TESSA THOMPSON as VALKYRIE in THOR: RAGNAROK

Tessa Thompson photographed by Albert Sanchez for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 (2020)

- I thought the Valkyrie had all died gruesome deaths? THOR: RAGNAROK (2017)

bde

pretty metal

Another day, another walk through this cursed dome that she had come to call home. Today, no wild things seemed to be interesting in calling on her or causing chaos throughout the city, leaving Brunnhilde to entertain herself as she strolled, taking in the air and the sights. The day was uncertain, full of possibilities. She had considered going to the Avengers’ Mansion, seeing if Thor could be persuaded out, but decided against it after some thought given the space she knew he needed.  So, she found herself on a new street that she had never seen before, idly walking and seeing buzzes of new activity, some sign that things were not as desolate as when she had first arrived or even before that, times she had heard about through those who’d been around longer. The Valkyrie was examining her surroundings, eyes on the old storefronts, when she turned a corner and nearly ran into a man- was he wearing a helmet?  She took a step back quickly, eyeing him with interest and a healthy dose of curious suspicion. “My apologies,” Brunnhilde offered, not sounding too remorseful. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.” 

@markedmutant 

Too long since she’d had a good brawl, much less a good battle. It wasn’t to say Brunnhilde had gotten soft- far from. Just that she was especially appreciative to see one of Thanos’s order- Proxima. The two of them had not yet met, but having encountered her now was a spectacle indeed. Lucky, that they had met when she had her sword, which she drew now. At one point, the woman’s words might have stung, but now they just made her laugh, the sound low and a promise of exactly what she planned to do. 

“Bold of you to show your face here. Bold, and stupid.” She pointed her sword. “What cause could you possibly have to be here, now that your father’s too dead to tell you what to do?” The Valkyrie grinned, clearly not really wanting an answer. “Not to mention: where’s the rest of your precious Order?”  @blackorder1st

“Ah, if it isn’t the coward and drunk herself.” Proxima spread her arms wide at Valkyrie’s confrontation. Being the last of her kind, her father might have wanted the Valkyrie as part of his Order; a good thing his ear never got as far as Asgard. Where the hell would he have kept a flying horse? “Here to smash a pint of beer over my head or are you keeping the Thunder God safe under the bed?”

@valkyrie-vibing

twice-the-pryde​:

“Well it sounds like we need to introduce New Asgard to cell phones,” the easiest way to summon somebody, or to send memes, “then you could get ahold of me any time.” Kitty knew Thor spent some time on earth from the stories on the news, but it seemed earth technology like cellphones likely were not the top priority for him to tell others about on Asgard.

The release from the barrier was beginning to seem like a foreign concept. At least presently the only people with struggles were those with something to hide. Telling the truth all the time certainly beat killer robots and dinosaurs. “I remember a time I wanted nothing more than to fly off into the stars and start over,” her eyes still held a faint twinkle still at the idea of traveling the universe, but now there was no way she could turn from her home with the rest of the X-Men.

“I’m sorry,” she quickly pulled her head out of the stars as she realized the woman she was speaking to was forced to find a new home amongst the stars due to the fate of Asgard. She was extremely grateful for what she had, not only with the X-Men but her personal family as well.

