A ChucksConnection TV Series Feature
David Stakston wears black and brown low top Converse “Chuck Taylor” All Stars in the series.
Ragnorak
Magne wears brown low top chucks in Season 2.
Magne wears brown low top chucks in Season 2.
The old mythologies have kept humans enthralled for thousands of years. From the Greek pantheon on Olympus to the Norse halls of Asgard, humans have been fascinated by the gods and goddesses that built our world. These legends have even persisted into modern times, with many retellings occurring in comics, movies, and TV. One such retelling of Norse mythology is the Norwegian fantasy drama television series Ragnarok. The show takes place in the present-day fictional Norwegian town of Edda in Hordaland, which is plagued by climate change and industrial pollution caused by factories owned by a local family. It sees the legendary gods return to once again save the world from the “end of all things”. The series stars David Stakston, Jonas Strand Gravli, Herman Tømmeraas, Theresa Frostad Eggesbø, Emma Bones, Ylva Bjørkaas Thedin, Henriette Steenstrup, Synnøve Macody Lund, Bjørn Sundquist, Eli Anne Linnestad, and Gísli Örn Garðarsson. Airing on Netflix since 2020, the show has the original Norwegian audio and a dubbed English version as well. The series premiered in January 2020, with a second season released in May 2021. A third and final season was released on August 24, 2023..
Magne seeks clarity from Wenche on his place in the story.
The show begins with Magne (Stakston), his brother Laurits (Gravli), and his mother Turid (Steenstrup) moving back to the small Norwegian town of Edda. The boys' father had died in Edda under mysterious circumstances when they were children, and the family moved away soon after. As they drive into town, their car is slowed down behind a stalled Wotan (Sundquist) in his mobility scooter. Magne gets out to help him when he is approached by the mysterious Wenche (Linnestad). She tells Magne he is a good boy, looks up at him intensely, and blesses him by touching his forehead. This little gesture sets Magne on the path towards his true destiny. A flicker of lightning passes his eyes and we can only wonder what is coming.
Have you ever seen the God of Thunder wearing chucks?
At their new school, Magne and Laurits have different experiences making friends. Laurits is a people person and quickly makes friends with the popular crowd that includes Saxa (Eggesbø) and Fjor (Tømmeraas) Jutul. They are the children of Vidar (Garðarsson) and Ran (Lund) and are the richest family in town that own the rare metal factory Jutul Industries. Magne on the other hand is an outsider. He is dyslexic, reserved and keeps to himself. With his large size, he is very awkward and kind of lumbers around in his chucks. He does make one friend, the eco-activist Isolde (Thedin) who blames the town’s pollution problems on Jutul Industries. Magne and Isolde grow close pretty quickly, but things take a twisted turn when Isolde dies in a paragliding accident. Magne suspects the Jutuls being behind it, and his quest for justice brings him closer to the truth. He learns that the Jutuls have been alive for centuries and aren’t actually human. They are the legendary jötnar from Norse mythology, and they have been using their power and immortality to rule over Norway since the gods died out. Magne then realizes his place in this story: he is the reincarnation of Thor, God of Thunder. The rest of the show sees Magne learn to use his powers, accept his role, and find the key to defeat the Jutuls, the mythical Mjolnir.
Magne’s mom Turid always tries her best to support him despite not knowing his true purpose.
This show is a very creative retelling of Norse mythology. The setting of this small town tucked away in a Norwegian fjord gives this sense of isolation which adds to feeling that this is a telling of a battle from long-ago. David Stakston is great as Magne as he is able to really pull off the transformation from meek and mild-mannered boy to all-powerful God of Thunder. It’s a very similar transformation to the modern hero of Spider-Man and you can see some of that influence here. The rest of the cast is also good with a special mention for Jonas Strand Gravli, Herman Tømmeraas, and Theresa Frostad Eggesbø. The effects are also really good for being a streaming show. Some of the dialogue can be a bit awkward at times but that is due to the English dubbing creating weird moments. However, this does not take away from what is a fun and exciting show!
New student Iman joins Magne’s council of Gods as the reincarnation of Freyja.
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