Minute Six: From Ice Attack to Asgard
We have our first guest! We’re joined by Ryanne Bennett from the Black Girl Nerds podcast this week. Check herand her shows out at the links below.
In the sixth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor…
- Laufey smashes one of the Einherjar soldiers that he just froze. Not a fun way to go.
- Meanwhile, the battle rages on. Branagh continues putting us in the middle of it in close shots which feel chaotic and makes it feel like we’re actually there. Unfortunately, it makes it hard to tell what’s going on.
- But it’s pretty easy to see Laufey form a spiked ball of ice in his lowered palm. He then hurls it at Odin, nailing him in his right eye. So this is different from the Norse mythology just a bit. Why the change? Well, it puts it in the action.
- Also, by keeping Odin in the battle instead of on a hill or something watching the battle play out, we do at least get a better sense of the type of king that Odin is. And Laufey for that matter. We definitely appreciate that they’re willing to join the fray.
- So Odin can shoot fire from Gungnir. Who knew?
The Asgard-Jotunheim war clearly is waged for a long time and Laufey and Odin are always in the frey.
- Meanwhile, the battle rages on from Midgard back to Jotunheim. It actually looks like a decent place. A tad cold, but the cities aren’t crumbling. That being said, we do see bodies strewn on the distant streets. And who’s that on the landing between the two towers?
- Turns out it’s Laufey, Odin, and two Einherjar guards. Looks like Odin’s won. He has Laufey on the ground at the end of Gungnir. Odin’s about to kill him but seems to hold his spear for some reason. Considering the myths about Odin losing his eye were in relation to him wanting to gain wisdom, does this moment perhaps tie to the myths and show that Odin gains wisdom when it comes to war and see value in not being a bloodthirsty tyrant? Should we read into this as the change from the Odin who warred with Hela in Thor Ragnarok?
The war is over. Odin takes the Casket of Ancient Winters from Laufey.
- So Odin doesn’t kill Laufey. That being said, he does have his Einherjar soldier take the casket of ancient winters. But why does it look like it was plugged in? Does the planet start shutting down now? Did we need it to be so visually obvious?
- Meanwhile, Odin and his troops hop into the bifrost for a trip back to Asgard. Our second trip so far in the bifrost and it already is far less… atmospheric.
- They’re heading back to Asgard. We assume it was the crystalline peaks but turns out, this is the bottom. Why did they decide to construct the film this way? It kinda throws you initially, but it looks cool. Especially when we flip over and move through the water to reveal the actual city.
- We don’t get to see much of it other than the canyon patterned after Black Canyon in Gunnison National Park, but we do see some cool city buildings built into the wall of the canyon and in the distance… some sort of floating building? It’s very difficult to figure out. But we like it.
Laufey and Odin battle on! The epic Asgard-Jotunheim war comes to an end in this dramatic minute. Tune in!
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