MCU Hercules Theory May Be True After All, Thanks To Love & Thunder

Until now, the MCU has lacked a prominent representation of Hercules from Marvel Comics, but new images from Thor: Love and Thunder hint that he

By Mabel Judith Andrady
May 22,2022
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Until now, the MCU has lacked a prominent representation of Hercules from Marvel Comics, but new images from Thor: Love and Thunder hint that he may be making an appearance soon. Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth film in the Thor solo series, will once again centre on the titular Asgardian thunder god. It’s possible that one of Marvel’s most well-known characters from Greek mythology will make an appearance in the sequel.

In contrast to the serious and sullen tone established in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, the comedic tone of Thor: Ragnarok provided an unexpected change of pace for the Avenger’s story. The trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder show that the sequel will maintain the lighthearted and comical tone of the previous instalment. This trend is expected to continue. The introduction of Russell Crowe to the Thor 4 cast as Zeus suggests a sense of unity in the MCU’s god structure, as Moon Knight hinted at. Thor 4 is likely to reach a wider audience thanks to the collaboration between gods from various mythologies.

More gods are rumoured to be on the way in Thor 4. The movie appears to be connecting the MCU’s religions and gods in a way the franchise has never done before, as evidenced by an image showing several gods from various mythologies sitting together in what appears to be Olympus. Bast and Hercules, two characters previously mentioned in the comics but never seen in the MCU, are just two examples of gods that can now be brought to life in the MCU.

The Afterlife in the MCU was established by Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Marvel Studios' MOON KNIGHT. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Steven Grant

Steven Grant and Marc Spector find themselves in the ancient Egyptian afterlife with Taweret after Arthur Harrow’s death in episode 4 of Moon Knight. The goddess of fertility and childbirth describes that all of the MCU’s gods are connected under a prevalent afterlife, which changes in appearance depending on the deceased’s beliefs.

Rather than constructing separate afterlives for each of their gods, the show combined each of the franchise’s mythologies into a single banner. There are so many gods from different mythologies in the MCU that it makes sense that the belief systems of these characters would be unified when they interact. Zeus appears to be holding a meeting over a large crowd in the Thor 4 trailer. A gathering of gods from different mythologies is likely if Olympus is thought to be the location.

Marvel Teases Black Panther God Of Olympus In New Thor 4 Images

Bast in Black Panther form
Bast

It appears that some of the images from Thor 4 show a level of interaction between the gods of the universe. It appears that Bastet, the Wakandan goddess who appeared in both Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther, is in the photo with Valkyrie and The Mighty Thor. The image suggests that a slew of gods and goddesses have gathered in Olympus to strategize against Gorr the God Butcher in Thor 4, possibly to discuss the best course of action.

Before Moon Knight, it was presumed that the franchise’s mythologies operated independently of one another, with each following its own set of rules and philosophies. Moon Knight affirmed that the ancient Egyptian gods knew other gods, but it did not imply any sense of community between them, as demonstrated in the Norse Asgard and Egyptian Ennead, which are both made up of only their own members.. Gorr has the potential to serve as a catalyst for the gods of the franchise to come together and form a common front against a common foe.

Hercules Could Be Introduced by Olympus

Hercules
Hercules

As Thor 4 introduces Greek mythology into the MCU and appears to use Olympus on at least one occasion, Marvel’s Hercules can be introduced. He has all the powers of an Olympian god, including super strength, speed, and stamina. Hercules is a popular comic book character.” This is the hero’s defining ability, and comics have shown him destroying mountains and resisting Thor’s blows.

To include Hercules in Thor 4 would make sense because he is the son of Zeus. The absence of Greek mythology in the MCU, which would make the hero’s origin story impossible, could explain why the demigod has had so little screen time thus far. There is a chance, though, that Hercules could join the Avengers in MCU Phase 5 thanks to the incursion events that could bring the Olympus and MCU universes together.

Hercules Would Strengthen the Avengers.

Hercules

We already know that Thor, Captain Marvel, and The Scarlet Witch make up a formidable team in the MCU. The team’s physical strength would be unmatched if Hercules joined the ranks, as the hero is capable of outperforming even the Hulk in physical displays. Thanos is a physical-based villain, and a team of such powerful heroes would have a better chance of dealing with him if they were able to travel across the multiverse to take on Kang.

With Olympus’s interconnectedness, the MCU’s god lore has the potential to grow even further. The Celestials, introduced in Eternals, could play a significant role in the next MCU conflict, possibly on the scale of Avengers: Endgame. A movie like Thor: Love and Thunder could be crucial to the introduction of these new characters to the franchise and their eventual role in future films beyond Phase 4.