The Immigrant Narrative of Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok still

Please note: the following article contains narrative spoilers for 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.

Cultured Vultures spoilers

One aspect of Thor: Ragnarok that has permeated through the vast majority of its trailers and TV spots has been its signature song, Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”, the upbeat rock track which encapsulates the film’s sense of fun and relative irreverence. “The hammer of the Gods will drive our ship to new lands” proclaims the number, and we see why the Led Zeppelin hit was an easy choice for a film that ends with Asgard’s ultimate destruction.

But there’s much more to Thor: Ragnarok’s immigrant narrative than its upbeat soundtrack, and the idea of immigrants and outsiders is something that we see threaded throughout its narrative in a variety of different ways.

Let’s start with the most obvious example: the Asgardians themselves. A large chunk of the narrative revolves around their salvation and their survival, as we see them seek refuge with Heimdall, and eventually follow Thor to uncertain safety. They begin the film as citizens of a peaceful and almost idyllic world, and end up as refugees with no home, blindly following Thor on an uncertain path. Though they have little agency or voice–they are mainly relegated to the role of Thor’s flock in need of shepherding–they are our main and most obvious representation of would-be immigrants within Thor: Ragnarok. We don’t see much of their sorrows, beyond their sad reactions at Hela’s destruction and Asgard’s demise, but they serve the purpose of showing the enormity of the end of Asgard. They are the human (well, Asgardian) face of Hela’s reign, they are not Gods or extra-skilled fighters, they are regular civilians who have lost their home.

Then, we have Valkyrie. When we first meet her, she is living on Sakaar, the Grandmaster’s artificial planet. Sakaar is something of a haven for those who are feeling lost and uncertain, which we see portrayed perfectly through Valkyrie’s characterisation. She drinks, she fights, and she doesn’t care that she’s abandoned her old obligations to become a “Scrapper”–the Grandmaster’s scavengers who search the land for Champions and fugitives. Though she is an immigrant to Sakaar (presuming she lives there, the film never makes it quite clear), she fits in well with the planet’s rough lifestyle, and she is the Grandmaster’s favourite. She does well on this place that isn’t her own, but we can tell that she isn’t entirely happy either, drinking more than is healthy or safe to forget about her Asgardian past. She needs Thor to save her just like he saves the other Asgardians, but in a different, more passive way: she needs him to remind her of her Asgardian obligations, to help her come to the conclusion that she can’t run away from Hela forever, and that she has to stand and fight.

Thor: Ragnarok Valkyrie still

As well as immigrants, Thor: Ragnarok is also a story of outsiders and those who don’t fit into the mainstream. Director Taika Waititi is quoted as saying: “I wanted to do some flashbacks where Thor was a kid, a fat little kid…he’s just this pudgy little kid walking around with a mullet and being picked on by other kids. And Loki’s like this little emo goth hanging out by himself. He was like the kid in Harry Potter, [Malfoy].” Whilst I can see why this wasn’t included in the film–partly because it’s at odds with the depictions of young Thor/Loki that we’ve already seen in the MCU–I think it would’ve been a scene that further highlights how Thor: Ragnarok’s narrative revolves around feeling lost and unwanted, with its characters struggling to find a place where they feel at home. I think it would’ve been interesting to have seen Thor portrayed in this way, considering we mainly know him as strong and confident from the rest of his MCU appearances, but it makes sense for the film to focus more on the Asgardians themselves, as interesting as this portrayal of a young Thor and Loki would’ve been.

All of this serves to create a film which revolves around the idea of trying to find a home–whether that be a literal one, or simply a feeling of being included and wanted by those around you. Odin’s claim that “Asgard can be anywhere” is a perfect summation of the film’s main themes, showing that those who feel lost can find hope and comfort in a multitude of places. It’s one of the many reasons that Thor: Ragnarok leaves you feeling uplifted, and I appreciate the inclusivity and feelings of hope that the film brings as Thor and his crew start driving their ship to new lands.

Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.