0667-12-19 CE - What if... ? - Season 3, Episode 7: Hela Found the Ten Rings?
- Snark Industries
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
In an alternate timeline branching from the early history of the Nine Realms, the Allfather Odin deviates from his established path of absolute containment. Rather than imprisoning his firstborn daughter and former executioner, Hela, in the lightless void of Hel to suppress her insatiable bloodlust, he opts for a transformative punishment rooted in humility. This decision serves as the nexus point for a reality where the Goddess of Death is stripped of her divine armor and her necro-powers, then cast down to Midgard to learn the value of life among those she once sought to conquer. Banished to medieval China, Hela finds herself in a world where her titles carry no weight and her physical strength is bounded by mortal limitations, forcing a confrontation with her own identity and the legacy of violence she inherited from her father.
As Hela navigates this unfamiliar landscape, she encounters the immortal warlord Xu Wenwu and the clandestine power of the Ten Rings. Her journey takes her from the fortified compounds of the Ten Rings to the mystical, hidden realm of Ta Lo, where she undergoes a rigorous internal and external transformation under the tutelage of the master Jiayi. This shift from conqueror to student allows Hela to reclaim her agency, ultimately defining her own "worthiness" through the lens of mercy rather than conquest. When the forces of Asgard descend upon Earth to claim the Ten Rings for their own, Hela must stand as a defender of the world she was sent to, leading to a new cosmic order where the armies of Asgard and the Ten Rings unite as liberators rather than oppressors.
Universe Designation
This story takes place in the Marvel Continuity: Earth-TRN1092
This universe is categorized as a "Merciful Hela" reality. The defining deviation is Odin’s choice of reform through humility over total erasure from history. This choice prevents the thousand-year imprisonment of Hela that led to the events of Thor: Ragnarok in the Sacred Timeline.
Characters in the Episode
Character Name | Voice Actor/Status | Context and Narrative Function |
Jeffrey Wright | The multiversal observer who narrates the divergence and provides the foundational premise. | |
Cate Blanchett | The protagonist of the timeline; transitions from the Goddess of Death to the Goddess of Life/Liberation. | |
Jeff Bergman | The King of Asgard; functions as the primary antagonist whose colonial ambitions drive the conflict. | |
Feodor Chin | Leader of the Ten Rings; an immortal warlord who seeks an alliance with Hela. | |
Lauren Tom | Master of Ta Lo and mentor to Hela; teaches the philosophy of mercy and internal balance. | |
Idris Elba | Guardian of the Bifrost; Triggers Odin's invasion of Earth. | |
Non-Speaking | A Dijiang from Ta Lo who guides Hela through the bamboo forest's magical defenses. | |
Non-Speaking | The dragon spirit of Ta Lo; its presence serves as a deterrent against Hela's potential betrayal. | |
Non-Speaking | Appears during the epilogue's invasion of Zen-Whoberi; challenged by the new alliance. | |
Non-Speaking | Witness to the intervention on Zen-Whoberi; her life trajectory is fundamentally altered. | |
Non-Speaking | Hela’s wolf companion; shown in flashbacks being taken away by Odin to be "tamed." |
In-Universe Date
The Flashback Anchor: 667 B.C.E.
The earliest chronological point established in the episode is a flashback dated precisely to December 9, 667 B.C. (-06671209). During this period, a young Hela is shown playing with the wolf Fenris before the animal is taken away by Odin. Given that Asgardians age significantly slower than humans, Hela’s transition from a child to the adult "executioner" of the Nine Realms would take several centuries. This placement aligns with established lore that Hela was active during the initial subjugation of the realms long before the birth of Thor.
The Medieval Chinese Context: 500 A.D. – 950 A.D.
The central narrative occurs when Hela is banished to Earth, landing in medieval China. Several key factors narrow this window:
Xu Wenwu's Rise
Wenwu discovered the Ten Rings roughly one thousand years before the modern MCU era, placing his rise to power in the medieval period, likely between the 6th and 10th centuries. The architecture and armor shown are consistent with representations of the Tang Dynasty or the early Song Dynasty.
Hela's life before Thor
A critical upper limit is provided by the absence of Thor, who was born in approximately 965 A.D. Hela refers to Frigga as Odin’s "new girlfriend," implying the union is relatively recent and predates the birth of their biological son. Most analysts place the "Nexus Point" in the late 5th or early 6th century A.D.
Comic Roots
Lee/Kirby Influence
Hela first appeared in Journey into Mystery #102 (1964). Her iconic headdress is a hallmark of Jack Kirby’s style.26 The "Hela the White" costume introduced here serves as a visual antithesis to her classic design, symbolizing her rebirth.
The Jason Aaron Era
The episode leverages the characterization of Hela as a "blade-manifesting" warrior, inspired by the Necrosword ability seen in Jason Aaron’s Thor: God of Thunder (2012–2014).
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