Thor's father Odin decides his son needs to be taught humility and consequently places Thor (without memories of godhood) into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled human medical student, Donald Blake. After becoming a doctor and thoroughly believing himself to be the young surgeon Blake, he later discovers Thor's disguised hammer and learns to change back and forth into the Thunder God. The real Blake's persona remains elsewhere until many years later, after Odin becomes satisfied of Thor's humility and lifts the spell, thereby removing the need for a mortal alter ego. The mortal experience, however, shapes Thor into an honorable and courteous individual, who is loyal to all comrades.
Protector of Midgard
Being the son of the Elder Goddess Gaea, Thor has a natural affinity for Earth and feels obliged to protect the mortals that occupy it. Thor's time on Earth is marked by battles against supervillains, monsters, cosmic beings, and even other gods.
Thor's principal foe is his adopted brother Loki, who has hated Thor since childhood. Although a master of magic, Loki usually avoids direct confrontations for fear of angering Odin. He is discreetly responsible for the creation and awakening of three of Thor's principal foes: the Absorbing Man;[7] the Wrecker,[8] and the Destroyer.[9] On one noteworthy occasion, Loki's tactics are accidentally beneficial - although successful in using the Hulk to draw Thor into battle, it results in the formation of the superhero team the Avengers, of which Thor is a founding and longstanding member.[10]
Thor's mortal foes include the Radioactive Man;[11] Grey Gargoyle;[12] and Wrecking Crew.[13] Thor's Asgardian foes include the Storm[14] and Frost Giants;[15] the Enchanters Three;[16]Mangog;[17] the Midgard Serpent,[18] the Enchantress and Executioner[19] and the fire-demon Surtur.[20] Thor has also faced a number of mystical and cosmic foes, such as Mephisto,[21] Thanos, [22] the God Eater,[23] the Dark Gods,[24] the Shi'ar Praetor Gladiator,[25] and the god-slayer Desak.[26] Thor also encountered the Fourth Celestial Host when it arrives to judge Earth. [27]
The Reigning
When Thor decides to intervene in the affairs of Earth, it has major repercussions. [28] After reluctantly assuming the throne of Asgard, Thor sees mortals at their worst and reshapes the world in his image. A nightmarish future follows as Thor and the Asgardians conquer Earth and slay or imprison those who oppose them, including a young religious mutant called Davis; Zarrko the Tomorrow Man; Perrikus of the Dark Gods; the U.S. Government, and even his fellow Avengers. He marries Amora (the Enchantress), and has a son, Magni. Wracked with guilt, Thor is eventually drawn into a final battle with Tarene and a Desak-occupied Destroyer in a time travel bid to undo what he has done.
When the timeline is reset, Loki revives Surtur, who forges new uru hammers for Loki's Storm Giant followers and begins Ragnarök, "the twilight of the gods". Thor learns that the Ragnarok cycle is the result of self-styled "gods to the gods" known as Those Who Sit Above in Shadow, who feed on the cycle. Thor confronts the Norns (Fates), breaking the Ragnarok cycle, and then enters a stasis, sleeping "the sleep of the gods." With his fate unknown to the Avengers, he is believed to be missing in action.[29]
Thor's hammer Mjolnir is found on Earth and put under U.S. Army protection. Sometime later, the supervillain Doctor Doom is escaping from Hell as Mjolnir falls through that dimensional plane, and tries unsuccessfully to claim the hammer, which eventually comes into the possession of a man carrying a bag with the initials "D.B".[30] During a battle in the superhero "Civil War" between pro- and anti-Superhuman Registration factions, Thor apparently appears and kills the superhero Goliath.[31] This "Thor" is later revealed to be a fusion of cloning technology and cybernetics created by scientists Reed Richards and Henry Pym, and is destroyed by the anti-registration superhero Hercules.[32]
New beginning
Donald Blake, upon touching the hammer Mjolnir, is transported to the void of non-existence in which Thor now resides. Blake explains that when Odin originally removed the Blake persona from Thor,[33] Blake was consigned to the void that Thor now inhabits. When Thor entered that void, Blake was suddenly restored to being, in New York City. Blake convinces Thor to wield Mjolnir once more, return to Earth, and renew the dual identity with Blake. Blake also reveals that Thor's fellow Asgardians are actually not dead but hidden on Earth.[34]
Thor rebuilds Asgard in Oklahoma, paying for the land with Asgardian treasure.[35] He then learns of the events of the superhero-registration "Civil War" and is angered that Tony Stark (Iron Man) and others used his DNA to create a Thor clone. Stark, in response, suggests Asgard may be considered a foreign embassy, with diplomatic immunity granted to its inhabitants. Thor then begins searching for his fellow Asgardians,[36] and although successfully restoring them all (with the exception of Sif who is trapped in an old woman's body), does not attempt to find his father, Odin. He eventually finds his father in Valhalla, waging constant battle with the fire demon Surtur. There Odin advises his son that Thor must lead the Asgardians.[37]
Thor later rescues and heals ally Beta Ray Bill, who after being given Mjolnir aids Thor in a battle against an invading force of alien Skrulls.[38] Thor also participates in the final battle against the Skrull forces, and is forced to sacrifice Avenger ally the Wasp. [39]
1 comment:
An unbelievable beautiful cover by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta. WOW! Why can't today's artists draw like this?
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