by There are spoilers for Moon Knight below, as well as possible spoilers for Thor 4 and Black Panther 2.
A new image from Thor: Love and Thunder has confirmed how the upcoming Marvel movie ties into Moon Knight and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The photograph, which was uploaded to the official Disney Image Database on Monday, May 16, shows Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster/Mighty Thor sitting next to Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. It’s unclear where exactly the duo is (we’ll get to that in a bit), but this new location isn’t the biggest surprise this image from Thor 4 holds.
Look at the bottom right of the image and you’ll notice another character in what appears to be a panther costume. In our opinion, this is none other than Bast, the Egyptian god who has ties to Moon Knight. Y Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Look at the image below:
For the uninitiated, Bast is part of the Ennead, the group of Egyptian gods that we were introduced to in the Disney Plus live-action series of Moon Knight. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Bast is also the goddess who brought the first Black Panther, Bashenga, to the heart-shaped grass, the source of the Black Panther’s superpowers.
Marvel movie pundits have previously claimed that Bast would appear in Thor: Love and Thunder, but this is the first confirmed sighting of the panther god in the Norse god’s fourth solo film.
Well, at least the Bast avatar. According to The Cosmic Circus, Akosia Sabet (Clickbait) has been cast as Bastet in the Marvel Phase 4 project, and it looks like it’s Sabet who’s sitting across from Portman’s Jane Foster/Mighty Thor.
In Marvel comics (and Egyptian mythology), Bastet and Bast are interchangeable names for the Egyptian goddess. However, it may be that Marvel Studios decided to use Bast to refer to the goddess herself, and Bastet as the name of her human avatar, to avoid confusing audiences when the film is released.
It’s not too long a wait before we know for sure anyway. Thor: Love and Thunder will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide on July 8.
Analysis: Will Thor 4 Feature the Parliament of Pantheons?
Given that Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher, the main villain of Thor: Love and Thunder, will be on a quest to rid the MCU of its mythical beings, it’s obvious why Bast would show up in the superhero movie. She is a goddess, after all, so she’ll want to make sure Gorr’s quest for vengeance ends quickly.
Bast is not the only one who should also be afraid. From Norse gods like Thor, Valkyrie, and now Mjolnir-wielding Jane Foster, to Greek gods (Russell Crowe plays Zeus in Thor 4, as we saw in the film’s trailer), Gorr is out to catch them all. So it would make sense for the various gods of the MCU to meet in person to discuss plans to stop Gorr.
So what better place to connect in such difficult times than the Parliament of Pantheons? In the comics, the Parliament of Pantheons is an intergovernmental organization where gods from across the Marvel universe congregate. It is here that they discuss all sorts of topics, including peace and moderation of the kingdoms they rule. He made his first appearance in a Thor comic, Thor: God of Thunder #3 in December 2012, so it would be a nice touch if the Parliament of Pantheons made their MCU debut in a solo Thor movie.
With someone as powerful as Gorr targeting every single one of them, it would be insane for the gods of the MCU not to get together and discuss ways to stop their spree of revenge-filled killings. The Parliament of Pantheons is as good a place as any to hold those discussions, and that’s why we think Valkyrie, Jane Foster, and Bastet are seen in the same room in the image Disney has released.
Sure, the trio could be taking a seat on the council of New Asgard, meaning the new home for Asgardians on earth after the events of Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. However, it wouldn’t make sense for Bastet to have a place on the New Asgard council, so we believe he is a member of the Parliament of Pantheons along with Valkyrie and Jane Foster. Either way, we’ll know for sure in less than two months.
For more Marvel-based content, read about Disney accidentally revealing She-Hulk’s release date on Disney Plus.
