Thor: Love & Thunder is Suprisingly Deep, Actually
Channel: Matthew Loffhagen
Date: 2022-09-16

Just trying something new, let's see how this goes.

Thor: Love and Thunder is a surprisingly deep exploration of how religious belief changes with trauma, whether the loss of a loved one, health challenges, or simple self-doubt.
Beware deliberately vague spoilers from this point on.
Gorr the God Butcher starts the film by praying for the life of his daughter, and despite becoming angry at an uncaring universe, he never fully loses the belief that a higher power can answer his prayers.
Despite being an accomplished scientist, Jane Foster finds that traditional medicine fails her. At this point, she commits hard to her religious beliefs, and while this doesn’t fix her problems, it does give her a sense of purpose and a fulfilment.
Thor himself has been having a crisis of faith ever since he failed to pull that hammer out of the dirt in New Mexico. He doubts himself – even though he’s quick to assume that every other god is powerful, heroic, and benevolent, all evidence to the contrary.
His arc in this film involves accepting that Jane worships at the hammer of Thor, even though he personally can’t see the meaningful ways in which this is bringing her happiness.