Thor (Marvel)
Thor is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Thor Odinson
Among the remains of old Asgard, the remaining gods found that those who perished during Ragnarok had been transformed into small wooden statues. Modi and Magni also located Thor's hammer Mjolnir, and deciding that they must live out this new world in peace tossed the hammer to Earth where it landed in the Rhine River in Switzerland where it transformed into gold. Odin's spear Gungnir was later found by Vili, Ve, Vidar, and Vali who all sought to claim its power. However, when all the men touched the spear at once they all merged into the current incarnation of Odin. With the knowledge of the Ragnarok that came before, the All-Father used his great power to resurrect all the Asgardian gods into new forms, all save for Thor. This account also states that Odin implanted memories of Norse mythology into their minds. Asgard was soon rebuilt and the Bifrost bridge to Earth was reconnected before Odin went to recreate his favored son. (Thor v2 #294) In this cycle, Odin decided that his son Thor should be born with a direct connection to Earth. In order to facilitate this, Thor sought out the Earth mother Jord. Jord gave birth to Thor, and after a few months of weaning, Odin took the boy to Asgard where he was given into the care of his wife Frigga. (Thor Annual v1 #11)
In this time, the Asgardian people discovered the existence of the so-called Dark Gods. When Odin's explorer Lonkarr accidentally slew the Dark God known as Tserron, her husband Perrikus the ruler of the Dark Gods declared war against Asgard. When Odin was defeated by Perrikus and his forces, he found new strength to fight back when young Thor refused to surrender. Odin and his warriors soon defeated the Dark Gods, but so traumatic the experience was the All-Father erased everyone's memories of the battle, including those of Thor. (Thor v2 #9) Later on, Odin began raising Thor's adopted brother Loki after slaying his father Laufey. (Journey into Mystery v1 #112) Early on Thor and Loki had a tight brotherly relationship, however this was soon tested thanks to Loki's constant mischief making. One day while Odin and his warriors were feasting, Loki convinced Thor to steal a bow and arrow and use it to shoot down a deer. Thor complied, but he was heartbroken over killing an innocent creature that he confessed the deed to his father, who comforted the boy. (Thor v2 #44)
There were varying accounts of how Thor came to acquire the hammer Mjolnir. According to one, Odin told both Thor and Loki about how his spear Gungnir was forged by the Dwarves Brokk and Eitri. When the two boys were left alone, Loki attempted to handle the spear, but its mystical defenses caused it to transform into a serpent and attack him. Thor went to his step-brother's aid until Odin returned to stopped the attack. Having planned on sending both Thor and Loki on a quest to have three mystical items created, Odin decided to send only Thor as punishment to Loki. Loki followed Thor to the home of Brokk and Eitri disguised as a butterfly. While the two Dwarves attempted to create the golden boar Gullinbursti, a magical arm band, and Mjolnir, Loki attempted to ruin these creations. Loki failed in all, except that his interference resulted in the fabled Uru hammer to be cast with a shorter than standard handle. None the less, when Thor brought the three gifts to Odin, he chose Mjolnir over all. Odin then cast his own enchantments on the hammer so that it could only be lifted by one who is worthy, intending that his son Thor would one day become worthy enough to wield the hammer with the power of the storm. (Thor Annual v1 #11)
During the 11th century, he came to encounter a being called Apocalypse who was empowered by the Celestials and wearing an impenetrable armor. This saw the Odinson being defeated where he sought revenge against his foe and came to find a spell which he used to enchant his axe Jarnbjorn with his own blood that allowed it to pierce the hide of his foe. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #6)
For 10 years, Thor remained within the form of Donald Blake until one day when he came to be drawn to Norway. Blake encountered a party of Stone Men of Saturn who pursued him into a cavern. Whilst there, Donald found a wooden cane and after being trapped in the cavern by a great boulder he came to strike it on the stone in frustration. This triggered into his transformation to Thor who came to escape the cavern and drove off the alien Kronan invaders. (Journey into Mystery v1 #83)
Avenger
Later on, the machinations of Loki forced several of Earth's mightiest heroes to band together to stop the Hulk. In the aftermath, Thor became a founding member of the superhuman champions known as the Avengers. (Avengers v1 #1)
