ASGARDIANS

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

The crown prince of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name.

Hemsworth stated that the film addresses unresolved issues regarding Thor's relationships from previous films, "For Thor and Jane, there are some unanswered questions now, since obviously he didn't stop in and catch up with her in The Avengers.

Thor might have some explaining to do in this one. And with Loki, we get down to the major bones of our conflict with everything that's come from Thor to Avengers to now."

Hemsworth added, "Thor's journey I think picks more so up from where we left the first one, about to take on the throne . . . and now coming to the realization of what responsibility comes with that.

Also, Alan Taylor keeps talking about the dark side of that responsibility, and the secrets of being king or becoming sort of very political about what people need to know and what they want to know."

Tom Hiddleston as Loki

Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis, based on the deity of the same name, who forms an uneasy alliance with Thor against the Dark Elves.

On where he wished to take the character in the film, Hiddleston said, "I'd like to take Loki to his absolute rock bottom.

I'd like to see him yield, essentially, to his darkest instincts. Then, having hit rock bottom, maybe come back up.

I think the fascination for me about playing Loki is that, in the history of the mythology and the comic books and the Scandinavian myths, is he's constantly dancing on this fault line of the dark side and redemption."

Hiddleston recalled, "When I met Alan Taylor, he asked me how I thought I could do Loki again without repeating myself and I remembered talking with Kevin Feige when we were on the Avengers promotional tour.

I said, 'OK, you've seen Thor and Loki be antagonistic for two films now. It would be amazing to see them fight side by side.

I've been the bad guy now twice, so I can't be again, or otherwise I shouldn't be in the film. So we have to find a new role for me to play."

Anthony Hopkins as Odin

The king of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the deity of the same name, who disapproves of Jane Foster being in Asgard.

Regarding Thor's relationship with his father, Hemsworth said, "The conflict between Thor and Odin was so great in the first one.

So, certainly they disagree as I think they always will at times but there's a far greater respect from each other.

So it becomes, I guess, a more mature conversation, but there's more at stake this time, too. It's not sort of just their individual egos, the whole universe is at stake."

As to his approach Hopkins said, "I just play Odin like a human being, with maybe a little more dimension. I grow a beard, look hopefully impressive and keep it as real as possible."

Rene Russo as Frigga

The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, mother of Thor and adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name.

Russo said that her role was expanded and explores Frigga's relationship with Loki, "You know, they cut me down in the first film.

Kenneth Branagh sent me a nice note, because he understood, he's an actor. You move on, what are you going to do?

But I think they're going to need a good mom in the next film. Loki needs his mom.

I have a lot of compassion for Loki. But we might have to have a conversation about what he just did".

Jaimie Alexander as Sif

An Asgardian warrior, Thor's childhood friend and Jane Foster's romantic rival, based on the deity of the same name.

Alexander said there is more character development for Sif and the film explores the Sif-Thor relationship.

Alexander elaborated, "I really tried to bring a little bit more vulnerability in this film.

Sif is very much in love with Thor and very much cares about his well-being. So she kicks a lot of butt in this movie but she also opens her heart a lot."

Alexander suffered a severe back injury while on the set.

About the injury, she said, "It was raining, it was dark outside, it was like 5 in the morning and I went down a metal staircase and slipped.

I slipped a disc in my thoracic spine and chipped 11 of my vertebrae. I knocked my left shoulder out of place and tore my rhomboid on my right side... It took me out of filming for a month".

Ray Stevenson as Volstagg

A member of the Warriors Three; a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor's closest comrades, known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth.

About the character Stevenson said, "He's got a heart the size of a planet that he wears on his sleeve, so he's like a big kid."

Regarding Volstagg's role in this film, Stevenson said, "Volstagg is struggling, he has a brood, the Warriors Three are fighting for hearth and home as much as for the idea of Asgard itself.

That's where he has trouble." Explaining, "He's all too aware of how potentially threatening this new enemy is on both the home front and the battlefield."

