A Recent MCU Addition Could Solve One of the Franchise’s Biggest Mysteries

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The Marvel Universe often prefers to keep secrets until they become crucial for future narratives. For instance, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers discovers HYDRA’s plan to seize control of SHIELD and learns that his friend Howard Stark was murdered by them. However, the film doesn’t disclose that it was the Winter Soldier who executed this mission. This revelation leads Tony Stark into a fit of anger, directing his ire towards Captain America and Bucky Barnes, causing a rift within the Avengers that never fully heals. Similar to Cap, Odin also conceals a significant secret from those close to him, which eventually causes harm.

In the beginning of Thor: Ragnarok, Odin, the All-Father, is nearing death. Before he passes, he warns his sons about their sister Hela who will emerge after his demise. They’re puzzled by his words, but it doesn’t take long for Hela to manifest her power by shattering Mjolnir and forcing Thor and Loki to flee. The main Asgardian characters are at a loss because they don’t know much about their sister, not even who their mother is. However, after several years of speculation, the origins of this mystery might have been unveiled.

Odin and Hela Get Up to No Good in the MCU

Prior to the emergence of Loki and Thor, Odin ruled the Nine Realms in a different manner. He thrived on people submitting out of fear, so he expanded his rule by conquest. Encouraging him was his daughter, Hela, who served as his enforcer while brandishing Mjolnir. Together, they made Asgard the most dominant force in the cosmos, but their alliance didn’t endure indefinitely. Over time, Odin reformed and, when Hela resisted, he exiled her to Hel. To conceal his past actions, Odin altered the art within Asgard and set up Thor, his first-born son, as a benevolent ruler. Marrying Frigga significantly influenced Odin, as her virtuous character led him to reform completely.

In my perspective as a movie critic, the Thor films subtly leave a question mark regarding Frigga’s knowledge of Hela. At one point, it’s revealed that Thor had to slay his half-sister, implying that their mother wasn’t Frigga. Yet, Odin never disclosed any information about another wife, thus leaving the origin story of Hela unclear. However, there might be a plausible explanation whereby Odin was not withholding information; perhaps, he simply chose to keep some secrets hidden within the complex tapestry of Asgard’s history.

A Cosmic Entity Could Be the One Responsible for Hela

In the comic books, Thanos is deeply infatuated with Death, a characteristic fitting of his persona. He goes to great lengths to capture her attention, even if it means eradicating numerous beings. The Mad Titan pursues a similar objective in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet he shows no desire for a romantic liaison with Death. As seen in “Avengers: Infinity War”, Thanos is gathering the Infinity Stones to prevent the universe from meeting the same fate as his home planet, Titan. Unfortunately, it seems that Death already has her affections elsewhere, making romance an unlikely possibility for Thanos.

Given that Hela is the deity of death, it’s plausible that she had a role in her origin. It’s speculated that Odin sought someone to succeed him, so he requested Death to provide him with an offspring. Although Death’s introduction in Agatha All Along emphasizes her lethal nature rather than life-giving abilities, she might have believed assisting Odin would grant her a wealth of souls for eternity. However, she likely didn’t anticipate that he would eventually betray his firstborn and transform her into a weapon for Asgard only to discard her later.

Until the Marvel Cinematic Universe discloses more details about its portrayal of Death, we can’t fully understand the events she may have influenced. However, it’s unlikely that her primary role has been solely to cause trouble for Agatha Harkness throughout eternity. Given that Death is one of the most formidable Marvel characters, it’s hard to believe that such a powerful entity would be idle for long periods.

Thor: Ragnarok is streaming on Disney+.

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2025-07-27 16:10