Back in Asgard, Thor reported to Odin to begin the Trial of the Gods. The All-Father ordered both Thor and Loki to race through Skornheim with no weapons to see who was the better. However upon their arrival, Loki revealed that he has brought along the Norn Stones to help him through the test, and then showed Thor that he had dispatched the Enchantress and Executioner to Earth to terrorize Jane Foster to distract him. Despite these set backs, Thor managed to fight his way through Skornheim with his bare hands and wits, but he still lost the competition thanks to Loki's unfair advantage from the Norn Stones. (Journey into Mystery v1 #116)
Ragnarok
Returning Asgard to its own realm, Thor was faced with yet another Ragnarok threat when Loki teamed with Surtur using weapons created from the same forge from which Mjolnir was made. (Thor v2 #80)
Return
Traveling back to 'the void', Blake convinced Thor that he had ended the Ragnarok cycle and that if he returned to earth, he could rebuild Asgard and restore his Asgardian friends and allies. Informing him that he could only return 'with great pain', Thor was attacked by a horde of creatures. Disappearing, Donald Blake advised Thor that if he was to live again, he had to want to live again. Through the horde, Thor saw Mjolnir and reached for it. Grabbing it, a great bolt of lightning struck, throwing the horde clear of him. And Thor stood again, reborn in a new costume. (Thor v3 #1)
Thor used Mjolnir to recreate Asgard's capital in Oklahoma. Soon afterward, Iron Man met Thor in New Orleans. He greeted Thor as a friend but explained that he couldn't just appear and recreate Asgard here on Earth, even though he did now own the land. Thor told Stark that he knew of the clone that he used and how violated he felt that he used such an abomination to wage war against other heroes, many of whom Thor considered as close as family. Seeking a compromise, Stark rationalized that Asgard could be considered a foreign embassy, with diplomatic immunity granted to its inhabitants with Thor deeming this acceptable. (Thor v3 #3)
Fear Itself
Sometime after, Sin lifted a strange hammer in Antarctica and was transformed into Skadi. She then freed the enigmatic Serpent, who claimed to be the true All-Father of Asgard. Sensing this, Odin retreated from Midgard. Thor objected and so was beaten into submission by Odin. (Fear Itself v1 #1)
Odin recreated Asgard as a war world, intending to raze Midgard and defeat the Serpent once more. After escaping with Loki's help, Thor was banished back to Midgard, though not before having Mjolnir returned to him. (Fear Itself v1 #3)
After a short reunion with the Avengers he set off to Antarctica, where the Serpent had recreated his dread citadel, he confronted the Serpent but was sent to New York, where he encountered Nul and Angrir, two of the Serpent's Worthy. He managed to defeat Angrir by impaling his body with Mjolnir. Enraged by the fact that he had to hurt the Thing so badly, he attacked Nul with intense fury and then he blasted him into the upper atmosphere. He collapsed shortly after. The Avengers carried him to Asgard, where he was healed and given the Odinsword, called Ragnarok. (Fear Itself v1 #6)
Arriving in Broxton, he was able to kill the Serpent, who took the form of a giant snake, but died as well, fulfilling the prophecy. (Fear Itself v1 #7)
Thor's corpse was buried in Asgard. As his body burned, a shape was suddenly seen within the fire, and from the flames Tanarus was born, the loud-mouthed, boisterous God of Thunder, both new hero and longtime Avenger. Welcomed by his teammates, only Loki seemed to notice that Tanarus had not always been around. (Fear Itself v1 #7.2) At the same time, Thor's spirit awoke, and Donald Blake was separated from him somehow. (Mighty Thor v2 #8)
Unworthy
After discovering the corpses of long-lost gods, Thor realized that Gorr the God Butcher was still alive and began hunting him. (Thor: God of Thunder v1 #1)
After plunging himself into the Sun, he sacrificed his eye to the World Tree for knowledge on how to end the war. This saw him gaining this knowledge where he summoned the past and future version of himself who were joined by Jane Foster who once more became Thor after claiming the hammer of the War Thor. Together, they bypassed the spell of Malekith that only allowed Thor entry with the four heroes arriving to save Odin along with Freyja. Initially, the Thors were overpowered by the Dark Elf due to his use of the Venom Symbiote but the Odinson tapped into the power of the Mother Storm which released Mjolnir whose power was used to defeat Malekith. The Dark Elf in desperation attempted to have his hounds attack the heroes but the beasts sensed his fear and turned on him with Malekith seemingly being killed thus bringing an end to the War of the Realms. By this point, Thor had come to terms with his status and that of Mjolnir which could once more be wielded by him. His father Odin in recognition of his son's actions decided to step down and name Thor the new Lord of Asgard who had become the King of the Asgardians. (War of the Realms v1 #6)
King Thor
