Years after its release, Thor: Ragnarok is still one of the highest-rated MCU films ever, holding its own against movies like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home, both of which were the culmination of decades of story building. It's especially impressive, given that the second Thor film is one of the most-hated films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Clearly, just being a Thor sequel doesn't guarantee success or failure.

The movie begins with the premise that Thor must stop Ragnarök from destroying Asgard, but it quickly turns into a more traditional Marvel conflict when Hela, the Goddess of Death, is released and takes over the realm. Thor and Loki end up trapped on Sakaar for a time before returning to Asgard to save its people and defeat Hela.

Thor: Ragnarok was set in a critical place for the MCU, as it took place just before Avengers: Infinity War. This...