It’s high time Marvel’s Hercules joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though he’s a fan-favorite choice for Thor: Love and Thunder, an even better option is the upcoming TV series, Loki. Hercules is a characters that fans have wanted to see in the MCU for years, and as Marvel adapts hero after hero to the big and small screen, the expectation is that Hercules’ time will come sooner or later. Phase 4 may be when it finally happens. But if and when Marvel decides to use Hercules, what will they do with him?

Months ago, Hercules was rumored for Marvel’s Eternals movie, but after the cast was announced at SDCC 2019, it appeared that the rumors were false, but this didn’t completely shut down talk of Hercules in the MCU. Though the Prince of Power may not appear in The Eternals, another opportunity for Hercules’ live-action debut presented itself when Marvel confirmed that Thor will be the first MCU franchise to get a fourth film. Titled Thor: Love and Thunder, the movie brings back Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi for another adventure with Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder.

Like Beta Ray Bill and Enchantress, Hercules is a character whose name gets thrown around a lot when fans discuss what characters will appear in the movie. However, Hercules may not be part of the plan for Thor: Love and Thunder. Instead, he could appear in a completely separate Marvel project in Phase 4.

Marvel’s Hercules Character Explained

In Journey Into Mystery Annual #1 in 1965, Marvel Comics introduced Hercules, a character seemingly equal in strength to Thor. Based on the physical appearance of 1950s bodybuilder and Hercules star Steve Reeves, the character served as Marvel’s interpretation of the mythological demigod and son of Zeus. Hercules was depicted as a warrior whose ego matched his colossal strength. To this day, Hercules remains in the top tier of Marvel’s strongest characters. Hercules is capable of effortlessly defeating heroes like Spider-Man, and going toe-to-toe with characters like Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Thing.

It didn’t take long for Hercules to go from a recurring guest star in Thor’s comic to a member of the Avengers. After being tricked into fighting the Avengers by the Enchantress and banished from Olympus by Zeus, Hercules began living in Avengers Mansion, before being formally adopted into the group. As a hero who’s as strong as Thor, Hercules has acted as a more than adequate replacement whenever Thor isn’t on the team roster. Hercules has been with the Avengers for many of their biggest stories, including Captain America’s memorable clash with Red Guardian, the introduction of Dane Whitman’s Black Knight, Secret Wars II, the Gatherers Saga, and “Under Siege”, in which Hercules’ played a vital role. Apart from being an Avenger, Hercules has also headlined his comic on multiple occasions, battling his own rogues’ gallery of villains and fighting alongside his sidekick, Amadeus Cho.

Why Hercules May Not Appear In Thor 4

Despite their similarities in terms of raw power, Hercules and Thor couldn’t be more different in Marvel Comics. Thor is traditionally depicted as a proud, noble, and honorable son of Odin. Hercules, on the other hand, is a totally different story. Hercules is a brash, arrogant, heavy-drinking womanizer who perhaps takes more pleasure than he should in fighting. Thor’s righteous behavior has allowed to craft a reputation as a respected member of the Avengers who is looked up to by most of the superhero community, whereas Hercules is looked down on for his laidback attitude and tendency to lounge around, content to spend more time basking in the glory of his accomplishments than saving the world.

These qualities create a fine distinction between the comic book versions of the two characters, but the differences between them are harder to identify if one were to compare Hercules to the MCU’s Thor, thanks to Thor: Ragnarok. After Taika Waititi took the reins of the Thor franchise, Thor was transformed into a much more comedic character. He even adopted traits that were often attributed to Marvel’s Hercules. Avengers: Endgame embraced the changes Waititi made to the hero with “Fat Thor”. The scene where Thor was playing Fortnite with Korg felt like a moment that could have occurred in a Hercules comic.

Their clashing egos and personalities were part of what made their interactions so fun in the comics, but those differences won’t be represented in the same way if the two share the screen together. In fact, how Thor is currently portrayed may have made Hercules unnecessary for the MCU, or at least for Thor: Love and Thunder. It’s unfortunate that Hercules, who is unique to Thor in the comics, may not be able to bring anything new to the table if he was added to Thor: Love and Thunder.

Hercules Should Instead Be Introduced In Marvel’s Loki Series

While he may no longer be the best fit for a Thor movie, Hercules is still the most important Avenger missing from the MCU and a beloved character. Thanks to Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, Marvel’s plan for the MCU now extends beyond the films and sets up new avenues for Marvel to introduce classic comic book characters. Hercules could be one of them. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is introducing U.S. Agent, Hawkeye is introducing Kate Bishop, and Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk are all getting their own shows. As for Loki, it too could introduce a long-awaited Marvel Comics hero to the MCU: Hercules.

Loki is said to be a time travel story that will show what happened after an alternate timeline Loki made off with the Space Stone. The series is expected to see Loki pop up at various points in history. It’s possible that one of the characters Loki can meet on his adventures is Hercules. Hercules’ immortality would enable him to be present in any time period that Loki chooses to visit. For this reason, Hercules could make recurring appearances on the show. Additionally, Hercules could serve the purpose of introducing a new pantheon of gods to the MCU, allowing Loki and Thor: Love and Thunder access to Marvel villains and Greek gods like Ares, Typhon, and more.

Hercules can add comedy to Loki, which may be needed, since it likely won’t have Thor, Valkyrie, or any of the other characters who had humorous interactions with Loki in Thor: Ragnarok. Hercules can easily fill their void, and perhaps since Thor won’t be on hand, his similarities to the character won’t be so noticeable. This way, it’ll be easier for Marvel to make Hercules feel unique and original to the MCU. If used as a foil, enemy, or even a reluctant ally of Loki, Hercules has a lot he can contribute when it comes to making Loki another fun installment in the MCU.

More: The MCU Is Still Missing One Of Thor’s Nine Realms

  • Black Widow Release Date: 2021-07-09 The Eternals Release Date: 2021-11-05 Shang Chi Release Date: 2021-09-03 Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness Release Date: 2022-05-06 Thor: Love and Thunder Release Date: 2022-07-08 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Release Date: 2022-11-11