The recent hoopla about Hemdall being cast as Idris Elba is strange. One side attacks from the racist view that their ancestors had and the other from the atheist and/or christian view that those gods don’t really exist. Let’s pretend the world is sane at the moment.
1. It’s a comic book movie. Comic books were and are in some cases very un PC. Thor, in the Marvel Universe (which isn’t ours btw) is a blond exiled being of a race of Alien super beings. This is called fiction and frankly as long Idris Elba does a good job of acting our the part of alien Hemdall then I’m for it. The only worry I have for this movie is that it dissolves into silliness. I have hope since Marvel took the most boring superhero they had and made him fun and engaging. There are various versions of Hemdall in Marvel comics. In fact the one in Thor Mighty Avenger is black.
2. We are not our ancestor’s children. Let me be clear. My family comes from Northern and Eastern Europe. We’re Scots (French Dane), Belgium, Danish, English, German and Ukrainian. I’ve made no bones about being pagan. However I’m not beholden to all my ancestors beliefs. The argument that our ancestors did not mix race holds no water today and is racist. Is that really something we should hold on to? No. Unequivocally no.
Idris Elba, as far as I’m concerned is an actor. He’s had a long career in TV and movies. I haven’t seen any of his previous work but I expect him to act the part assigned, which is that of the protector of Asgard. So unless the director can’t get past the silly of the Thor comic, and directs actors to act like they were in the Phantom Menace, I’m pretty sure Idris Elba will do a great job.
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