Thor: Love and Thunder is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, picking up from where the God of Thunder left off in Avengers: Endgame. The film also features the return of Taika Waititi as director after previously helming Thor: Ragnarok. Like its predecessor, Love and Thunder finds the character at his silliest.

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With that silliness comes some fun references and Easter eggs for hardcore Marvel fans to discover. Not only are there jokes that reference Thor's comic book origins, but there's also hints as to where the MCU is going in the future. These ten Easter eggs may be one's viewers have noticed on first watch, or missed even after several.

There will be spoilers!

10 A Vampiric Reunion

Jonathan Brugh as Deacon talking to the camera in What We Do In The Shadows

The opening scene of Thor: Love and Thunder introduces audiences to Christian Bale as Gorr the God-Butcher. After his daughter's death, Gorr encounters Rapu, the Bringer of Light whom he worshipped. However, learning of Rapu's indifference to his followers' struggles caused Gorr to begin his god-slaying mission.

Some viewers won't find anything of note about Rapu, but fans of Waititi's previous work may recognize a familiar face. Rapu's actor, Jonathan Brugh, previously starred as Deacon in the film What We Do In The Shadows alongside Waititi. Brugh and Waititi also cameod in the FX series based on the cult film.

9 Jane's Sci-Fi References

Jane Foster standing next to Darcy Lewis in the first Thor

Thor: Love and Thunder also reintroduces fans to Dr. Jane Foster, who has been absent from the Thor movies since Thor: The Dark World. When Natalie Portman first appears in the film, she's not where many casual fans would expect her to be: in chemotherapy. Fortunately, Jane bonds with a fellow cancer patient.

After seeing the fellow patient is reading her book on space theory, Jane helps him understand wormholes. Citing scenes from films like Event Horizon and Interstellar, Jane pokes a hole through two pieces of paper. Her mention of the Einstein-Rosen bridge also calls back to her discovery of wormholes in the first Thor.

8 Thor's Goat Gift

Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher leading the New Asgard boat in Thor: Love And Thunder

Early on in the film, Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy are gifted two goats by King Yakan, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder. What's very recognizable about these two goats, even before they appear on-screen, is their incessant screaming. However, this sound may be familiar to some who are familiar with Internet memes of the 2010s.

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According to Taika Waititi, the sounds of the goats screaming was inspired by a viral meme video of Taylor Swift's song "I Knew You Were Trouble." The video in question replaces the drop of the song's chorus with a video of a goat screaming like the ones in the film. Taika certainly cranked the stakes by adding a second goat in the mix.

7 Gorr's God Butchering

Thor and Korg staring at Falligar the Behemoth in the trailer for Love and Thunder

Thor first learns of Gorr's brutal god butchering after a series of distress calls reach the Guardians' ship, the Benatar. Several images appear on-screen of Gorr's various victims throughout the galaxy, worrying Thor. The God of Thunder is especially concerned when he sees a distress call from his old Asgardian ally, Lady Sif.

Comic fans may find something noteworthy about the blink-and-you'll-miss-it victims of Gorr's revenge. Several of these shots are directly taken from the Jason Aaron run of Thor: God of Thunder, which features the conflict between Thor and Gorr that inspired Love and Thunder. Thor even visits one of them in Falligar the Behemoth.

6 Children Of The Stars

Chris Hemsworth's son as Young Thor in a trailer for Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder features a pretty all-star cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and Taika Waititi himself. However, the cast also includes the children of each of these actors. Some of them have very significant roles, such as Hemsworth's daughter India as Gorr's daughter, Love.

Other cast children appear as the Asgardian children who are kidnapped by Gorr during his attack on New Asgard. Hemsworth's wife, Elsa Pataky, also makes a cameo as a wolf woman making out with Thor on a woman wolf in the film's opening montage. Hemsworth's son also appears as a young Thor in the same montage.

5 Asgardian Theatre Returns

Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Sam O'Neill as Asgardian actors in Thor: Ragnarok

The film's introduction to New Asgard features the return of the Asgardian actors who debuted in Thor: Ragnarok. As in that film, Luke Hemsworth plays Actor Thor, while Matt Damon cameos as Actor Loki, as they recreate an iconic scene from Ragnarok. This performance also features some new faces, as well.

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Melissa McCarthy makes a cameo as another Asgardian performer, in costume as Hela. Her husband, Ben Falcone, appears as the theatre director bowing with the other actors at the end of the play as well. Luke Hemsworth and Matt Damon appear again during a later scene in New Asgard, waiting to capitalize on tragedy.

4 Guests At Omnipotence City

Russell Crowe as Zeus with a harem of women in Thor Love and Thunder

The second act of Thor: Love and Thunder features a sequence where Thor, Jane, Valkyrie, and Korg venture to Omnipotence City. This location serves as a sanctuary for gods of all different pantheons. As such, it features many cameos from gods that are familiar to both diehard MCU fans, and comic book enthusiasts.

Some notable cameos include the Celestials, who are featured in Eternals, as well as the goddess Bast, who is worshipped by Wakanda. Korg even points out his people's god, Ninny the Nonnie, who sits on an Iron Throne-esque chair made of scissors. Of course, the stand-out appearance in Russell Crowe as Zeus, the god of lightning.

3 Jane, The Mighty Thor

Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor fighting in New Asgard in Love and Thunder

Jane Foster takes on the mantle of Thor after Mjolnir calls to her as she's dying of cancer. Her appearance as the God of Thunder bears inspiration from Jason Aaron's 2015 comic run, Mighty Thor. This run finds Jane in a similar predicament: her cancer diagnosis results in her taking up Mjolnir, only to find the power is making her sicker.

This run is even directly referenced later in the film, when Jane Foster faces Gorr the God-Butcher at the Gate to Eternity. After Gorr calls her "Lady Thor," Jane corrects him, stating that her name is Mighty Thor. Although this film is a quick breeze through Jane's arc as Mighty Thor, hopefully the post-credits scene alludes to her reappearing.

2 The Gateway To Eternity

Jane summoning the power of Thor in the Gateway to Eternity in Love and Thunder

The scene's climax takes place at the Gateway to Eternity, where Gorr plans to use Stormbreaker as the key to reach Eternity. There, Gorr will be able to wish for all the gods to be eliminated. Many fans may find something noteworthy about the statues that appear in the Gateway's hall, referencing some iconic Marvel figures.

Related: Thor: Love And Thunder - Things About Gorr The God Butcher Only Marvel Comics Readers Know

One head that almost collapses on the Asgardian children is a Celestial. Another statue resembles the Watcher, who is voiced by Jeffrey Wright in the What If...? Disney+ series. Another statue resembles the Living Tribunal, who is a cameo in Multiverse of Madness as Doctor Strange and America Chavez jump multiverses.

1 An Olympian Makes His Debut

Thor fighting Hercules in Marvel Comics

The mid-credits scene of Thor: Love and Thunder features a big debut for the MCU. Zeus, recovering from his near-death during the Omnipotence City sequence, laments the fall of the Olympians' power. After alluding to humanity only wanting superheroes, he looks up at his son, Hercules, played by Brett Goldstein from Ted Lasso.

Many fans are surprised at Goldstein's casting, as fans expected an actor like Henry Cavill to take the mantle of MCU's strongest man alive. Given Goldstein's Emmy-winning turn as football star Roy Kent, however, he may be perfect for the role. Hopefully Hercules's return is not too far in the future.

Thor: Love and Thunder is in theaters now.

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