Surtur (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

"Ragnarök cannot be stopped. What makes you think you can succeed?"

- Surtur

Surtur is a minor, yet important antagonist in the 2017 movie Thor: Ragnarok.

He is an immense fire demon and the Lord of Muspelheim, who is prophecied to bring forth the cataclysmic event known as Ragnarök - which will culminate in him destroying Asgard. He is seemingly immortal and immensely powerful, as witnesses when the prophecy comes true and Surtur annihilates Asgard and even kills the Goddess of Death, Hela, in the process.

His motion-capture performance is done by the film's director Taika Waititi, while he is voiced by Clancy Brown who also portrayed General Wade Eiling in the Arrowverse.

Biography
In his search for answers regarding the Infinity Stones, Thor is captured in Muspelheim and brought before Surtur. The Fire Lord taunts Thor and reveals to his captive that his father, Odin, no longer rules Asgard. Furthermore, with Thor's absence he has left the realm open for attacks. Surtur claims that he will soon destroy Asgard when he will unite his crown with the Eternal Flame which Odin, after taking it from Surtur millennia ago, locked in the vaults of Asgard. However, Thor then strikes and is able to defeat Surtur in battle. In order to prevent Surtur's prophecy from coming true, Thor takes Surtur's crown with him and locks it up in the vaults of Asgard.

When the Goddess of Death, Hela, invades Asgard and reanimates its fallen soldiers as her army, Thor realizes that he cannot defeat of stop Hela. Thus, he decides that Asgard is not defined by its location but by its people. He then orders his brother Loki to place Surtur's crown in the Eternal Flame, which Loki does. This calls forth Surtur, who immediately starts annihilating Asgard, also killing Hela in the process. While Thor, Loki, Valkyrie and Hulk can safely evacuate the citizens of Asgard in a spaceship, they are forced to wach Ragnarök unfold as Surtur completely destroys their home with fire, leaving only asteroids in its stead.

Trivia

 * This is the first live-action adaptation of the comic book villain Fire Lord Surtur.