‘Thor’s’ Valkyrie has no girlfriend. Tessa Thompson explains why

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Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth solo outing for the titular Norse god, lives up to its name exploring the romantic lives of several of its key characters. But notably, Asgardian leader Valkyrie (played by Tessa Thompson) remains unattached.

Valkyrie, Marvels first out LGBTQ + superhero, was introduced in 2017s Thor: Ragnarok, though a scene that would have addressed her sexuality was ultimately cut from that film. In 2019, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige confirmed that Valkyries sexuality would be a more important part of the follow-up, after Thompson took the stage at Comic-Con during Marvels epic Hall H presentation and said: As new king, she has to find her queen of hers. I know thatll be her of hers first order of business of hers.

However, while Thor: Love and Thunder, which opens nationwide Friday, does more than Ragnarok to acknowledge the characters sexual identity, Valkyries journey is more about finding herself.

Weve had lots of conversations about it, Thompson told The Times during the films recent press tour. I think theres a lot of folks that are righteously very hungry for that representation to exist in these movies, as am I. But I also think [its important] not to hang the characters hat solely on her sexual identity just because shes a queer character. I think thats one way of minimizing her di lei humanity di lei, actually, if thats the only facet that you get to explore her in di lei.

Id love to see her with a girlfriend in any movie, said writer-director Taika Waititi. We had some talks, but there was something about that character that I find really interesting as someone whos OK with being alone. So often people are like to show someone is queer, you have to see them with someone. But [Valkyrie] lost the love of her life, and the most important person in her life [now], thats shes trying to learn how to love, is herself. And I think thats just a stronger message, no matter what your orientation.

I think theres plenty of room for [romance in] a spin-off or future film, added Thor star Chris Hemsworth.

With this film, theres so many characters that are being introduced, theres a lot of plot, and so there was a number of things that we wanted to explore with Valkyrie and her longing for love was just one of many, Thompson said. I feel really happy with the balance that we struck.

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