Although it’s already known to comic book fans and Tessa Thompson, Valkyrie’s queerness could have its first on-screen exposure in Thor: Love and Thunder.
The Asgardian superhero has been bisexual in Marvel Comics since at least 2013, and, despite no explicit mention in the MCU, Thompson has been playing her as bisexual since 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. She even shot a scene where a woman leaves Valkyrie’s room, although it ended up on the floor of another room: the cutting room.
Her sexuality may be explored more in the newest Thor, but it may not be comprehensive. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Thompson admitted that, despite it being a “big topic of conversation” during production, viewers shouldn’t expect to see romance in the finished product:
“Whether or not she finds love in this movie doesn’t mean she’s not still a fabulous queer character that is open to finding love when it makes sense.”
“I think rightfully there’s this real want in audiences to see characters be very clearly queer or LGBTQIA inside these spaces,” she went on. “And I think it’s hugely important to have representation.” However, that representation need not come at the expense of universal humanity:
“As humans I think that we are not defined by our sexuality, and by who we love. And so sometimes I think to hang a narrative completely on that is a way of actually diminishing the humanity of the character. Because you don’t allow them to be anything else.”
As such, Thompson feels “really good” about Valkyrie’s progression and hopes viewers feel the same way. “I hope that she’s a character that fans continue to connect to, that we have a lot of time to explore her, in all of her humanity.”
Watch Valkyrie’s journey into a fully-fledged character when Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters next week.
