One MCU Favorite May Have Just Met His Match

Thor is known to all as the God of Sky and Thunder, and in the comics he is the All-Father, one and only ruler of Asgard and commander of the All-Power. He wields the hammer Mjolnir, one of the strongest weapons to have ever been forged, with worthiness and honor. Thor Odinson is one of, if not the single strongest Avenger, and yet in Immortal Thor #23 he may have finally met his match. Thor is the king of Asgard, land of the gods, but he stands face to face with Kemur, the God of Violence, the King of all Gods. This mighty being is as old as kingship itself, and the only way Thor can complete his mission is to bring this great beast to heel.

The Elder Gods Come

The story of Immortal Thor so far has shown Thor in his battle against the gods of Utgard, the primordial land of the first gods, the beings who existed long before any we know today. Back when the Earth was still new and lifeless, the sentient life-energy known as the Demiurge appeared and combined its energy with the Earth. Born from this massive energy were the Elder Gods, the living embodiments of concepts. Thor has already done battle with many of these divine beings already, such as the Utgard-Thor at the very beginning of this run, and they have each proven far more powerful than even the All-Father at his peak.

Knowing he cannot hope to stand against the might of the primordial beings that seek to once more subjugate his beloved Midgard, Thor has gone on a quest to beat back their invasion before it begins. With his untrustworthy sibling Loki as his guide, Thor has forged two magical weapons to aid him in his quest, though he has yet to find the prophesied third, and he is already out of time. Thor has journeyed to the Unforgiving City of the Elder Gods, fought and thought his way through its maze to find the monsters waiting at its center. After finally clearing the labyrinth, Thor and his allies came face to face with Kemur, the King of all Gods, and he was none too pleased to see them.

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King Thor Versus the King of the Gods

Kemur immediately knew that he hated Thor, and wanted nothing more than to make him bow, make him submit. Back in the time before the gods of Asgard had risen, when Gaea was still young and Kemur had not yet invented the throne to lounge on, Kemur’s rule over all was contested by Atum, first child of Gaea and Thor’s half brother. Atum humiliated Kemur, sending the beastly king running before they even fought. Atum was the first god as we know them today, and Kemur desired vengeance of any kind against Atum and his kin. Especially a being so far beneath him like Thor.

Kemur held the beloved Heimdall as a prisoner, so Thor, Skurge, and Hermod first focused on freeing their brother-in-arms. Once he was secured, they all leapt in to do battle with the God King. They were batted aside like children, unable to do anything more than sting him even with Thor’s most powerful attack. Like with the other Elder Gods before him, Thor realized that to beat Kemur he needed to rely on his wit over his brawn, and so he crafted a plan to subdue the bull-headed lord. Thor used his All-Power to transfigure his belt, forged from the lightning of Zeus, into a golden ring. His friends immediately knew his game, and charged for Kemur’s legs.

Kemur was stunned by the courage Thor displayed, for Kemur himself was a coward, as all kings hide behind their lies of power and privilege, never expecting any to challenge them. Thor, however, was more than a king and more than willing to risk his life. As Kemur stood frozen in fear of this little godling, Thor shoved the ring through Kemur’s nose, trapping him like a normal bull. Together, the three Asgardians managed to bring Kemur to the ground. Then, out of nowhere, Loki killed Kemur with an arrow forged from a piece of Eternity. Thor was suspicious, even as Loki knew they were guiding Thor deeper into Utgard, and ultimately, his unavoidable death.

Thor is Facing His End Like Any King and Hero Should

The last two issues of Immortal Thor promise to show the death of Thor, his sacrifice as he battles the Serpent for the very idea of justice. Although we also know that a relaunch of the title is coming later this year, it does not change the fact that this run has been absolutely packed with awesome battles and incredible lore. Thor faced his greatest challenge yet in the King of the Gods, and once again showed why he is the one true king of the divine in Marvel Comics. Whatever happens next, I know Al Ewing is going to take us on a wild, amazing ride as Immortal Thor reaches its prophesied conclusion.

Immortal Thor #23 is on sale now!