We last saw Heimdall (Idris Elba) in the credits scenes of Thor: Love and Thunder. This was a surprise for fans, as it was the first time we saw the beloved MCU character since Avengers: Infinity War. That’s where we witnessed Heimdall’s death.
While we have no way of knowing whether Marvel will resurrect him, the Thor 4 cameo opens up the possibility of having Heimdall appear in some future MCU adventures. Furthermore, Elba teased there “may be something cooking,” without disclosing any big MCU secrets. Mind you, some spoilers follow below.
Idris Elba teases MCU return
Heimdall died heroically in Infinity War, defying Thanos (Josh Brolin) one last time by sending Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) to Earth. This action granted him access to Valhalla, where he’s been ever since.
The all-seeing Heimdall was the character who welcomed Jane (Natalie Portman) to Valhalla after her own heroic death in battle. The new Thor died faster than we had anticipated. But that credits scene teased that Marvel could always bring back characters from Valhalla.
Talking to Syfy Wire about his next movie, Beast, Idris Elba also had to field Heimdall questions.
“Heimdall is a beloved character; I love playing him,” Elba said. “There may be something cooking.”
“I don’t know,” Elba added. “I would tell you if I did,” he said, before quickly adding, “well, probably not…”
What Heimdall’s life after death means
Whether Marvel resurrects Heimdall or not, Love and Thunder did give us a first look at Valhalla. It made us realize that Marvel might resurrect other dead characters. It’s not just Jane and Heimdall “living” in Valhalla. The MCU’s primary Loki (Tom Hiddleston) also died in battle, so he should also reside in Valhalla.
We already explained how these life-after-death places in the MCU create a plot hole of sorts. That’s because there’s no consistent experience. Not all beings get to go to Valhalla. And the rules aren’t similar for everyone.
But if Marvel uses Valhalla to resurrect Heimdall, it can also bring back any other dead character who died in battle. And this leads to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). They’re not Asgardians, but neither was Jane. But, like Jane, they also died in battle fighting forces that endangered Asgardians.
If Marvel is cooking something for Heimdall, then we definitely need a plausible explanation for life after death in the MCU. And rules for resurrections. If Heimdall can return to life, then any previous dead heroes could. And, again, we’re looking mainly at Iron Man, the Marvel character fans want to see most in an MCU movie in the future.
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