The Thor series has seen plenty of villains come and go, with each of them leaving behind some potent words prior to their last appearances. One of the longest-running series of solo movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, Thor has faced down a number of antagonists of varying threat levels, somehow managing to come out on top each time. Every encounter with a villain has left Thor fundamentally changed, thanks in no small part to their own memorable dialogue.
The best villain lines across Thor’s MCU journey can be great for a wide variety of different reasons. Some of them are poignant statements or thought-provoking assertions that make Thor question his very core beliefs, resulting in deep character change. Others are simply cold one-liners or even funny jokes that perfectly sum up what the villain saying them is all about, leaving a lasting impression on audiences even years later.
10 “Proud To Have It, Ashamed Of How He Got It.”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
Cate Blanchett’s Hela was perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s single greatest female villain. Not only was she immensely powerful, able to conjure the souls of the dead and wickedly sharp divine blades, but Hela also had some fair points to make regarding the Asgardian empire. In Thor: Ragnarok, it’s revealed that Hela is Thor and Loki’s long-lost sister, a Goddess of Death who helped Odin conquer the nine realms making up Asgard.
Upon her return, Hela points out Odin’s hypocrisy in keeping her sealed away after she helped him take over the various lands making up Asgard at the time of her appearance. Odin may have clearly felt some remorse over his more tyrannical past as an invader and conqueror, but still enjoyed the benefits his empire had afforded him while casting out the one person who had helped him in his conquests the most. It’s hard not to feel some level of sympathy of Hela as she utters this line.
9 “We’ll Call It A Draw.”
The Grand Master, Thor: Ragnarok
In the grand scheme of things, the Grand Master is quite a minor villain in Thor: Ragnarok, being more of a bump in the road on the way to reclaiming Asgard from Hela. That being said, Jeff Goldblum’s irreverent delivery of his lines as the character make for easily some of the best jokes of Thor: Ragnarok, with his bizarre cadence and aloof personality as the Grand Master doing some heavy lifting. One of the best quips from the character is his very last appearance in a post-credits scene following the revolution on Sakaar.
After ruling for ages as the opulent dictator of Sakaar, the Grand Master is finally usurped when Korg leads a rebellion of gladiators and other downtrodden lower castes exploited by the upper crust of the planet. Finding himself surrounded by hostile actors, the Grand Master makes a last-minute appeal, saying that while they all had some good fun, without him, they wouldn’t have anyone to rebel against, so he should deserve kudos for his own part in the conflict. He ends the matter-of-fact speech by offering to “call it a draw“, despite obviously being at the mercy of the revolutionaries.
8 “I Didn’t Do It For Him.”
Loki, Thor: The Dark World
Loki’s journey throughout the MCU has been just as rich and dynamic as his brother’s, if not even more so. While he’s more of an anti-hero in the current age of the series, it’s easy to forget that Loki was firmly a villain for the majority of his appearances. That being said, Thor: The Dark World was the first movie to begin experimenting with a redemption arc for Loki, even supposing that he nobly sacrifices himself to save Thor’s love interest, Jane Foster.
Tearfully holding his brother as he watches him die, Thor promises Loki that he’ll ensure Odin is aware of his bravery. Loki can only respond “I didn’t do it for him“, letting Thor know where his allegiance truly lies. Even if this “death” turned out to be yet another of Loki’s illusions, it doesn’t make the sentiment presented here any less real – Whatever evil deeds he may do, deep down, Loki truly does care for his brother, and later learns to care for other people, as well.
7 “I Could Have Done It, Father! For You, For All Of Us.”
Loki, Thor
Even as early as the very first Thor, Loki’s love for his family and noble (in his mind) intentions were somewhat evident. As he dangles from the Bifrost Bridge, Loki laments the failure of his plans, telling Odin that everything he did, he did in the interest of the Asgardian throne. Odin still attempts to extend an olive branch here, saving Loki’s life, but the trickster god still refuses to back down, resulting in the first of Loki’s many fakeout deaths in the MCU.
These words are later echoed again in the season 2 finale of the Loki Disney+ series. Accepting the finality of his decision to accept the title of the God of Stories and act as a new living temporal loom holding the MCU timelines together at the cost of ever being able to see his loved ones again, Loki asserts “I know what I want, what kind of god I need to be — for you, for all of us.” By repeating his words in Thor, Loki reveals just how much poignant character growth he’d undergone since then.
6 “What, Because I Am The Monster Parents Tell Their Children About At Night?”
Loki, Thor
It’s interesting to dissect just where Loki’s frustrations and constant struggle for acceptance or admiration in the eyes of Asgard truly comes from. The biggest insight his first appearance in Thor gives to his psychology is the reveal of his heritage as a frost giant adopted by Odin, rather than a true-born successor to Asgard’s throne. The compelling drama acted out between Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins in the scene in which Lokie confronts his father about his origins is a masterclass performance.
