Ah, the MCU. The current gold standard for movie & TV HAH-style storytelling (Humor, Action, Heart). Whether you love or hate the MCU, you have to give credit where credit is due. Across twenty-three released movies, a TV show, and with so much more to come, Executive Producer Kevin Feige clearly has a vision. And focusing that vision with sixteen different directors (and even more writers) into a cogent, beloved universe is nothing short of herculean.
Except you Agents of SHIELD. Apparently, you’re the red-headed stepchild no one loves. Trust me . . . I understand.
Images from ABC and UntappedDespite the (likely?) small army of continuity directors the MCU employs, films are slaves to the editing process, and mistakes are made. As such, certain errors pop up, no matter how hard you try. I’m sure you’ve seen website articles exploring these oversights in plot-logic. And it’s one of these “mistakes” that had a buddy and me laughing the more we explored. So I give you a theory: Did Loki’s negligence force Eitri the Dwarven weapon maker on Nidavellir to resort to cannibalism in order to survive? Here’s the evidence:
We meet Eitri on Nidavellir in 2018’s Avengers Infinity War. He claimed 300 Dwarves lived on that space station, that Thanos forced him to make a gauntlet for the Infinity Stones, and that Asgard had abandoned them (the Dwarves.)
Image from Marvel
Ahh, but what else do we know?
Odin had, what we thought, was the Infinity Gauntlet in 2011’s Thor
Image from Insider.com
But we learned that it was “fake” in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.
Image from Marvel
In 2018’s Avengers Infinity War, Thor claimed to be 1500. But he didn’t know about his sister. So, Odin’s desire to wield the Infinity Gauntlet likely led to a prototype created over 1500 years earlier, which is why Hela knew the one in the vault was fake.
Image from Marvel
Wait, so how does this get us to Dwarf eating dwarf? Don’t worry, we’re getting there
At the end of 2013’s Thor The Dark World, Loki has assumed the mantle of Asgard’s king disguised as Odin.
Image from Collider
Thor then runs off and has adventures, including 2015’s Avengers Age of Ultron.
Image from Marvel
In the Age of Ultron post-credits stinger, we see Thanos say “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” and grabs the Infinity Gauntlet. So, by 2015, Thanos has the Infinity Gauntlet.
Image from Marvel
Thor reports Asgard in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok that the nine realms are in chaos. Since Loki has been pleasuring himself with plays starring Matt Damon and building statues, it’s no wonder why. Shortly thereafter, Asgard is destroyed.
Image from Marvel
So this brings us back to 2018’s Avengers Infinity War where we meet Eitri the Dwarf. And like we said earlier, Thanos had come to Nidavellir and bid Eitri make a gauntlet powerful enough to wield the Infinity Stones.
But Eitri never said when Thanos requested the gauntlet be made?
Image from Marvel
And the answer, based on the MCU presented timeline, is likely Thanos came to Eitri between Loki taking control of Asgard (2013) and Age of Ultron (2015) where we see Thanos with the gauntlet. Eitri likely just used the mold he made for the fake prototype 1500+ earlier. For his efforts, Thanos spared Eitri, but took his hands.
So for anywhere between 2013 (Thor 2) and 2018 (Infinity War) Eitri was alone. I’m sure he rationed the space station’s food for as long as he could. But with no supplies coming in from Asgard, well . . . after a while, hunger takes over. 300 dwarves, but no bodies? Yet, aside from his hands, Eitri seems to be doing … okay? Even … well-fed?
So yes, our beloved God of Mischief piss-poor leadership likely resulted in poor Eitri resorting to eating his dead kin like my redneck family at an all-you-can-eat buffet. No silverware and face first.
Image from Vice
Can’t wait for that to be explored in Loki’s Disney Plus show, or that animated What If? (Maybe a second season bonus?)
Excelsior!