Zachary Levi as Fandral

A member of the Warriors Three, characterized as an irrepressible swashbuckler and romantic.

Levi replaced Joshua Dallas in the role due to his commitment on Once Upon a Time. Levi was originally up for the role in the first film, but had to bow out due to his commitment on Chuck.

Levi compared the character to Flynn Rider, the character he played in the animated feature, Tangled, "Fandral is a little similar to Rider in some ways.

He's like this lothario. He's like Errol Flynn. He loves ladies, as do I".

Regarding the dynamic of the Warriors Three, Levi said, "The Warriors Three are here to support Thor.

We are his confidants, his best friends.

We've all grown up together in a lot of ways and fought many a battle together, escaped death.

To me it's the way best friends ought to be, they're there when you need to talk and they're there if you don't want to talk, and they're there if you need to escape from your father's place in a flying skiff!"

Idris Elba as Heimdall

The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the Bifr�st Bridge, based on the mythological deity of the same name. Elba said he has a larger role in the sequel.

"In the new film we're going to get to know Heimdall the Asgardian a bit better, and we're going to get to know Asgard a bit better.

I can't say too much, but the expansion of Thor in his world is going to be huge. My part was very small and functional in the first film".

Tony Curran as Bor

Odin's father, based on the deity of the same name.

Alice Krige as Eir

An Asgardian physician.

Clive Russell as Tyr

Based on the deity of the same name.

THE DARK ELVES OF SVARTALFHEIM

Christopher Eccleston as Malekith

The ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, one of the worlds of the Nine Realms.

About Malekith's motivation, Eccleston said, "There is a kind of tragic quality to his quest. Because he's lost his wife, he's lost his children.

He's lost everything. And he returns for revenge. And the agent for his revenge is the Aether. If he gets hold of that, he is omnipotent."

Eccleston continued, "What I thought about a great deal was revenge, there's huge amounts of revenge.

One quote is: 'When you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves.'

I did a film called Revengers Tragedy where I played a guy called Vindici, from the word 'vindictive,' and he is the distillation of revenge.

So, in a way, that was what I had to think of: how revenge can make you absolutely monomaniacal, though you're still trying to make it recognizably motive-led. It's just the personification of movie evil."

However Taylor stated that a lot of scenes involving Malekith's backstory had to be cut from the film to make it more efficient.

Eccleston revealed that he speaks an invented language for the film explaining, "The Elvish language is definitely based on European languages.

I think there's probably some Finnish in there. It does have its logic and its rhythms. It also has many syllables and it's very difficult to do while remaining naturalistic.

It's been a particular challenge for us but hopefully it gives the film some complexity and variety."

Eccleston also said the role required six hours of make-up and 45 minutes in wardrobe.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
as Algrim / Kurse

A Dark Elf, and Malekith's trusted and loyal lieutenant, who is transformed into a monstrous creature in order to destroy Thor.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje described Kurse as "an amalgamation of a bull and a lava-like creature.

He has very animalistic tendencies but with this insatiable and unstoppable power. As an actor, that's one of the hardest things to embody.

You have to realize you are probably the most powerful thing you could imagine. And you have to be that. You can't pretend, so that when you face Thor, it's real."

Akinnuoye-Agbaje stated the role required three hours of make-up a day and had to put on heavy duty prosthetics

He explains, "The outfit weighed about 40 pounds. I'm sure there will be a certain amount of CGI but a good 80% was me in that suit."

About the character Akinnuoye-Agbaje said, "I suppose Algrim and Kurse would be the quintessential baddies, but in reality they are what I perceive as the scorn and the victims of the story.

They are the elves who have basically lost their planet and their race to another race, the Asgardians.

Here is a man/alien who places a noble objective beyond his own life and I think there is something extremely inspiring about that because he looks at the bigger picture and sees himself as a means to that end."

Akinnuoye-Agbaje added, "I worked with director Alan Taylor in trying to maintain Algrim's humanity all the way throughout Kurse's transformation, so that even when you see Kurse the beast, you can still relate to him as being Algrim inside.

