How Valkyrie's sexuality plays into Thor: Love and Thunder
Tessa Thompson’s new King of Asgard doesn’t get much romance in the new Marvel movie.
Tessa Thompson’s Asgardian warrior-turned-politician Valkyrie has long been touted as Marvel’s first LGBTQ+ superhero, based on subtle hints in her early appearances and the character’s own backstory in the comics.
And in early teases for the new Marvel adventure Thor: Love and Thunder, fans were expecting things to go even further. Now King of Asgard after Thor’s abdication, it was suggested by Thompson herself that the film would see Valkyrie “find[ing] her queen” – but there’s not actually any trace of this storyline in the finished version of the film.
“First of all, as king, as new king, she needs to find her queen,” Thompson told fans at San Diego Comic-Con when the film was announced in 2019. “So that will be the first order of business. She has some ideas. I'll keep you posted.”
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How Thor: Love and Thunder ignores Valkyrie's sexuality and love life
Instead, there are just a couple of short references to Valkyrie’s sexuality in Love and Thunder. One is just a flirtatious moment with one of Zeus’ (Russell Crowe) handmaidens when Valkyrie kisses her hand, and the other comes in a conversation with Korg (Taika Waititi).
Speculating on Jane (Natalie Portman) and Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) reconciliation, Korg recalls that Valyrie’s girlfriend “died in battle,” as suggested in Thor: Ragnarok, along with Valkyrie’s other fellow…well, Valkyries. The remaining Val confirms that she’s kept romance at arm’s length since then, preferring casual assignations.
This is pretty much all we hear of Valkyrie’s love life, and the thread isn’t picked up again. Oddly, it’s actually Korg who ends up getting a boyfriend instead, getting together with a fellow rock monster called Dwayne in the film’s closing round-up.
It may be slightly disappointing for fans who’d hoped to see more of Valkyrie looking for her queen, and perhaps there’s a storyline somewhere on the cutting-room floor where we might have seen this storyline explored now. There’s always the next movie (or Disney Plus spin-off) anyway…
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- Read More: Will Natalie Portman’s Thor return?
- Read More: Thor: Love and Thunder review – Patchy, but plenty of fun
- Read More: Meet the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder
- Read More: Thor: Love and Thunder soundtrack – every song featured in Marvel blockbuster
- Read More: Who is Hercules in Thor: Love and Thunder? Ted Lasso star joins MCU
- Read More: Thor's Tessa Thompson on the future of Valkyrie in the MCU
Thor: Love and Thunder is in UK cinemas now – watch the previous Thor films and more Marvel favourites on Disney Plus – sign up now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
