the script! :)
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She seems interested in that movie and then totes "we're only friends" in EG. Although I can get into ships who have interacted even less (or not at all!), something about Thor/Val is not clicking for me. Not gonna say 'never will ship them' because they're not in NOTP territory. Hmmm..
I do ship her with Nat and/or Loki (because, yeah, that fighting scene was LE HOTNESS). But, yeah, when it comes to her relationship with Thor, I prefer for them to be just friends.
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