Be aware there are major spoilers for Thor: Ragnarok; Big ol' Hulk-sized spoilers, so unless you've seen the film, proceed with caution and maybe bookmark this one for later.

Another Marvel movie, another round of questions and theories. With Taika Waititi at the helm, Thor: Ragnarok is distinctly unlike any other Marvel film that preceded it, and with that qualifier, it calls for a unique round of questions. Sure, Ragnarok has plenty of teases for what might lay ahead in the future of the MCU, but this is a film that was joyously and jubilantly made to defy expectations and in keeping, it doesn't spend much time addressing the MCU mythology.

All the same, Ragnarok is a key stepping stone to the future of the MCU, and given that it's the second to last film to drop before Avengers: Infinity War, it's one of those films you just have to break down. So, with that in mind, I'm doing my darndest to scour for hints towards the future of the MCU, in the midst of the jokes and the characteristic Waititi irreverence, so let's see what teases, wild speculation, and fun theories we can find below.

How Many of the Standout New Characters Will Become MCU Regulars?

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Image via Marvel Studios

Most Marvel sequels come with an enduring character introduction or two, but Thor: Ragnarok is loaded with delightful new additions to the universe, from major players like Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and Cate Blanchett's Hela, to supporting characters like Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster and Taika Waititi's CG turn as the rock alien Korg. So who can we expect to see again in future films?

Hopefully, all of them, because this batch of newbies was a particularly enjoyable bunch. Most likely, we can count on Valkyrie becoming a lasting presence in future MCU films, and not just because she's the scene-stealing breakout in Ragnarok. While she hasn't been confirmed for Infinity War yet, she's tight with both Hulk and Thor now, and given that the Avengers are about to go toe-to-toe with Thanos, they're probably going to want the help of all the Asgardian warriors they can get. Thompson was also spotted in Edinburgh during the filming of Infinity War, and while that's far from a guarantee (she could just be visiting her Marvel buds on set), it's a good sign.

As for the rest (we'll dig into Hela below),  MCU chief Kevin Feige told Fandango that he'd like to get the Grandmaster and the Collector together on screen. ""We love the idea that they're brothers," he said. "If you go on the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout attraction at California Adventure in Anaheim, you will see a picture on Collector's wall of he and the Grandmaster playing some sort of a space chess game, which right now is the only place you can see the two of them in a frame together, but let's hope that changes someday."

As for Korg... who knows? Last we saw the adorably polite revolutionary, he was loading up survivors on the Asgardian refugee ship, but the mid-credits scene teased some pretty serious trouble ahead for the survivors, so here's hoping Korg makes it out of that kerfuffle alive. Speaking of which...

So That Was Thanos' Ship, Right?

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Image via Marvel Studios

The Ragnarok mid-credits scene finds Thor and Loki having a quiet chat on the bridge of their refugee ship. Just as Thor reassures his tricksy younger brother that “everything’s going to work out fine,” a massive, threatening ship looms in the distance. It's a classic bit of Waititi's comedic timing, but it also sets up a major threat for the future, because that's almost certainly Thanos' ship and he's not going to be in any sort of good mood to see Loki or a pair of pesky Avengers.

Of course, that's all implication. We know that Thanos and his Black Order are officially prowling the galaxy for Infinity Stones in the lead up to Infinity War. Joe and Anthony Russo have said they're taking a cue from heist films for Thanos' Infinity Stone hunting, and the ship that's encroaching on Thor's rescue operation bears some distinct markings that look an awful lot like the Chitauri vehicles see in Avengers.

(Spoiler warning for the advance Infinity War footage shown at D23 and SDCC)

The first Infinity War footage also adds some interesting elements to the equation. In the footage, Thor is seen floating through space, where it's recovered by the Guardians of the Galaxy. This seems to be the juncture point that will bring the Guardians and the Avengers together, but the question remains -- how does Thor end up floating solo in space? And if that's a result of his confrontation with Thanos, what happens to everyone else on that ship?

But what would Thanos want with a ship full of wayward space refugees? Well, it's probably that unsecured Infinity Stone.

Loki Just Stole the Tesseract Again, Didn't He?

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Image via Marvel Studios

So yeah, Loki gonna Loki. Ragnarok does a pretty good job playing with expectations for the reliably deviant character, but when he finds himself in Odin's vault at the end of the film, face-to-face with the glowing blue power of the Tesseract, it's all but guaranteed that slippery little bastard snatched it up again. And that's just got to be what brings Thanos a-callin' to the Asgardian rescue ship.

After all, we know Thanos is coming to collect those stones, and with the other Infinity Stones under the rigorous protection of the Kamar-Taj, Nova Corps, the Collector (last we saw the Aether, that is), and one firmly lodged in Vision's forehead at Avengers Headquarters, a group of Asgardians still recovering from Hela's attack makes for the easiest pickings. Plus, it makes sense from a story point of view. The Tesseract, aka the Space Stone, is the first Infinity Stone introduced to MCU audiences and it comes with some history primed for drama.

In case you forgot, Loki is has earned himself a prime spot on Thanos' shit list after losing not one, but two Infinity Stones to the Avengers. First the stone within the Tesseract, and again with the Mind Stone, which was in his scepter. Basically, Loki done fucked up and Thanos isn't known for his mercy.

(Spoiler warning for the advance Infinity War footage shown at D23 and SDCC)

In the advanced footage, we see Loki handing a blue-tinged object to a taller figure, which is most likely Thanos. Is this his moment of reckoning? It makes sense. Whether Loki reclaimed the Tesseract with the intention of handing it over to Thanos, or whether Thanos stomps in at the exact moment Loki decides to be the good guy for once, the end result is pretty much the same -- Loki is in some serious trouble, and if Thanos isn't feeling merciful (not something he's known for), this might just be the end for everyone's favorite trickster.

