Concept artist, Ian Joyner, gives fans a look at an unused Fire Demon design for Thor: Ragnarok. The third film in the Thor franchise follows the God of Thunder as he tries to prevent the prophesied Ragnarök. At the center of this prophecy is Lord of the Fire Demons, Surtur. It is foretold that he will grow as big as a mountain (not a house) and destroy Asgard after his crown is reunited with the Eternal Flame.

The beginning of Thor: Ragnarok sees Thor imprisoned in Surtur’s realm of Muspelheim. Thor mocks/interrogates Surtur about Ragnarök while dangling upside down in chains. Eventually, our hero does “what heroes do”: busts out of his chains, easily disposes of Surtur’s minions, and knocks that “tiara” off of the Fire Demon’s head. The sequence, set to Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” is one of the film’s many memorable moments. Afterward, Thor stashes Surtur’s crown in Odin’s vault (not far from the Eternal Flame).

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The minions Surtur summons to defeat Thor are creatures made of dark magma/flames. They’re Fire Demons not unlike Surtur himself. Ian Joyner, a concept artist who worked on Thor: Ragnarok, recently posted a terrifying picture of a Fire Demon to Instagram. The design below is slightly different than the one used in the final film.

View this post on Instagram

Another lil’ fire demon concept for #thorragnarok #firedemon #monster #creaturedesign #concetart #mcu #marvel #thor

A post shared by Ian Joyner (@ianjoynerart) on

All of the characters and mythology established in Thor and Thor: The Dark World are revitalized in Thor: Ragnarok courtesy of director Taika Waititi’s signature irreverence. The film was a spiritual reset for the Thor franchise, and its opening sequence serves as a mission statement. We’re introduced to a quirkier Thor, one who banters with skeletons and doesn’t take himself or his enemies too seriously. For example, Surtur and his minions are inspired by Surt and the Fire Giants from Norse mythology. The Ragnarök they bring about not only destroys Asgard but also the cosmos. The film’s Surtur is more of a joke than an actual threat. He only destroys Asgard by himself because Loki purposely places his crown in the Eternal Flame (to defeat Hela).

What’s important about Thor Ragnarok’s opening scene are Thor, Surtur, and how they interact. Thor doesn’t take Surtur seriously, so neither should the audience. The waves upon waves of Fire Demons are merely canon fonder. Unlike Thor: Ragnarok, Joyner’s detailed concept art puts a Fire Demon on full display, allowing Surtur’s minions to fuel nightmares the way myth intended.

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Source: Ian Joyner

Key Release Dates
  • Black Widow (2021)Release date: Jul 09, 2021
  • Eternals (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Release date: Sep 03, 2021
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
  • The Marvels/Captain Marvel 2 (2023)Release date: Feb 17, 2023
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Josh Plainse is a writer, movie, and television fanatic based out of Wisconsin. Josh works for Screen Rant covering the latest in entertainment while simultaneously pursuing the never-ending dream of becoming an established novelist, screenwriter, and/or decent human being. Josh would accredit characters such as Goku, Han Solo, Simba, and Maximus Decimus Meridius for instilling within him an affinity for storytelling. It is this incessant obsession which has propelled him to seek opportunities that inform, entertain, and inspire others.

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