Minute Twenty-One: From Arguing About Odin to Accepting Laufey’s Offer

This week, we’re joined by Cass Fredrickson from Lord of the Rings Minute at Dueling Genre Productions. Cass chats with us about all things Thor, Laufey, Loki, frost giants, and the Frost Giant Sentry in today’s episode.

In the twenty-first minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Laufey finally stands up and we can see where he’s standing. Is he abnormally large? The size seems off considering the size of that arch he’s standing under.
• What’s Laufey’s strategy? Is he egging Thor on to fight? Or is it a delicate balancing act he’s doing here trying to get the Asgardians to leave without losing face in front of his Jotuns?
• Meanwhile, does Thor realize they’re completely surrounded by frost giants? Not to mention they’ve walked into an enclosed space, essentially trapping themselves?
• Sif and Volstagg clearly understand what’s going on. Why doesn’t Thor?

While Laufey speaks, his frost giants begin arming themselves with their ice weapons.

• The frost giants form ice weapons on their arms that act both as swords and shields.
• To that end, we spend a bit of time trying to figure out what we’re looking at in that second shot of two legs and two ice weapons forming. Cass helps us realize we’re staring at a space between two frost giants, not between the legs of one frost giant. That would’ve been a bit more awkward.
• Part of our challenge is that it’s such a dark sequence. It makes sense for the context of the film, but it’s just hard to tell what’s going on, even walking through frame by frame. Another reminder that the sun is out – it’s day on Jotunheim. And still is this dark.

Is Volstagg a long lost member of Gimli’s family?

• We find it funny that they really made him seem so dwarf-like in this film. Perhaps because of the success of the Lord of the Rings films?
• Did you know they named the weapons for the warriors three in this film? We talk about Volstagg’s battleaxe. But how practical is it really?

We never mentioned the appearance of the Jotun beast in the last minute!

• We correct our error and touch on that first time we get to see the frozen Jotun beast – or frost beast or frost creature, depending on where you look – was in minute 20. How could we forget such an important thing to point out? Perhaps because we were too busy discussing Sif’s footwear.

Loki tries to change Thor’s mind, but Thor just won’t listen, and now Laufey sends out the Frost Giant Sentry to confront and intimidate them.

• Meanwhile, Loki hops in to try convincing Thor that they should accept Laufey’s offer and leave.
• How far ahead did Loki plan? And what did Laufey actually know?
• We try to decipher Thor’s line “Know your place, brother.” Is there a military aspect to this line? Or just the brothers? Is there an element relating to their princely roles?
• Thor really just seems so much the high school bully here, and that’s part of his character arc that we enjoy.
• Finally, Laufey sends his frost giant sentry to intimidate Thor and Loki. It seems to work for Loki who uses the moment to accept Laufey’s offer, though Thor’s look seems to imply he’s not thrilled with Loki’s call.
• And to pay off our conversation a few weeks ago about Laufey and if he looks older, we do feel he does actually appear more gaunt than he did when we first saw him.

The frost giants are getting ready for battle. We have a great time talking about them and everything else in this minute. Tune in!

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on TruStory FM’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Source Material
• Cass on Twitter
• Lord of the Rings Minute
• Geek by Night
• Dueling Genre Productions