In the aftermath of Thor: The Dark World, Loki was seen atop the throne of Asgard, his quest for power over the realm finally accomplished. But what happened to the All-father, Odin? The god of mischief had apparently sent his stepfather to Midgard (to the Shady Acres Care Home to be exact) while Loki himself was relishing the succulent grapes of his rule. It was only when Thor returned that the siblings found Odin peacefully stowed away in Norway. The All-father then imparted wisdom to his sons, warning of an impending twilight, before fading into Valhalla, his luminous essence wafted away by the sea breeze. However, that was not always the case according to an alternate scene.
The substitute in question takes place in an alley in New York City. Thor and Loki discover Odin scrambling for scraps and have a brief conversation during which Odin transfers his Odin Force into the god of thunder before Hela arrives. Notably, the main difference between the alternate scene and the final cut pertains to manner of Odin’s demise. Unlike the final cut, Hela and Odin manage to exchange some dialogue before the scene climaxes with his death at his own daughter’s hand.
You can watch the alternate sequence here:
https://youtu.be/prOwt9xFnm0
Taika Waititi recently held an Instagram Live party for the third Thor instalment during which he interacted to fan questions about the movie. When the topic of Odin’s alternate death came up, Waititi enlightened fans as to why the scene in the finished film was chosen. Here’s what he said (via Screenrant):
If you saw the trailer, there’s a scene where Odin dies in New York. For various reasons we wanted to get them out of New York and set up this place for Avengers: Endgame. We wanted to seed this location earlier to set up Asgard’s new home. Also, the test audiences felt bummed out about Odin dying next to trash and garbage in an alley.
Yeah, I certainly agree with the test audiences on that latter point. We’re talking about Odin Borson. The All-father. The king of the gods. One of the most powerful beings in Asgard meeting his end surrounded by filth and litter is unimaginably humiliating for the character. While it would have showcased Hela’s nefarious menace from the get-go, it would not have done justice to Anthony Hopkins who had been such a key performer in the franchise. Ragnarok’s version, while featuring less action is more poignant. It displayed Odin’s development in Midgard, having lived an isolated life, and gave a much-needed resolve for both Thor and Loki before he departed for the halls of Valhalla. Indeed, it would have been better for Odin to leave on his own terms as the murder of a parental figure had already been explored in the second Thor outing.
Sir Anthony Hopkins might not need to play a part within the MCU anymore as Odin’s story is essentially done. Nevertheless, Thor’s journey into mystery still forges on with Love and Thunder. Waititi will be back to helm said sequel which will be released in February of 2022. If it’s as freaky a circle as Ragnarok was, we’ll be ready for it.
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