When news broke that Thor had met his end in ‘Marvel Zombies’, it was enough to get people talking. The God of Thunder, one of the last remaining heroes of the MCU’s original Avengers lineup, had fallen. For many, it was an emotional shock.
However, strangely enough, Thor’s death might have made everyone more excited for what’s to come in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.
Thor’s ‘Marvel Zombies’ Death Changes The Stakes For ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
While seeing Thor perish in any form hurts (especially for longtime fans who’ve followed Chris Hemsworth’s decade-long journey as the Asgardian hero), the way it happened and what it implies for the franchise’s direction could actually be a good sign. In fact, it might just set the stage for one of the most epic and emotionally satisfying returns in Marvel history. Let’s start with the obvious: yes, ‘Marvel Zombies’ technically exists outside the main MCU continuity.
Related: ‘Marvel Zombies’ Source Material Changes And Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Recast Explained
The series is part of the larger ‘What If…?’ multiverse, which allows Marvel Studios to explore alternate realities and “what could have been” scenarios without permanently altering the prime timeline. However, that doesn’t mean these stories don’t matter. In fact, they often foreshadow larger themes or narrative beats that will later echo through the main universe. In ‘Marvel Zombies’, Thor’s demise is nothing short of brutal. The scene unfolds as he battles a berserk Scarlet Witch, and their confrontation ends with Thor being killed in an explosive, tragic clash.
Later, he even reappears as a zombie. It’s one of the darkest moments in the MCU’s animation slate, and yet it’s handled with such dramatic weight that it feels strangely fitting. However, here’s where it gets interesting: Thor’s death in ‘Marvel Zombies’ actually makes it less likely that he’ll die again in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. The MCU rarely repeats itself narratively, especially with something as significant as the death of a founding Avenger. To kill Thor twice in back-to-back projects would be narratively redundant and emotionally deflating.
Moreover, it suggests that Marvel is using ‘Marvel Zombies’ to explore darker “what if” fates for its heroes, giving audiences a taste of those grim scenarios without committing to them in the main timeline. By showing us how devastating Thor’s death could be in a self-contained story, the studio can raise emotional stakes while keeping his mainline future open. So, while some fans fear that ‘Marvel Zombies’ foreshadows Thor’s final farewell, it might be the opposite.
Killing Thor In ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Would Be An Injustice To His Arc
Everyone loves a good heroic sacrifice. Tony Stark’s death in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ remains one of the most powerful moments in the MCU. It was earned, heartfelt, and thematically perfect. However, doing the same to Thor in ‘Doomsday’ would be a mistake. Thor’s story isn’t done. After ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, he entered a new chapter of his life, one of growth, redemption, and fatherhood. His relationship with Love, his adopted daughter, opened a deeply human side of him that audiences hadn’t seen before.
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He’s not just a warrior anymore; he’s a mentor, a protector, a father. Ending his story now would feel premature, robbing us of seeing this side of the God of Thunder fully realized. Beyond that emotional layer, Thor still holds immense narrative potential within the MCU’s broader multiversal saga. If Marvel follows the path of the ‘Secret Wars’ comics, which seems increasingly likely given the title of ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, Thor could play a major role in the coming conflict.
In the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, multiple versions of Thor from across the multiverse serve as Doctor Doom’s personal enforcers. It’s a literal army of Thors known as the “Thors Corps.” It would be both a visual spectacle and a profound thematic payoff for a character who has constantly grappled with questions of worthiness, identity, and destiny. Killing Thor in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ would cut that potential short. And frankly, the MCU needs him now more than ever.
