Heimdall

"Be warned, I will honor my sworn oath to protect this realm as its gatekeeper."

- Heimdall

Heimdall was the all-seeing and all-hearing Asgardian and former guard of the Bifrost Bridge. He could saw and hear nearly everything that happens in the Nine Realms. Despite vowing to obey the orders of Odin, Heimdall was prepared to commit treason if it means protecting the Realms, as he allowed the Warriors Three to return Thor from Midgard to defeat Loki. When Asgard was attacked by the Dark Elves, Heimdall discovered his powers were blocked by the Elves so he was forced to once again commit treason to help Thor destroy Malekith and protect the Nine Realms. Under Loki's disguised regime over Asgard, Heimdall was banished from his position. When Hela took control over Asgard, Heimdall hid the Asgardian citizens from her and with the help of Thor, he evacuated them from Asgard before Ragnarök. He then joined their new king Thor on their trip to Earth.

Protector of the Realms
"You have great power, Heimdall. Did Odin ever fear you?" "No." "And why is that?" "Because he is my King. And I’m sworn to obey him."

- Loki and Heimdall

Heimdall was an Asgardian blessed with sensory capabilities far beyond those of other Asgardians, letting him see nearly all things that happen in the Nine Realms. His near omniscience have been put to use placing Heimdall in the role of gatekeeper to Asgard at his observatory on the Bifrost Bridge. Throughout his time as it's guardian, Heimdall ensured that no enemies were able to get past his watch and enter Asgard, ensuring it's safety throughout Odin's rule of King, whom Heimdall was fiercely loyal to.

Frost Giants Attack
"Heimdall, may we pass?" "Never has an enemy escaped my watch until this day. I want to know how it happened." "And tell no one where we have gone until we return."

- Thor and Heimdall

Despite his own phenomenal ability however, Heimdall was unable to perceive an intrusion by several Frost Giants when they broke into Odin's Vault in an attempt to reclaim the Casket of Ancient Winters. Despite the Frost Giants being stopped by the Destroyer, Heimdall was mortified to have failed to foresee this attack. This intrusion also sparked the ire of Odin's son Thor, who came to Heimdall, seeking access to Jotunheim in order to gain answers from the Frost Giants. Despite Loki attempting to trick him into allowing them to go past, Heimdall made it clear that he understood why they had come to him, causing Thor to step forward and demand access to the Bifrost Bridge. Heimdall agreed to let Thor and the Warriors Three pass and accepted their request that he keep their movements secret. While he activated the Bifrost using Hofund, Heimdall warned he may be forced to not reopen the Bifrost if it proved too great a risk. However, while Thor and the Warriors Three were still on Jotunheim, King Odin arrived in Heimdall's Observatory and ordered him to open the Bifrost, saving Thor and his friends from Laufey's army of Frost Giants. Seeing that Fandral had been injured during the Attack on Jotunheim, Odin ordered the other Volstagg and Hogun to get him to the healing room along with Lady Sif while he confronted Thor over his actions which had restarted the war against Laufey.

Loki Takes the Throne
"You would defy the commands of Loki, our king? Break every oath you have taken as warriors, and commit treason to bring Thor back?"

- Heimdall to Warriors Three

Furious at his actions which endangered Asgard's people, Odin was forced to banish his son Thor onto Earth in an attempt to learn some new humbleness. With Thor gone, Odin later fell into the Odinsleep, which unnerved Heimdall. Hoping to see his friend, Heimdall stood on his Observatory and overlooked the Nine Realms, seeing Thor try and fail to lift up his own hammer Mjølnir, resulting in him failing to regain his former powers and return back home to Asgard. With Odin still in his Odinsleep, Loki placed himself on the throne as regent with the support of Queen Frigga. As the King of Asgard, Loki demanded Heimdall's loyalty, which he grudgingly accepted while he did not trust Loki's intentions. Heimdall later caught Loki returning to Asgard from Jotunheim, with Heimdall noting he had somehow been unable to see him there, causing his fears to be confirmed, while Loki then ordered the Bifrost Bridge to be temporally shut down. Now ordered not to allow anyone to leave Asgard for the foreseeable future, Heimdall became convinced of Loki's sinister plans. Upon hearing that Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were intending to go to Earth and save Thor, Heimdall ordered a member of the Einherjar to bring them to his Observatory. Once confirming that they intended to go against Loki, Heimdall left and allowed them to go use the Bifrost without him, with Fandral calling him a complicated fellow.

