Another semi-obscure-but-pretty-cool Marvel third-stringer, the comic book Valkyrie is a key member of the classic Defenders and not a whole lot else.
We’re not knocking Brunnhilde, the classic comic book Valk – she’s a cult-classic character with tons of potential who has rarely been given a chance to shine.
On the other hand, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, who debuted in Thor: Ragnarok, is one of the MCU’s best examples of a new character reinventing an old concept to great appeal.
Queer, feisty, and an absolute badass with any weapon you hand her, Thompson’s Valkyrie was enough of a hardass to train with the Hulk (echoing their comic book counterparts’ friendship) and also kind of a little more hardcore than even Thor himself.
Thompson’s magnetic performance doesn’t hurt to be sure – but the magic of the character concept taking an almost inverse arc from Thor while also complementing him in a way the entire Warriors Three never did onscreen was palpable from the start.
Now the King of Asgard in the MCU, Valkyrie’s search for a queen in Thor: Love and Thunder brings Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster back into the fold as Thor – while in comic books she’s recently come into power as the new Valkyrie.
You never know how comic books will imitate movies – and vice versa.