The costumes that appear in Thor’s solo movies are among the most striking in the MCU, and the chosen wardrobes of the villains are no exception.

SUMMARY

 The costumes of Thor villains in the MCU are striking due to the otherworldly nature of Thor’s mythos in the Nine Realms.
 The costume designers of the MCU have taken creative liberties when designing the looks for Thor’s rogues’ gallery, resulting in varying degrees of success.
 Some of the most memorable villain costumes include Hela’s hellish headdress, Kurse’s terrifying ensemble, and the flamboyant outfit of the Grandmaster.

The costumes of Thor villains in the MCU rank among the most striking owing to the fact that Thor’s mythos in the MCU surrounds the otherworldly Nine Realms. The costume designers of the MCU have their work cut out at the best of times, thanks to comic book heroes’ penchant for extravagant designs. When dealing with the fashion sense of beings from entirely different planets on top of that, however, all cards are off the table as it is difficult to fathom what the denizens of Svartalfeim are likely to hang in their wardrobes.

Luckily, the comic books themselves provide a useful point of reference when recreating what costumes from Thor would look like on screen. Even so, Thor movie filmmakers have taken ample creative liberties when designing the looks for the rogues’ gallery of the cosmos, to varying degrees of success. Yet while some Thor films are miles better than others in terms of the narrative content, there are instances where the costumes of their respective villains come up trumps with their impeccable sense of style.

Not every superhero movie has been well-received, but even some less popular movies by Marvel and DC showcase visually striking supersuits.

11. Surtur Looks Terrifying (But Isn’t Wearing Anything)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

It is certainly a good thing that the prophesied destroyer of Asgard looks as demonic as Surtur, with a gargantuan stature and flaming sword that not even Hela could successfully fight against. It has to be said, however, that aside from his menacing Crown of Black Fire, Surtur doesn’t sport anything else in the way of clothing. For this reason, Surtur’s “costume” is easily the lowest-ranking among all of Thor’s enemies, even if Surtur himself is easily one of the most memorable.

10. Laufey’s Loincloth Isn’t Very Fashionable

Thor (2011)

Wherever Loki got his impeccable sense of style from, it certainly isn’t genetic. The King of the Frost Giants, Laufey, is striking in his character design, but that is something that his icy blue skin and red eyes carry more than the exceptionally stripped-down ensemble he dresses in. A simple green-brown loincloth, bracers, and pauldrons are all Laufey requires to exist in the frosty world of Jotunheim. It is befitting of his austere home world that the King of the Frost giants wears little in the way of fashion, but it is also why he has been stripped of so many style points when compared to the rest of Thor’s enemies.

9. Malekith’s Creepy Attire Is Befitting Of The Dark Elves

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The costume designers for Thor: The Dark World are the unsung heroes behind the movie, which is largely perceived to be among the worst in the MCU. The aesthetic of Malekith and the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim is dark, stark, and distinctly otherworldly in nature. The black-and-ivory color scheme stands in direct contrast to the vibrant colors of Asgard, but the stand-out accessory is the unsettling masks with large empty black holes for eyes that help to cement the sinister nature of the Dark Elves. Unfortunately, Malekith himself rarely dons it, presumably to maximize the star power of Christopher Eccleston.

8. Loki’s Thor 2 Outfit Demonstrated His Post-Avengers Slump

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Loki’s appearance in Thor: The Dark World came with one of his simpler outfits, though his impeccable sense of style still shone through. This was Loki at his most disheveled, after having fallen through a wormhole, encountered Thanos and the Other, had his mind corrupted by the power of the Mind Stone, and lost to the Avengers before being imprisoned in short order. His longer, unkempt hair is reflective of this ordeal, yet it is great to see that his emblematic wardrobe of green and gold is still intact, if a little more muted than in his other appearances.

After having been in the MCU for over a decade, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has sported many different costumes as the Asgardian God of Mischief.

7. Loki’s Original Outfit Showcased His Classic Style

Thor (2011)

Loki’s original appearance earns points by establishing the iconic style for which he is now so famous. While a more iconic version of Loki’s outfit would appear a little later in Thor, his deep green cloak, gold chest piece, and ornate leather tunic helped to establish Loki as a contrast to his brother‘s louder take on Asgardian fashion. Loki’s first appearance depicted him as young and at his most naive before a few shots later would showcase what was to become of his character in his pursuit of power and purpose.

