Psychology of a Hero: THOR

How do you deal with loss, grief, and feelings of failure?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright talk about Thor's journey, especially through Infinity War and Avenger's Endgame, when Thor has faced a lot of loss, feels he has failed at what he was supposed to do, and sometimes isn't handling things particularly well.
But he learns to accept being who he is, and that he is still worthy. They also talk about how he gets to that point of acceptance, what helps him get through his trauma and loss, that Chris Hemsworth might be the best actor in the MCU, and how Alan is just very weird.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, and Alan Seawright
Edited by: Jenna Schaelling
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis

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[sfisabbt]

Oh no, you missed a super important bit of that arc : Thor's reaction when Cap carries the Hammer. He goes like "I knew it" with a smile. All the insecurity/competition is gone. For me, this is a line designed to acknowledge that he has evolved. I love that moment.

[mistryl]

My mom died four hours before Endgame came out. I went, since there was nothing else I could do. I thought I could at least try and not think about it for a little while, but then Thor went back to see his mom, and that was possibly one of the hardest scenes I've ever had to deal with in a film. I was a wreck. That whole movie would have been emotional for me anyway, but man, to this day every single scene brings back all kinds of feelings since my loss was about as fresh as it could be.

[iainronald]

On a personal note, that line "Everybody fails at who they're supposed to be" brought me to tears, it was a weight off my back. When I was growing up, teachers, parents, and elders told me I was destined for the small town. Teachers told I'd be a burnout, parents and elders told me I'd be a mechanic or factory worker and I failed big time. I had 38 jobs before I was 23 because I kept trying to get into the trades and kept getting fired.

In 2015, I went to see Age of Ultron and decided I want to look like Chris Evans, this made me realize I've spent 23 years extremely obese and lead me to lose 112 lbs and get involved in Crossfit. I moved back home and decided to start my life over again and I'd accept whatever opportunity came my way. Then, since I was feeling better, I gave mental healthcare a shot again, got on medication and stayed on it. Eventually, I found my home in big cities and in academia and that's where I am now, happier than ever, more fulfilled than I ever thought I could be.

[Scrofar]

Mad claps for Chris Hemsworth for advocating to keep Thor's weight gain for the rest of the film. No one ever just magically sends away what they don't like about their body, you have to work your way back towards the goal you want, even if it takes you another journey to get there. And I think for even a god to be represented in such a human way is incredibly relatable to see.

[teeny]

Hemsworth definitely didn't play the fat suit as a joke. The director actually wanted him to be slim again for the final battle but Hemsworth pushed to have it left on because of how it represented Thor's struggle.

[andrewkessinger]

I think Chris Hemsworth is criminally underrated as an actor. And I agree that he is probably the best in the series.

[fork]

You guys should really cover Kung Fu Panda! Both Po’s imposter syndrome and Ty Lung’s refusal to give up what he’s earned have a lot to chew on I think

[jadeblade]

Something that really hits hard is that Thor says to Rocket, "What more could I loose..." and in the scene where Thanos snaps, his question is answered. He could loose, not any specific thing or person, but he could loose, that's what finally pushes him, because he figures, if I win, them all this death and loss would be worth something, but in that moment, all of his suffering, amounted to nothing. That's why he broke after that.

[cerealbox]

Chris Hemsworth has one of the best warcries in history too. When you hear Thor scream after Cap says "Assemble", its a powerful moment.

[avengefullgirl]

hemsworth delivery of 'im still worthy' is incredible. but one thing i love about that scene is his mother. with no doubts and absolute confidence she says 'it sometimes takes a second, ' she believes in her children and loves them so much, I feel like her input made it all the more powerful!

[michaelkaduck]

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see Thor say "I'm still Worthy!" I'm an overweight, deeply depressive guy with extreme anxiety, always worried that my failures define me, and that if I fail at something, I am not worthy. After visiting a counsellor this week after talking about wanting to take my own life, she compared me to my fish, to remind me that just simply the fact you are living means you are worthy.

I would love to see you guys cover Tom Holland's Spider-Man and his lack of self-worth and imposter syndrome!

[TheCrazyPlayer]

For me, an important part of the scene where Thor is trying to convince the others to let him use the Stones is how quickly Tony (not the most sensitive of people) stops Thor, because he recognizes that Thor isn't ok. When Tony says "you're in no condition, " he's not talking about Thor's physique, he's talking about where Thor is emotionally. It's such a great (if brief) moment of caring, and the acting is just excellent.

And, yes, Chris Hemsworth is criminally underrated as an actor, exactly because he's so damn pretty. I don't know if he's better than the other big names, but he's absolutely playing in that league, and he doesn't get enough credit for it.

[allisonpozzo]

I didn’t know that Hemsworth did that with the fat suit and that adds on a whole other layer of respect for that man. I do find him to be a phenomenal actor who hits all the right character beats in the roles he plays, but that moment in Endgame is so important because it made the fat suit no longer a joke. It made it a real life consequence and it defied the expectation of everyone watching the film. Thor raising his hammer, getting that lightning bolt, and turning back into his super buff self was what we all thought was going to happen. What we got instead was a lot more meaningful.

[davedove]

I think Thor's reaction to Cap wielding the hammer also showed his growth. In Age of Ultron, he was obviously worried when Cap nudged the hammer, but in Endgame there was none of that. He was happy Cap did it.

[wesleycolvin]

As someone with a disability, I've seen a LOT of my peers do EXACTLY what Thor does to himself. As much as people may have been offended by this, it happens. They've reached their breaking point, but rather than just ending everything in suicide, they slowly destroy themselves and waist away. They just give up. They believe they deserve the pain they're experiencing.

[richee]

I was Thor for Halloween one year when I was in the depths of my depression and at the heaviest weight I've ever been. The point where I recreated the "I'm still worthy scene" was a turning point for me. November 1st is when I asked for help. Thor is very special to me and this arc has helped me so much.

[krank]

I absolutely love that "I'm still worthy" scene. Made me cry like a… well, like a 40-year old man who's struggled his whole life with depression I guess. Gets me every time – I don't even need the context; just show me the tail end of his conversation with Frigga and him holding up his hand and I'm there. Such an absolutely powerful emotional moment and absolutely awesome performance.

And I think the jokeyness of it all works better than if it was all dark and serious. I mean, life is absolutely bonkers, right? Everyone's ultimately a pretty silly bastard. We all get crumbs on our shirts and yell at video games or do something equally silly. People aren't cool or serious. So while I like the DC movies well enough, they're mostly just popcorn movies to me. They're a little bit too divorced from reality, paradoxically while trying really hard to be "realistic" and "grounded" and "gritty". The Marvel movies are btter at showing characters who are mostly just like the rest of us. A little smarter, more good looking etc, sure. But Thor is a silly sod and that makes me love him.

And Chris Hemswoth is absolutely fantastic.

[MRCArcher]

"Worthiness is not based on behavior, it's based on existing." Wow... I have needed to hear that for months. Thank you Jono ❤️

[dss]

Seeing his mother say "idiot, no. Failure, absolutely" and the tone she said that makes me feel there's stills chance to get up. And if I were to fail again then I can get up again. And thanks for you guys for making such precious content ♥️ It seems I love these episodes more than the movies🙊

[MRbug_]

That bit with Rocket and Thor has so much more context. Because Rocket knows exactly what Thor is feeling Because he's been down the same road