Fighting Loki
"For your act of treason, you are relieved of your duties as gatekeeper and no longer citizen of Asgard!" "Then I need no longer obey you!"

- Loki and Heimdall

Enraged, Loki matched straight into Heimdall's Observatory where Heimdall was waiting for him, as he questioned exactly how Loki had allowed the Frost Giants inside Asgard in the first place. Furious, Loki dismissed Heimdall as his subject, thus releasing the protector of the Bifrost Bridge from his vows. Heimdall responded with an immediate attack with Hofund, but Loki froze him in a block of ice with the Casket of Ancient Winters just before he could strike. While Heimdall remained frozen in place, Loki proceeded to bring a small army of the Frost Giants, which included King Laufey, through the Bifrost Bridge and into Asgard. Locked in his icy prison, Heimdall remained completely helpless to prevent Loki leading one of them into the city and towards King Odin who was still in his Odinsleep, but Heimdall was soon galvanized by the calls of Thor who was still trapped on Earth and was demanding Heimdall's assistance. Seeking to aid his friends to stop Loki's plans and defeat Laufey, Heimdall began gathering all of his strength to break free of his icy prison. Barely able to move, Heimdall listened to Thor's calls for aid as the ice around him finally began to crack under the weight of Heimdall's determination. Smashing free, he quickly cut down the two Frost Giants who had been left to guard him with Hofund, even throwing one of the Frost Giants off the rainbow bridge. With what little strength he had remaining, Heimdall dragged himself back inside his Observatory where he managed to lift Hofund up and activated the Bifrost, allowing Thor and his allies to finally return back to Asgard. Severely weakened, Heimdall could assist the adventurers no further as he collapsed from his wounds and had to be carried by Lady Sif and the Warriors Three from his observatory to seek some kind of aid while Thor then furiously left to confront Loki.

Losing the Bifrost
"So Earth is lost to us..." "No. There is always hope."

- Thor and Heimdall

Eventually Thor had successfully defeated Loki in a final duel, at the cost of the Bifrost Bridge. The destruction of the bridge created a portal that Loki to an unknown area within space. Heimdall returned following the destruction of the Observatory and when Thor asked if passage to Earth was lost for all time, he showed him the Bifrost regenerating and replied, "No. There is still hope." When Thor asked Heimdall if he could see Jane Foster, Heimdall chuckled and told him that she was still looking to be reunited back with him.

Rebuilding the Bifrost Bridge
"The Marauders amass near Vanaheim. Thor's destruction of the Bifrost continues to shift the balance of power across the Nine Realms... and into the worlds beyond Yggdrasil."

- Heimdall

With there being no way for the Asgardians to go to other Realms to help protect them, the Nine Realms fell into chaos. To keep all the Asgardian leaders updated, Heimdall summoned Odin and Thor and warned them about the attack. Around two years after the Duel at the Bifrost Bridge, Frigga learned Loki was in the Sanctuary. Soon Loki went to Midgard and started the Chitauri Invasion. With the Bifrost destroyed, Odin was forced to use dark energy to send Thor after Loki. With the help of the Avengers, Thor was able to arrest Loki and take him back to Asgard along with the Tesseract. Thor entrusted the Tesseract to Heimdall to repair the Bifrost Bridge.

End of the Marauders' War
"The universe hasn’t seen this marvel since before my watch began. Few can sense, even fewer can see it. A world that’s infected can be dangerous. It is truly beautiful."

- Heimdall to Thor

As Heimdall overlooked the Multiverse from his Observatory, he was joined by Thor, who had left the celebrations for his latest victories to speak with Heimdall. Together they discussed the Convergence which once coming soon before they moved onto talk about Jane Foster, who Thor wanted to check on. However to their shock, Heimdall had somehow lost track of her which was thought to be impossible, causing Thor to travel to London to check on her safety. Having discovered that Foster had now seemingly been somehow infected by the long lost Aether, causing her body to be consumed with uncontrollable power, Thor decided that now his best course of action was to bring Foster to Asgard where their own doctors could examine her and try to remove the Aether. When Thor and Foster had come across through the Bifrost Bridge, Heimdall greeted them both and welcomed the utterly amazed Foster to Asgard. Continuing his role of Asgard's watchman, Heimdall later witnessed the return of both Fandral, Volstagg and the Einherjar, who had finally returned back home into Asgard having at last finished the fighting against the Marauders, bringing their captives with them to be taken into the Asgardian Dungeons to begin their sentence for their crimes against the Nine Realms. Among all the Marauders was Algrim who Heimdall watched as he was led towards the dungeons.

