To Hela & Back: Who’s Who in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

By Brett White @brettwhite

Published Nov. 3, 2017, 8:30 a.m. ET

*Thor: Ragnarok* is the #1 movie in the country. Some of the faces in the film are familiar, and some not so much. We'll help you figure out who's who, whether you've already seen the film or are about to go see it for the first time. (No spoilers, promise!)Photo: Everett Collection, Marvel ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

**Thor**
**Actor:** Chris Hemsworth
**Last Seen In:** *Doctor Strange* (2016)
**In The Movie:** We last saw Thor in the mid-credits scene of *Doctor Strange* where he revealed that he and Loki were in New York searching for their father Odin. In *Ragnarok*, Thor finds himself in unfamiliar territory: a far flung planet entertained by Grandmaster's deadly gladiator games. Unfortunately for Thor, his banishment comes at the absolute worst time for Asgard, as Hela's making her move.
**In The Comics:** While a lot of *Ragnarok* seems to pull from a popular Hulk storyline, the film's also mining material from writer/artist/legend Walt Simonson's '80s run on the *Thor* comic. The story in question involves all of Asgard's heroes uniting to take on the demon Surtur and the impending apocalypse (a.k.a. Ragnarok).©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection

**Hulk/Bruce Banner**
**Actor:** Mark Ruffalo
**Last Seen In:** *Avengers: Age of Ultron* (2015)
**In The Movie:** When last we saw the Hulk, he was piloting a little Quinjet away from the Avengers and society. Smash cut to now, and he's a gladiator in Grandmaster's arena. How he got there and why he's going along with the setup remain unclear, but the real important thing is that *Hulk. Wears. Gladiator. Armor*!
**In The Comics:** This super-buddy movie mashes up elements from a popular Thor run with *Planet Hulk*, a 2006 storyline from writer Greg Pak that saw the jade giant stranded on a barbaric planet and made to fight in bloody gladiatorial games. As we've seen in the trailers, that's the pickle Thor and Hulk find themselves in in *Ragnarok*.Photos: Marvel Studios, Everett Collection

**Loki**
**Actor:** Tom Hiddleston
**Last Seen In:** *Thor: The Dark World* (2013)
**In The Movie:** Considering how omnipresent Loki was in the MCU from 2011-2013, it's *insane* that he hasn't been seen in *four years*. The last time we saw Thor's mischievous shape-shifting brother, he had taken Odin's place on the throne. The mid-credits scene in *Doctor Strange* revealed that Loki was in NYC with Thor, searching for Odin. He can be seen in the *Ragnarok* trailers palling around with Grandmaster before teaming up with his brother Thor.
**In The Comics:** Loki played a role in Simonson's Surtur saga, coming to blows with the demon in an attempt to usurp Asgard's leadership and take control of the realm.©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection

**Valkyrie**
**Actor:** Tessa Thompson
**Previously In:** While this marks Valkyrie's big screen debut, her profile has been raised over the last decade thanks to appearances in the cartoons *Super Hero Squad* and *Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes*, as well as plenty of Marvel video games. Tessa Thompson turned heads with a breakout role in the film *Creed* before landing the Valkyrie role.
**In The Movie:** As seen in the trailers, it looks like Valkyrie has fallen from her Asgardian grace and landed in the employ of Grandmaster, a job she ditches to join Thor's Revengers squad.
**In The Comics:** After a series of stops and starts, the character that we now know as Valkyrie debuted in *Defenders* #4 and has hopped around from team to team in the following decades. After stints with the Defenders and Secret Avengers, this Asgardian warrior stepped into a lead role in the all-women team book *Fearless Defenders*.Marvel Studios

**Hela**
**Actor:** Cate Blanchett
**Previously In:** A classic Thor villain, Marvel's take on the Asgardian goddess of death has tormented the God of Thunder since her debut in 1964. That's included appearances in the two most recent *Avengers* cartoons, although she's yet to appear in a live-action project. Cate Blanchett is known amongst comic-con attendees for her role as Galadriel in the *Lord of the Rings* and *Hobbit* trilogies, and she also won Academy awards for *The Aviator* and *Blue Jasmine*.
**In The Movie:** After being banished for a long time, Hela comes back with a vengeance in *Ragnarok*. Seriously, Hela's the villain that puts the "Ragnarok" in *Thor: Ragnarok*.
**In The Comics:** As possibly Marvel's preeminent female villain, plenty of heroes have crossed her path during journeys through Hel. Hela played a minor part in Simonson's sprawling run, appearing in a story where she tries to trap Thor's soul in Hel forever.©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection

**Grandmaster**
**Actor:** Jeff Goldblum
**Previously In:** Introduced in the pages of *Avengers* in 1969, Grandmaster and his cosmic scheming have been seen in cartoons ranging from the 2006 *Fantastic Four* show to the current *Guardians of the Galaxy* series. Jeff Goldblum is Jeff Goldblum, and you know who Jeff Goldblum is.
**In The Movie:** Grandmaster is the charismatic and delightfully off-kilter mastermind behind the alien planet's gladiator games, and-comic book Easter egg-he's also the brother of Benicio Del Toro's equally flamboyant character from *Guardians of the Galaxy*.
**In The Comics:** This Elder of the Universe first fought the Avengers and has since pitted hero against hero in various battles for his own entertainment. Thor has never really dealt with Grandmaster on his own, but rather as part of a few Avengers lineups.Marvel Studios

