Thor

Thor's full name is Thor Odinsin. The character first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962). Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character is based on the God Thor of Norse mythology. He has starred in several ongoing and limited series, and is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers, appearing in each volume in that series. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, trading cards, video games, and movies. The 2011 film Thor based on the character and the comic, was directed by Kenneth Branagh and starred Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Hemsworth reappears as Thor in The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Thor placed 14th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time in 2011. Thor's origin story goes all the way back to the 1960s. Thor's origin story states that: "Thor's father Odin decides his son needed 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 on vacation in Norway, Blake witnesses the arrival of an alien scouting party. Blake flees from the aliens into a cave. After discovering Thor's hammer Mjonir (disguised as a walking stick) and striking it against a rock, he transforms into the thunder God. Later, in Thor #158, Blake is revealed to have always been Thor, Odin's enchantment having caused him to forget his history at The Thunder God and believe himself mortal. Defeating the aliens, Thor shares a double life with his alter ego: treating the ill in a private practice with nurse-and eventual love-Jane Foster, and defending humanity from evil. Thor's presence of Earth almost immediately attracts the attention of his adoptive brother and arch-foe Loki. Loki is responsible for the emergence of three of Thor's principal foes: the Absorbing Man, The Destroyer, and the Wrecker. On one occasion, Loki's tactics were accidentally beneficial - although successful in using an illusion of 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. Thor's other early foes incude Zarrko, the Tomorrow Man; the Radioactive Man; the Lava Man; the Cobra; Mister Hyde; the Enchantress, and the Executioner, and the Grey Gargoyle. Falling in love with Jane Foster, Thor disobeys his father and refuses to return to Asgard, an act for which he is punished on several occasions. Thor's natural affinity for Earth is eventually revealed to be due to the fact that he was the son of the Elder Goddess Gaea. Although Thor initially regards himself as a "superhero" like his teammates in the Avengers, Loki's machinations draw Thor into increasingly epic adventures, such as teaming with his father Odin and Asgardian ally Balder against the fire demon Surtur and Skagg the Storm Giant, and defeating an increasingly powerful Absorbing Man and providing his innocence in the "Trial of the Gods". This necessitates an extended leave of absence from the Avengers. Thor encounters the Greek God Hercules, who becomes a loyal and trustworthy friend. Thor saves Hercules from fellow Olympian Pluto; stops the advance of Ego the Living Plant; rescues Jane Foster from the High Evolutionary and defeats his flawed creation, the Man-Beast. Odin finally relents and allows Thor to love Jane Foster, on the proviso she pass a trial. Foster panics and Thor intervenes. After Foster fails the test, Odin returns her back to Earth, where she is given another chance at love, while a heartbroken Thor is introduced to the Asgardian warrior Sif. Thor battles the Asgardian troll Ulik for the first time when Ulik attempts to steal Mjonir. The thunder God returns to Asgard to prevent Mangog from drawing the Odinsworld and ending the universe, Thor learns the origin of Galactus and rescues Sif after she is kidnapped by Him. Thor battles Surtur once again when the fire demon attempts to storm Asgard; encounters the Stranger and his pawn the Abomination; and overpowers an outmatched Doctor Doom. In the fall of 1972, writers Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, and Len Wein crafted a metafictional unofficial crossover spanning titles from both major comics company. Each comic featured Conway, Englehart, and Wein, as well as Wein's first wife Glynis, interacting with Marvel or DC characters at the Rutland Halloween Parade in Rutland, Vermont. Beginning in Amazing Adventures vol. 2 #16 (by Englehart with art by Bob Brown and Frank McLaughlin), the story continued in Justice Leauge of America #103 (by We in, Dick Dillon and Dick Giordano), and concluded in Thor #207 (by Conway and penciled John Buscema). Thor prevents another attempt by Mangog - disguised as Odin - to draw t the Odinsworld; is saved by the intervention of ally Volstagg when the "Odin Force" became a semi-sentient destructive force; and is recused from death when Odin engineeres a false Ragnarök and has reporter Red Norvell die in his place battling the Midgard Serpent. Thor met the Eternals in a lengthy storyline. He later encounters the Eye of Odin, the eye Odin gave up for drinking from the Well of Mimir, increasing his wisdom. It has grown and gained sentience. Thor finds there was another Asgard before his, involving a red-haired Thor. Thor eventually confronts the threat of the Celestial Fourth Host, and after an extended series of encounters learns of the apparent true origin of Asgard and Odin's plans to defend Earth from the alien judges. Despite the attempt by Odin to stop the Celestials by occupying the Destroyer armor (now 2,000 feet tall as holding the life essence of every Asgardian) and wielding the Odinsworld (and aided by the Uni-Mind, an entity composed of the Eternals) and Thor himself, the aliens depart when presented with an offering by Gaea on behalf of the "Skymothers" (e.g. Frigga and Hera) of twelve perfect humans. Thor also learns Gaea was his birth mother. After restoring the Asgardian gods with a gathering of emergencies donated by Skyfathers