Thor: Love and Thunder is released. Ragnarok, directed by Taiki Waititi, offered a fresh take on several beloved characters in the Thor franchise and introduced a handful of new players as well. One of these new characters, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), was robbed of the chance to have a meaningful relationship in the film.
The MCU has been pretty hit-or-miss with its LGBTQ+ representation. From an odd cameo by Joe Russo in Valkyrie's scrapped LGBTQ+ romance in Thor: Ragnarok, LGBTQ+ relationships in the MCU have always been secondary to the main plot. According to an interview (via Rolling Stone), Waititi agreed to include a shot of a woman walking out of Valkyrie's bedroom in Ragnarok. Thompson also said that the woman she lost to Hela (Cate Blanchett) in the flashback scene was, in her mind, Valkyrie's lover. But alas, these ideas did not come to fruition on screen.
Thankfully, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will introduce America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a lesbian teen superhero, in an adventure across the multiverse. America Chavez is a new superhero with the Young Avengers in the comics, making Doctor Strange 2 another important brick laid on the path to a live-action Young Avengers project. The Young Avengers will certainly feature many LGBTQ+ storylines and relationships with iconic characters such as Wiccan, Speed, Prodigy, and Young Loki.
Given the multitudes of LGBTQ+ characters in Marvel comics, the onscreen representation so far has been fairly lacking. Positive LGBTQ+ representation can change lives, so it's important for studios to feature LGBTQ+ characters and relationships in their stories. Cutting the LGBTQ+ representation from Valkyrie's Ragnarok story was a mistake because of the representation and emotional depth that was lost. Imagine how much richer the story of Ragnarok could have been if Valkyrie lost not only her fellow soldiers but also her lover. Mainstream MCU superhero stories never shy away from featuring heterosexual relationships - think Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, Spider-Man and MJ among others, but sadly, queer characters haven't yet had their chance to shine. Marvel has the chance to change this unfortunate trend in their next film, and in future releases.
America Chavez will soon be the first officially out queer woman in the MCU. This will mark an incredible step forward in Marvel's LGBTQ+ representation on screen. While it's rumored that Valkyrie, King of New Asgard, may get herself a "Queen" in Thor: Love & Thunder, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is heading to theaters much sooner.
