Minute Twenty-Eight: From War and Death to Pride and Vanity

It’s a special week with a new guest each day! Today’s guest is Pete Wright from TruStory FM and The Next Reel film podcast. He joins us to talk about the departure from Jotunheim, the disappearance of Sleipnir, and the fight between Odin and Thor.

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

• Where the hell does Sleipnir go? Is there a separate Bifrost for horses that sends them straight to the pasture? And to that end, where are the horses of Thor and his friends? Shouldn’t they still be standing in front of the Himinbjorg?
• It’s so great watching Loki through this movie now having had so much growth over the rest of the films and his show. His performance is quiet but so fascinating.

Laufey and Odin have a very kingly agreement for war. At least that's how it seems.

• Laufey and Odin finish their conversation. Thor had broken the detente (if you can call it that) that had existed for so long and now Laufey really has every right to war, right? It seems like Odin is doing his best to smooth things over but pretty much knows it’s over.
• These two are so kingly here the way Laufey waits to strike until Odin essentially agrees by saying, “So be it.”
• In Laufey’s defense, Odin’s argument that ‘boys will be boys’ essentially is pretty weak. Dozens if not hundreds of Jotuns dead. The Jotun Beast dead. A giant chasm spreading from the central plaza at Utgardhall all the way to Bifrost Junction. It’s hard to imagine really that Odin would ask Laufey to just dismiss this so readily.
• Odin does really seem weaker here and it’s great how Laufey can really read this. Of course, it doesn’t actually help him as it turns out.
• What’s great, though, about Laufey waiting to strike at Odin until Odin essentially gives the go-ahead is that it gives him a sense of nobility. Again, very kingly. And it makes us wonder if he actually would be considered worthy by Mjølnir?

Laufey attacks. Odin's ready and raises Gungnir from the back of Sleipnir.

• When Laufey attacks, Odin raises Gungnir and blasts energy out, knocking Laufey nearly off the cliff. It’s a bit odd that the Bifrost opens at exactly that same moment to pull the Asgardians home. Did Odin plan it that way with Heimdall? He must have... right? And as a reminder, Odin was still astride Sleipnir. Just want to get that out there.
• To that end, the Bifrost is gorgeous in the dark Jotunheim skies.
• Laufey somehow is now standing in front of his troops again. No idea how he moved that quickly, but there he is. And he’s fuming. He’s definitely got a ‘this isn’t over’ look on his face.
• We go back to talk about the moment early when Odin stops his attack on Laufey. It really is like the moment he finally learns this lesson that he’s trying to teach Thor here.

Back to Heimdall’s Observatory and in the middle of a family squabble to boot! But whither Sleipnir?

• The exterior of the Himinbjorg looks pretty CG in this moment.
• We cut into the argument midstream. Were they even arguing in the Bifrost?
• There’s so much movement here and the argument is so intense that we actually have to slow down to figure out who’s who and lock down where everyone is. Maybe that's why no one notices that Sleipnir is gone. Where the hell does an eight-legged horse go?
• Why does Odin toss Hofund – Heimdall’s sword – to Heimdall so recklessly? Heimdall has to catch it bare-handed by the blade! Is this some other power of Heimdall? It’s nuts.
• No longer remembering that he and his friends were cornered and likely about to be killed, Thor is now in angry son mode again as he verbally attacks Odin. He’s very much focused on his dad being too old and his ways are defunct now.
• Odin clearly has much more wisdom in his speech. Thor is full of the folly of youth. And wow – Odin sure realizes it and likely here realizes what he has to do.

Does Odin remember that Loki is even here? (Maybe he thinks he took Sleipnir to the pasture?)

• It’s interesting that this largely is an argument between Thor and Odin. Why didn’t he have Loki leave? Is it just purely for story purposes? Seems that a bit. Then again, it’s possible Loki’s slipperiness works to his advantage here as perhaps they don’t realize he’s still here.
• We debate about the wheels spinning in Loki’s head. He really has such great shots as he watches essentially this tennis match.
• Heimdall’s Observatory just looks so cool. We celebrate Bo Welch and his amazing work here.
• Is there a Gungnir slot in the stairs for Odin to rest his staff in? Or did he slam it down so hard that he implanted it there? Wow.
• Thor continues spewing venom at his father. Seriously, this is one of the best scenes in the film. How much of this is because of the way his father told him to be silent in the last minute? That was one hell of a delivery, Sir Hopkins!

It’s an intense minute as war is essentially declared and we get to witness the start of the fight between Odin and Thor. So much family drama! Tune in!

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Film Sundries

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• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
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• Poster artwork
• Original Material
• Pete at TruStory FM