from other pantheons, Thor has a series of adventures on Earth, including encountering two Heralds of Galactus in swift succession; stopping Mephisto from taking human souls; clearing his name when framed by Asgardian god of war Tyr; aiding Drax the Destroyer; with ally Iron Man defeating the Bi-Beast and the Man-Beast; engaging the former king of Nastrond Fafnir transformed by Odin into a dragon in combat when freed by Loki, and battling Dracula. Thor learns of the existence of the "God Eater", a creature summoned when the death gods of several pantheons temporarily merge their realms. Thor thwarts the creature - revealed to be in humanoid guise Atum, the son of Gaea, and therefore Thor's half-brother - and ensures the cosmic balance is restored. While exploring an approaching space vessel at the request of Nick Fury, Thor encounters Beta Ray Bill, who after a brief battle, proved himself worthy of lifting Thor's hammer Mjonir. After initially misunderstandings, Bill forms an alliance with the Asgardian God's, and is empowered by Odin to aid Thor And his allies in a war with an approaching army of demons, which is revealed to be led by fire demon Surtur, now wielding "Twilight", the gigantic "Sword of Doom". After a series of extended battles - including a battle to the death with Fafnir and thwarting the Dark Elf Malekith - the gods are finally triumphant although during combat Odin and Surtur disappear through a rift and are presumed dead. Thor remains in Asgard to deal with the vacuum left by Odin's apparent death, and drives off Hela; meets Tiwaz, his great grandfather, forces Loki to cure from the effects of a love potion; with allies enters Hela's realm an rescues lost mortal souls. Returning to Earth, Thor and Beta Ray Bill defeat the transformed Dark Elf Kurse, although Loki uses the power of Surtur's discarded sword to change Thor into a frog. After an adventure in Central Park, Thor manages to partially restore himself and then forces Loki to reverse the spell. While rescuing X-Factor member the Angel from torture by the mercenary team the Marauders. Thor is cursed by Hela, who makes his bones as brittle as glass and unable to heal if damaged; and renderes him truly immortal and unable to die no matter how severe his injuries. Thor is injured again during a battle with the Absorbing Man engineered by Loki, and is ultimately saved by Loki during a battle with The Dark Elves. Eventually forced to wear armor to protect his broken body, Thor and Loki defeat a group of Ice Giants, who seek revenge by trying to locate the Midgard Serpentine, hoping it would kill the thunder God. The Giants instead find the dragon Fing Fang Foom, who is revealed to be the Midgard Serpent in disguise. Time slows as the pair - mortal enemies due to prophecy that stated they would kill each other during Ragnarök - battle to the death. Thor kills the Serpent, although his body is completely pulverized. Loki restores the Destroyer, and after killing the Ice Giants finds Thor's now liquid form. The Destroyer attempts to disintegrate the thunder god but can not do so due to Hela's curse. Thor assumes mental control of the Destroyer, and forces Hela on pain of death to restore his true form. The Thunder God then breaks Loki's arm as punishment for his actions. Thor meets and battles Leir, the Celtic god of lightning. After another encounter with the Celestials on an alien world; Thor finds Odin - a captive of Seth - and uses the Odinspower to fend off a returning Surtur; and defeats Annihilus while Asgard is in the Negative Zone. Thor battles X-Men foe the Juggernaut and meets the New Warriors. After Thor kills Loki in single combat, Heimdall - standing in for Odin temporarily as ruler if Asgard - banishes Thor from Asgard; he is replaced by the mortal Eric Masterson, who became the hero Thunderstrike. When Odin awakes, Thor is forgiven and returned. During a battle Thor is driven into a "warrior's madness" by a Valkyrie. After overpowering everyone who attempts to stop his ravage, Thor is brought by the Eternal Thanos before Odin, who cures his son of the madness. Thor, together with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and other heroes, is trapped in an alternative universe after defeating the villain Onslaught. The heroes live alternative lives for a year in what is revealed to be an artificial creation until returning to their own universe. Thor and several members of the Avengers battle the Destroyer. Thor is saved by an enigmatic being called Marnot, who binds the life-force of a mortal called Jake Olson to the thunder god. Thor enters into a war with the Dark Gods with Marnot revealed to be Hescarmer, one of Odin's ravens; and battles the returning Enchanted Three. Thor faces a prolonged struggle against Thanos when he seeks to remake the universe. When Odin dies in battle against Surtur, Thor becomes ruler of Asgard. The Thunder god extends his rule to Earth, with major repercussions. Thor and the Asgardians slay or imprison those who oppose them, including a young religious merchant called Davis; Zarrko the Tomorrow Man; Perrikus of the Dark Gods; the U.S. Government, and even his fellow Avengers. Thor marries Amora (the Enchantress), and has a son, Magni, who upon reaching adulthood doubts his father's judgement. Wracked with guilt, Thor is drawn into battle with his former ally Tarene and the Destroyer (occupied by former foe Desak), and reverses these events via time travel. When the timeline is reset, Loki revives Surtur, who forges new uru hammers for Loki's Storm Giant followers and began Ragnarök. Thor learns that Ragnarök was the result of the self-styled "gods to the gods" known as Those Who Sit Above in Shadow, who feed on the cycle. Thor confronts the Norns (Fates), and severes the tapestry of Asgard's existence. After breaking the Ragnarök cycle and being advised by the Odinforce