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Thor: Love & Thunder reveals Chris Hemsworth will be accompanied by goats in his MCU return. How does this weird addition honor Marvel comic history?
Many have described Chris Hemsworth’s Thor as the GOAT — they perhaps didn’t expect their favorite Asgardian to have goats in Thor: Love and Thunder, but Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder have finally been revealed, and Thor’s goats have their hooves in Marvel’s comics. Upon recovering from his post-Thanos slump, the MCU’s Thor left New Asgard in the capable hands of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). He looked to set sail alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy following Avengers: Endgame. Hemsworth’s superhero finally returns in 2022’s Thor: Love & Thunder, helmed by Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi. As well as transitioning Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster into Mighty Thor, the God of Thunder’s fourth solo movie will also feature Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher.
Official Thor: Love & Thunder footage has given away plenty of juicy details about the MCU’s forthcoming return to Asgard (spiritually speaking). Thor himself has a snazzy blue outfit, and Jane is decked out in full Mighty Thor armor. However, perhaps the most amusing aspect of Taika Watiti’s superhero movie is Thor 4‘s goats, which pull the Norse god through the realms on a vehicle dubbed the “Goat Boat.” The Goat Boat is modeled after a traditional Viking ship, and takes its name from the two mythical creatures pulling it along. The vessel has an “Asgardian Tours” logo on the front, but Thor does commandeer the Goat Boat for his own purposes in Thor: Love & Thunder.
Thor 4‘s goats, named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, have slight roots in Norse mythology, but have also played a larger part in Thor’s later comics. Outside of some interesting set photos, the latest Thor: Love & Thunder scenes revealed the goats as they pulled the hero along on a magic ride through the skies of Asgard. While the goats may be considered new to the story, they’ve played a larger role in Thor’s comic book history before this. Based on Watiti’s work, it’ll be interesting to see just how the giant goats come into play, outside of traversing their master through the realms. Here’s why Thor 4 has goats and Marvel’s comic book history behind them, explained.
Thor Has Goats Now – Here’s Why
People might now be wondering why four-legged, two-horned companions suddenly accompany Thor, but the simplest answer is that Thor had goats all along. Thor 4‘s goats are featured in genuine Norse mythology, as two goats called Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr pulled the God of Thunder’s chariot. Taika Watiti probably added the goats into the MCU to better fit with his own version of the character, while pulling from their comic book origins to better appease the masses. They’re a worthy addition to the new and improved Thor that Watiti presents.
Does Thor Have Goats In The Comics?
Thor: Love & Thunder‘s goats are steeped in Marvel comic history. Marvel comics introduced Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder in 1976, and they provided Asgard’s God of Thunder with the same transportation services as their Norse counterparts. The goats have been featured throughout Thor’s comic book adventures ever since, and have become a key element within the character’s lore. Thor even has an emotional connection to his mystical steeds, as proven by Loki resurrecting the fallen Toothgnasher as a gift to his brother in 2019’s Thor #16. So, the goats are a fun addition to Thor’s cinematic mythology and a neat nod to his comic book origins that the MCU previously overlooked.
Marvel Released Footage Of The Goats In The Thor 4 Trailer
Thor 4‘s footage revealed the first glimpse of the goats as they pull the Goat Boat out of the water and into the sky. The CGI goats seem just as formidable as their comic book counterparts, though there’s a Watiti-Esque flavor behind their look and feel. Watiti’s version of Thor has more comedic undertones than previous iterations of the character, and the goats might stand as testament. Thor: Love & Thunder will focus more on the hero’s journey in finding himself post-retirement. Given Watiti’s film history, there’s no doubt that the “new” goats will provide some comedic relief along the way, and play a bigger part in the story.
Do Thor’s Goats Have Powers?
Thor 4‘s goats, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, are by no means ordinary. They can move at frightening speed, both on the ground and in the air, and are strong enough to join their Asgardian masters in battle when the occasion arises. Both goats are the size of grown men, and they also come enchanted with magic, firing off bolts of lightning from their hooves as they charge between realms. No two creatures are more worthy of serving as noble steeds to the God of Thunder across the entire Nine Realms. Thor is attached to Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder emotionally like any regular pet owner. They’re more than just glorified Asgardian cab drivers.
Why Thor Hasn’t Had Goats In The MCU Yet
For reasons that are probably obvious, Kevin Feige didn’t feel compelled to bring Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder into live-action until now. In the grounded superhero reality of the MCU, Thor being pulled along by two goats wouldn’t have done much for developing Chris Hemsworth’s character into a respected Marvel superhero. Since Taika Waititi came along, however, the God of Thunder has loosened up considerably, and being pals with two magic goats feels exactly like something MCU Thor would do at this point. The bigger question is whether live-action Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder are genuine Asgardian animals that were evacuated from the planet during Thor: Ragnarok (and then survived Thanos’ attack). Or are they two regular Earth goats that the folks of New Asgard have attempted to enchant? They’re pulling an “Asgardian Tours” boat in Thor: Love & Thunder, so perhaps expect the latter.
Since he hasn’t mentioned them for a whole decade, Thor obviously won’t share the same strong bond with Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder in the MCU – not straight away, at least. He may, however, put the creatures through their paces against Gorr the God Butcher, then decide they deserve better than carrying tourists around all day. Without Mjolnir or the Bifrost Bridge, Thor does need a new way of getting around for Thor: Love & Thunder.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
- The Marvels/Captain Marvel 2 (2023)Release date: Feb 17, 2023
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)Release date: May 05, 2023
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)Release date: Jul 28, 2023
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