Thor: Ragnarok – Odin’s Original Death Scene Was Much Better

Thor: Ragnarok marked a major and much needed change in Thor, and in order to keep the same tone and vibe through the whole film, a very important scene was cut and given a completely different style: Odin’s death. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a variety of directors in charge of bringing different characters to life, and its riskiest yet one of its most profitable bets was hiring Taika Waititi to direct Thor’s third solo adventure, Thor: Ragnarok.

After leaving Earth at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron and not showing up in Captain America: Civil War, the audience finally learned what Thor had been up to in Thor: Ragnarok. The film added something the previous Thor films (and his appearances in general) lacked: humor, and gave Thor a personality in the process, which continued to be a part of him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Thor: Ragnarok was a big hit with critics and audiences, who consider it the best Thor film and one of the best in the MCU.

However, even Thor: Ragnarok had its flaws, the biggest one being how it handled Odin’s death. As it turns out, the Allfather’s death wasn’t always peaceful, and it was originally very emotionally charged… and was much better.

Thor: Ragnarok – Why Odin’s Original Death Was Better

At the end of Thor: The Dark World, it was revealed that Loki had taken his father’s place as ruler of Asgard, and it was unknown if the real Odin was still alive. Thor: Ragnarok solved the mystery and saw Thor and Loki going back to Earth, where they found their father with the help of Stephen Strange. Odin was exiled to Earth by Loki, who put a spell on him and left him at a retirement home in New York City. The place was destroyed some time after, and Odin was able to overcome Loki’s enchantment, but instead of returning to Asgard, he decided to stay on Earth. Odin was found in Norway, and once his sons were by his side, he explained that he was nearing the end of his life, and that his death was going to release his oldest child: Hela. After telling his sons he loved them, he died and his spirit ascended to Valhalla. Not long after, Hela arrived and chaos began. Though the scene is beautifully shot and it’s a nice moment between father and sons, it was called out for lacking emotional weight, especially after everything they all went through.

Odin’s original death in Thor: Ragnarok was way different. In it, Thor and Loki are walking in the streets of New York and find a homeless Odin in an alley. Odin recognizes them but begins to ramble about Asgard not being real and Ragnarok and Hela’s arrival. He then transfers his power as king to Thor, and Hela arrives. After a brief confrontation, Hela stabs Odin, and when Thor and Loki prepare to attack, she catches Mjolnir and destroys it, just like in the film. The scene was cut and reshot as test audiences found it to be too sad and even felt “too sorry” for Odin. Though it’s easy to see why they reacted like that as the scene is pretty dark, even if it tries to add a bit of humor, it’s precisely that what makes it better. The Odin/Thor/Loki relationship was complicated, and a homeless Odin killed by his own daughter would have added more emotion not only to the arcs of Thor and Loki but also to the film in general, bringing some drama amidst all the humor.

Of course, there are fans who find the final version of Odin’s death to be more fitting, as it felt like the right thing to have the Allfather finally enjoying some peace and leaving on good terms with his sons, but ultimately, the scene didn’t have the impact it should have had. Odin’s death is one of the few complaints there are when it comes to Thor: Ragnarok, and though it’s not one that fans aren’t willing to forgive, it does stand out as a final scene in a character’s storyline that could have been handled better.

About The Author

Adrienne Tyler
(3274 Articles Published)

Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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