And symbolically we did that by keeping the same piercing blue eyes throughout."

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Resources: wikipedia.org, imdb.com

Odin: [narrates] Long before the birth of light, there was darkness. And from that darkness, came the Dark Elves. Millennia ago, the most ruthless of their kind, Malekith, sought to transform our universe back into the one of eternal night. Such evil was possible through the power of the Aether, an ancient force with infinite destruction.

Algrim: Malekith. Asgard forces are upon us.

Odin: [narrates] The noble armies of Asgard, led by my father, King Bor, waged a mighty war against these creatures.

Malekith: Send in the Kursed.

Odin: [narrates] As the Nine Worlds converged above him, Malekith could at last unleash the Aether. But Asgard ripped the weapon from his grasp. Without it, the Dark Elves fell. With the battle all but lost, Malekith sacrificed his own people in a desperate attempt to lay waste to Asgard's army.

Malekith: Their deaths will mean our survival. This war is far from over.

Odin: [narrates] Malekith was vanquished and the Aether was no more, or so we were led to believe.

Einherjar: Sire, the Aether. Shall we destroy it?

Bor: If only we could, but its power is too great. Bury it deep, somwehere no one will ever find it.

On their home world of Svartalfheim, Bor safeguards the Aether within a stone column. Unbeknownst to him, Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves escape into suspended animation.

In present-day Asgard, Loki stands imprisoned for his war crimes on Earth.

Frigga: Loki.

Loki: Hello, mother. Have I made you proud?

Frigga: Please, don't make things worse...

Loki: Define worse.

Odin: Enough! I will speak to the prisoner alone.

Loki: [laughs] I really don't see what all the fuss is about.

Odin: Do you not truly feel the gravity of your crimes? Wherever you go there is war, ruin and death.

Loki: I went down to Midgard to rule the people of Earth as a benevolent God, just like you.

Odin: We are not gods. We're born, we live, we die, just as humans do.

Loki: Give or take five thousand years.

Odin: All this because Loki desires a throne.

Loki: It is my birthright!

Odin: Your birthright was to die as a child! Cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me.

Loki: If I am for the axe, then, for mercy's sake, just swing it. It's not that I don't love our little talks, it's just I don't love them.

Odin: Frigga is the only reason you are still alive and you will never see her again. You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeon.

Loki: And what of Thor? You'll make that witless oaf king while I rot in chains?

Odin: Thor must strive to undo the damage you have done. He will bring order to the Nine Realms and then, yes, he will be king.

Meanwhile, Thor, alongside warriors Fandral, Volstagg and Sif, repel marauders on Vanaheim, home of their comrade Hogun.

Sif: I've got this completely under control!

Thor: Is that why everything's on fire?

It is the final battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms following the reconstruction of Bifr�st, the "Rainbow Bridge" between realms, which had been destroyed two years earlier. A megalith - a rock-like monster, enters the battle.

Sif: All yours.

Thor: [walks up to the megalith] Hello.

The megalith roars.

Thor: I accept your surrender.

The Marauders howl with laughter. Thor smashes the megalith into a pile of rocks.

Thor: Anyone else?

The Marauders all surrender.

Fandral: Perhaps next time you should start with the big one!

Hogun: Where do we go next?

Thor: Hogun, the peace is nearly won across the Nine Realms. You should stay here. Be with your people, where your heart is. Asgard can wait.

Hogun: You have my thanks.

Thor: As you have mine.

Thor: Heimdall, when you're ready.

Thor is teleported to Asgard by Heimdall.

Thor meets with his father, Odin.

Odin: Is Vanaheim secure?

Thor: As are Nornheim and Ria. Though our work would have gone more quickly with you at the fore.

Odin: You must think I'm a piece of bread that needs to be buttered so heavily.

Thor: That was not my intent.

Odin: For the first time since Bifrost was destroyed, the Nine Realms are at peace. They're well reminded of our strength and you have earned their respect, and my gratitude.

