Clever Way Thor Sneaked in an Avengers Reference Before MCU Was Born
Kenneth Branagh's Thor has a callback to The Avengers that has been hidden in plain sight for many years.
2011's Thor has become the fourth Marvel project. It's hard to imagine now, but before that, there were only three films: 2008's Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk and 2010's Iron Man 2. The MCU hadn't been born yet, and many superheroes weren't even in the picture.
However, it is clear that the creators were already looking to the future and planning what would become one of the most successful franchises of all time, The Avengers.
That's how several references to The Avengers made their way into the first Thor movie. And while some of these Easter eggs, such as Hawkeye and Nick Fury's cameos or the mention of Tony Stark's technology, are obvious, there is one that fans did not discover until years after the film's release.
Over the years, Chris Hemsworth 's character has undergone a massive transformation, from a daring prince of Asgard to a beloved superhero. But in his first movie, Thor was far from the hilarious hero fans adore today.
He disobeyed his father Odin's orders, which resulted in the destruction of the fragile truce between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants.
As punishment, Odin stripped Thor of his divine powers and exiled him to Earth as a mortal, accompanied by his hammer, Mjolnir, which fell directly into New Mexico, attracting the attention of both the local population and the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D.
It's surprising that MCU fans, who usually pick apart every movie and leave no stone unturned, didn't notice an Easter egg in the scene showing the aftermath of the hammer's fall.
As the scientists examine the hammer, the camera cuts to an aerial view shot, and it is clearly visible that the marks left on the ground form a very distinctive Avengers logo, with the hammer completing the letter "A".
This reference, literally hidden in plain sight, could be a hint that Thor and his brother Loki would play major roles in Joss Whedon's movie, which premiered exactly one year after Thor.
After all, Loki was the film's main antagonist, attempting to subjugate Earth with the help of the Chitauri.
Yes, from Nick Fury's "Avengers Initiative" line in the first Iron Man movie, hardcore Marvel fans knew The Avengers were coming. But it is still heartwarming to find Easter eggs in other pre-Avengers movies.