Sacking of Asgard
"You’re not in Odin’s war council?" "The Bifrost is closed by your father’s orders. No one is to come or to go. We face an enemy that is invisible even to me. Of what use is a guardian such as that?"

- Thor and Heimdall

Simultaneously, as Algrim transformed into Kurse and conducted a prison break of the Asgardian Dungeons, Heimdall observed something strange and seemingly invisible flying past him while he stood at his post at the Observatory. Believing something was seriously wrong, Heimdall left his post on the Bifrost Bridge and chased it down, determined to discover the truth of what he was feeling. Discovering that it was the lead Dark Elf Harrow trying to invisibly pass him, Heimdall ran across the Bifrost Bridge, drawing to knives and leaped onto the side of the ship. Plunging his knives into the side of the ship, Heimdall managed to disable it's clocking capabilities, revealing the ship to the rest of Asgard. Heimdall then proceeded to throw a blade into the ship's engine, causing it to crashland while Heimdall was able to jump down to safety onto the bridge. Having destroyed the ship, Heimdall briefly believed the threat was over, only to turn around and see the arrival of the Ark and even more Harrows flying towards the city, following the orders of Malekith who was seeking revenge for Svartalfheim's destruction. As Heimdall had watched on in horror while unable to assist, Malekith's ships aided in the Sacking of Asgard as Asgard's forces under Odin's instructions fought back in their Asgardian Skiffs against the Harrows. Seeking to end Malekith's attack before the royal family could then be endangered, Heimdall used Hofund to activate the shield around Asgard, causing several Harrows to crash and be destroyed by the defences. Despite Heimdall's efforts to protect the Asgardian Palace, the generator for the shield was found by Kurse who processed to destroy it, allowing for Malekith's own ship to enter the palace as all the Dark Elves began fighting the Einherjar inside the palace. In the wake of the battle, Heimdall was informed that Malekith had killed Queen Frigga while attempting to gain the Aether from Jane Foster. Sadden by the loss of his own Queen, Heimdall watched her funeral from his observatory, seeing that King Odin and Thor were in attendance along with the Warriors Three and Sif. As Frigga's body was turned into pure light and sent up into the Multiverse, Heimdall bowed his head in sadness and respect for his Queen.

Committing Treason
"You called me here on an urgent matter. What is it?" "Treason, my lord." "Whose?" "Mine."

- Odin and Heimdall

In the wake of Frigga's funeral, Heimdall was ordered by Odin that the Bifrost Bridge was to be shut down, and nobody was allowed to enter or leave Asgard for the foreseeable future. Now not needing to guard his post, Heimdall went to console Thor, who was sat inside an Asgardian bar. Thor noted that Malekith and his army of Dark Elves would return and attack Asgard for a second time, noting that Odin was blinded by his grief since Frigga's death, which Heimdall did not argue with. While they spoke, Thor quietly asked Heimdall to side with him on his mission to secretly hide Jane Foster, who was carrying the Aether in her body and was therefore Malekith's target. Heimdall insisted that he could not go against the orders of Odin, but Thor insisted that he did not have to directly disobey his King. Knowing that if he were to return, Malekith would undoubtedly destroy Asgard, Heimdall then reluctantly agreed to help with Thor's secret mission. Joining Thor for a secret meeting with those who also desired to help him, Heimdall explained that there were other ways off Asgard beside the Bifrost Bridge, which Loki was now the only one who could show them due to his previous journeys to Jotunheim, much to the horror of Volstagg. Heimdall listened while Fandral insisted that Loki would betray them if freed, but Thor insisted it was the only way, ordering Lady Sif to free Foster while the others aided in their escape. Seeking to distract him while the others could successfully break Loki out of the Asgardian Dungeons to make their escape, Heimdall called Odin to his Observatory, claiming he needed to discuss an urgent matter with his King. When Odin arrived, Heimdall confessed to treason and offered over Hofund. When Odin was told by Tyr that Foster was missing, Odin looked disappointingly at Heimdall before ordering the Einherjar to take Heimdall into their custody.

Observation
Heimdall saw a Kree arrive on Earth and, because of the enmity between the races, alerted the King. Heimdall opened the Bifrost Bridge and Sif was sent to investigate. After her assignment was completed, Sif called Heimdall to reopen the Bifrost so that she and the Kree Vin-Tak could go to Asgard.

Banishment
"Odin charged Heimdall with negligence of duty, but he disappeared before the trial. Hard to catch a guy who can see everything in the Universe."

