Asgard isn’t a place; it’s a people, and the future seems to be in good hands thanks to one person in particular. Let’s discuss the vague, but promising, future of Asgard.
Warning: This article is spoiler heavy, so click out of this article if you haven’t watched Avengers: Endgame yet.
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Obviously, everything in this article is hypothetical at best. We don’t know what’s on the slate for Thor and Valkyrie’s home after Avengers: Endgame because Kevin Feige still isn’t returning our calls. (We just want to check in on our favorite Asgardians, okay?) While we vaguely know that Loki’s up to his typical trickery after and potentially during Endgame (thanks to his Disney+ show), we’re more concerned with what’s next for New Asgard.
Perhaps we’re focusing on the state of Asgard because we need a distraction after every tragic scene in Endgame. Regardless, New Asgard has a new All-mother, and she’s more than just well-equipped for the role. With Valkyrie as the new ruler, there’s a lot that could happen.
While Tessa Thompson‘s Valkyrie made her way into Marvel Comics lore fairly recently, Valkyrie has always been a fierce defender of Asgard. Whether she’s working as a solo warrior, alongside the Exiles, or working with any other Valkyries, Val is a natural leader.
The ambiguous future of Asgard isn’t a bad thing because there’s a lot of stories left to tell when it comes to the new Queen:
- Valkyrie could helm the next Thor film in some context. After all, Thor 4 could potentially be underway in the not-so-distant future of the MCU.
- There’s a chance Valkyrie might also become Thor, either temporarily or as a long-term gig. Thor’s parting words before joining the Guardians were brief, so we’ll have to wait to see if he ever left something like Stormbreaker with her, since Mjolnir returns with Steve Rogers. Regardless, we think she’s definitely worthy.
- Val could recruit and train a new generation of Valkyries.
- Valkyrie could have her own Valkyrie trilogy in the future phases of the MCU.
- Conversely, she could create her own identity, heroic or not. After all, she deserves to adopt her own path, moniker, and role in the MCU as she sees fit.
- We’ll see some changes in the new abode. Thor and Val both already hinted at some policy changes. Seeing as Odin is no longer in the picture, their realm might have a chance to rectify its lengthy history of conquest.
- New location, new villains. There aren’t any specific villains tied to New Asgard after the multiple times Asgard is destroyed in the comics. Regardless, now that Thanos is at least temporarily out of the picture, New Asgard will likely encounter some fresh faces in the villainous profession.
Even before Thanos slaughtered a good portion of the Asgardian people, including Heimdall and Loki, their original home in the nine realms befell some tragedies. Hela killed a plethora of Asgardians, then Ragnarok happened and obliterated its place in the realms. With Valkyrie’s new royal Asgardian status, we’re focusing on positive theories merely because the sun is definitely shining on New Asgard.
Asgardian mythology doesn’t necessarily rely on a physical location. After all, Asgard is a people, not a place. The ruler of Asgard, Valkyrie, determines the trajectory of the people. She’s the pillar of New Asgard now. Considering her hundreds of years as a leader, warrior, and resident kick-butt angry girl, Asgard is in good hands regardless of whether Val decides to take on the Thor moniker, start a team of women fighters, or anything else.
As for Thor, his journey as a hero isn’t over with yet. Although Endgame arguably turned Thor’s PTSD into a running fat joke in the film, Thor has more than a fair share of internal turmoil to cope as he embarks on an arc that’s reminiscent of Asgardians of the Galaxy.
Our fan-filled hearts can rest a little easier knowing that Valkyrie is caring for New Asgard, and we’re fine with the vague future of the Asgardian Queen — because it’s shining bright.