Here, Odin confirms that Loki is actually the biological son of Laufey the frost giant, one of Asgard’s greatest enemies. Loki’s anger over both the revelation and the fact that he had been lied to his entire life boils over in self-loathing, accusing Odin and the rest of Asgard for hating who he really is. This scene single-handedly carries Loki as a sympathetic character, a victim of circumstance driven to rash decisions more than a heartless villain.
5 “Look Upon My Legacy, Algrim.”
Malekith, Thor: The Dark World
Admittedly, Malekith is one of the more forgettable villains of the MCU, let alone among the Thor quadrilogy. By the time of Avengers: Endgame, Malekith the dark elf’s name and title are just a punchline to a joke, a comedic footnote in a long-spanning fantasy series. That being said, there is one scene that hints towards a deeper, complex past attached to the one-note character, emphasized by his most memorable line.
Returning after years of exile, Malekith returns to the place his armies failed in their mission eons ago. Lamenting their failure and the time he lost while banished, Malekith bids Algrim to look upon his bleak legacy, recognizing that he’ll always be most famous for letting down his people, the dark elves. It’s a shockingly cold moment of introspection for the otherwise flat Marvel villain.
4 “I Thought You’d Be Happy To See Me.”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
Malekith and Loki aren’t the only Thor villains to get some level of sadness inherent to their motivations, with Hela being quite vulnerable in between her grand gestures of violence. One of Thor’s most powerful and ruthless foes, Hela seems to value family and life itself quite lowly, immediately being willing to make attempts on her brothers’ lives after being freed from her esoteric prison. It might be surprising to learn that Hela cares what anyone thinks of her, but one choice line indicates that she wishes she didn’t have to use violence to get her way.
Upon returning to Asgard, Hela is soon vilified by the existing government and people, who see her as a demonic incursion and a threat to the current age of order. As the Asgardian army stands ready to face her, Hela seems quite disappointed, admitting that she was hoping for a kinder reception. While she might not blink twice before murdering them all, on some level deep down, Hela hopes for the admiration of the Asgardian populace just as much as Loki or Thor might.
3 “What Were You The God Of Again…?”
Hela, Thor: Ragnarok
As great is it is to see her more introspective, Cate Blanchett’s Hela is at her best when she’s leaning into her role as a shamelessly evil warlord. As she battles with Thor, she’s quick to gloat about her obvious superiority in combat as one of the MCU’s strongest villains, shaming the God of Thunder for his supposed helplessness without the precious Mjölnir. Introducing herself as the Goddess of Death, Hela sarcastically asks “What were you the god of again?“, adding insult to injury as she mercilessly attacks her brother.
Of course, this line isn’t just a great boast from Hela, but it also sets up an amazing response by Thor. Causing him to remember his father’s earlier words, Thor calls down a wickedly powerful lightning bolt that flings Hela back to the ground level of the Asgardian palace. Now coursing with electricity, Thor dives back into battle as Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song roars in the OST, making the most out of his wordless answer to Hela’s sarcastic question.
2 “Go Now, While I Still Allow It.”
Laufey, Thor
It’s easy to forget Laufey in the grand scheme of Thor’s quadrilogy over the years of the MCU, having only a single brief appearance in the original Thor. Yet as one of Odin’s greatest enemies and the father of Loki, the frost giant leader Laufey’s importance to the plot of the films can’t be understated. It helps that the characters sheer aura of malice in the small amount of screen time he does get is quite palpable, even if one of his best lines shows off a fleeting moment of mercy for the heartless icy titan.
After Loki and Thor invade the frost giants’ realm, Jotunheim, Laufey is quickly made aware of their presence. Despite the obvious intrusion, Laufey actually allows them to flee upon discovering them, though he warns that should they linger longer, he won’t be so forgiving. Considering Laufey declares war on Asgard moments later, it’s a chilling testament to his assuredness of his own strength that he allows the two gods to escape unharmed, confident that he can meet them on the field of battle later without issue.
1 “So This Is My Vow. All Gods Will Die.”
Gorr the God Butcher, Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder is a widely-maligned fourth entry in Thor’s solo movie adventures, missing the mark on much of what it set out to do. One of the film’s most egregious crimes is the waste of Christian Bale’s excellent performance as Gorr the God Butcher, a sympathetic villain with intriguing powers that deserved more time to shine. No quote better sums up his motivations than his vow that “All Gods will die“, living up to his title as a slayer of deities.
Gorr was once a simple family man living in a desert planet, whose daughter succumbed to dehydration after his prayers to the local god went unanswered. Finding the All-Black Necrosword, Gorr slaughters his former object of idolatry and vows to do the same for all who claim godhood, even going as far as to reach eternity in hopes of making a wish that wipes out the very existence of gods. This single line embodies his willpower, desires, and potential as a great Thor villain sadly misused by his debut film.
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Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date February 14, 2025
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Captain America: Brave New World
Thunderbolts*
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Blade (2025)
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Secret Wars