10 Things You Didn't Know About Thor

4. They're Godlike, But Not Gods Themselves

Thor Hel
Marvel

While they might look and act like gods, the actual Asgardians themselves aren't truly gods. They're really a bunch of super-advanced inter-dimensional aliens who just so happened to be worshiped by the Nordic and Germanic peoples of Ancient Europe.

The films go about explaining this somewhat, describing the nine realms with a kind of 'science meets magic' theology that only implies the origins of Thor's people.

Despite the obvious mythological connotations, it's clear that Marvel's Norse figures are a far cry away from their ancient counterparts. The core tenets are most definitely there (the same ones that ebb and flow through most ancient myth and legend), but they're portrayed in a decidedly more Marvel-esque manner, with superheroics aplenty dominating the foreground of the realm's stories.

Advertisement
Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.