The following article originally appeared in Juniata High School's newspaper The Arrowhead.

Ragnarok: the Nordic equivalent of the end of the world. This is understandably a heavy topic to base a movie on. Typically, as seen in other present day superhero movies, heavy topics produce a dark atmosphere that surround the entire movie. Not only is it depressing for us as viewers, but it also gets old very quickly. However, despite the daunting subject, Thor: Ragnarok was anything but dark.

As Common Sense Media says, “(Thor: Ragnarok is) the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most audacious entry so far… with wild, bold choices, it succeeds, epically, on many levels.” This movie is a thrill from start to finish. With a couple new characters thrown into the mix, the plot develops on its own. We are introduced to Valkyrie, who joins Thor, Loki, and Bruce Banner in their quest to defeat Hela, the Norse goddess of death. This not only gives us a central character who is not completely masculine, but she is also not one of the “ditzy-girlfriend” types that normally occupy the side of the lead character. Instead, Valkyrie is a down-to-earth, no-nonsense character who is just as important to the movie as Thor. 

This new character is not the only great addition to the MCU. The use of humor in this movie is astounding. Referenced as “the comedic relief that the (Marvel Cinematic Universe) needed...”, Thor: Ragnarok provides the audience with laughter at every twist and turn of the plot. It’s fun to watch. It’s colorful, bright, funny, and above all a good time. 

The third Thor movie is definitely a stand-out compared to the rest of the movies in the MCU. Thor: Ragnarok is a promise that, should the pattern continue, Marvel is going to continue to be one of the best movie producers out there.