Minute Seventy-Nine: From Two Secret Agents to One Doubting Thomas

Joining us to dig into the arrival of the Warriors Three and Sif – for the Renaissance Fair? – in the small town of Puente Antiguo are Miles Stokes and Elisabeth Allie from the podcast Thor: The Lightning and the Storm.

In the seventy-ninth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• We meet Agents Cale and Garrett working covertly across from Smith Motors on the roof eavesdropping on Thor and the Scientists Three. We play the IMDb game with the actors playing these roles.
• There’s also discussion about the extended bit with them in the deleted scene where they’re talking about the eggs Thor makes. It’s kinda funny.

Loki sets the Destroyer loose to send to Midgard and destroy Thor.

• Did Loki have this in the back of his mind all this time? Seems like a brutal way to take out his brother. What pushed him to take this turn?
• How well does the Destroyer understand commands like this? Loki’s commands seem awfully emotion-driven and very broad. Or is there a sense here that part of this is he’s working to gain his mental connection to it like in the comics?

The Warriors Three and Sif arrive in Puente Antiguo.

• There are some comedic beats here as this group arrives in town and walks through it looking for Thor while everyone gapes at them. Yes, they do look like they're here for a Renaissance Fair.
• But do their weapons and outfits need to look so artificial? Or is there something there that hints at their being from another Realm?
• We discuss the deleted scene which includes several additional bits.
• The first of which, which we all really like, is Volstagg lifting a car to get a baseball some kids threw. This scene would’ve added to his character in a wonderful way, giving us a sense of who he is.
• It also would’ve helped clarify that the Asgardians, in fact, do have superhuman strength when not broken by Odin’s spell. That would’ve enhanced the fight with the Destroyer.
• The second part is the Warriors Three and Sif talking about the last time they were on Midgard 1,000 years ago. So that would’ve been 1011, 46 years after Odin’s battle with the Jotuns in Norway. So how old are these characters exactly? And in relation to Thor and Loki?
• The last bit is Volstagg separating from the group because he smells something tasty. As it turns out, it’s the Burger King product placement Agents Cale and Garrett are eating on the roof. It’s a silly scene and again focuses on Volstagg’s appetite. It’s a bit much.
• But this is why the scene we do get of the four Asgardians marching up Main Street is actually a composite shot with Volstagg digitally added in walking ahead of his friends. And why the Agents on the roof don’t give Volstagg a nickname when they call it in.
• The minute ends with Erik doubting Jane’s research yet again. Sheesh.

It’s the Renaissance Fair! Oh, no, wait—it’s us talking with Miles Stokes and Elisabeth Allie about the townies’ reactions to the Asgardians in this minute. Tune in!

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Film Sundries

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• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
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• Elisabeth on Panel on Panels podcast