Thor is undeniably one of the pillars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Without the son of Odin’s inclusion, it would be difficult for some to grasp the other worldliness that’s responsible for some of the core plot lines of the films – i.e. the Infinity Stones. Thor (2011) came in-between Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The First Avenger. Making the God of Thunder the second Avenger to get a stand-alone film – unless you want to be super technical and include Edward Norton as the Hulk.
Through four total appearances, we’ve seen Chris Hemsworth portray Thor as both an ungrateful prince full of hubris and a wiser adult that holds himself accountable for the safety of his newly adopted home. As the ancient knowledge of the Infinity Stones becomes more important in the MCU, we’ll be sure to hear more from Thor, especially in Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
In celebration of Chris Hemsowrth’s 32nd birthday, take a look back at some of Thor’s best quotes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“You’re big. I’ve fought bigger.”
Asgard, Thor’s home, is a land where it’s not uncommon to fight creatures ten times your size but still put them down easily with a well-placed punch. When he first got to Earth in Thor, he was still in that same state of mind when he took on a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that must’ve been at last 6-foot-6 (Hemsworth is 6-foot-3). Too bad he lost his powers and got worked pretty badly.
“Your ancestors called it magic and you call it science. Well, I come from a place where they’re one in the same thing.”
A question a lot of people have about Thor’s inclusion in the MCU is how can you have a world of science with super suits and genetically enhanced soldiers intermingle with a world of magic where men can fly and summon lightning. Well, Thor explained it the same way it was explained to him. They’re both the same thing, just viewed differently.
“This drink, I like it. ANOTHER!”
When you travel anywhere new, culture shock is going to happen. But you can only imagine how difficult that would be when you’re traveling from one planet/dimension to another. A lot of the cultural practices just don’t translate. In Thor’s case, one that didn’t was showing his appreciation of a good beverage by smashing the cup on the ground and demanding a refill.
“So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? No, the earth is under my protection, Loki!”
When Thor first got to Earth, his main mission was to get his powers back and return home. Throw in a love interest and a handful of pleasant Earthly experiences (and our tasty beverages) and things get a bit complicated. Eventually, Thor developed a soft spot for the planet and took it upon himself to defend it from any threat, including his own brother.
“You want me to put the hammer down?”
It’s almost unavoidable for fans of comic book characters to eventually ask the question of who would win in a fight. On one end, you have a hammer that can conceivably smash anything. On the other, you have a shield made of the hardest substance known to man. Bring the two together and you get a shockwave that can probably take out an entire city block.
“… He’s adopted.”
Thor was quick to defend his brother Loki, even when the entire world deemed him public enemy No. one. But when someone pointed out just how much damage he’d managed to inflict in a short amount of time, he allowed for some distance with a bit of Joss Whedon-y dialogue.
“You people are so petty and tiny.”
It’s actually pretty surprising that Thor can respect a lot of the people he encounters as equals. I mean, he is a Norse god. So when the Loki’s scepter did its work and brought out the honest thoughts of everyone in the room he let them know just how small they and their problems look to him.
“I don’t. But you should know that when we fought each other in the past, I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. That hope no longer exists to protect you. You betray me and I will kill you.
You can’t choose family. Sometimes they mess up and may even hurt your relationship. Under normal circumstances, you can come around to forgive them. But Loki actually tried to kill Thor, multiple times. Can you blame the guy for taking a while to forgive and forget?
“Is that right? Out of the two of us, which one can actually fly?”
Backseat drivers are always a nuisance. But it’s even more annoying when the person giving you directions is actually a better driver than you. Sure, Thor can fly and Loki can’t. But that’s exactly why Loki is probably a much better pilot. He actually needs to be.
“Jane, I fought to protect you from the dangers of my world. But, I was wrong. I was a fool. I believe that fate brought us together.”
Sure, he could tell you that he protects the world because he’s grown to appreciate it. But we all know that the main reason Thor defends our home with such devotion is to make sure the love of his life, Jane Foster, is also safe. But you can only be so safe when your boyfriend is a superhero.
“Yes, well that’s a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one: You’re all not worthy.”
One of the most enjoyable scenes in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) was when everyone tried their hand at lifting Mjolnr, Thor’s hammer. The only one to get it to budge in the slightest was Captain America, but even that was barely half an inch. In the end – at least of this scene – no one else was worthy.
“IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?”
This line is right up there with “What’s the worst that can happen?” in the list of cliché things you don’t say in a movie. But because Thor’s charming enough and everyone knows that he and the rest of the Avengers can hold their own in a fight, we let it slide anyway.
