Comparing Asgard's Equivalent Of Armageddon And Thor: Ragnarok

While Asgard’s equivalent of Armageddon does occur in both stories, the changes in the story of Ragnarok that director Taika Waititi puts into play in Thor: Ragnarok display current political themes such as nationalism, colonialism and the issue of refugees. At the center of these themes is the villain Hela, who just wants to “make Asgard great again” (sound familiar?) and will do anything to make it happen. “As Hela looks upon the old paintings of imperial Asgard, she declares she wants Asgard to not only return to its position of supremacy, but act as if that supremacy is a right. In the context of contemporary politics, this language is clearly designed to resonate.” Hela immediately starts to radically redecorate Asgard by destroying the
moldings of Asgard’s “history” that line the golden halls of the royal city. As she knocks down walls and ceilings, she doesn’t so much renovate, as to strip the building back to reveal Asgard’s dark past.
Through Hela, we learn of disgraceful colonial past that won Asgard its empire. In ancient times, the Nine Realms didn't exist in harmony out of diplomacy - they were conquered by Odin, Hela, and Asgardian army. It was only after Hela thirst for power exceeded his that Odin thought to imprison her, only to be released after his death. It is fascinating to see that behind the image of the of a kind, caring, “liberal” Asgard, that it is revealed that they had been previously ruthless, murderous and greedy. Hela serves as a terrifying reminder that the past has a way of catching up to the present, no matter how hard you try to hide it. This theme of colonialism can be traced back to the director, Taika Waititi, whose background has a clear influence on the film. The New Zealand director is of Maori descent, the indigenous population of New Zealand, and Thor: Ragnarok features many of the thematic elements that are a part of Maori history such as imperialism, colonialism, and
resistance.
At the heart of Thor: Ragnarok is also the experience of a refugee and Waititi isn't particularly subtle in his portrayal of the Asgardians as refugees.
“The actors look disheveled and dirty from fleeing through the woods. Even Heimdall, the all-seeing and all-hearing Asgardian and guard of the Bifrost, trades in his glamorous armor from previous movies for a tattered-looking hooded cloak.” The Asgardians, in their mountainous hiding place or in the hold of the spaceship they use for escape, huddle in scared and tired looking groups, a direct visual reflection of photos of Syrians stuck in refugee camps in Europe. It is up to Thor and his followers to make things right and stop Hela. Jamie Lovett from comicbook.com puts it, “The lesson driven home to Thor repeatedly is that Asgard is a people, not a place. The moral being that a nation is never more important that the people who live in it. That realization is what allows Thor to make the sacrifice that ultimately ends Hela’s threat. He allows Asgard the nation to be destroyed in order to save Asgard the people.” And now Thor leads a ship full of people whose land (country) is destroyed, looking for a new place to call their own. In other words, they are refugees. But right now, in cities and countries all over our world, the word "refugee" is a charged one. During the 2016 US presidential campaign and around the world, the debate over what to do about Syrian refugees was a major point of debate and contention. Thor:
Ragnarok is about the experience of a refugee and is a plea to audiences “to treat those who lose their homes to war with kindness and empathy instead of rejection.” The notion of compassion and empathy for the situation of refugees and the difficult experience of immigrants is of great value in this film. It should hardly be surprising, then, that the film culminates with a song like “Led Zeppelin’s “The Immigrant,” which benefits from a double meaning with its Asgard-inspired lyrics (“We’ll drive our ships to new lands/To fight the horde, and sing and cry/Valhalla, I am coming!”)” Taika Waititi has crafted an extremely enjoyable film that manages to be thoughtful in places as well. The film displays Waititi’s inventive use of political subtext and aesthetic choices to tell the story of the