Who the Grandmaster is
Sakaar is a planet where garbage from across the universe falls through wormholes, and the Grandmaster runs the place like an endless party. He is very old, very rich and very bored, so he keeps his people entertained with gladiator matches in a giant arena. His favorite fighter is his reigning champion, and anyone new is a potential contestant.
He is a strange kind of villain. He rarely raises his voice, he loves fashion and music, and he treats cruelty like a casual hobby. The comedy and the menace come from the same place: he simply does not think of other people as people.
Grandmaster's appearances in order
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (film, recommended): a short end-credits cameo
- Thor: Ragnarok (film, essential)
- What If...? (animated series, optional)
The Vol. 2 cameo is a quick credits gag, while Ragnarok is a full supporting role. In What If...?, Jeff Goldblum returns as the voice of an alternate-reality version, so it is a bonus for fans rather than a continuation.
His key scenes, without spoilers
Thor crashes onto Sakaar after a disastrous fight with Hela and is sold to the Grandmaster as a would-be gladiator. That is where Thor runs into a familiar face as the arena's champion, which sets up one of the film's best surprises. The Grandmaster presides over all of it from his box with a mix of delight and petty spite.
Meanwhile, the people under him begin to push back. Korg quietly organizes a revolution among the gladiators, and the Grandmaster's grip on Sakaar starts slipping. Stick around for the credits, because he gets one last scene that sums up his personality perfectly.
Characters around him
Valkyrie works for him as a bounty hunter, drinking away her past until Thor reminds her who she was. Korg is the soft-spoken rock man leading the uprising. Hela never meets him, but her attack on Asgard is the reason Thor lands on Sakaar in the first place. Loki also turns up there, charming his way into the Grandmaster's good graces.
About the actor: Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum plays the Grandmaster as a slightly amplified version of his famous screen persona, all stammering pauses, odd emphasis and sudden charm. Director Taika Waititi let him improvise, and many of his funniest lines feel made up on the spot. Goldblum is known for Jurassic Park, The Fly, Independence Day and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and more recently for playing the Wizard in Wicked.
What to watch, and in what order
Watch Thor: Ragnarok first. It is one of the most rewatchable MCU films, and it changes Thor, Hulk and Valkyrie in ways later films rely on. Add What If...? afterward if you like the animated anthology format. Before Ragnarok, it helps to know Thor's earlier films and Avengers: Age of Ultron, but they are not required to enjoy Sakaar. For more cosmic characters, browse our complete list of MCU characters.