Warning: Spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder’s Zeus twist is a great sign for Hercules’ potential in the MCU. In a surprising moment, Thor seemingly killed the all-powerful Zeus during their confrontation in Omnipotent City. However, the movie’s mid-credits scene confirmed that while the god was severely wounded, he managed to survive the encounter.
Thor is now under the false assumption that the leader of the Greek pantheon died at his hands. He’ll most likely have a chance to find out the truth about Zeus’ survival when the MCU kicks off its Hercules story. Played by Brett Goldstein, Marvel’s live-action interpretation of the Lion of Olympus has been sent on a mission to take down the God of Thunder. Since the character has a reputation as a major member of the Avengers and has never been classified as a villain, it’s widely expected that Thor and Hercules’ showdown won’t end with one killing the other. Presumably, they’ll put their differences aside, thus paving the way for Hercules to be an Avenger at some point down the line.
The best possible story that Marvel could have told for Hercules in the MCU was almost ruined before it even had an opportunity to begin. Zeus’ death would have prevented Marvel from offering a proper adaptation of Hercules and Thor’s comic story, which is why the movie’s Zeus twist is good for his character. In the comic books, the two gods have a fun and competitive rivalry that goes back decades. They’ve never been depicted as hateful enemies, but that’s exactly what they’d be if Thor: Love and Thunder hadn’t walked back Zeus’ death. Hercules pursuing revenge against his father’s killer in Thor 5 would have prevented Marvel from doing their rivalry justice.
How Thor & Hercules’ Story Can Work In The MCU
Thor’s fight with Hercules needs to be intense, brutal, and also amusing at the same time. That’s because what’s really at the heart of their conflicts in the comics is their egos, not hatred. Both gods, who are counted as among the strongest characters in the Marvel Universe, are always trying to one-up each other with neither hero willing to it that the other is stronger. That, as well as the bickering that’s caused by their clashing personalities, makes Hercules and Thor’s constant battles both humorous and exciting at the same time. By keeping Zeus alive, Marvel has paved the way for Marvel to stay true to their comic rivalry.
A big part of what makes Hercules special is the light-hearted tone of the character and his stories. A vengeful take on Hercules in Thor 5 wouldn’t be able to capture those elements, but the movie avoided that misstep with his future. Instead, what Marvel set in motion in Thor: Love and Thunder is the groundwork Marvel needed to do right by the Prince of Power.