6. Skurge’s Armor Is An Upgrade On His Comic Book Costume

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Skurge’s fickle ascent to the role of Executioner under the tyrannical Hela was eventually undone by his ultimate sacrifice, but it was a title befitting of the intimidating plate armor he chose to don. Skurge’s militaristic personality shone through in his choice of wardrobe and was significantly enhanced by his two M-15 rifles, Des and Troy, and his battleaxe. Its darker tones and hefty pauldrons were also an upgrade on the comic book wardrobe, which was splashed with brown and pink with exposed arms and legs. Skurge turned out to be something of a tragic character, but his distinctly warlike design made him a memorable fan favorite in the end.

5. Loki’s Regal Suit Looks Begitting Of A King

Thor (2011)

As Loki’s satisfying fate at the end of his solo series cements, Loki was never supposed to rule Asgard. Being one of the most beloved and prolific characters in the MCU, Loki has worn a wide array of outfits, yet the one he wore as the villain of Thor did not befit his character in the end. With that being said, Loki’s regal outfit as the fleeting King of Asgard while Odin was incapacitated was the first time his classic horned helmet made its appearance and foreshadowed his descent into villainy.

The regal suit is unsurprisingly heavy on gold, with the characteristic green hue of Loki confined to his cloak alone. While Loki looks regal in his short time as King, it doesn’t hold a candle to the outfit he now wears as the God of Stories. Regardless, of all his villainous appearances in Thor’s solo outings, this is Loki at his most quintessential.

4. Gorr’s Robes Ironically Evoke Religious Imagery

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

As a villain, Gorr represents everything contrary to the gods in Omnipotence City, wreathed in monochrome fabric in place of glistening golden breastplates. His diminutive stature and colorless aura as he wielded the Necrosword stood in direct opposition to Thor at his most ostentatious in Thor: Love and Thunder, ironically draped in modest robes reminiscent of monks and clergymen as he carried out his single-minded goal of destroying every god in the universe. In the case of Gorr the God Butcher, the simplicity of his outfit was as integral to his identity as the gaudiness of Grandmaster’s was to his.

3. Grandmaster’s Outfit Shows His Flamboyancy

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The retro-futuristic world of Sakaar is among the most aesthetically pleasing in the MCU and was perfectly exemplified by the ostentatious outfit of its ruler, Grandmaster. Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok proceeded to set the bar for the future of Thor movies with its vibrant color palette of red, blue, and gold that Jeff Goldlum’s Grandmaster incorporated into his regal attire. His coiffured silver hair, blue eyeliner, and strip of blue paint that emulates his fellow Elder of the Universe, the Collector, completes the look that has now become one of the most iconic in the MCU, perfectly embodying Grandmaster’s self-importance and decadence.

2. Kurse’s Ensemble Was A Thor 2 Highlight

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Malekith’s loyal warrior Algrim was among Thor: The Dark World‘s highlights owing to his terrifying character design. After allowing himself to become the last of the Kursed by absorbing the power of a Kurse stone, Algrim merged with the Maurauder outfit he was using to disguise his true identity. This turned him into a veritable beast known simply as “Kurse,” where his tribal mask, armor, and body became one and the same. Thick horns, a towering stature, and a face that merged with an item designed to terrify make for one of the best villain “costumes” in all of Thor’s solo outings.

1. Hela’s Hellish Headdress Is Iconic

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Hela’s spidery helmet and eerie mannerisms make her one of the most memorable villains in the MCU, with her unearthly origins compounded by the uncanny way in which Hela summons the helmet upon her head and unstoppable Necroswords from thin air. Hela’s makeup and hairstyle are unapologetically gothic as Cate Blanchette delivers a captivating performance as the Goddess of Death, and almost Loki-like in its subtle green details. One of the biggest tragedies of Asgard’s destruction was the fact that it took Hela with it, but the short time she spent in the MCU and the Thor franchise was made all the more unforgettable by her haunting costume.