The Siege of Asgard was a violent offensive led by Hela in an attempt to reclaim the throne of Asgard and initiate new wars of conquest across the Nine Realms and beyond.
Background
A Fall From Grace
Millennia ago, Odin Borson of Asgard, along with his daughter and personal executioner Hela, conquered the Nine Realms in a campaign that led to the creation of the Asgardian Empire.
Odin soon realized, however, that peace was the only way to bring the Realms together and saw Hela's desire to conquer more realms as a threat to his plans. When she tried to take the throne by force, massacring several innocent Asgardian civilians in the process, the Allfather was forced to fight his firstborn child in a fierce battle that ended with Hela being defeated and banished to Hel.
Soon afterward, Odin decreed that any mention or depiction of Hela's involvement in Asgard's creation was to be erased, even replacing a mural depicting her conquests with images of his two sons by his second marriage.[1]
A Family Reunion
In 2017, Odin's son Thor was captured by the fire demon Surtur while searching for the Infinity Stones. While listening to Surtur taunt him about the impending Ragnarök, the God of Thunder learned his father wasn't on Asgard and promptly escaped.
Returning home, Thor discovered his brother Loki had been posing as the Allfather since the Second Dark Elf Conflict and, after exposing the God of Mischief's deception to the populace, forced him to take him to Odin. The two made their way to Earth and tracked Odin down to Norway with reluctant help from Stephen Strange.
Their reunion, however, was short-lived, as Odin revealed that he was about to die and that his death would allow Hela to break free. True to the Allfather's word, he passed away and went to join his late wife Frigga in Valhalla. The moment he did so, a portal to Hel opened and Hela triumphantly emerged, demanding that her younger brothers acknowledge her as Asgard's rightful Queen.
Thor, however, refused and hurled Mjølnir at the former chief executioner only to watch in shock as she caught the hammer with one hand and used her powers to destroy it. The two brothers then attempted to escape via the Bifrost Bridge only for Hela to follow and knock them into space before making her way to her old home.[1]
Siege
- "It's come to my attention that you don't know who I am. I am Hela. Odin's firstborn. Commander of the legions of Asgard. The rightful heir to the throne and the Goddess of Death. My father is dead. As are the princes. You're welcome. We were once the seat of absolute power in the cosmos. Our supremacy was unchallenged. Yet Odin stopped at Nine Realms. Our destiny is to rule over all others. And I am here to restore that power. Kneel before me and rise into the ranks of my great conquest!"
"Whoever you were, whatever you've done, surrender now or we will show you no mercy."
"Whoever I am? Did you listen to a word I said?" - ―Hela and Hogun[src]
Emerging into Heimdall's Observatory, Hela encountered Volstagg and Fandral, whom she promptly executed in cold blood. Skurge, who had observed the murders from a distance, kneeled as Hela approached him. Declaring him to be a "smart boy", the Goddess offered him a job before crossing the Rainbow Bridge that led to Asgard.
Hela summons her weapons
Upon reaching the city entrance, Hela found Hogun and the Einherjar waiting for her. She revealed her true identity as Odin's daughter and offered them the chance to become her allies and help her conquer the Realms. Hogun, however, firmly stated they would never follow her before leading the Einherjar in charging towards her.
Disappointed, the Goddess of Death summoned her Necroswords and engaged the army in combat, using her powers of weapon manifestation to slaughter the elite warriors as well as destroy several Asgardian Skiffs.
Hela surveys the carnage
When the last of the Einherjar had been overpowered and killed, Hela slowly made her way through the body-strewn courtyard, relishing in her reawakened bloodlust as Skurge followed in silence.
Hogun, who previously lost consciousness, came to and prepared to fight Hela only for the Goddess to summon a Necrosword and throw it at the Vanir, impaling him on it and killing him instantly.[1]
Aftermath
With Asgard defenseless, Hela took the throne and named Skurge her Executioner, gifting him with an obsidian axe she created with her powers. She then resurrected a legion of deceased Asgardian warriors, whom she turned into her Berserkers, as well as her pet wolf, Fenris.
Unbeknownst to the Goddess of Death, Heimdall had infiltrated the observatory during the siege and stolen Hofund so she would be unable to use the Bifrost.[1]
Behind the Scenes
- The Destroyer was set to appear in the sequence, fighting and being destroyed by Hela, but the scenes were cut because they felt "like an extra beat".[2]