Thor: The Dark World
Movie, 2013, Phase 2, Set in 2013
Thor: The Dark World is #8 of 69 in release order and #10 of 69 in chronological order in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The story
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Thor: The Dark World recap
Thor restores peace across the Nine Realms while Loki sits in an Asgardian prison for his attack on New York. In London, Jane Foster slips through a gap between worlds and absorbs the Aether, an ancient weapon belonging to Malekith, ruler of the Dark Elves, who wakes to use it to plunge the universe into darkness during the Convergence, a rare alignment of the realms. Thor brings Jane to Asgard. The Dark Elves attack, and Thor's mother Frigga dies protecting Jane. Odin wants to wait for Malekith to come back, so Thor frees Loki to help him smuggle Jane out. On Svartalfheim, Malekith draws the Aether out of Jane, and Loki is apparently killed saving Thor.
Thor: The Dark World ending explained
In Greenwich, as the realms align, Thor, Jane, Selvig and Darcy use Selvig's gravity devices to fight Malekith across shifting worlds, and Malekith is crushed by his own ship. Thor turns down the throne of Asgard to stay with Jane. In the last scene, Loki is alive and sitting on the throne disguised as Odin.
Post-credits scenes
Yes. In the mid-credits scene, Sif and Volstagg hand the Aether to the Collector, explaining that keeping two Infinity Stones in Asgard would be unwise; after they leave, the Collector says, "One down, five to go." In the post-credits scene, Thor returns to Jane in London and kisses her, while a frost beast left over from the battle runs loose in the city.
Where to watch Thor: The Dark World
Thor: The Dark World is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes 67%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Iron Man 3, before Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
- Chronological order: after Iron Man 3, before Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
What to watch before Thor: The Dark World
In release order, the essentials before Thor: The Dark World (2013) are Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), and Iron Man 3 (2013).
Cast
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Christopher Eccleston as Malekith
- Anthony Hopkins as Odin
- Jaimie Alexander as Sif
- Zachary Levi as Fandral
- Ray Stevenson as Volstagg
- Tadanobu Asano as Hogun
- Idris Elba as Heimdall
- Rene Russo as Frigga
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Algrim / Kurse
Directed by Alan Taylor.