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"The long-awaited Marvel Studios film Thor has almost hit cinemas and has so far received a quietly positive  critical reception. The film is a big gamble for the company as it attempts to introduce the concepts of magic and mythology to Marvel&amp;#039;s growing cinematic universe, putting it in sharp contrast with the futuristic technology of Iron Man or the gamma pseudo-science of The Incredible Hulk.  But while you might be hard pushed to anyone that hasn&amp;#039;t heard of the Hulk (thanks to Bill Bixby) or Iron Man (thanks to Robert Downey Jr.), it seems many people are still more than a little bemused at the idea of the Norse God Thor standing alongside these modern day superheroes. In light of this, we at DS have put together a guide to help get you up to speed on all things Thor ahead of the release of Kenneth Branagh&amp;#039;s epic this week. Thor (Chris Hemsworth)  The titular character and God of Thunder himself, the Thor we are first introduced to is a brash and arrogant man renowned for acting purely on impulse. Thor&amp;#039;s road to becoming a true hero only begins when he is stripped of his powers and banished to Earth by his father Odin in an attempt to teach his son some humility. Until he proves himself worthy, Thor will be unable to lift his mythical hammer Mjolnir and return to Asgard. Branagh perhaps wisely decided to omit Thor&amp;#039;s complicated connection to the human doctor Donald Blake, who Thor is forced to share a body with in the comic books. However, despite Blake&amp;#039;s intended absence from the film, don&amp;#039;t be surprised to see a knowing nod to the character thrown in at some point. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Thor&amp;#039;s thankfully short-lived transformation into a superhero frog called Throg and his thrilling adventures in Central Park. Odin (Anthony Hopkins)  As the All-father of Asgard the one-eyed Odin rules the gods at the same time as trying to mediate the growing rivalry between his son Thor and stepson Loki. Odin serves as the main catalyst for Thor&amp;#039;s progression as a character, and is a constant cause of the character&amp;#039;s overriding &amp;#039;daddy issues&amp;#039; in the comic books. Odin&amp;#039;s one weakness is that he must replenish his power once a year by entering a comatose state called the Odinsleep for a period of 24 hours, during which time he is vulnerable and must be protected. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Odin&amp;#039;s untimely death at the hands of a giant monster called the Mangog, a strange creature made out of the hatred of a billion beings killed by Odin over the course of his life. Loki (Tom Hiddleston)  The ambiguous Loki is undoubtedly one of the most enduring Marvel Comics villains of all time. Despite being brothers, Loki can usually be found as the root of Thor&amp;#039;s troubles in one form or another, and even caused the original Avengers to unite against one of his schemes. Son of the Frost Giant Laufrey, Loki was adopted by Odin out of pity after a great battle, but is generally seen by the rest of the Asgardians as a troublemaker. Because of his physical stature, Loki relies on his ability to manipulate those around him to get what he wants. Branagh&amp;#039;s adaptation of Loki seems relatively faithful to the comics, even featuring his iconic, if impratical, horned helmet. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see Loki resurrecting himself in the body of a woman in an attempt to convince his brother he had become a better person. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman)  A human nurse who unknowingly falls in love with a god, Jane Foster serves as the reader&amp;#039;s point of view character into the epic fantasy world of Asgard. Thor instead casts Foster as an astrophysicist but she will still serve as the character who allows us to see a more vulnerable side to the often cold Thor. Foster has become romantically involved with Thor on a number of occasions throughout the comic book history but their relationship never manages to last. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Jane Foster somehow merged into a singular being with her rival for Thor&amp;#039;s affections, Sif. Sif (Jaimie Alexander)  A powerful Asgardian warrior, Sif has been friends with Thor since childhood and is one of his most loyal supporters. The two eventually develop an on-off romantic relationship which becomes strained when Sif realises the depth of Thor&amp;#039;s feelings for Jane Foster. The character will be a primarily supportive role in Thor but don&amp;#039;t be surprised to see her becoming much more important in the inevitable slew of sequels. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Sif&amp;#039;s ill-advised love affair with a horse-like alien warrior called Beta Ray Bill. The Warriors Three (Joshua Dallas, Tadanobu Asano, Ray Stevenson)  The dashing swashbuckler Fandral (Dallas), the short-tempered pessimist Hogun (Asano), and the rotund and drunken Volstagg (Stevenson) serve as Thor&amp;#039;s loyal companions on his adventures, as well as one of the main sources of comic relief. The Warriors Three are one of the few characters included in the film who are not based on Norse mythology but are instead original Marvel Comics creations. As with Sif, the trio will play a supporting role in Thor but are likely to feature more prominently in future films, particularly the larger than life Volstagg who is known for his comedic one-liners. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Volstagg in his original interpretation as a bumbling idiot who often runs away from battle. Marvel cast renowned hard-man Ray Stevenson in the role for a reason. Heimdall (Idris Elba)  Heindall, the often silent guardian of Asgard, is tasked with watching over the rainbow bridge in case of attack. The character serves as something of a seer to the rest of the Asgardians because of his superhuman ability to see and hear across both space and time. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Heindall&amp;#039;s troubled relationship with the manipulative villain Amora, a character notably absent from the film&amp;#039;s roster. The Destroyer  An enchanted suit of armour forged by Odin himself, The Destroyer has become more of a hindrance than a use to Thor over the years. While the suit can be worn by an Asgardian it is more often artificially animated by various villains and pitted against Thor and his allies. The armour is said to be totally invulnerable and is even stronger than Thor himself. As well as giving the wearer immense strength, The Destroyer also emits a disintegration beam that was once powerful enough to split Thor&amp;#039;s hammer Mjolnir in two. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: The Destroyer powered up by the consciousness of an evil version of the Hulk who then fights the real Hulk, in what was a ridiculously confusing story that could only have been told in the &amp;#039;90s. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)  Watch out for a cameo appearance by the superhero archer Hawkeye as part of the build-up to next year&amp;#039;s team-up film The Avengers. While the length of Renner&amp;#039;s appearance in Thor is unknown, it will definitely be more than just a simple post-credits teaser and is likely to set-up Thor&amp;#039;s inclusion in the all-star team. Don&amp;#039;t expect to see: Hawkeye dressed in his classic camp purple and blue costume from the comic books. Marvel Studios has included some of the most important characters from Thor&amp;#039;s supporting roster to ensure that audiences see Thor as a key part of their plan for The Avengers franchise. Only a few names from the comic book series have been omitted, including Thor&amp;#039;s brother Balder and the the villainess Hela, but there is every possibility they may just have been saved for the recently confirmed Thor sequel. While there is no doubt Thor is an extreme departure for those expecting a simple follow-on from Iron Man 2, the film&amp;#039;s strong cast, epic visuals, and faithful adherence to the comic books could see Thor become the cinematic A-lister he deserves to be. Thor will be released in cinemas on April 29 in the UK and on May 6 in the US. Watch the trailer for Marvel Studios&amp;#039; Thor below:  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a315950/everything-you-need-to-know-about-thor/>