Major Thor Origin Change Makes the Biggest Overhaul in the Character’s History

Warning! Potential spoilers for Roxxon Presents: Thor #1 ahead!An evil new Thor has arrived in the Marvel Universe, and with him comes a huge change to the God of Thunder’s origin. Within the Marvel Universe, the fictional version of Marvel Comics has been acquired by Roxxon, an evil corporation that has run afoul of Thor on numerous occasions. Now the company is releasing its own version of Thor comics to turn the public against the All-Father.

In a preview of Roxxon Presents: Thor #1 by Al Ewing and Greg Land, readers get a glimpse of the newest version of Thor. The most glaring difference between this Thor and the original is that Roxxon’s God of Thunder is an obvious corporate shill, singing the praises of Roxxon’s technology. This is most obvious when Thor shows off his new vehicle, a clear parody of the Tesla Cybertruck. But a conversation between Thor and his father, Odin, reveals why this version of the Avenger was sent to Earth in the first place.

Whereas the original Thor was sent to Earth in order to learn humility, Roxxon’s Thor was sent to Earth for the exact opposite reason. Odin says that his banishment of Thor was really just a test to prove his fealty, and that “a god must ne’er be humble, ever!”

The Evil Thor’s New Origin Is The Exact Opposite Of What Fans Know

Thor made his very first Marvel Comics appearance in 1962’s Journey Into Mystery #83 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Beginning with this debut, Thor’s early adventures include his alter ego, Doctor Donald Blake, a regular human who discovers a cane that’s actually the enchanted hammer Mjolnir. This cane allows Blake to transform into Thor. It wouldn’t be until 1968 in Thor #159 that Kirby and Lee would reveal that Thor was sent to Earth by his father, Odin, in order to learn humility. This banishment has since become a major part of the hero’s lore, and makes up a big part of his origin story in the MCU’s first Thor film.

True to form, Roxxon takes this origin and its important lesson about humility and flips it on its head. Roxxon is run by an evil Minotaur named Dario Agger, a greedy and ruthless businessman who cares nothing about the Earth or its people as long as he gets to increase his bank account balance. In his multiple run-ins with Thor, Agger has made it abundantly clear that he considers himself to be above the rest of humanity. The words that Odin speaks to Thor in Roxxon Presents: Thor are a perfect reflection of Agger’s worldview: “This world was made for thee, my son–to take and to grab with thine own hands, as if it were thy big hammer!”

Thor’s Evil Twin Is An Even Bigger Threat Than He Realizes

Few things scream “humility” less than a tech-bro influencer who specializes in AI-based hedge funds. But that’s the exact identity that Roxxon has chosen for Thor’s new alter ego, Chad Hammer. Readers got their first glimpse of Chad in the recent Immortal Thor #9 by Al Ewing and Ibraim Robinson. After the real Thor is tricked into reading one of Roxxon’s Thor comics, Chad Hammer’s version of Thor manifests in the real world, complete with his Roxxon-branded hammer. Considering that Thor’s origin imparted the exact opposite lessons as his evil doppelgänger’s, this new evil God of Thunder will not only challenge Thor‘s strength, but his very sense of self.

Roxxon Presents: Thor #1 is available April 17 from Marvel Comics.