A classic Marvel icon just made the ultimate sacrifice, and it will change the course of Asgardian history for a long time to come.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Thor #22, available now from Marvel.
The God of Hammers has finally revealed itself, and it seemed like there was nothing the God of Thunder can do to stop it. As the God Tempest had fused to the fury of Mangog, Thor and Odin could only watch as the latter’s greatest mistake prepared to destroy everything he held dear. When all seemed lost, Odin knew there was still one way for him to stave off the threat he had inadvertently created. Even if turning the tide of battle cost Odin his life, it has also given Thor what looks like a brand new one of his own.
Thor has called upon every ally available, from Beta Ray Bill to Doctor Strange, yet not even their combined strength could put an end to the God of Hammer’s torrent of destruction. Thankfully, the full might of the Earth itself courtesy of Thor’s birth mother Gaea was enough to keep the undying storm at bay. As Mjolnir fought to be free once more, Odin approached his son on the verge of death. Despite the God of Thunder’s pleas for Odin to get to safety, the All-Father had finally come to terms with his past crimes, as well as his selfishness. As he explained in the pages of Thor #22 (by Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson, and VC’s Joe Sabino), it isn’t just the creation of Mjolnir or Mangog that Odin must pay for. Rather, it is his keeping a portion of the Odin-Force for himself that he still needed to atone for, and the only way to do that was by making the ultimate sacrifice.
Of all the All-Father’s impossible powers, it is the Odin-Force that makes him stand above all other Asgardians. This unfathomable power affords Odin divine abilities that are mindboggling to even many of Marvel’s other superpowered figures. Apart from being effectively indestructible on his own, Odin has manipulated matter and space in truly astounding ways, including transporting the entire human race to a faraway dimension with a wave of his hand in 1964’s Journey into Mystery #104 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It is easy to see how Odin originally caged the God Tempest within Mjolnir, and how Thor can do so for himself now that he has been imbued with the full Odin-Force.
Odin’s sacrifice not only transformed Thor into a burning, gilded version of himself, it officially begins a whole new era for all of Asgard. The God of Thunder will certainly be able to defeat the God of Hammers with his newfound power, but it is what comes after that stands out as far more intriguing. Now that Odin is actually gone, Asgard will be left looking towards Thor for guidance. Although he has already ascended to the throne, Odin’s presence was one that continued to be felt even during his various bouts of exile. Without him whatsoever, Thor will finally have to take the lead of his people without any of the invaluable input he had grown begrudgingly accustomed to. Of course, with the entirety of the Odin-Force at his command, it’s hard to imagine any threat or obstacle that Thor won’t overcome with ease. That is, assuming he is really ready to bear the full weight of his position as All-Father.
Thor has had a hard enough time dealing with a formerly unruly (currently murderous) hammer, and his transition from the battlefield to the throne has been just as difficult. There is no question that he is Asgard’s mightiest warrior, yet there is no telling whether Thor is actually prepared to lead Asgard into the future on his own. If not, saving it from the God of Hammers might be both the first and last thing that the God of Thunder does as a true All-Father.
About The Author
For all the latest Comics News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
