Why does Thor cry in Deadpool & Wolverine? The scene explained

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine weren’t just hyped because people wanted to see Ryan Reynolds being Ryan Reynolds, or Hugh Jackman jumping back into those claws. It was the promise that this movie would totally mess with the usual Marvel blueprint—meta jokes, breaking the fourth wall, and wild cameos. And out of all the viral chaos, one scene just absolutely blew up the internet: Thor bawling his eyes out over a messed-up, bleeding Deadpool.

This super-dramatic shot pops up in the middle of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) pivotal sequence. Deadpool’s getting bombarded with future visions and alternate timelines. And then, there it is—Thor (Chris Hemsworth) just sitting there, tears streaming, holding Deadpool.

It’s jarring in a movie that’s usually more about you-know-what jokes and meta commentary. So naturally, Deadpool’s confused, and everyone watching is confused. Why is Thor, the literal thunder god, sobbing over Marvel’s biggest troll? Does this mean Deadpool matters now? Or is Marvel just screwing with us?

Let’s dig into this wild scene. Where did this idea even come from? Is it just a gag, or is there something deeper going on? And what does it say about where the MCU’s headed next?

By the end, you’ll actually get why Thor’s blubbering, and maybe, just maybe, see how Marvel’s messing with the whole superhero game—and our expectations—at the same time.

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The scene in context: What happens in Deadpool & Wolverine?

In the film Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool is brought to the TVA– the time-cop bureaucracy from Loki. He’s standing there, and there’s a whole wall of screens showing MCU flashbacks, sneak peeks, maybe even some stuff that’ll never happen.

And then there’s Thor. He is clutching Deadpool’s lifeless body, tears streaming down his face.

Of course, Deadpool can’t just let that slide. He locks in on that image, turns to Mr. Paradox, and starts grilling him: “Why is Thor crying?”

Nobody at the TVA gives him a straight answer. So Deadpool just keeps hammering the question, and it somehow morphs into this ongoing joke. The movie keeps swinging back to it– "Why is Thor crying, though?"

A couple of things make this scene pop. For starters, it’s got an emotional vibe, riffing off the moment in Thor: The Dark World when Thor thinks he’s lost Loki for good. Except now it’s Deadpool in Loki’s spot, which is both hilarious and weirdly touching.

Also, fun fact: they didn’t shoot anything new for this; it is old footage from 2013, just with Deadpool’s body photoshopped in where Loki used to be.

And the best part is that the movie never actually tells you what the deal is. No explanation, no closure, just a big question mark. It’s left dangling there, so you can overthink it with your friends or just laugh it off.

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The creative origins: An Easter egg, a joke, or foreshadowing?

Archival footage and digital manipulation

As mentioned above, Chris Hemsworth did not shoot anything new for Deadpool & Wolverine. The studio just grabbed some old footage from Thor: The Dark World, and repurposed that super emotional scene where Thor’s all weepy over Loki's death. Instead of Loki, they just put Deadpool in there digitally.

Thor got a few touch-ups too, but it’s mostly copy-paste.

The running gag and meta-humor

It’s not like they picked that moment by accident. Deadpool & Wolverine live and breathe meta jokes and breaking the fourth wall. Seeing Thor bawling over Deadpool is the joke. It’s basically trolling the serious superhero movies trope. Swapping out Loki for Deadpool is just poking fun at the MCU’s own melodrama because Deadpool never really fits in with those guys anyway.

The original pitch: A Deadpool–Thor parody

Here’s a fun tidbit: Early on in the interviews, Wendy Jacobson, executive producer of Deadpool & Wolverine, revealed on Disney+ documentary Assembled: The Making of Deadpool & Wolverine that one of the original ideas for Deadpool 3 was just to straight-up remake Thor: The Dark World, but with Deadpool crashing every scene.

"We had some crazy ideas. At one point we talked about a frame-for-frame remake of Thor 2, up until the midpoint, with Deadpool in it, and then it would go to another place. We had Deadpool’s Deleted Scenes Extravaganza, we were going to try and show that he was in the MCU the whole time, you just didn’t see his scenes because they were all on the cutting room floor."

They ditched that, but this “Thor crying” gag survived as a kind of in-joke and maybe a little love letter to Marvel’s own over-the-top drama. So, it’s a parody and a tribute, both at once.

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Fan theories and speculation

Even though the scene’s obviously played for laughs, fans can’t just let it go as a throwaway gag. Thanks to the MCU always connecting everything and dropping hints years in advance, people are trained to see secret meaning in even the dumbest stuff.

So, of course, theories are flying about why Thor’s bawling his eyes out over Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool’s heroic sacrifice

Most people think this whole scene is Deadpool throwing himself on the grenade to save Thor, or maybe the entire Avengers squad. In this scenario, Thor is crying over Deadpool, who finally got his hero moment instead of just cracking jokes.

That tracks with Deadpool always chasing a seat at the cool kids’ table in the MCU. Plus, the redemption arc is a classic superhero movie move. Deadpool wants to matter, and this would be his big shot.

Foreshadowing future MCU events

Some fans are convinced this scene in Deadpool & Wolverine is Marvel dropping breadcrumbs for the next big stuff, such as Avengers: Secret Wars, which isn’t showing up until 2027. Even Chris Hemsworth kinda teased that we’ll understand what's going on once more movies roll out.

So, odds are, this moment’s got its fingers in the whole multiverse pie or some wild crossovers. And the TVA, with all its alternate realities, is like the ultimate launchpad for future chaos.

Deadpool’s desire for significance

Deadpool’s whole journey is him screaming, “Hey, notice me!” at the top of his lungs. He just wants to be more than a punchline—he’s dying to be seen as legit by the others and fit somewhere inside the MCU.

So, when Thor gets all teary-eyed about him—even if it’s just some made-up future—that’s like the universe finally giving Deadpool a high-five. That scene is poking fun at the fact that Deadpool’s always been the odd man out, desperate for a little bit of that superhero club love.

Pure satire and absurdity

A few fans are dead set on the idea that the whole scene in Deadpool & Wolverine is just a gag. It’s Deadpool poking fun at all that MCU over-the-top drama—winking at us because Marvel loves to reuse its own greatest hits.

If you look at it that way, the scene’s not dropping hints or setting up some big twist down the road. It’s just Deadpool doing his thing, walking that weird line where you can’t tell if he’s being real or just roasting the whole superhero genre.

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Official commentary: What the filmmakers and actors say

Ryan Reynolds’ cryptic tease

Ryan Reynolds—the guy who is Deadpool at this point—keeps everyone guessing. Instead of just giving us a straight answer, he hops on X and says:

“I know why Thor was crying. I can’t unknow it. #DeadpoolAndWolverine.”

He stirs the pot and then just walks away. Reynolds knows exactly what he’s doing, and it’s hilarious.

Chris Hemsworth’s response

Chris Hemsworth has actually chatted about that scene in a few interviews. When people pressed him about the whole emotional vibe, he shrugged and said he’s in the dark too. In an interview with Black Girl Nerds, Hemsworth said something like:

“I’m asking the same question. You’ll have to keep your focus on the Marvel Universe because there will be an answer.”

So… yeah, he’s not spilling anything.

Shawn Levy and the creative team

Shawn Levy and the crew straight-up said they wanted people arguing in the parking lot afterward. It’s one of those things where you can watch it as a goofy comedy or get all deep and nerdy about the MCU connections—dealer’s choice.