Instead of becoming the MCU’s new Thor, Beta Ray Bill could set up both heroes’ futures by replacing him as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Instead of becoming the new MCU’s new Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, Beta Ray Bill, who has long been rumored to be joining the movie, could simply become the Asgardian’s replacement in the Guardians of the Galaxy. If Marvel does use indeed Beta Ray Bill in the upcoming MCU Phase 4 movie, the Guardians could be central to his role in the story.
As part of an effort to focus on new characters, Marvel has retired some of its oldest MCU heroes, including Robert Downey, Jr.’s Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow (after her delayed movie) and, possibly, Chris Evans’ Captain America. This has led to speculation about how long Marvel plans to keep Thor (Chris Hemsworth) around. Thus far, he’s the only character to get four movies in a solo franchise. This was something neither Iron Man nor Captain America received during their time in the MCU. Many have thought that since the character has already starred in a total of seven Marvel movies, Thor: Love and Thunder could end up being his last.
For this reason, theories abound regarding his future, as well as the characters that could be used to fill the role he once held. Two major heroes who are often discussed when it comes to who will become the new God of Thunder are Beta Ray Bill and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. Both do feel like viable options for this path in Phase 4. Jane Foster is confirmed to become the Mighty Thor in the new movie, and Beta Ray Bill is heavily rumored to appear. If the latter is included, there’s a good chance he will indeed replace Thor – but not in the way most would expect. The alien warrior could be chosen to take Thor’s spot in Guardians of the Galaxy. If that happens, it would set up their respective Phase 5 futures.
Beta Ray Bill In Marvel Comics Explained
In Marvel’s comics, Beta Ray Bill is a member of an alien race called the Korbinites. He met Thor in the 1980s at a time when his people were under the threat of extinction. When they crossed paths in space, a battle erupted. To Thor’s surprise, Beta Ray Bill lifted Mjolnir, thus proving himself worthy of the hammer’s power. This caused Odin to arrange a duel between the two to determine Mjolnir’s fate. Unfortunately for Thor, the conditions of the fight favored Bill and allowed him to claim victory. When Bill chose not to take his prize, Odin elected to have a new weapon created for him to wield: Stormbreaker. Armed with his new axe, Beta Ray Bill went off to save his people and enjoyed a number of adventures in space, many of which were with Lady Sif. He’s also taken part in team-ups with Thor and stints with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
How Thor Could Meet Beta Ray Bill In Love & Thunder
Avengers: Endgame’s Thor ending may have opened the door for Beta Ray Bill to enter the picture in Phase 4. At the end of the film, Thor decided not to part ways with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rather than stay on Earth with what was left of the Avengers, he chose to go on an adventure with Star-Lord’s group. It’s been confirmed that Thor’s association with the team will persist at least through Love & Thunder, as a few Guardians of the Galaxy actors have been spotted on set. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), and Kraglin (Sean Gunn) will all have scenes in the movie, and more could be appearing as well.
It seems that Thor 4 will start off with the titular character being in the company of the Guardians. It remains to be seen if they’ll be together throughout the story, or if they’ll go their separate ways early on. Regardless, it could be that whatever they’re up to in space will bring them face-to-face with Beta Ray Bill. The Guardians may meet him while he’s traveling solo, on a mission to save his people, or perhaps he’ll even be with Lady Sif (Jamie Alexander), a character who will be back for Thor 4. As previously noted, the two were often companions in the comics, so it could be that if Love & Thunder does introduce Beta Ray Bill, he’ll be brought in at the same time as Sif.
Thor 4 Can Set Up The Guardians 3 Team (With Beta Ray Bill)
Beta Ray Bill’s actions in Thor 4 could go a long way toward determining what the Guardians of the Galaxy will look like in Phase 4. As of right now, the team is primarily composed of Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), Nebula, Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Thor. Thor joining the roster at the end of Avengers: Endgame left some with the impression that he could be part of the cast for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but that may have never been the plan. It’s possible that Thor’s time with the team will reach an end prior to the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie. What might lessen the disappointment of Thor’s absence would be the inclusion of Beta Ray Bill. Plus, Thor could feel more comfortable with taking his leave if he knew that a warrior similar to him in power was to take his place. With Thor out and Beta Ray Bill in, Marvel could have an interesting new Guardians of the Galaxy lineup ahead of the sequel. By this time, viewers will have already seen a great deal of Thor being with the Guardians, so giving his spot to Beta Ray Bill could offer something new.
What Beta Ray Bill Being A Guardian Means For Thor
Marvel may not need Beta Ray Bill to replace Thor altogether, especially since the character may not be going anywhere anytime soon. Chris Hemsworth himself has pushed back at the notion of exiting the MCU. So while Marvel can use Beta Ray Bill to close the door on this chapter in Thor’s life, it wouldn’t need to be a conclusion to his MCU story. In fact, it could set him up for a whole new journey. By ending Thor’s time with the Guardians, Marvel would be clearing the way for him to return for The Avengers 5. If Marvel does make a fifth Avengers installment, it feels like it would be a good idea for the movie to keep at least one member from the original team. This way, the movie would maintain a strong link to the previous films in the franchise. A good candidate for that role would be Thor, who has been in every Avengers movie to date and is a link between Earth and the cosmos. If he’s back on Earth, he could be among the heroes who defend the planet from its next big threat, whether it be Kang the Conqueror or an entirely different villain.
