Warning: contains a preview of Avengers #54!
The mysterious connection between the God of Thunder, Thor, and the cosmic being known as the Phoenix gets a twisted new meaning in a preview for Avengers #54 – by Jason Aaron, Juan Frigeri, David Curiel, and Cory Petit – as the battle between the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Multiversal Masters of Evil rages on.
The nefarious plan concocted by Mephisto and the Doom Supreme to conquer every Earth in the Multiverse requires the demise of the Avengers, the protectors of the planet. Throughout many realities, the Multiversal Masters of Evil have killed the Avengers and conquered Earths, turning them into twisted reflections of their own wickedness. In Marvel’s core reality, Earth-616, however, the Deathloks (multiversal soldiers of the mysterious being known as Avenger Prime) are trying to warn the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes of the incoming danger. To stop them, the Masters of Evil have split into different teams, and one of them, composed of Dark Phoenix and King Killmonger, has invaded Asgard, where they are fighting Iron Man and Thor. The Dark Phoenix has the power to enslave other minds, and after her first “pet” – a dark version of Wolverine – is disposed of, she summons another much more dangerous ally: Thor.
Thor’s relationship with the Phoenix has recently been the object of much distress for the God of Thunder, since the cosmic creature revealed to him that she is, supposedly, his mother, and not the goodness Gaea as was previously believed. Thor dismissed the notion as lies and trickery, despite the fact that his father Odin had indeed a relationship with a previous host of the Phoenix when they were both members of the Prehistoric Avengers. Thor’s anger and frustration found a good target when the Dark Phoenix attacked Asgard, but the arrival of her pet Thor could not only change the tide of the battle but also reveal some inconvenient truths.
Thor the Avenger is understandably furious in seeing what he perceives as a mockery of himself, his title, and everything he represents. He strikes at his evil reflection furiously, but the Dark Phoenix’s words are ominous. She calls her Thor “the truest of all Thors,” and when he answers, he addresses her as “mother.” Given the commonalities between Marvel’s realities, this could be the confirmation that Thor is indeed the Phoenix’s son, even in Earth-616’s reality. Odin was a god full of secrets, and the notion that he lied to his son regarding who his true mother is cannot be dismissed. However, this could also be a way for the Dark Phoenix to manipulate Thor and make him falter during the battle.
Surely, this connection to the Dark Phoenix and the definition of “truest of all Thors” add a twisted meaning to the mystery that surrounds the relationship between Thor and the Phoenix. Meanwhile, the battle between the Avengers and the Multiversal Masters of Evil keeps unfolding in the pages of Avengers and Avengers: Forever. Avengers #54 will be available starting from March 16, as Thor and the Phoenix hopefully reveal the truth of their connection.