**Skurge the Executioner**
**Actor:** Karl Urban
**Previously In:** One of Thor's oldest foes, Skurge debuted in the comics in 1964 and made the leap to cartoons in the '60s *Marvel Super Heroes* series. Since then he's popped up on everything from *The Super Hero Squad Show* to *Avengers Assemble*. Karl Urban is no stranger to sci-fi, having played the lead role in *Dredd* and Bones in the three most recent *Star Trek* films.
**In The Movie:** Skurge is Hela's righthand Asgardian, a character that's not too bright but goes on his own personal journey nonetheless.
**In The Comics:** The Asgardian warrior Skurge quickly became one of Thor and the Avengers' most prominent foes of the '60s. He was even a member of the first Masters of Evil, along with his frequent partner-in-Asgardian-mayhem Enchantress. Skurge played a major part in Walt Simonson's *Thor* run, specifically the character-defining issue #362 (an issue that looks like it has an impact on *Ragnarok*).Marvel Studios

**Odin**
**Actor:** Anthony Hopkins
**Last Seen In:** *Thor: The Dark World* (2013)
**In The Movie:** Seriously, what happened to Odin? He was disposed of offscreen in *The Dark World* and we know he's in New York City, because that's where Thor and Loki are searching for him. And so far the only footage we've seen of Anthony Hopkins in the trailers is of his back!
**In The Comics:** Thor's dad Odin played a big part in the source material that *Ragnarok* pulls from, squaring off against the devilish Surtur alongside the God of Thunder on a few occasions. Their final battle occurred in *Thor* #353, and it didn't end so well for the All-Father.Marvel Studios

**Doctor Strange**
**Actor:** Benedict Cumberbatch
**Previously In:** *Doctor Strange* (2016)
**In The Movie:** As seen in the mid-credits scene of Stephen Strange's debut film, the good doctor has agreed to help Thor and Loki search for Odin in New York City.
**In The Comics:** While Thor and Doctor Strange aren't partners-in-crimefighting in the comics, they have bumped into each other on occasion. The first time they met was in 1964's *Journey into Mystery* #108, an issue that also featured a skirmish with Loki. The two have been friendly enough over the decades, but they aren't as tied together as the movie versions seem to be right now.Marvel Studios

**Heimdall**
**Actor:** Idris Elba
**Last Seen In:** *Avengers: Age of Ultron* (2015)
**In The Movie:** Heimdall popped up in Thor's vision in *Age of Ultron*, warning that Ragnarok was coming. In this film, he'll be one of the lines of defense in Asgard against Hela's invasion.
**In The Comics:** As Asgard's gatekeeper, Heimdall tried his best to keep evil at bay during Surtur's attack in *Thor* #351. He then fought alongside Thor's forces in the epic battle, and aided him in many other adventures during this important stretch of issues.©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection

**Korg**
**Voice** **Actor:** Taika Waititi
**Previously In:** Korg has popped up in a few Marvel cartoons, like *Planet Hulk*, and other members of Korg's race could be seen in *Thor: The Dark World* and *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2*. Korg makes his live-action debut in *Ragnarok*, where he's played by the film's director.
**In The Movie:** Like in the comics, Korg will appear in the gladiator scenes in *Thor: Ragnarok*.
**In The Comics:** Korg comes from the Hulk half of *Ragnarok's* source material, having debuted in the "Planet Hulk" storyline in 2006. In the comics, he's a fellow gladiator in the alien arena and befriends the Hulk, aiding him in his quest for liberation.Marvel Studios

**Fenris Wolf**
**Previously In:** After debuting in *Journey into Mystery* #114 in 1965, this giant Norse wolf has popped up a few times over the decades and even appeared in Marvel cartoons like *Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes* and *Thor: Tales of Asgard*.
**In The Movie:** This giant wolf's role in the film remains unclear, but we do know that he'll go up against the Hulk.
**In The Comics:** An Asgardian creature, fabled to be the offspring of Loki himself, the Fenris Wolf appears at times of great crisis (like, you know, Ragnarok). He's not been seen much in the comics, but he always makes quite an impression when he shows up, as he's a huge wolf.Marvel Studios

**Surtur**
**Voice** **Actor:** Clancy Brown
**Previously In:** Since his first full appearance in 1963's *Journey into Mystery* #99, this demonic villain has tortured Thor and other heroes in the comics as well as cartoons like *Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes* and *Thor: Tales of Asgard*. *Ragnarok* is his first appearance in a feature film. Clancy Brown is a veteran actor known for roles in the TV show *Sleepy Hollow* and the film *The Shawshank Redemption*.
**In The Movie:** You can't have a Ragnarok without a hellish fire demon, and Surtur fills that role!
**In The Comics:** A fire demon from the realm of Muspelheim, Surtur's arrival in Walt Simonson's *Thor* run was heralded by a big "DOOM" sound effect that rang out across the preceding issues. This massive (seriously, over 1,000 feet tall!) demon caused big problems for Asgard, even taking down Odin in the process.Marvel Studios

Where to Stream:

Thor: The Dark World

As the Marvel movie-verse has expanded, the casts of every installment have totally hulked out. We’re way past the days when a solo hero movie would spotlight the titular do-gooder and call it a day. No, in a post-Avengers world (and really a post Captain America: Civil War world), seemingly every single Marvel movie is an ensemble affair.

That’s definitely the case with Thor: Ragnarok, the third installment in the Thor sub-franchise and one that is double-stuffed with super-powered people. The movie’s basically a combo Thor and Hulk film, as it draws from iconic stories from each A-list hero’s back catalogue and mashes them up into a dazzling action-packed spectacle.

But with so many heroes and villains (and also monsters, there are monsters!) to keep track of, we thought it would be beneficial to come up with a cheat sheet for the movie’s major players. Where did we last leave the Odin family? And what role does Doctor Strange have to play? And what’s the Hulk doing in a Thor movie, anyway? Get up to speed on the impending apocalypse with this who’s who guide to Thor: Ragnarok!

Where to watch Thor

Where to watch Thor: The Dark World

Where to watch Doctor Strange