A few months after his coronation, Thor began feeling dissatisfied with being the King of Asgard, missing his glory days as a hero; with both Sif and Loki taking note of his desire to shirk his duties and that Mjolnir was becoming heavier. Thor's melancholy was interrupted when a badly injured Galactus crash-landed into Asgard. Thor initially attacked the World-Devourer but was told that he faced a much greater threat: the coming of the Black Winter. Gathering Galactus' former heralds, Thor was informed by the Silver Surfer that the Black Winter had destroyed the 6th iteration of the universe, and if Galactus was going to be powerful enough to oppose it, he had to consume five special planets. Thor prepared a fleet to evacuate those planets in preparation for Galactus devouring them but was stopped by the World-Devourer telling him that the Black Winter had shown him that Thor was to be his death. Stating that he would keep a close watch over Thor from then-on, Galactus imbued him with the Power Cosmic and turned him into a Herald. (Thor v6 #1) Thor led Galactus to the five planets, provoking a skirmish with Beta-Ray Bill that resulted in Stormbreaker being destroyed. (Thor v6 #3) Arriving on the final planet, the Black Winter came to attack Galactus and Thor. In the process, Galactus came to devour the planet without giving its inhabitants time to evacuate. Enraged, Thor vowed a reckoning with the planet eater once the threat of the Black Winter had ended. (Thor v6 #4) Entering into the dark cloud, he was confronted by the Black Winter itself which took the form of Thor's various foes. It showed all his deaths to him and prophecised his final future demise. The Odinson came to unleash a powerful God-Blast against the entity where he demanded it reveal itself. It was then that the Black Winter took a form that was a dark reflection of the god of thunder and revealed that it was not here to bring its doom but rather it had come for its herald namely Galactus himself. (Thor v6 #5) Furious, Thor stripped Galactus of the power he had acquired from devouring the five planets. When Galactus tried to attack him, Thor drained him of the Power Cosmic - leaving him a desiccated husk - and then used the dead Devourer of Worlds as a bomb to destroy the Black Winter. (Thor v6 #6)
Traumatized by a vision of his possible death at the hands of Thanos, Thor withdrew into his throne room and spent the next several months drowning his sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol, only breaking his silence when comforted by the Silver Surfer. (Thor v6 #6) Deciding to see what was wrong with Mjolnir, Thor dropped it in Broxton to confirm his theory that everyone was worthy of wielding it. Thor also apologized to Bill for their fight and the destruction of Stormbreaker, and appointed him his advisor and offered him a new divine weapon from Asgard's armory. (Thor v6 #7) Thor soon comes to Broxton, and takes Mjolnir from Adam, but Iron Man snatches it, refusing to return it to Thor until he had run some tests on the hammer and until Thor had answered some questions. Thor replies that he does not answer to anyone, to which Iron Man hit Thor on the face with the hammer. Thor threatens Iron Man, who promptly gives the hammer back. Thor explains to Iron Man that while the hammer has been growing heavier for him, it has been becoming lighter for others. Iron Man promises that he will not tell anyone and goes. Thor goes to Asgard after briefly teaching Adam how to fly using Mjolnir. (Thor v6 #8) In an effort to find the truth, Thor decided that he needed to enter the elder-sleep like how he used to do when he and Donald Blake shared bodies. Thus, he asked his brother Loki for help whilst Thor switched places with Blake but something went wrong and found that he could not commune with the old kings. Instead, he found himself trapped in the idyllic world that was crafted for Blake to serve as a temporary place until he switched with Thor. However, in the years since their last switch, Blake came to learn the truth that this world was a false one and driven mad as a result where he killed the people that inhabited it. (Thor v6 #9)
Immortal Thor
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was referred to as being the God of Thunder. (Journey into Mystery v1 #83) He also came to be known as the Golden Avenger. (Journey into Mystery v1 #115) As the god of thunder, he came to be known also by the epithet of the Thunderer. (Thor Annual v1 #7) After his father abdicated the throne of Asgard, he came to name his son his successor leading to Odinson being known as All-Father Thor. (Thor v5 #16)
He had an older half-sister by the name of Aldriff Odinsdotter who was believed to had been killed but had in fact been kidnapped by the Angels and raised in Heven as the warrior Angela. (Original Sin v1 #5.5)
Powers and abilities
With his superhuman senses, he was able to see objects as far out as the edge of the Solar System. (Journey into Mystery v1 #85)
