Summary
- Thor 5 could bring the series to a fitting close, with a terrifying villain from Marvel Comics continuing the themes of family and the burden of power.
- The MCU has already teased the backstory of the potential villain Mangog in Thor: Ragnarok, highlighting Odin's violent past and the consequences of his actions.
- If Mangog appears in Thor 5, it will provide the perfect challenge for Thor, forcing him to confront his father's wrongdoings and embrace his role as a leader, ultimately showcasing that he is more than just a violent warrior.
It's unclear if Marvel Studios has plans for Thor 5, but if the God of Thunder is returning for another solo project, the MCU already set up the perfect villain half a decade ago. The end of Thor: Love and Thunder confirmed that Thor will be seen again in the MCU, but it's not clear what that means. Thor stands as the only character to get four solo projects, and while a fifth is possible, there's a chance he's only seen in team-up movies moving forward. However, if Thor 5 does happen, a terrifying villain from Marvel Comics would bring the series to a thematically fitting close.
While the first four Thor movies vary wildly in tone, one constant through-line that the projects share is a focus on family and the responsibility of wielding power. In their own ways, each film explores ideas surrounding the burden of leadership, the struggle of finding one's purpose, the relationship between leader and subject, and how family can make all that even more complicated. While several of Thor's iconic villains from Marvel Comics have already made their way to the MCU, one remains that can continue these themes and bring Thor's personal journey to a satisfying end.
The MCU Teased Mangog's Backstory In Thor: Ragnarok
The Thor franchise has never hidden Odin's potentially troublesome past, but it's put front and center in Thor: Ragnarok. During the peak of his life, Odin was a conqueror and a ruler, and plenty of worlds likely came to see him as a terrifying villain instead of the paternal protector he's later shown to be. Thor: Ragnarok explores this even further, as Hela emerges as a powerful new Thor villain and ghost from Odin's past. The eldest child of Odin, she was by his side as they conquered planets and realms, and the Allfather sealed her away and removed any reference to her after Odin's lust for battle softened.
However, as Hela points out, a change of heart doesn't remove who someone has been in the past or the things they've done. Mangog is living proof of this. In Marvel comics, Mangog isn't a single being but is instead the physical embodiment of the hatred and pain felt by thousands of beings from a species completely wiped out by Odin in his younger and more violent days. If Mangog appears, it would perfectly pay off Hela's teases of how brutal and violent Odin was and how silly it is to minimize the deeds of one's past.
Why Mangog Would Work So Well For Thor 5
In addition to continuing threads from Thor: Ragnarok, Mangog would be a perfect Thor 5 villain for other reasons, too. Taika Waititi has previously spoken about what a Thor 5 villain would need to look like - most importantly, that there needs to be a continuous evolution of the threats Thor faces and that no villain should be weaker than one that came before. Mangog certainly fits that bill, as the monstrous being proves nearly impervious to physical harm and almost impossible to stop via traditional combat. This, too, is perfect for Thor, who needs a challenge that he can't simply punch his way out of.
It's the specifics of Mangog's powers, though, that make the villain a fitting potential franchise-closer for the God of Thunder. While the villain's immense strengths and destructive power would certainly make for exciting on-screen battles, it's the source of that power that would force Thor to finally come to with himself and his role as a god in the MCU. Mangog, being formed by the rage of billions of souls killed by Odin, becomes more powerful as gods give into their vices around it. Gorr attempted to show the gods the fault in their ways; Mangog can't be defeated unless the gods actually stop their violence and greed.
If Mangog were to be the villain of Thor 5, it could act as a culmination of everything Thor has learned in the MCU so far. The beast would force Thor to confront the sins of his father and acknowledge that the reckless pursuit of battle is a failure, not something to envy. It would force Thor to take on the leadership role he was born to have, perhaps filling the role Zeus was failing to fill and guiding the gods of the MCU to a better and more peaceful future. Most importantly, Mangog in Thor 5 can showcase that Thor is and always has been more than a violent warrior.
