Why I Needed Fat Thor

TL;DR: I liked fat Thor. I can relate.

There has been some controversy/accusations about "Lebowski Thor" or Fat Thor from the latest Avengers movie. I have read that some people just think it was just a gimmick to put Chris Hemsworth in a fat suit for a few cheap laughs. I don't think the writers/directors were that lazy in creating this character. I thought his character arc was brilliant, grounded, and meaningful. Here's why.

Thor lost everything: His dad, mother, brother (even though they didn't get along most of the time), his eye, more than half the Asgardians (including his best friends), and his entire home-world. Plus he blamed himself for the snap because he didn't go for the head. Thor failed himself and he can't get over it. I can 100% relate to this guy.

About a year ago I was an officer in the Army. I wasn't the next Patton, but I was doing pretty good and was on track to get promoted and ultimately take command of company. I was in a training event at Ft. Polk Louisiana and I had a nervous breakdown. I don't want to go into specifics, but through a combination of stress (self imposed, my boss, and the general operating environment) I basically thought Korea War part II was going to kick off in a matter of months/days and everything I read and analyzed in the Korea go to war OPORD (while I was stationed there) was going to come to fruition. Army bases would be craters, Seoul would be reduced to ash and rubble, hundreds of thousands of US and Korean lives lost. Thankfully my leadership got me out of there and I was admitted into inpatient pysch treatment where I was stabilized. I'm thankful nothing more serious happened to me, but overall it sucked. I wouldn't recommend having a nervous breakdown.

A few months later I was medically retired from the Army. The condition I was diagnosed with prevented me from doing my job anymore so I was cut a check, given a handshake, and I was out the door. My goals of being a company commander and leading men and women (possibly in combat) would never happen. The satisfaction of getting promoted to Major in a couple of years and retiring of 20 of service would never come true. The pride of wearing the uniform and the American flag while I did my job would only be memories. I didn't even a have a cool "no joke there I was" story to tell other vets as to why I got out (wanna know how I got these scars?). My breakdown didn't even happen when I was deployed! I was in training and I couldn't hack it. Not a remote FOB in the desert with minimal support and assets, training. I wasn't good enough. I failed. (I'm trying not to think this way and I'm trying to get better but the feeling still sucks)

So anyway back to Thor. This guy also had dream/aspirations of becoming King of Asgard and ruling over a world at peace. You know what life said to that? "Screw you God of Thunder, not everyone gets what they want." Now usually any other writer/Hollywood screenplay would just brush this off as a temporary setback and bring him back with a training montage or a flashback, or some other cookie cutter motivational cut scene and just move on. Not fat Thor. He started drinking excessively, playing video games, and generally not giving a shit. Avengers Endgame showed an invincible thunder God fall from grace and deal with like someone who went through an actual traumatic life altering event.

Here's where it gets good (if you're still reading I appreciate it. I'm almost done). When Thor goes through the time portal he finds that he's still got it. He can still call upon Mjlorin and be worthy of his title (whoever shall hold this, if finds himself worthy, shall posses the power of Thor). And in the last act even though he's still got a few extra pounds and a hobo beard, he can still kick ass. His life still has meaning and purpose. He is still worthy

I needed to see that. I needed that in a movie. Thank you Fat Thor. (also thanks for reading. It helps to share)