Summary

• Thor's unique speech adds character depth but may be hindering his evolution in Ghosts.
• Even though other spirits have modernized their speech, Thor remains stuck in the past.
• Season 4 of Ghosts may provide an opportunity for Thor to grow and adapt his speech.

I'm a huge fan of CBS' ghosts from different time periods that inhabit her Woodstone Mansion home.

While all the CBS ghosts have unique qualities, some stand out – for better or worse. While the series is generally pretty good at not creating plot holes or inventing an explanation where there is one, sometimes Ghosts doesn't make sense. While that's at the core of the entire series – that it doesn't make sense that Sam can see ghosts – it makes for a more satisfying viewing experience when the characters evolve and change within the series' lore. All that said, I hope Ghosts develops an essential character from a distracting trait in Ghosts season 4.

Thor Is The Only Spirit Who Isn't Talking In Straight English In Ghosts

Even Sasappis Adapted His Native Lenape Dialect

I'm bothered that, after three seasons, Thor is the only spirit who isn't speaking in a fluid English dialect. While it was a distinguishing quality for the character at the series' onset, now, I can't help but feel that the quality is a bit out of place. Sure, Hetty and Isaac still speak in their original dialects from their time periods, but they have adapted some parts of their speech as they spend more time with modern humans like Jay, Sam, and the rest of the bed and breakfast guests that frequent Woodstone Mansion.

The most interesting contrast to Thor's behavior is Román Zaragoza's character, as Sasappis has evidently fully adapted his native Lenape dialect to fit the modern English vocabulary. I would think that, if Sasappis had adapted his speech over 500 years, that indeed Thorfinn could have done the same in twice that time, as Thor is a 1000-year-old Viking. Perhaps the vernacular is a way to distinguish the character. Initially, it was, but there's no reason for the trope to continue at full speed in Ghosts season 4, which could present an opportunity for Thor to grow.

Why Thor Hasn't Modernized The Way He Speaks In Ghosts?

Devan Chandler Long Portrays The 1000-Year-Old Viking

It's hard to say exactly why Thor hasn't modernized his speech in Ghosts, but it's very on-brand for the character not to adapt or change, despite his best efforts to. One of the best ongoing gags regarding Thor is that he calls cars and other vehicles "land ships," despite the rest of the spirits repeatedly telling Thor the correct name for the modern innovation. What's more, Thor has an obsession with murder, violence, and the hatred of Danish people. Despite his best efforts to change throughout the series, Thor is pretty set in his ways.

Ghosts season 4 will premiere on CBS on Thursday, October 17.

Spirits like Sasappis have modernized the way they speak, and so it's an interesting choice to leave Thor in the past. This choice could be because Thor represents a caveman character from the original British Ghosts series. Thor's broken speech could be a way to keep a connection to the character's Neanderthal inspiration, using the characters' speech to anchor him to the past as the series' oldest ghost. What's unclear is if Thor is interested in modernizing his speech and how he feels about his ability to communicate with the rest of the spirits, like Flower.

Will Thor Ever Speak Straight English In Ghosts?

Season 4 May Have The Answer

It's unclear if Devan Chandler Long will evolve the character from his outdated vernacular. That said, Ghosts season 4 could forge a path for the spirit to change. In Ghosts season 2, Thor is just beginning to date Flower and tries to adapt his personality to make her more comfortable. While Thor tries his best to "take it" rather than get angry, he can't control his temper when a Danish guest comes to stay at Woodstone. That said, Ghosts season 3 perfectly demonstrated that Thor is extremely stubborn regarding change – but will try for Flower.

While I can ultimately get past Thor's strung-together English (especially if it's a way for the Viking to hold onto his culture), Ghosts could evolve the character beyond his most recognizable trope. Heading into the fourth installment of the CBS series, Ghosts needs to put Thor in a position where his character continues to grow. Otherwise, the series risks the Thorfinn character becoming one-dimensional and predictable, and the Viking character should be anything but. It could be a cute gesture for Thor to practice his English to understand Flower better. Otherwise, he may stay the same for another 1000 years.