Thor: The Dark World post-credit scenes come in two parts: a mid-credits scene that introduces the Collector and his interest in the Infinity Stones, and a short romantic beat on Earth after the full credits. Watch Thor and The Avengers first. In story order the film sits after Iron Man 3 and before Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
This section explains the setup without giving away the ending. In the mid-credits scene, Sif and Volstagg travel to a strange outpost at the edge of space to hand over the Aether, the red force at the center of the film. Their host is the Collector, an eccentric hoarder of rare objects. The Asgardians explain why they will not keep two Infinity Stones in the same place, and once they leave, the Collector makes it clear he has a bigger shopping list in mind.
That brief exchange is one of the first times the MCU calls these objects Infinity Stones out loud, and it points directly toward Guardians of the Galaxy, where the Collector returns. Much later, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame both come back to the Aether.
The second scene, after the full credits, returns to London. Jane is reunited with someone she has been waiting for, and a small loose end from the final battle is still running around the city. It is light and funny, a nice way to close.
In the US it streams on Disney Plus, together with the other Thor films and both movies you need first. Outside the US, availability varies by country; the watch box on this page lists the services we track for your region.
The two movies you need are Thor and The Avengers. The first explains Asgard, Jane Foster and the rift between Thor and Loki. The second explains why Loki now sits in a cell in chains, and why Thor has been away from Earth for so long.
In story order the film is set in 2013. It comes right after Iron Man 3, which covers Tony Stark's side of the fallout from New York, and right before Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Release order and story order line up neatly at this point, so there is nothing to juggle.
| Watching by | Right before | Right after |
|---|---|---|
| Story order | Iron Man 3 | Captain America: The Winter Soldier |
| Thor's solo films | Thor | Thor: Ragnarok |
It belongs to Phase 2 of the Infinity Saga, and our Marvel Phase 2 in order guide lays out that whole stretch, from Iron Man 3 to Ant-Man.
Thor has been busy restoring order across the Nine Realms after the chaos his brother left behind. Back on Earth, Jane Foster is trying to move on. Then she stumbles into a strange force called the Aether, and it attaches itself to her. That draws the attention of Malekith, leader of the Dark Elves, an ancient race that wants to return the universe to darkness.
To protect Jane and stop Malekith, Thor makes a risky call: he asks Loki for help. Their uneasy partnership is the best thing in the film, full of sharp banter and genuine resentment. The finale in London, where the realms start bleeding into each other through portals, is inventive and often funny.
We list it as recommended. Fans tend to rank The Dark World low, and it is fair to say Malekith is a thin villain. Still, it matters in two ways. The Aether is later identified as the Reality Stone, one of the six stones Thanos hunts down. And Avengers: Endgame revisits this film's Asgard directly, so those scenes land harder if you have seen it.
It also sets up Thor: Ragnarok, whose first act deals with the state this film leaves Asgard in. Building a lean list? You can skip this one and read a summary. For where it sits among all four solo films, see our Thor movies in order guide.
Alan Taylor directs. Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, with Natalie Portman back as Jane. Christopher Eccleston plays Malekith under heavy makeup. Anthony Hopkins is Odin once more, and Jaimie Alexander gets more to do as Sif, the warrior who fought beside Thor in the first film. Heimdall and Darcy Lewis return too, and Thor's mother Frigga has a bigger part than before, giving the story much of its heart.
Running time is 112 minutes, the shortest of the four solo Thor films. It pairs easily with the first film for a double feature, and the marathon plan can slot it into a longer Phase 2 run.
There are two. The mid-credits scene introduces the Collector and ties into Guardians of the Galaxy, and a short scene after the full credits returns to Thor and Jane on Earth.
The Collector is an eccentric figure who hoards rare creatures and objects. Sif and Volstagg leave the Aether with him for safekeeping, and he returns in Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Aether is a fluid, red force that Malekith wants to use to plunge the universe into darkness. Later films reveal that it is the Reality Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones.
In the US, Thor: The Dark World streams on Disney Plus, along with the rest of the Thor films. In other countries availability varies, so check the watch box on this page.
Watch Thor and The Avengers first. The first film sets up Jane Foster, Asgard and Loki, and the second explains why Loki is a prisoner when this one begins.
Jane Foster accidentally absorbs the Aether, which brings the Dark Elf Malekith back to claim it. Thor teams up with his imprisoned brother Loki to protect Jane and stop Malekith before the Nine Realms align.
It is not strictly required, but it is useful. It introduces the Aether, later revealed as the Reality Stone, and Avengers: Endgame returns to this film's Asgard. Skipping it means some later moments carry less weight.
It is set in 2013, after Iron Man 3 and before Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The story takes place after the Battle of New York shown in The Avengers.
The film runs 112 minutes, a little under two hours. It is the shortest of the solo Thor movies, so it makes an easy weeknight watch.
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