Avengers: Endgame TV spot: Thor returns to a destroyed Asgard?

The TV spot for Avengers: Endgame, which aired during the Super Bowl, gave us a glimpse at Thor back home on Asgard. What has become of the fallen kingdom?

Warning! Spoilers for Thor: Ragnarok, Infinity War, and Endgame follow. You’ve been warned.

As most remember, the ending of Thor: Ragnarok left Asgard in a great cataclysm. Hela (Cate Blanchett) and Surtur (Clancy Brown) were left vigorously fighting over the decaying ruins of Asgard while the exiles escaped. Most of the main temple was destroyed by the time Thor and his exiled brethren escaped but the planet is still intact—as far as we know.

Thor hasn’t returned to his home realm since that climactic battle, though a look at the Avengers: Endgame TV spot, which aired during the Super Bowl, seems to suggest he will. A brief shot shows Thor (Chris Hemsworth) walking through a tunnel to a wide opening of what appears to be Asgard’s mountain landscape.

More from Marvel Movies

• The ladies of Madame Web and their marvelous powers
• The Marvels movie review: Absurdist masterpiece or serious let-down?
• The Marvels closes out 2023 for Marvel as fans await Deadpool’s MCU debut
• The Marvels is likely to stream on Disney+ in early 2024
• The Marvels cast: Which Marvel stars return in the new movie?

The image in question is brief but Thor is in full Asgardian armor and walking with Stormbreaker in his hand. There’s no added context to this particular scene but if he’s suited up and returning to Asgard, that probably means the King has come back to take his rightful place on the throne—if there’s a throne to go back to.

What’s more important here is the result of Hela’s fight with Surtur. The two seemed locked in eternal combat the last time we saw them but perhaps Thanos’ snap erased one of them—or possibly them both. Two deities with immeasurable power would present huge problems for Thanos’ grand scheme so erasing them both sounds reasonable.

On the other hand, Thor will likely find one of them ruling over his former home. If it’s Surtur, the whole planet is probably a pile of ashes by now. But since we can see a peaceful mountain landscape in the background, Hela probably has control of the planet.

Assuming that is the case, Thor has yet another major battle ahead of him. Unless Hela has forgiven her brother for his supposed betrayal, they’re probably going to duke it out when he returns. Then again, Surtur’s potential erasure could’ve given Hela something else to think about. Who knows, his disappearance midway into combat might have even changed her philosophies altogether.

Whatever the case may be, our glimpse at Thor in the Avengers: Endgame TV spot all but confirms that saving Asgard is one of his priorities. Some fans may argue that Thor’s next battle with Hela will end how the first fight did, but considering he’s packing the devastating Stormbreaker with him, Thor likely has the advantage this time around.

Do you think Thor will return to Asgard to find Hela sitting on his throne in Avengers: Endgame? Or could the land be barren and waiting for its rightful King to return? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Avengers: Endgame opens in theaters on April 26, 2019.