Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Odin

Frigga tells Loki:

FRIGGA: Odin never does anything unless there's a reason for it.

And she's not lying.

As ruler of Asgard, Odin has to make all the right calls and make sure his people stay prosperous and at peace. That gives him a lot of insight into handling life, and he's happy to share that knowledge with Thor. Granted, his mentorship has to take the form of tossing Thor out of his realm like a football and watching quite literally thrash around in the mud sometimes in order to learn a fairly simple lesson, but tough love is called "tough" for a reason.

Erik

Erik is to Jane what Odin is to Thor: a guide on her journey who helps her along with useful information…and dusts her off when she ends up in trouble. He even has a father-figure thing going on—he mentions that he and Jane's father "taught together at university."

He also serves as a guide to Thor, showing him the ropes on Earth and helping his colleagues understand who and what Thor really is. Thor couldn't get where he needs to go without him, setting him firmly in the same basic camp as Odin, despite having both eyes.