@valkyrie-vibing

Brunnhilde knew that Thor was more familiar than she with the ways of the Midgardians, including their ever-baffling technology. She had eschewed even the thought of gaining proficiency in the planet’s ever-growing list of advancements all at once, preferring instead to learn slowly and steadily about the things that had interested her most. So far, this included mostly disco music and pizza, but it seemed that perhaps she should have started with forms of communication. “What is a cell phone?” She asked with affable curiosity, unable to picture with words alone what it was and why it would allow her to reach the woman in front of at all times- a concept she was not opposed to.  It was clear that she had much to catch up on when the barrier did eventually release them- a fact she remained doggedly persistent in believing despite the lack of any development for the better in that aim. Things had changed, and quite frequently, but that change had only altered the conditions of the dome, not the circumstances that kept them all within it. It was... endearing, to see the faraway expression that graced Katherine’s expression as she reminisced about her escape to space. The Valkyrie smiled, softly, shaking her head as the other woman pulled herself out of the fantasy with an apology.  “Don’t be.” She said, her smile perhaps growing a tad more melancholy at the reminder of exactly how she and all her people had been forced to start over, but no less warm. “I’m happy for Asgard’s new start, and for our new home. Midgard is a welcoming place, and we couldn’t have been luckier to start over anywhere else. But...” Brunnhilde shrugged once more. “As happy as I am to be with my people, I was not always with Asgard. I spent much time in space on my own, actually, and I do occasionally wish I had had more time to explore.”  @twice-the-pryde​

ungodly-mischief​:

“Heimdall is a good man,” Loki had no qualms admitting that either. He was the best of them, dutiful and focused. “We will see what the future holds. I hope no more of the Asgardians come to this hell on Midgard. It holds us like a prison. I should know, I have been in many.” He nods. “I simply do not know what you are speaking of,” Loki said but there was a shimmer of mischief in his emerald eyes. “I am trying to be on my best behavior as I do not want to embarrass his highness,” Loki rolled his eyes. He hesitated in mentioning James. “And I have taken a lover and he does not deserve much trouble,” he says nonchalantly. “So look at me, I must have angel wings I have been do good.” He promises, batting his eyelashes and everything. “Come. See the accommodations?” he offers.

“He is,” Brunnhilde agreed simply, though the look of vaguely strained concentration on her face showed that this did not assuage her concern. “That is exactly what I’m worried about, but you are right.” Hard enough for her to admit, but it was true. There was little good in worrying at this point, as she had made her choice and clearly, in one way or another, had to live with it. Likely, her concern was misplaced- she should be more afraid about Thor and what he would think. “Of course you have,” She said with a little wan smile, despite herself cheered by his dramatics. “And how many of those have you escaped from?”  And if his earlier remark hadn’t cheered her, the attempt at playing coy when discussing his ability to rile up a party certainly did. The Valkyrie snorted, raising her eyebrows at the thought of Loki ever being on his best behaviour. “I’m sure your version of that term includes making at least a little bit of a spectacle once and awhile.” She could admire, though, that he was trying to at least meet Thor halfway. And that he had... someone else to keep him company. She grinned at his admission, genuinely alight with happiness for him.  “Ah, now I see. Silly of me to think that good behaviour would be for solely Thor’s sake. Congratulations, though! You must introduce me to this man soon- I’m curious about who could turn your head enough to stay out of trouble.” Brunnhilde patted his shoulder, and nodded towards the both of them at his question with the air of rising to a challenge. “Lead the way,” She replied. 

TESSA THOMPSON › photographed by Erik Carter for Town & Country Magazine

ungodly-mischief​:

“I would thank you, but snakes do not do so,” Loki sniffs, turning his nose up but he smirks still.  “I believe Heimdall is more intelligent than us, and more dutiful also. You know me, I cannot ignore trouble, Thor goes into things first and asks later and you are left cleaning up our mess. It would make sense we would end up in this midgardian hellscape. It feels like a punishment for wronging the humans, as they love to believe I have,” he shrugs.  But Loki was grinning again as the Valkyrie did, it was infectious as she fif not give them easy. “It is perhaps your only talent,” Loki deadpans but holds up his hands as if surrendering. He knew she was a valiant soldier. He respected her for that. “We shall see. In due time I am sure, we cannot persist in this drab place for too long without a bit of chaos,” he smirks.

