‘Thor 4’ leak hints at one returning Marvel character’s surprising role

Thor 4 is bringing back Lady Sif. We’ve known that for a while now, and Marvel fans are, understandably, excited to see Jaimie Alexander make her long-awaited MCU return as the powerful Asgardian. Fortunately, new signs suggest that Thor: Love and Thunder could feature the fan-favorite character more prominently than any other Marvel film has thus far.

The News — Jaimie Alexander revealed on her Instagram that she has finished filming scenes for Thor: Love and Thunder. The actress originally flew to Australia (where the Thor sequel is currently in production) back in January, and returned to the United States this week. That means Alexander was on the Love and Thunder set for basically two full months, which suggests that Lady Sif will have a sizable role in the upcoming film.

Jaimie Alexander in Thor: The Dark World.

Marvel Studios

Lady Sif’s Return — Not much is known about Sif’s role in Thor: Love and Thunder, which will be the first time that the character has been seen in the MCU since her pair of appearances in ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. What’s more, it will be her first Marvel film appearance since 2013’s Thor: The Dark World. That being said, there are a few potential ways Sif could factor into Thor: Love and Thunder’s story.

For starters, we know that Thor: Love and Thunder will see Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie ruling as Asgard’s new “king,” following her appointment at the end of Avengers: Endgame. We also know that Valkyrie is looking for a queen to rule Asgard with her in the film. Could Lady Sif end up being Valkyrie’s partner of choice? Given their similar skill sets, they certainly seem like they’d make a powerful pair.

It’s also possible that Sif could simply return as the same loyal friend to Chris Hemsworth’s Thor that she was in the first 2 Thor films. It’s perhaps the least interesting use of Sif, though, and if there are two things that Love and Thunder writer and director Taika Waititi definitely isn’t, it’s boring and predictable.

Tessa Thompson in Thor: Ragnarok.

Marvel Studios

The Inverse Analysis — There’s quite a bit about Thor: Love and Thunder’s plot that has already been teased or confirmed — specifically how it’ll feature the transformation of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster into The Mighty Thor. But as is the case with most Marvel projects, there’s still a lot about Love and Thunder that is a mystery, and that includes Sif’s role in it.

However, it is worth noting that Alexander was on the Love and Thunder set for a considerably longer time than any of the Guardians of the Galaxy actors, all of whom appear to have finished their work on the film back in early February. It seems fair to assume then that Sif will at least have a larger presence in the film than the Guardians, but fans will probably have to wait a bit longer find out exactly what her function in the film is.

Thor: Love and Thunder will be released in theaters on May 6, 2022.