Let’s be real: the Norse thunder god Thor wasn’t at the top of anyone’s list of Marvel superheroes who just had to get the big-screen treatment. So when those first Thor images debuted in recent months, depicting 26-year-old Chris Hemsworth looking uber-angsty as the titular blond warrior and Sir Anthony Hopkins as his armored, one-eyed daddy Odin, plenty of Marvel fans were left quietly wondering how cheesy this Thor would turn out to be.

Why so serious, we wondered? Where’s the fun? The action? The awesomeness? Would director Kenneth Branagh deliver the next Iron Man, an unexpected jewel in the Marvel Studios lineup that could turn a lesser-known comic book hero into a pop culture-dominating icon? (Or, more pessimistic but also possible: will Thor be Branagh’s next Frankenstein?)

Movie stills of Hemsworth, long-haired and staring in repose in his Thor armor, did little to assuage doubt. Neither did the sight of Hopkins, well-lit but looking a tad off-kilter, eerily recalling his turn in this year’s The Wolfman. (Shudder.) The gleaming throne room of Asgard, however, promised plenty of gorgeous and ornate set design whenever Thor visited the world of the gods. But other than these few glimpses of Branagh’s 2011 tent pole, Thor didn’t exactly have fans clamoring for more.

And then came Comic-Con. Marvel Studios’ legendary panel was highlighted by a surprise Avengers cast appearance (Scarlett! RDJ! Ruffalo as the Hulk!) but even more surprising was how well the Thor footage went over with the thousands packed into Hall H. Finally, fans had a reason to be excited. Or rather, five reasons:

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1. Chris Hemsworth and his 3-D abs

Forget the sure-to-be-thrilling action set pieces as Thor battles baddies on Earth and up in Asgard — clearly, Marvel and Branagh are targeting the ladies with their decision to convert Thor to 3-D. Why else insert an extended shot of Aussie star Chris Hemsworth with no shirt on into the 3-D trailer? Those abs were right in my face. I could not escape them. (Who’d want to?) The relatively unknown Hemsworth, 26, has yet to truly show his acting chops, but looks fantastic swinging a hammer in a midair slow-jump. So there’s that.

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2. Clichés make for great drama

Branagh packed so much into his Comic-Con trailer that we can already surmise plot points and general story and character arcs — and thankfully, Thor promises to spend more time on Earth than those early photos indicate. Expect Thor to: be a flawed hero whose arrogance causes his banishment on Earth; wrestle with daddy issues, like every major superhero that ever was; and be redeemed by the love of a good lady scientist (as The Hulk was with Betty Ross, Wolverine with Jean Gray, etc.). Then the reluctant hero will step up and assume his responsibility by defeating a former ally-turned-enemy. Angst and introspection will most certainly ensue — along with some good, old-fashioned superhero action. Wash, rinse, repeat, buy on DVD.

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3. Kenneth Branagh: From Shakespeare to Thor

Frankenstein aside, Branagh’s directed some great flicks over the years — but even he knows he’s a strange choice to helm Thor. Still, he pointed out to Con attendees that there are more than a few similarities between Thor and his career-topping directorial debut, 1989′s Henry V — both are dark, violent films about headstrong young men fighting Europeans in epic battles. The proof was in the pudding, though, and from the looks of the Thor trailer Branagh’s made a handsome pic rife with action, romance, and plenty of Thor going berserksgangr all over the place.

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4. Romance! Kissing! Happy endings?

Spider-Man upside-down kissed Mary Jane but kept pushing her into the arms of other men, Batman loved and lost, and the Incredible Hulk had to go on the lam, leaving his lady behind. Behind every superhero there’s a winsome leading lady — but Thor might actually get to enjoy happiness with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, who’s signed on for future Thor sequels). We look forward to seeing Portman break Thor’s tough-god exterior with her down-to-Earth charm, and hope she gets to plant more than one meaty kiss on his bearded mug in the first film.

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5. Marvel-icious crossovers galore?

Thor hits theaters in May 2011, followed by Captain America in July, and then both Thor and Cappy will show up in The Avengers movie to be directed by Joss Whedon. What’s clear from Marvel’s Comic-Con outing is that the studio plans to make major property crossovers happen as much as possible over the next few years, all tied together neatly with Avengers thread. That sound you hear? It’s the collective nerdgasm of thousands of geeks squealing with excitement.

For example: S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), seen indoctrinating Tony Stark in the Iron Man films, pops up in the Thor trailer interrogating the silent, surly superhero either before or after he bashes his way out of a government compound. (Remember Coulson leaving L.A. for New Mexico in Iron Man 2, where agents discovered Thor’s hammer in the desert?) Coulson and his men are also shown confronting a large robot in Thor, mistaking it for “one of Stark’s.”

Meanwhile, the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) will be shown searching for Odin’s Tesseract in Joe Johnson’s Captain America, linking the Thor mythos to Captain America‘s WWII-set story. It’s one big geek-out in the making for Marvel fans, and it all begins with Thor.

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