Who Hela is
Hela is Thor's older sister, and for most of the saga nobody mentions her. That silence is part of her story. Long ago she was Odin's executioner and his greatest weapon, leading Asgard's armies as they conquered the Nine Realms. When her hunger for conquest grew beyond what Odin would allow, he locked her away and rewrote history to hide what the two of them had done.
When she returns, she is everything the golden image of Asgard tried to bury. She walks out of exile and claims what she sees as her birthright. Her power is tied to Asgard itself, which makes her stronger the closer she gets to the throne.
Hela's appearances
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017): her debut and her full story.
- What If...? (2021): an appearance in the animated anthology, which imagines alternate versions of MCU events.
Ragnarok is marked essential. What If...? is optional and sits outside the main timeline, so treat it as a bonus rather than a continuation.
What makes her the most dangerous Asgardian
Her entrance in Thor: Ragnarok is one of the most famous in the MCU. Within minutes she shows that Thor's usual tricks will not work on her, and the brothers end up thrown far from home. While they scramble to get back, Hela takes over Asgard, recruits a reluctant warrior named Skurge as her executioner and strips away the comforting lies about the kingdom's past. The scene where she exposes the old murals hidden beneath the palace ceiling says more about Odin than any speech.
She is funny, too, in a cold and theatrical way, which keeps her from being a one-note villain. How Thor finally deals with her is one of the boldest choices in the Thor series. We will let you see it for yourself.
Valkyrie, Korg, the Grandmaster and the world of Sakaar
Hela's shadow reaches characters who never share a scene with her. Valkyrie belongs to an order of warrior women whose history is tied to Hela, which is why she has been hiding on the junk planet Sakaar, drinking her past away. Korg, the soft-spoken rock gladiator, and the flamboyant ruler of Sakaar, the Grandmaster, shape the side of Ragnarok that unfolds while Hela tightens her grip on Asgard. Thor's escape from that planet is what eventually brings everyone back to face her.
Cate Blanchett as Hela
Cate Blanchett plays Hela with total confidence and a sly, dry humor, and she clearly enjoys every line. The antlered headdress and the swagger make her instantly recognizable, but it is her calm that makes Hela scary. Outside Marvel, Blanchett is known for playing Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings, Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth and the title role in Tár, along with her lead performance in Blue Jasmine.
How to watch Hela
Watch Thor: Ragnarok. It works as a fresh start for Thor, so even viewers who skipped the first two Thor films can follow it, though knowing Thor and Loki helps. After that, try What If...? if you enjoy alternate takes on familiar characters. Neither title requires the other, and Ragnarok carries all of Hela's main-timeline story.