WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Immortal Thor #17!Thor is among Marvel’s most powerful heroes, but despite receiving incredible powers of longevity, the God of Thunder has just discovered that there is a limit to his immortality. There are many heroes who technically qualify as immortal, and Thor is among them, however, in his final battle, Thor redefines the limitations of his Almighty, revealing exactly how he can be killed.
In The Immortal Thor #17 – written by Al Ewing, with art by Jan Bazaldua – following his battle with Gray Gargoyle and other B-level villains, Thor is turned to stone and torn into pieces, causing Thor’s soul to go to Vidblaīnn, the Land of the Void, and because of his state, his soul cannot return to his body.
Thor is brought to the brink of death only thanks to the Enchantress who repaired him and reversed the stone’s spell, recontextualizing how his immortality actually works and suggesting that one day the character could actually be killed.
Marvel Reveals More About How Thor’s Immortality Really Works
The Immortal Thor #17 – Written by Al Ewing; Art by Jan Bazaldua; Color by Matt Hollingsworth; Joe Sabino Lyrics
Thor’s powers go beyond the average hero, given his ability to command lightning in all sorts of ways, but his immortality has always been a point of debate. Although the Asgardians are not immortal, the main deities of Marvel’s Norse Pantheon, such as Odin and Thor, are considered an exception, with Odin living millions of years. Despite this fact, Odin sacrificed himself to become the Odinforce and help Thor defeat the elder god, Tempest. Instances like Odin being transformed into the Odinforce, and now Thor’s final brush with death, prove that even the most powerful Asgardians are not completely immune to death.
With this example of the hero being turned to stone and scattered, Immortal Thor changed what immortality means and how villains can kill heroes who were previously considered invulnerable, giving Thor, in particular, an entirely new weakness. Other immortal heroes like Hulk and Wolverine have had similar cases of being cut into pieces, but most of the time they are able to regenerate with their healing factors. Unlike Wolverine and Hulk, Thor’s powers come from All-Force, but he admits from his near-death experience that there is a limit to his once considered limitless powers.
Thor’s latest near-death experiences redefine the meaning of immortality in the Marvel universe
A shocking vulnerability for a literal God
Thor’s near-death comes as a surprise because it is a complete contradiction to Thor’s namesake, “The Immortal Thor.” More pressingly, poses the question of whether Thor will overcome this weakness and become a true immortal. This calculated attack of being turned to stone and torn apart presents an interesting situation for both the Almighty and immortal beings. If the Enchantress hadn’t rescued Thor, he would have died, that is, if Thor is truly destined to be immortal, he has to overcome this glaring weakness that even B-tear villains can exploit.
The Immortal Thor #17 is now available from Marvel Comics!