Is Valkyrie Playing The Long Game To Save Asgard In ‘Thor: Ragnarok’?

By now, everyone has seen the new Thor: Ragnarok trailer that debuted at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend. If you somehow haven’t, head over here to check it out before reading further. Or don’t. Be a rebel. Keep reading. For the rest of you (and the rebels), the trailer is not the only thing those in Hall H got to witness. Marvel cut together several scenes exclusively for those lucky enough to be in Hall H. The scenes included a creepily upbeat introduction to gladiatorial slavery, a rock monster, Loki’s shifting alliances, and a heavy dose of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. For me, the way Valkyrie behaved in the footage has caused me to update my theory on what her deal is.

If you don’t want to click that link, basically I once thought Valkyrie might be either mind-controlled, suffering from amnesia, or simply “not herself.” With the first trailer, those were my best guesses as the character has never once shirked her duties to Asgard. She is a hero. Period. But between the new Thor: Ragnarok trailer, the exclusive footage, and something Tom Hiddleston said on stage at Hall H, a new possibility is emerging: Valyrie is an accidental double agent working for Asgard.

First of all, Hiddleston reminded the audience that Loki has been ruling Asgard under the guise of Odin for four years now. He has not been a good ruler. I can only imagine someone like Valkyrie would be pointed that out, loudly. It’s easy to imagine “Odin” banishing her from Asgard or her leaving on her own in disgust at the turn her beloved plane of existence has taken. But how does translate to her playing the long game?

We know Valkyrie kidnaps Thor and brings him to the Grandmaster to become a contender. Those who got to see the extra footage know the Grandmaster is infatuated with Valkyrie and doesn’t even bother to question why an Asgardian would sell her brethren to him. She even gets a cool $10 million credits for her trouble despite it being clear from the Grandmaster’s assistant that that is an exorbitant amount. Valkyrie knows Thor is more than capable. She most likely knows about Hulk, as it was revealed at the panel that Banner has been fighting in the arena for two years and is basically Perma-Hulk. Thor went home after The Avengers and it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume he talked about his new friends. So, Valkyrie sees a way to get Thor and Hulk together, hoping (or knowing) they’ll team up to break out and set Asgard right.
But why do I think this? Another exclusive scene, part of which of is on the trailer. Once Hulk has become Banner again, Thor and Bruce stumble upon Loki in chains in what looks like the Grandmaster’s enclave. They also have Valkyrie with them. But where the trailer ends, the footage went on to show this ragtag group was all on the same side and willing to escape out the window. I can’t imagine Valkyrie would be invited along (nor Loki, whom I believe may have been asking the Grandmaster for help in getting Asgard out of Hela’s clutches) if she didn’t have a convincing reason for kidnapping Thor.

Long story short: Valkyrie has been biding her time in the shadows, knowing something wasn’t right with Asgard but unable to set things right on her own. Upon finding Thor, she realized he and Hulk could easily assist in wresting control back from Odin, only to have to change plans when Hela conquers Asgard.

What do you guys think?

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