PLEASE NOTE: This article contains MINOR Spoilers for God of War Ragnarok. Proceed at your own risk.The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most influential pieces of media out there right now, introducing millions to not only the characters of Marvel, but also to some characters based in mythology. While the MCU has dabbled in a few different mythologies, its most prominent is Norse, with characters like Odin, Thor, and Loki all playing pivotal roles in the franchise. And with God of War Ragnarok revolving around Norse mythology, it's only natural that the two properties would cross over in a few ways.
Throughout God of War Ragnarok, players will meet a variety of characters ripped straight out of Norse mythology, and for the most part, they're pretty faithful to the source material. One such character is Heimdall, Odin's advisor and assistant, who plays a fairly major role in God of War Ragnarok's story. But while they both share some general similarities, God of War Ragnarok's Heimdall is quite different from his MCU counterpart.
How God of War Ragnarok's Heimdall Differs From the MCU's Version
The biggest way in which God of War Ragnarok's Heimdall and the MCU version differ is in their personalities. The MCU version of Heimdall, played by Idris Elba, is stoic, reserved, and calm. Whenever MCU Heimdall speaks, it's a deliberate action, and his intentions have clearly been thought about carefully. In later MCU movies, Heimdall loosens up a little and makes a few lighthearted comments, but for the most part, he remains calm and collected.
God of War Ragnarok's Heimdall, on the other hand, is an extremely emotive character. While his words are still clearly deliberate and purposeful, they're a lot more aggressive in tone. Whenever Heimdall speaks to someone that isn't Odin, he's pretty derogatory and inflammatory, deliberately trying to push people to their emotional limits and rile them up. God of War Ragnarok's version of Heimdall is also extremely arrogant and overconfident, knowing full well that his standing with Odin and his abilities protect him from harm.
When it comes to their role in Asgard, the two Heimdalls differ once again. In the MCU, Heimdall's main duty is to protect the Bifrost and watch over the Realms with his All-Seeing eyes. In Thor Ragnarok, his focus switches to protecting the Asgardian people from Hela's attack. In God of War Ragnarok, Heimdall is Odin's left-hand man first and foremost. Heimdall will be sent on secret missions for Odin and is trusted to wield Gjallarhorn, the horn that is said to bring about Ragnarok. While this version of Heimdall's general role is to protect the people of Asgard, his primary role is Odin's lapdog.
Another area in which the two versions of Heimdall differ is in their abilities. In the MCU, Heimdall is shown to be a skilled warrior, with All-Seeing eyes that can stretch across the Realms and locate anyone. Heimdall is also entrusted with Hofund, the sword that can open the Bifrost Bridge to the other Realms. In God of War Ragnarok, Heimdall does have All-Seeing eyes, but rather than see across the Nine Realms, he sees people's intent. In everyday life, this means that Heimdall knows what his peers are planning and can use that to infer their feelings. In battle, Heimdall can use this ability to predict oncoming attacks, and dodge them, making him a nearly invulnerable target.
God of War Ragnarok is out now for PS4 and PS5.