- Skurge

While Loki ruled Asgard behind the façade of his father Odin, Heimdall was exiled from the city for supposedly neglecting his duty of protecting Asgard, though it was most likely that Loki realized that with his abilities, Heimdall would see past the disguise and promptly had Heimdall banished. As a result, Heimdall was replaced with Skurge as Gatekeeper.

Stealing Hofund
Heimdall made a swift return to Asgard when he discovered the realm had been taken over by Hela. His first act in securing the safety of Asgard, as well as potentially the rest of the galaxy, was stealing Hofund before Hela could use the Bifrost Bridge to access other planets. Heimdall successfully stole the sword without Skurge realizing.

Providing Safe Passage
As Hela tightened her rule on Asgard, Heimdall began to protect his fellow Asgardians. In the wilderness beyond the city, he established a refuge in an ancient Asgardian stronghold and began gathering refugees fleeing the city. While on one such mission, Heimdall was contacted by Thor who was imprisoned on Sakaar. Thor sought to see what was transpiring on Asgard, and Heimdall used his powers to allow Thor to see what was happening. After they talked, Thor told Heimdall that he wasn't even sure where he was. Using his powers, Heimdall said he was on a world surrounded by gateways, and he was to take the largest one to get back to Asgard.

Fighting Hela
Eventually, Hela learned of Heimdall's refugees and set out to deal with them. Sensing her approach, Heimdall began evacuating the Asgardians with the intention of sending them across the Bifrost Bridge. As he led them across the bridge, they were confronted by Fenris and the Berserkers. Attempting to retreat, Heimdall found his way blocked by Skurge and more Berserkers. Heimdall began to fight, and was soon joined by Valkyrie and Hulk who helped to hold the Berserkers off. Salvation for the Asgardians came in the form of Loki, who brought a large spaceship to Asgard. The Asgardians began to board the vessel while Heimdall, now assisted by Sakaaran gladiators led by Korg, fought the Berserkers. To defeat Hela, Thor directed Loki to unleash Ragnarök by reuniting Surtur's crown with the Eternal Flame. Heimdall boarded the spaceship with the rest of the Asgardians, and watched as Surtur fulfilled the prophecy and destroyed Asgard.

Later, Heimdall was with Thor and his companions when he decided to take the remaining Asgardians to Earth.

Personality
"Complicated fellow, isn't he?"

- Fandral

Heimdall is a strong and loyal warrior, with a high sense of honor. Although being extremely powerful, even for an Asgardian, he loyally serves Odin, having swore an oath of faith to his king. However his true loyalty lies with the throne of Asgard, rather than Odin personally, as such when during Loki's reign, he did not personally let Sif and the Warriors Three pass onto Earth, but he secretly gave them his blessing. Then after Loki found out, he announced Heimdall as a traitor and no longer a citizen of Asgard. As a result, Heimdall attacked Loki, no longer bound to serve him. He was loyal enough to confess his disobedience (although he called it treachery) to Odin and surrendered.

Powers and Abilities
"You have great power, Heimdall. Did Odin ever fear you?" "No." "And why is that?" "Because he is my King. And I’m sworn to obey him."

- Loki and Heimdall

Powers

 * Asgardian Physiology: As an Asgardian, Heimdall has superhuman abilities.
 * Superhuman Strength: Like all Asgardians, Heimdall is superhumanly strong and possesses greater physical strength than the average Asgardian male. He was able to break out from being frozen by Loki with the Casket of Ancient Winters, to lift a Frost Giant with his sword, to destroy a Dark Elf Harrow using only his sword, and to defeat several Berserkers with his sword. However, Heimdall was still no match for Fenris, with the former showing visible signs of fear when cornered by the massive beast on the Rainbow Bridge.
 * Superhuman Speed: Heimdall can move at extreme speeds, with him thus managing to chase a flying Dark Elf Harrow, and quickly destroy it.
 * Superhuman Durability: Heimdall's body is much denser and much more resistant to physical harm than the body of a human being. He was capable of being frozen by Loki and showing no signs of injuries afterward.
 * Superhuman Stamina: His musculature produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of humans.
 * Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite his superhuman durability, Heimdall can be injured. However, his physiology allows him to heal at an accelerated rate.
 * Longevity: Like all Asgardians, Heimdall ages at a rate that is much slower than that of a human being. Even though he is over one thousand years old, he still looks like a young man by Earth standards.
 * Omni-Senses: Heimdall possesses tremendous sensory capabilities far beyond that of any Asgardians, which made Odin anoint him the Gatekeeper to Asgard. His sight itself extends to all of the Nine Realms, and his hearing is so sharp and precise that he heard the Warriors Three and Lady Sif conspiring against Loki from his post. Heimdall is able to hear other Asgardians calling him from other world and realms, such as Midgard, Jotunheim, Vanaheim, or Sakaar. When he uses his incredible perception, his eyes turn bright orange. Indeed, Heimdall himself claimed to see 10 trillion souls from Asgard. Despite his phenomenal ability, however, his senses have been deceived to a degree by Loki and the Dark Elves, as he was unable to see into Svartalfheim.
 * Transdimensional Communication: When Heimdall was called upon by Thor from Sakaar, he was able to allow Thor to temporarily see his own surroundings on Asgard, and to thus communicate with him as if they were in the same place. When doing so, Thor's eyes turned orange like Heimdall's.