Thor: Thank you.

Odin: Nothing out of order except your confused and distracted heart.

Thor: This isn't about Jane Foster, father

Odin: Human lives are fleeting, they're nothing. You'd be better served by what lies in front of you. [Odin implies Sif] I'm telling you this, not as the Allfather, but as your father. You are ready. The time has come for you to take the throne. Embrace and celebrate what you have won. Join your warriors. Eat and drink, revel in their celebration. At least pretend to enjoy yourself.

Thor, Sif, Fandral, Volstagg, and many others are in a hall celebrating their victory.

Sif: There was a time you would celebrate for weeks.

Thor: I remember you celebrated the Battle of Harokin so much, that you nearly started the second.

Sif: Well, the first was so much fun. . . Take a drink with me. Surely the Allfather could have no further task for you tonight.

Thor: No, this is one I set myself.

Sif: It does not go unnoticed you disappear each night. There are Nine Realms. The future king of Asgard must focus on more than one.

Thor: I thank you for your sword and for your counsel, good lady Sif.

In London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster's intern, is on a dinner date and appears distant to her suitor, Richard.

Richard: Hi. . . So what's the story with you?

Jane: Why does ther have to be a story? There's no story.

Richard: You spent the first ten minutes of our date hiding behind a menu that has three choices on it. It's either chicken, vegetarian, or fish, Jane. I think there's a story and I'm thinking the story involves a guy.

Jane: It's complicated.

Richard: Is he still around?

Jane: No, he went away.

Richard: I've been there. The going away. It's hard, isn't it? I was seeing a woman and she took a job in New York. Eventually, the distance killed it. And the fact that she kept sleeping with other dudes.

Jane: No!

Richard: Oh, so many.

Darcy Lewis interrupts the dinner date. Richard thinks she's a waitress.

Richard: Hi, could we get some wine, please

Darcy: Sure, I'd love some.

Jane: Richard, this is Darcy. What are you doing here?

Darcy pulls up a chair to join them.

Richard: Oh. Hello.

Darcy: So, I show up to work at the lab, slash, your mom's house, fully expecting you to be moping around in your pajamas, eating ice cream and obsessing about you know Who. But you're not. You're wearing lady clothes. You even showered, didn't you'? You smell good.

Jane: Is there a point to all this?

Darcy: Right. You know all that scientific equipment you don't look at anymore? You might want to start looking at it again. This is the reason we came all the way out here.

The device is beeping rapidly.

Jane: It's malfunctioning.

Darcy: That's what I said.

Jane bangs the device on the table.

Darcy: That's what I did. I thought you would have done something a little more scientific.

Jane: I'm sure it's nothing.

Darcy: It doesn't look like nothing. It kind of looks like the readings that Erik was rambling about. Our friend Erik kind of went banana balls.

Jane: He's not interested. I'm not interested. It's time for you to go now.

Darcy: Okay.

Richard: Short but sweet.

Jane: She needs help.

Richard: I think I'm going to have the Sea Bass.

Jane: Sea Bass, Sea Bass, Sea Bass, Sea Bass. [keeps repeating] . . . Sea . . . Bass.

Richard: Jane, maybe you should stop saying Sea Bass and go after your friend. I'll just stay here and say "sea bass" alone.

Darcy is waiting just outside, in her car.

Jane: And I hate you.

Darcy: What? I said he was cute.

Jane: Just shut up and drive.

Darcy takes Jane to an abandoned factory.

Ian: [in the back seat] You need to take the next left.

Jane: Who's he?

Darcy: He's my intern.

Jane: You have an intern?

Darcy: Oh, yeah.

Ian: Hello, Dr. Foster. It's such a great honor to be working with you.

Jane: Right. I have to call Erik.

Ian: Oh, take a right. . . And a left.

Darcy: I have totally mastered driving in London.

Jane: Hi, Erik. It's me again. Where are you'? I came here because you said you were onto something, and then you vanish.

