‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Fans Say Odin’s Alternate Death Scene Would Have Been ‘Awful’
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has featured plenty of great actors in its starring roles, but what really makes a difference are the talented performers they use in supporting ones as well. One of the most legendary and talented of the bunch is none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins plays Odin, the father of Thor, in the MCU.
While Hopkins had a solid run as the patriarch of Thor’s clan, it came to an end when his character perished in Thor: Ragnarok. Some fans thought a deleted scene with an alternate fate for the character would have been “awful.” Let’s take a closer look at the character’s arc and what that scene would have been.
Odin’s role in the Thor series within the MCU
According to the MCU wiki, in the Thor films, Odin is the ruler and king of Asgard. In the first film, he banishes Thor to Earth to learn respect and humility. Throughout the films, he serves as an inflection point for Thor: as well as providing him with guidance on how to rule, he also offers some examples of how not to act or serve as king.
He has a complicated relationship with his other, adopted son Loki, who he took in as his own at a young age.
As noted above, Odin is portrayed by Hopkins. Hopkins, who’s been the star of both stage and screen, brings an aura of enhanced credibility to the MCU through each phase of the MCU. Saying he’s the best actor within the MCU would not be a stretch.
Odin’s death in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
At the outset of Thor: Ragnarok, Thor discovers Loki has banished his father to Earth and is taking his place as the ruler of Asgard. After escaping from Loki’s spell, Odin essentially retires to Norway, where his sons find him.
After a brief scene where he tells them they have a sister, Hela, Odin says he has sensed his coming demise and quietly passes away. It’s a fitting ending for one of the more regal characters in the universe. There’s also no real pain or torment on his end — he’s able to leave the mortal realm peacefully.
Eventually, Thor manages to defeat Hela and assumes his place as the rightful heir to Odin’s throne as ruler of the Asgardians. While Hela leaves them without a world to call their own, they still have their people.
Thor: Ragnarok tied up Odin’s role in the MCU — now Thor is free to move forward as a character without his father’s direct involvement. The conclusion was a good one for the character, but it had the potential to be much different.
Why MCU fans didn’t care for Odin’s alternate death scene
A recent Reddit thread was dedicated to discussing some Thor: Ragnarok footage left on the cutting room floor. One of the scenes discussed is a deleted scene where Odin is murdered by Hela rather than the more understated death scene we got in the final version of the film. One poster said they preferred what made it into the movie:
“Having seen the alternative Odin death scene I prefer the one in the film. Even though it’s a short scene, I prefer the emotional tone it provides with Odin and his sons, the deleted scene one just seems rushed and I don’t particularly like the way Odin acts. Plus, being set in Norway connects it back to Norse Myth and also Thor having New Asgard in the Nordic region.”
Hopkins’ Odin was certainly a dignified character who deserved a dignified end. The deleted scene sounds a bit over-the-top and cartoonish.
While it’s always interesting to think “What could have been?” it sounds as though fans preferred the final version of the film to the hypothetical scenes that were cut.
