Caution: Major SPOILERS Ahead For Love And Thunder!
Thor: Love And Thunder confirms the existence of the Viking heaven known as Valhalla. As one of many afterlifes confirmed to exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the hallowed halls of Valhalla are home to the deceased Nordic heroes of ages past and present.
While Valhalla indeed exists, as confirmed by Love and Thunder’s post-credit scene, mythological rules reveal that entry into its halls is extremely selective. As such, while some deceased characters from the Thor franchise would make the cut, not all would be granted entrance into Valhalla.
Jane Foster
Jane Foster is one of the best characters in Love and Thunder, as she learns the perils and pitfalls of being a superhero. Unfortunately, she heroically sacrifices herself at the end of the film, using the last of her strength to help Thor defeat the villainous Gorr the God Butcher.
Jane is one of the few characters that is explicitly confirmed to have been accepted into Valhalla, as seen in the film’s post-credits scene. Given that she did not die in the heat of battle, this scene seems to refute Thor’s assertion at the beginning of the film that Valhalla only accepts warriors to die in the midst of glorious battle.
Heimdall
Idris Elba’s Heimdall was a major part of the first three Thor films as one of Asgard’s most loyal servants. Heimdall meets his end at the hands of the Mad Titan Thanos in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War when the villain runs a spear through his chest as punishment for saving the Hulk from his wrath.
Heimdall is one of only two deceased characters to be specifically shown in Valhalla. Love and Thunder’s post-credits scene depicts him greeting Jane Foster as she arrives in the afterlife, showing that his heroic death was not in vain after all.
Odin
Odin was the one-time king of Asgard, whose reign over the Nine Realms was celebrated for eons. The All-father meets his end at the beginning of Thor: Ragnarok after an extended absence from Asgard. He passes into the next realm just before the return of his firstborn Hela, leaving his sons to deal with her conquest of revenge.
While Odin’s death does not meet the basic requirements of entry into Valhalla, it is implied by Heimdall that the mythological god is indeed present in the Viking afterlife. As the ruler of the Valkyries that usher heroes into the afterlife and as the All-Father, it is likely that Odin had an automatic acceptance into Valhalla.
Frigga
Frigga was the mother of Thor and adoptive mother of Loki who meets her untimely end in Thor: The Dark World. In an attempt to save Jane Foster’s life, Frigga engaged in a battle with the Dark Elf known as Kurse, only to be run through by the villainous creature.
Fortunately for Frigga, her death meets every stipulation for entry into Valhalla, as she dies in the midst of battle with a weapon in her hand. Her Viking funeral later in the film is perfectly in line with the ancient customs, guaranteeing her entrance into the halls of Valhalla.
Hogun
Hogun, portrayed by Tadanobu Asano, was a member of the Warriors Three and a loyal friend to Thor. He leads an assault against Hela after she returns to Asgard. The goddess of death easily wipes out Hogun’s forces before making short work of the warrior himself, impaling him through the chest with a large spike.
Hogun dies an honorable death during a fierce battle and, though no funeral is depicted for the warrior, it is implied that his body is burnt to ash in the destruction of Asgard, filling the final requirement for entry into Valhalla. Given his heroic sacrifice, it seems likely that Hogun was indeed accepted into the Viking afterlife.
Gorr The God Butcher
Gorr the God Butcher is the primary antagonist of Thor: Love and Thunder, who embarks on a conquest to destroy the gods. He is eventually defeated by Thor and Jane Foster when they destroy the Necrosword, eliminating his source of power and wounding him beyond healing.
Although Gorr surprisingly found redemption in the moments before his death, there is very little reason to believe that he would have been accepted into Valhalla. Not only does he die in a moment of peace, but his lack of religious beliefs, Norse or otherwise, would indicate that his depiction of an afterlife would be secular in nature.
Laufey
Colm Feore’s Laufey was the king of the Frost Giants and the biological father of Loki. He is killed by his own son in the climax of the first Thor film when Loki invites the Frost Giants to invade Asgard, only to eliminate them all in an effort to impress Odin.
Laufey’s death would have been considered dishonorable by Viking standards, as he is killed unceremoniously by someone he considered to be an ally. Regardless of his manner of death, as a sworn enemy of the Norse gods, it would be impossible for Laufey to ever be accepted into Valhalla.
Fandral And Volstagg
Upon arriving on Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok, Hela quickly removes any allies of Thor and Odin. Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) and Fandral (Zachary Levi) are the first to reap her wrath, being quickly dispatched within mere moments of encountering the goddess of death.
Despite the rapid and unceremonious nature of their deaths, Fandral and Volstagg died in an effort to protect Asgard from its enemies, reaping warriors’ deaths. Upon their bodies being burned in Asgard’s destruction, they likely reached entry into the storied gates of Valhalla.
Malekith
Christopher Eccleston’s leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith, is the primary antagonist of Thor: The Dark World and is largely considered to be one of the MCU’s most underwhelming villains. He dies during the film’s climactic battle when the Convergence teleports him directly beneath a crumbling spaceship.
There are a number of reasons that Malekith would not be allowed into Valhalla. Not only was he a sworn enemy of the gods and of Asgard, but his death would have been considered unworthy of attaining a heroic afterlife, making Malekith ineligible for the honor of entering Valhalla. Ultimately, an underwhelming villain receives an underwhelming afterlife.
Loki
Tom Hiddleston broke fans’ hearts as Loki met his grisly end at the hands of the Mad Titan Thanos in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War. Thanos gruesomely chokes Loki to death after the god of mischief heroically attempts to kill the villain with a hidden knife after pledging him his allegiance.
Loki may have been a beloved character who proved heroic in the end, but that does not guarantee him entrance into Valhalla. The god of mischief’s case for being accepted into the Viking afterlife is troubled at best, as he is not only killed without putting up much of a fight, but he is also descended from Frost Giants, the sworn enemies of the gods of Asgard. The only hope Loki would have of joining his father and mother in Valhalla would be divine intervention on their part to grant him entrance despite his “unworthy” death.