TV Reporter: I'm here at Stonehenge for what has been an interesting unfolding of events today. The police were called to the scene shortly after 11 A.M. this morning after a seemingly harmless rambler approached the area then, decided to strip naked and effectively terrorize tourists there with scientific equipment whilst shouting that he was trying to save them. The man, later identified as noted astrophysicist Dr. Erik Selvig has been called in for questioning by police.

Darcy: Come on, this is exciting. Look! The intern is excited.

Ian: "Ian."

Darcy: Do you want the phase meter?

Jane: No.

Darcy: Bring the phase meter. The toaster-looking thing.

Ian: Yeah. I know what the phase meter is.

Jane: How do I change the ringtone on this thing?

Darcy: An astrophysicist with three degrees should be able to change her own ringtone.

Jane: Why are you calling me?

Darcy: I didn't want to shout. Intern says it's this way.

Ian: "Ian." My name's Ian.

Darcy: I am not getting stabbed in the name of science. . . . [to unseen others] It's okay, we're Americans!...

Jane: Is that supposed to make them like us?

They are greeted by children who guide them inside the factory where objects have begun to disobey the laws of physics and disappear into thin air.

Jane: Oh, they're kids.

Child: Are you the police?

Jane: No, we're scientists. Well, I am.

Darcy: Thanks.

Child: We just found it.

Jane: Can you show us?

A boy easily lifts a large truck.

Darcy: That doesn't seem right.

They enter a warehouse and a child drops a bottle down a stairwell and it disappears.

Jane: Where'd it go?

The bottle reappears from above the stairwell.

Jane: That's incredible!

Jane throws a can in the stair well, it disappears, but does not reappear.

Jane: What happened?

Child: Sometimes they come back. Sometimes they don't.

Darcy: I want to throw something! Jane, give me your shoe.

Jane: I haven't seen readings like this since . . .

Darcy: New Mexico?

Jane: Don't touch anything!

Darcy: Give me your shoe.

Ian throws something into the stairwell. It disappears, but doesn't return.

Darcy: Were those the car keys?

Separating from the group, Jane is teleported to another world.

Jane: Darcy!

Jane has discoverd the chamber containing the Aether that was buried long ago by King Bor. She is infected by the Aether. She loses consciousness.

Somewhere in space among a belt of asteroids, the large Dark Elf ship activates. The Dark Elves awaken.

Malekith: The Aether awakens us. The convergence returns.

Thor joins Heimdall at the Rainbow Bridge on Asgard.

Heimdall: You're late.

Thor: Merriment can sometimes be a heavier burden than battle.

Heimdall: Then you're doing one of them incorrectly.

Thor: Perhaps. How fare the stars?

Heimdall: Still shining. From here, I can see nine realms and ten trillion souls. Do you recall what I taught you of the Convergence?

Thor: Yes. The alignment of the worlds. It approaches, doesn't it'?

Heimdall: The universe hasn't seen this marvel since before my watch began. Few can sense it, even fewer can see it. But while its effects can be dangerous, it is truly beautiful.

Thor: I see nothing.

Heimdall: Or, perhaps that is not the beauty you seek.

Thor: How is she?

Heimdall: She's quite clever, your mortal. She doesn't know it yet, but she studies the Convergence as well. Even . . . . .

Thor: What?

Heimdall: I can't see her.

Alarmed by Jane's disappearance, Thor heads to Earth to search for her. Jane wakes up back at the abandoned warehouse.

Darcy: Jane! Where the hell were you?

Jane: Tell me you didn't call the police.

Darcy: What was I supposed to do'?

Jane: Not call the police.

Darcy: I was freaking out.

Jane: You call the cops, they call the Feds. Next thing you know, we have S.H.l.E.L.D. crawling all over - "Area 51-ing" the place.

Darcy: Jane.

Jane: We had a stable gravitation anomaly. We had unimpeded access. Our only competition was ten years old!

Darcy: You were gone for five hours!

Jane: What?

It begins pouring rain, but Jane and Darcy seem to be shielded from it.

Darcy: That's weird.