Evading Tony Stark’s dust, the God of Thunder proves hammer trumps iron in a sequel that soars above more grounded films. True, “Thor: The Dark World” is no “Avengers” (the gods bless you, Joss Whedon), but at least Marvel’s latest addition to their cinematic universe pits its demigod against opponents worthy of Norse mythology.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) prepares to take on yet another evil foe in “Thor: The Dark World”. (photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) caused quite a ruckus in New York (that whole alien army attack in “The Avengers”), leaving the Nine Realms in shambles. Luckily Thor (Chris Hemsworth) learned humility from his time on Earth, and is now fighting to bring peace and elevate Asgard to its honorable status in the stars. But an ancient evil lies in waiting, biding time until all the realms (Earth, Asgard and several to be announced realms) align in the Convergence –– a cosmic event older than the average Asgardian, including the great Allfather Odin (Anthony Hopkins).

A hidden faction of the extinct Dark Elves are all too aware of this anomaly, since it will allow their leader, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), to access the Aether (out with the Tesseract from “Captain America” and “The Avengers”; it’s time for a new galactic weapon to take center stage), which has the power to send all existence back into oblivion. So Thor must defeat an army from his grandpa’s day. But he’ll need the help of shamed bro Loki, lest the Nine Realms return to their darkened states.

Despite a sloppy start (prologues tend to turn corny rather quickly), “Thor 2” finds its groove, thankfully abandoning several flaws found in the film’s predecessor (Asgard is far more interesting than New Mexico). Finally, Thor faces a grander foe and spends most of his time off world. But “Thor 2” ups the one-liner quotient, mostly thanks to some unexpected banter from Loki and expected moments from Darcy (Kat Dennings from “2 Broke Girls”).

“Thor 2” finally sends the son of Odin on an adventure worthy of a $170 million budget. But this isn’t a normal fantasy adventure. The Dark Elves exact revenge on Asgard not on horseback, not even flying horses either, but piloting a spaceship and several fighter shuttles. The Asgardians return fire with a combination of laser-blasters from turrets and their own flying machines. As Thor says in the first film, “Your ancestors called it magic, but you call it science. I come from a land where they are one and the same” –– and science and fantasy merge quite well here. There’s something oddly reassuring about a film series that effortlessly ignores once clear genre lines within the blockbuster formula.

Loki might be as cold as his Frost Giant kin, but lovable sociopaths make for great cinematic characters. Hiddleston proves, for a third time, that every great superhero film needs a layered antagonist. Rather than a one-dimensional nemesis — that’s Malekith’s job — Hiddleston outshines an encore cast.

Unlike other Marvel films, the “Thor” universe features a large cast of supporting characters who are more engaging than the leads. Hemsworth is a great Thor, but Heimdall (Idris Elba), Sif (Jamie Alexander) and the Warriors Three — Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Fandral (newly cast Zachary Levi, the star of “Chuck”) and Hogun (Tadanobu Asano, who’s largely absent in this sequel) — need more screen time. Come the final showdown, it’s all about Thor and Malekith, when it should feature the might of Asgard united in a common cause.

The Dark Elves invade Asgard in “Thor: The Dark World”. (photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Sure, Natalie Portman, as love interest Jane Foster, is far more pivotal to the sequel’s storyline, but even fellow human Darcy (Dennings) outdoes the 2011 Oscar winner. Love stories (and an oddly underdeveloped triangle with Sif) only go so far when a Dark Elf army knocks at the door. And to be honest, Hopkins, as Odin, is better on paper than the silver screen. His own wife, Frigga (Rene Russo), more wisely spends her camera time.

“Thor: The Dark World” embarks on very little new ground, but it does finally provide the epic action sequences missing in the first film (and in the last two “Iron Mans” for that matter).

An original story? No. It’s as old as the Norse tales themselves. But some stories are worth retelling. Prepare for an entertaining romp through a promising and never-ending universe in spectacle cinema of the highest grade. Just give it about 15 minutes before you pass judgment.