Was That the End of Hela?

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Image via Marvel Studios

Will we ever see Cate Blanchett gloriously strutting her stuff in full superhero villain regalia again? As much as I’d like that, it seems somewhat unlikely at this point. At the end of the film, Thor sacrificed his homeworld to save its people, conjuring Surtur to bring about Ragnarok and take Hela out with it. We didn’t see her dead, which in the unspoken law of film means she could come back at any time, but the final blow certainly looked like a killing one. Narratively, it would also be a bit of a bummer to see the big bad return. After all, if she comes back, the sacrifice of Asgard is pretty much for nothing, and unlike her dear (adopted) brother Loki, Hela doesn’t really have shades of angst and cunning to explore in future films — she’s just a bad mamma jamma who wants power, war, and destruction. Not a lot to mine there.

If there’s a reason fans wanted to see Hela stick around (besides watching Blanchett swagger with the harnessed force of the sun), it’s because she would have made a perfect stand-in for Death. We all know Thanos is coming for those Infinity Stones, and in the comics, he does it to win the heart of Death herself. The Marvel films have hinted at this plot point. When Thanos was told fighting the Avengers was "to court death itself", he let out a hearty enthusiastic laugh, but for the most part, his motivations remain a mystery. With Infinity War only two films away, theories popped up that Hela — the goddess of death — might substitute for Death herself in the MCU, but after the events of Ragnarok, I’d be pretty shocked if that turned out to be the case. We can all still hope; after all, more Cate Blanchett is always a good thing, but for now,  it seems Thanos' lady love is still to be discovered, if ever.

Where's Sif?

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It’s pretty clear that Thor: Ragnarok has little interest in the high drama and mythologizing of the previous Thor films. Waititi made that evident in the cameo-packed recreation of Loki’s dramatic death scene in Thor: The Dark World. But where in the everloving heck is Sif and why wasn’t there even a casual throwaway line about her absence? Don’t get me wrong; after seeing how quickly and brutally the Warriors Three were dispatched in Hela’s siege, I’m glad Sif wasn’t on Asgard, but it’s another example of her character getting the short shrift.

That's not totally fair though. According to Sif actress Jaime Alexander, she was asked to return, but it all came down to scheduling conflicts (in case you missed it, she's reaping huge TV numbers as the star of Blindspot). Or maybe she was just tainted by appearing on Agents of SHIELD. Unless you’re Nick Fury, once you cross the TV Rubicon, you never come back. Sorry, Coulson.

Will Thor Get His Eye Back?

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Image via Marvel Studios

Of all the spectacular looking actors in the MCU, Chris Hemsworth might just be the most spectacular. The Thor films make no bones about embracing his beauty (dos shirtless scenes tho), so are they really willing to put an eye-patch over that resplendent mug until his contracts run out? I’m half-kidding about the shallow stuff (just half though, I mean the shirtless scenes are a staple for a calculated reason), but more so, I’m curious if they’re willing to impede intimacy with one of their title heroes in that way. After all, the eyes are the window to the soul, and any actor will tell you that taking the eyes out of the equation is calls for a significant shift in performance. This is a superhero 'verse that now includes aliens, sorcerers, and the high-tech wonders of Wakanda, so there are myriad ways they could undo the damage if they wanted to.

(Spoiler warning for the advance Infinity War footage shown at D23 and SDCC)

The major reason folks have this on their mind is that in the advance Infinity War footage, Thor had both eyes firmly intact. But as we’ve seen with Marvel and Disney’s marketing materials in the past, especially with recent films, what you see in the promos isn’t always what you get in the finished film. Remember that shot of Iron Man and Spidey flying through Brooklyn in the Spider-Man: Homecoming ads? As Feige explained when we caught up with him for Ragnarok, “Some of the commercials for this film have him not missing an eye... so you don't know what's going on. We didn't want to spoil that in any of that in the footage we shot. We didn't think about that. We thought about what's fun for the character, what's cool for the character, not... are we sullying our good-looking actor?"

Where the Eff Is the Soul Stone?

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Image via Marvel Studios

Leading into Infinity War, we’ve seen every Infinity Stone but the Soul Stone, leaving Black Panther as the last possible film for it to turn up before Thanos begins his reign of terror. In the comics, the Soul Stone grants those who wield it power over the souls of the living and the dead. So basically; some heavy, trippy shit that could be even more difficult to explain on screen than Doctor Strange’s Time Stone. A popular fan theory posited that Heimdall possessed Soul Stone — and it was a darned good guess; after all, he can see the whereabouts of anyone who calls him to use the Bifrost and along with his yellow eyes, he always seems to have a glowing orange-gold hue about him. But there are also some faults with the theory.

Foremost, we were told in Thor: The Dark World that keeping two Infinity Stones in one place was too dangerous, which is why the Aether was shipped off to the Collector instead of taking a home on Asgard alongside the Tesseract. It’s definitely still possible Heimdall possessed the Stone in secret (he does have a mysterious power to him, and I’m not just talking about Idris Elba’s charisma), but if he does, that would be a hell of a one-two punch for Thanos to claim the Space and Soul Stones in a single assault. It’s also possible that Thanos might already possess the Soul Stone, but that would feel like a little bit of a cheat. Most likely, we’ll see it in Black Panther or Infinity War itself and the great ongoing mystery of where the f*ck the Soul Stone is will finally be laid to rest.