As himself as ever. The world could turn upside down, and indeed might as well have, but the banter that Brunnhilde had grown to expect from him was undisturbed, the span of time since their last meeting and the circumstances of this one mattering little in his immediate haughty remark. “Of course. I’d be alarmed if you did thank me.” She replied, crossing her arms across her chest and relaxing into an easier but still somewhat guarded stance as she grew thoughtful.  “Perhaps that makes sense for the rest of us- we are all of us receiving penance for our many faults, you most of all with how restless you always are,” At this, she waved a vague hand in his general direction, “but Heimdall is a different sort. He has no such headstrong urges, though...” She trailed off for a moment, a frown appearing to crease her brow. “If there is any reason that he will find himself here, it will be duty towards us. Let’s hope he knows better.”  And, though there was no way of truly knowing how things would come to pass, that was enough for now. It would have to be. Heimdall knew not to follow them, and so now she had to believe he wouldn’t. They were stuck here, but she had to believe that their time here would be finite. There would be an end, even if it took time. So, nothing to do but make the most of it- and, for once, the Valkyrie suspected that her and Loki’s ideas of ‘the most of it’ overlapped. “It is certainly the talent I have most enjoyed developing,” She replied, an arch of a brow indicating exactly how she understood that particular friendly swipe, an accusing finger pointed at him the only retaliation as he raised his hands. “And one that you will be most grateful for when you do decide to bring ‘a bit of chaos’, as you put it.” Brunnhilde did believe it was a matter of when and not if, considering what she knew of her friend. 

TESSA THOMPSON as VALKYRIE in THOR: RAGNAROK | 2017

I don’t plan to stop drinking. but I don’t wanna forget. I can’t turn away anymore. So, if I’m gonna die, well, it might as well be driving my sword through the heart of that murderous hag.

#iconic

hey! im in love

#same energy 

ungodly-mischief​: 

“It is a downgrade from New Asgard, which is quite the considerable downgrade from Old Asgard, so you can assume I am not particularly pleased  to be here, especially because Thor is incredibly fine and now we are all trapped under a dome with the Avengers,” his tone was dripping with annoyance.  “Glad we can come to this agreement, for a fearsome warrior you can be very agreeable sometimes,” Loki smirks, quirking an eyebrow at her. “And yes but we left Asgard to you, did we not –” Loki can’t help but chuckle as she comes to the same conclusion, letting the rest of his sentence hang in the air.

“However, Heimdall has such a loyalty to our people, I do not think he would leave them unprotected. He, like us and my brother, want to see the Asgardians thrive as they once did. It is bad enough we are here on Midgard at all, wallowing in our lesser powers with humans –” Loki scoffed a little bit. Though he couldn’t be all mad, really. He had met some charming ones.

“Oh, Brunnhilde, do not sound so pained. We are here at the end of the world for the Midgardians, we should show them how to properly party – that is like someone who will outlive them a hundred times over.”

“You have not been rewarded for worrying, that is certain,” She said, somewhat teasing at the clear annoyance he held for the downgrade in circumstances that he had received by following after Thor. “I’m sure you’ll never make the mistake of worrying after Thor again, after this.” And there would be an after- Brunnhilde could not, and would not, consider the alternative.  “I like to think so.” The Valkyrie smiled at his remark, as always dubiously charmed by his barbed compliments. “And the feeling is mutual. You are the most agreeable snake I’ve ever met.” She laughed, and laughed louder at the way their thinking converged, for once on the same page and brought together in dark humour about the ridiculous circumstances they’d found themselves in.  It was a relief, actually, to have encountered a friendly face first. It loosened some of the tension in her shoulders, some of the worry she did hold about meeting Thor in this place. Everything was different here, and yet Loki was the same. It was comforting. “If Heimdall does not demonstrate such loyalty and follows me here, I will be first in line to reprimand him.” She said with dark promise, ignoring the rest about whatever problem he foresaw with Asgardians mingling here on Midgard. Really, sometimes she found it unnecessary to listen to everything he said.  Brunnhilde did hear the remark about showing the Midgardians how to party, however, and that prompted a wicked grin like no other. “Ah, one of my finest talents,” She replied. “If you are aware of any parties or are throwing one yourself, Loki, I will be delighted to do just that.”