Thor had once resisted the gravity of a neutron star. (Thor v1 #281) Among his incredible feats of strength included lifting the planet-sized Midgard Serpent. (Thor v1 #327)
He was shown as being capable of fighting for two years straight without food or sleep. (Thor v6 #3)
He was also capable of bringing the entire weight of his godly power into forming a powerful and devastating God-Blast. (Thor v6 #5)
Thor could also petition his mother Gaea to lend her aid where the planet itself came to serve him. With this, he could form an energy tornado where it could emit no outward force and instead trap a target within. It was said to be impenetrable with no earthly force capable of penetrating a field that dense. (Thor v6 #22)
As an Asgardian, he cold suffer from the Warrior's Madness which was also known as the Sin Unpardonable. Those that fell to this state were expected to be punished in accordance to the laws of Asgard and had to carry out an act of penance. (Thor v1 #167)
When Thor uses the Thorforce too greatly or too fast he needs to replenish his energies by entering the Thorsleep. There is no definite time frame as to when he has to enter the Thorsleep or how long he has to be in it. Having learned from his father's past experiences of being vulnerable while in the Odinsleep, Thor used a casket made by Odin's metalsmith Falki. The casket contains enchantments that create a state between life and death to reduce the time required for the Thorsleep. Once it has been closed from within, it cannot be broken by any force known to man or gods and can only be opened from the inside. (Thor v3 #7)
At one point, he began to make use of a special axe known as Jarnbjorn. (Thor: God of Thunder 1 #2) The axe was later given a special magical enchantment that had been made by the Asgardians for use against the Celestials. This allowed it to pierce Celestial armour but broke the terms with the space gods meaning that it became cursed with it regarded as a Wrecker of Worlds. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #6)
After Mjolnir was reforged, Thor became worthy again after recognizing that the struggle to become worthy allowed to become worthy again. (War of the Realms v1 #6)
After Mjolnir was damaged in his battle with Bor, Thor sought Stephen Strange to help repair the hammer. Dr. Strange informed Thor that Odin invested his life energies into the hammer's creation and the only way to repair it was to use the same life energy. Thor was willing to sacrifice what little amount of the Odin Force he still possessed but Dr. Strange also informed him that it would require taking 'all' of the Odin Force he possessed, and the end result would be Thor at the same power level he was at before he inherited the Odin Force. He also informed Thor that he and the hammer would be bound together so that if Mjolnir was ever destroyed or damaged then Thor would die. Thor accepted the situation and Dr. Strange performed an ancient ritual to siphon the Odin Force from Thor into Mjolnir, making it whole again. (Thor v1 #602)
The enchanted belt of strength when worn increased the wearers strength. (Journey into Mystery v1 91)
For transportation, he could also travel on a chariot drawn by two huge mystical goats called Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder who could fly nearly anywhere he desired almost as easily as with Mjolnir. (Thor v1 #364)
Upon being made king, he had access to the great book of kings that was written and read only by the lord of Asgard. Within its infinite pages contained the collected history until the present. (Thor v6 #8)
When sharing a body with Donald Blake, the two would regularly swap positions with the mortal ending up in an idyllic world crafted by Odin. Meanwhile, Thor when switching places was transported into the elder-sleep where he could commune with the spirits and the old dead kings. (Thor v6 #9)
During Ragnarok, Thor went through the same trials that gave his father his great power by undergoing the Seid or the Knowing of the Runes. This involved sacrificing both his eyes for the power of wisdom from Mimir's Well and than hanging himself from the branches of Yggdrasil. The magic afforded to him allowed Thor to know the past, control the present and guide the future. By destroying himself was he being reborn and he came to know the magic of the runes. This combined with the Odinforce made him incredibly powerful as he was easily able to deal with the Mangog and devastate the city of Asgard that was under Loki's control. (Thor v2 #84)
Notes
- Thor was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in Journey into Mystery v1 #83 (August, 1962).
- The character was based on the Norse mythological character Thor.
Alternate Versions
- In A-Next v1 #1 (1998), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Marvel Comics 2 reality that was designated as Earth-982 in the Multiverse. Thor became Lord of Asgard, and greeted the revival of the Avengers and the coming of Kevin Masterson to the legacy of his father's name.
