Thor, as a superhero, has been in publication for 60 years. Of course, as a mythical figure he’s been around for countless centuries. As a result, he’s had ample to time to rack up a host of enemies that seek to challenge and defeat the Herald of Thunder.
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Thor, as a god, has a long and storied past in-universe. Many fans know of Thor’s constant rivalry with Loki, and audiences have watched him do battle with fearsome foes such as Surtur and Hella on the big screen. But there are still many characters that can serve not just as enemies to the God of Thunder but as explorations of the history of the universe.
Ulik the Rock Troll
Since his debut in the Silver Age of comics, Ulik is a member of the Rock Troll from Nornheim, the realm of trolls. Long ago Odin forced all trolls to live underground and banned them from the surface. As a result, Ulik and all trolls harbor an intense hatred for the Asgardians.
Ulik has proven himself as a decent adversary to Thor due to his enhanced strength. He also wields knuckle dusters made from Uru, the same metal that Mjolnir is made of. A movie with Ulik as an antagonist would be great for action due to the Rock Troll’s ability to match up with Thor. Furthermore, Thor’s confrontation with Odin’s mistreatment of the trolls could serve as commentary on many similar real-world mistreatments throughout history and today.
Mangog, The Judgment of the Gods
Described as a being the sum total of the hatred of “a billion billion beings”, Mangog is an entity buried deep beneath Asgard. Also called “the Judgment of the Gods”, Mangog embodies every cruel act the gods have performed throughout all time. Mangog possesses immense strength, appears to be indestructible, and can manipulate magic.
Mangog is released by the Rock Troll Ulik in his quest to destroy the Asgardians for their oppression of his people. The duo could serve as a pair of enemies that force Thor to examine the danger of hatred and oppression while also serving asformidable physical foesfor the God of Thunder.
Jormungandr, The Midgard Serpent
Like Loki and Hela, Jormungandroriginates from Norse mythology. In the myths, Thor is prophecied to die from its venom while slaying it during Ragnarok. In the comics, Thor’s encounters with the beast reflect the myths. They often involve an enemy using the serpent to attempt to destroy Thor prematurely, or see Thor seeking to undermine the prophecy.
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Due to its bestial nature, the Midgard Serpent might not be a charismatic villain on the surface. However, a movie could use the monster as the embodiment of fate and explore Thor’s internal struggle with his destiny. Despite being a god, Thor’s character is best when filmmakers use him to explore very human emotions.
Ymir, The Living Winter
Ymir is a Frost Giant and one of the few beings capable of battling Odin and the fire demon Surtur to a standstill. Standing over 1000ft tall and possessing immense durability, he can generate extreme cold and regenerate from as little as one flake of ice. He is an ancient force that cares only for destruction, believing all life other than the Frost Giants must be destroyed.
Ymir’s motivations and character history throughout the comics are one dimensional. Watching Thor battle an opponent as large and powerful as Ymir would be pure spectacle. Sometimes audiences just want to watch the hero fight a giant monster.
Fafnir, The Dragon King
Like many of Thor’s enemies, Fafnir’s disdain for the God of Thunder stems from Odin’s actions in the past. Once the king of the realm of Nastrong, Fafnir fought and lost to Odin who destroyed his people and kingdom for being thorughly evil. Left to die, Fafnir drank from a magic pool which transformed him into a massive dragon.
Fafnir’s vendetta against Odin extends to Thor, and the dragon has all the power to go toe to toe with him. A movie featuring the fire-breathing foe could explore whether the sins of the father should be passed to the son. Also, Fafnir is a giant dragon which is a cool enough reason on its own to include him in a movie.
Perrikus, The Dark God
Perrikus is a member of the Dark Gods, a group of gods that are the evil opposites of the Asgardians. Perrikus is the god of “power unlimited and energy infinite”, possessing superhuman strength and durability as well as the ability to shoot energy blasts. He also wields a scythe that has the ability to cut Mjolnir in half.
Milennia ago the Dark Gods fought and defeated the Asgardians. In time Odin overcame the Dark Gods and imprisoned them in a far corner of the universe. Odin then blocked all Asgardians' memories of the event due to the trauma it caused. While Thor might wrestle with Perrikus physically, a movie featuring the Dark Gods could also explore the dangers of forgetting history.
Ragnarok, The Deadly Clone
Presumed dead during the superhero civil war, Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Hank Pym used a strand of Thor’s hair to create a cyborg clone of the thunder god to use against anti-registration forces. Dubbed Ragnarok, this perverse mimicry shares all the powers and abilities of Thor at the time of his creation. He even wields a faux-Mjolnir constructed from a vibranium-adamantium alloy.
While the clone might need a new name to avoid confusion with the movie of the same name, Ragnarok could make for a physical manifestation ofThor’s most common recurring enemy: Himself. Thor’s movies regularly feature the God of Thunder wrestling with his own identity and place in the world. Having Thor literally fight himself could be a satisfying culmination of this recurring theme.
Serpent, God of Fear
Cul Borson is Odin’s brother and Thor’s uncle. Fear is the source of his power and he creates champions known as The Worthy to create fear and chaos to fuel him. Cul claims to be the true “serpent” prophesied to kill Thor, instead of the Midgard Serpent. He possesses immense strength, the ability to manipulate magic, and the power to transform into a giant serpent.
While Thor: Ragnarok already dealt with the theme of a forgotten, dark family member that doesn’t mean Cul would be a redundant villain. Watching Bor corrupt known heroes and villains into The Worthy and come into conflict with Thor would be an exciting spin on a crossover. Seeing Thor struggle with defeating these friends-turned-enemies without killing them would add a layer of intrigue and suspense to a movie featuring Bor as the primary villain.
Amora, The Enchantress
Amora is a powerful Asgardian sorceress, often described as one of the most powerful in all of the nine realms. She has the ability to enchant any man she makes contact with, making him her slave for around a week. She can manipulate energy, heal herself, and cast powerful illusions. She is a gifted intellect and possesses deep knowledge ofAsgardian mystic artsand potion crafting.
Amora is one of Thor’s greatest enemies, so it is surprising that we are four movies into the franchise and she has yet to make an appearance. She is a less physical threat, which would be a refreshing change of pace for audiences. Watching Thor use his brains and wits instead of his brawn and lightning would bring a new dimension to the God of Thunder.
Beta Ray Bill
Now known as a hero, Beta Ray Bill first was an opponent to Thor. Bill is a member of the Korbinite alien species and he was the first individual outside of the Norse pantheon to be worthy of Mjolnir. In his first appearance, Beta Ray Bill fought Thor to a standstill which resulted in Bill proving himself worthy and gaining all the powers of Thor.
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While Beta Ray Bill is now deservedly viewed as a powerful ally and hero in his own right, there is still plenty of room to play with the character’s initial role as a rival. The battle between the two would serve as a big spectacle for audiences, but the eventual team-up to tackle a greater threat would leave fans thrilled.