that this was his father's plan, Thor enters into hibernation. With his fate unknown to the Avengers, he is believed to be missing in action. Thor's hammer Mjolnir is eventually found on Earth and put under United States Army protection. When the supervillain Doctor Doom escapes from Hell, Mjolnir falls through the dimension plan, and Dooms tries unsuccessfully to lift the hammer. Mjolnir then comes into the possession of a man carrying a bag with the initials "D.B". Donald Blake, upon touching the hammer Mjolnir, is transported to the void of non-existence in which Thor resides. Blake explains that when Odin originally removed Blake persona from Thor, Blake was consigned to the void that Thor now inhabited. With Odin's death, Blake was suddenly restored into 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 still live in the minds and hearts of mortals, and only needed to be found and released. Thor rebuilds Asgard over Broxton, Oklahoma, and learns of the events that occurred during the 2006-2007 "Civil War" storyline, in which the U.S. government passed the Superhuman Registration Act, requiring all persons with superhuman abilities to register with the government or be subject to imprisonment. The superhero community was spilt over this law, which led to conflict between both sides. Furthermore, Iron Man, who became the de facto leader and public face of the pro-registration forces, hunted and imprisoned their mutual former comrades who had joined the anti-registration side, led by Captain America. Iron Man and others also used Thor's DNA to create a clone of him to serve him in this campaign, for which Thor is gently angered. When Iron Man confronts Thor over the latter's bringing Asgard to Oklahoma, and tells him that he himself must register with the government. Thor easily dispatches Iron Man, and tells him that anyone who attempts to approach Asgard uninvited will be dealt with mercilessly. As a compromise to keep the U.S. government from losing face, Iron Man suggests that since Asgard hovers above the ground, it can be regarded as diplomacy embassy or mission desperate from the United States and not bound by the Registration Act. Though Thor accepts this, his and Captain America's animosity toward Stark would persist until the conclusion of the 2010-2011 Avengers Prime miniseries. Thor searches for his fellow Asgardians, and restores each of them, with the exception of Sif, who had been trapped in the body of an old woman dying of cancer, her real form stolen by Loki. Thor locates Odin in a limbo between life and death, waging constant battle with Surtur. Odin advises his son that Thor must lead the Asgardians. During the 2008 "Secret Invasion" storyline, Thor rescues and heals Beta Ray Bill, who after being temporarily given Mjolnir, aids Thor in defending Earth against an invading force of alien Skrulls. Due to Loki's deception, Thor battles and kills his grandfather Bor, and is banished from Asgard. With Thor's hammer damaged in that battle, Thor seeks out Doctor Strange, who is only able to repair the hammer by transferring the Odinsforce from Thor to Mjolnir, binding the two in a symbiotic relationship. With the repaired hammer, Thor is able to draw out the imprisoned Sif, and return her to her own body, thereby restoring Loki to his male body in the process. During the events of the 2010 "Siege" storyline, Thor defends Asgard against an invasion by Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers. Although the invasion force is ultimately defeated, Asgard itself is toppled by the Sentry, who also kills Loki. Thor then kills the Sentry. Subsequently, the Superhuman Registration Act is repealed and Thor joins the rebranded Avengers, who had come to aid during the battle. The next day Balder lifts Thor's exile and appoints Thor as his adviser. Immediately after the fall of Asgard, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man are transported to the Norse realm of Hel, where they battle against Hela, after which Thor and Captain America's friendship with Iron Man is renewed. Thor aids Amadeus Cho in a quest to find the necessary ingredients to bring back their mutual friend Hercules from a parallel universe. During the events of the Chaos War, Thor joins Hercules' God Squad to to battle the Chaos King, who is set on destroying all of existence. With Asgard in ruins on Earth, the nine worlds ate left undefended and are invaded by a force known as "The World Eaters". Seeking counsel on the matter, Thor restores his father Odin and his brother Loki, whom Thor had missed since his death. During the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, Sin frees Odin's long-forgotten brother, Cul, a God of Fear known also as the Serpent, from his underwater prison. Once free, The serpent dispatches his known as the Worthy, each armed with magical uru hammers of their own, to descend the Earth into a state of Fear. Although Thor and the Avengers manage to defeat the Serpent and his followers, Thor dies from the injuries he sustains during the battle. At Thor's funeral, Thor and the memories of Thor are replaced by Ulik under the guise of Tanarus, a new thunder worm. Thor returns from the limbo of forgotten dead gods with the help of Loki and the Silver Surfer, and vanishes Ulik. During the 2012 "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline, Thor leads the Secret Avengers into deep space to battle the Phoenix Force, but is defeated. He is later captured and taken prison by the phoenox-empowered duo of Colossus and Magik. Following the war, Captain America selects Thor to join the Avengers Unity Squad, a new team of Avengers composed of both classic Avengers and X-Men." Thor's abilities include: superhuman durability, longevity, spped, and strength. Abilities via Mjolnir: dimensional transportation, electric manipulation, flight, and weather manipulation.