Marvel Cinematic Universe: Ranking the 20 greatest superheroes

3. Thor

Thor became the third character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to receive a trilogy, following the Iron Man and Captain America threequels. Thor and Thor: The Dark World produced quality box office results, but were not the most praised Marvel films, arguably falling near the end of the 17 that already make up this universe.

However, Thor: Ragnarok was a game-changer, giving fans a colorful, galactic adventure for the God of Thunder. It provided the most entertainment, too, moving away from the dark, depressing tone of the forgettable The Dark World.

Ragnarok provided fans a refreshing take on Thor. He rose from a plain character to someone that had comedic chops, while showcasing badass qualities vs. Hela and her army. The third Thor movie also made this Asgardian character vulnerable and not so much like a god (the implosion of Asgard, Thor’s lost eye). Like other previously noted heroes, this humanized Thor, leading him on another unique arc that eventually places him with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Of the three MCU characters to receive sequels, Thor seems like the most likely one to get a fourth movie. Attribute this to Chris Hemsworth still being in his 30’s and the box office success of Ragnarok ($850 million worldwide). Robert Downey Jr. is 52 years old, with the last solo Iron Man movie taking place five years ago. Chris Evans likes directing and could be finished with Captain America, depending on what happens in the next two Avengers movies, of course.

The story of Thor may not be over yet. If it’s not, there’s an opportunity to expand his story and continue to develop one of the MCU’s greatest figures.