- In Thorion of the New Asgods v1 #1 (1997), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Amalgam Comics reality that was designated as Earth-9602 in the Multiverse. This version was a merger between Marvel Comics Thor and DC Comics Orion where he became Thorion.
- In Earth X v1 #0 (1999), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Earth X reality that was designated as Earth-9997 in the Multiverse. On this world, Thor began life on a distant world manipulated by the Celestials. As part of their method of reproduction, the Celestials imbued Thor's world with an embryo and manipulated the genetics of its inhabitants to grant them the power to defend their world, and thus the embryo within it. Thor and his people eventually reached a point in their mutation where they lost all shape and definition, instead becoming defined by the perceptions of others.
- In Mutant X 1999 v1 #1 (1999), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Mutant X reality that was designated as Earth-1298 in the Multiverse. It was said that he been killed in the initial Sentinel assault on Avengers Mansion by Yellowjacket.
- In Ultimates v1 #4 (2002), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Ultimate Marvel reality that was designated as Earth-1610 in the Multiverse.
- In Thor v2 #67 (2003), an alternate version of the character known as Lord Thor appeared in the Reigning reality that was designated as Earth-3515 in the Multiverse. This version wanted to bring the realm eternal to the mortal world and bring about peace among mankind but was attacked by humanity leading to the city of Asgard's destruction. As a result, Thor decided to enforce his rule and made his home and that of the Asgardians on Earth in New York where they kept the mortals under their control.
- In Marvel 1602 v1 #6 (2004), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Marvel 1602 reality that was designated as Earth-311 in the Multiverse.
- In Avengers Disassembled, an alternate Thor was shown who inherited the Odinforce from his father and also sacrificed both his eyes in the Well of Mimir gaining ultimate knowledge of the past, present and future. (Thor v2 #84)
- In Defenders v3 #4 (2005), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Dormammuverse reality that was designated as Earth-5113 in the Multiverse.
- In Realm of Kings v1 #1 (2009), an alternate version of Thor appeared in the Cancerverse reality that was designated as Earth-10011 in the Multiverse.
- In Thor: God of Thunder v1 #1 (2012), an alternate version of the character named King Thor appeared in a reality designated as Earth-14412 in the Multiverse.
- In What If? Thor v1 #1 (2018), an alternate version of Thor appeared in a What If reality that was designated as Earth-22260 in the Multiverse. On this world, Laufey had killed Odin long ago with the young Thor was then kidnapped by the Frost Giants to be raised as a Prince of Jotunheim where he grew into a favoured son of Laufey as the God of Winter. During this time, he came to meet his adoptive brother Loki with the two striking a friendship though Laufey's son came to resent the Asgardian as he came to be highly regarded by his father.
In other media
Television
- In The Marvel Super-Heroes, Thor appeared in the 1966 animated "The Mighty Thor" shorts where he was voiced by actor Chris Wiggin.
- In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Thor was a cast in member in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Rick D. Wasserman.
- In Marvel Future Avengers, Thor appeared in the setting of the anime television series where he was voiced by Japanese actor Yasuyuki Kase and English actor Patrick Seitz in the dub.
Films
- In Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Thor appeared in the setting of the direct-to-animated film where he was voiced by actor Michael Adamthwaite.
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Thor, the character made his first appearance in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth.
- In Avengers, Thor returned in the live-action film where he was portrayed again by actor Chris Hemsworth.
- In Thor: The Dark World, Thor starred in the live-action sequel film where he was portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth.
- In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor returned to the live-action film where he was portrayed once more by actor Chris Hemsworth.
- In Thor: Love & Thunder, Thor returned to the live-action film where he was portrayed once again by actor Chris Hemsworth.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Thor appeared as a playable character in the video game where he was voiced by actor Cam Clarke.
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Thor appeared as a playable character in the video game where he was voiced by actor Jim Cummings.
- In Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Thor appeared as a playable character in the fighting video game with actor Travis Willingham reprising his role.
- In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Thor appeared as a playable character in the video game where he was voiced again by actor Rick D. Wasserman.
Appearances
- Journey into Mystery v1: (1962)
- Thor v1:
- Avengers v1:
- Thor v2:
- Mighty Thor:
- Thor: God of Thunder:
- Thor v5:
- War of the Realms v1:
- Avengers v6:
- Thor v6: (2020)
- Immortal Thor v1: (2023)
External Links
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