Abilities

 * Master Combatant: Heimdall is a very capable combatant, having received training in swordsmanship. While normally using his sword to open the Bifrost Bridge, when using it in combat, Heimdall is powerful enough to defeat two Frost Giants when in a weakened state, an entire Dark Elf Harrow with relative ease when at his prime, as well as a horde of Berserkers.
 * Sword Mastery: Heimdall is a superior swordsman, capable of taking down multiple Frost Giants and Berserkers.

Equipment

 * Hofund: Heimdall mainly uses his sword for opening the Bifrost Bridge, but the sword is also powerful enough to pierce the skin of a Frost Giant and the hull of a Dark Elven ship.
 * Gjallerhorn: Heimdall used a horn used to rally the army of Asgard. When the Frost Giants invaded Asgard, Thor managed to defeat the Jotuns and release the Gjallerhorn. He then gave a sharp blast of the horn to call Asgard's warriors to arms. The Frost Giants used this tactic again when Mangog opened portals allowing them and the Fire Demons to attack Asgard. Heimdall alerted Thor, who once again defeated them and rallied Asgard's forces.
 * Armor
 * First Set: Heimdall’s original armor was a gold metal chest plate that extended into shoulder guards over simple brown clothing. He also had a golden horned helmet. He wore black pants and gold boots and arm-bracers.
 * Second Set: Heimdall’s second armor was far more ornate with an illustration of Yggdrasil on his chest plate. His sleeves are gold and brown leather. He wore a gold and brown skirt over brown pants and detailed golden boots. Heimdall still wears a helmet that is the same shape as the first one but with patterns etched onto it.
 * Third Set:

Allies

 * Asgardians
 * Odin † - Former King
 * Frigga † - Former Queen
 * Thor - King
 * Einherjar
 * Tyr
 * Sif
 * Warriors Three
 * Hogun †
 * Fandral †
 * Volstagg †
 * Skurge/Executioner † - Successor and Enemy turned Ally
 * Jane Foster
 * Revengers
 * Loki † - Former King and Attempted Victim turned Ally
 * Brunnhilde/Valkyrie
 * Hulk
 * Sakaaran Rebellion
 * Korg
 * Miek

Enemies

 * Surtur †
 * Frost Giants
 * Laufey †
 * Dark Elves
 * Malekith †
 * Kurse †
 * Marauders
 * Hela †
 * Berserkers †
 * Fenris †
 * Black Order
 * Ebony Maw †
 * Cull Obsidian †
 * Proxima Midnight †
 * Corvus Glaive †
 * Thanos - Killer

Video Game Only

 * Fire Demons

Trivia

 * In the comics, Heimdall and Sif are brother and sister, and members of the Vanir. Although this relationship has not been explored in the movies, concept art exists portraying Sif as black, confirming that this relationship was originally propped for Thor.
 * In, Heimdall guarded the Bifrost, which the Vikings believed rainbows came from. Heimdall was predicted to kill and be killed by Loki during the doomsday scenario of Ragnarök.
 * In Norse mythology, Heimdall has golden teeth. In the movies, he has golden eyes. Heimdall is also known as the whitest of gods, with the tittle 'The White God' yet the actor that plays him has dark skin.
 * Heimdall’s armor design in Thor: The Dark World is meant to represent his watch over the Nine Realms. The tree represents Yggdrasil and the amber jewel, being the same color of his eyes, represents him looking over the realms.

Behind the Scenes

 * Heimdall is the only other Asgardian besides Thor to appear in theatrical films outside of the Thor franchise. Loki does not count, as he is a Frost Giant.
 * Vernon Masters and Jermaine Holt were stunt doubles for Idris Elba in the role of Heimdall.