Why Marvel Ruined Thor's Greatest Era With a Reboot That Nearly Killed Him

It was a celebration years in the making for MCU fans when Thor emerged from Ragnarok victorious, earning the respect of his father Odin, and the throne of his Asgardian people. Leaving fans devastated and enraged when Marvel Studios threw such a perfect status quo out the window to launch Avengers: Infinity War. To make things worse, comic fans would soon understand the pain perfectly, watching Marvel do the exact same thing to Thor's best era in the comics, after spending even longer to reach the same point.

All-Father Thor Finally Earned Odin's Throne in June 2019

The Epic 'War of The Realms' Was Thor's Biggest Step Forward in Years

There are few years-long storylines that can truly compare to the epic saga laid out by writer Jason Aaron in the 2010s. From Original Sin dropping the massive twist that created The Unworthy Thor, the passing of Mjolnir to introduce Jane Foster's Thor, all building to an Earth-shaking War of the Realms event recruiting every Marvel hero into a viking saga for the ages. And in the end, challenging Thor to grow into the mighty king long held beyond his reach.

As Odin himself bowed to Thor as the new All-Father in the event's final issue, it was clear that a new era was beginning for the god of thunder. And one which his fans were completely bought into, having spent years watching the hero develop into the self-sacrificing champion and noble leader he needed to be. The brash young warrior was gone, replaced by the one-eyed, Destroyer-armed god who had long been teased as the king Thor was destined to become.

The victory lap delivered in War of the Realms Omega seemed to perfectly tease the new era of Thor comics at Marvel. The outstanding new design for the golden All-Father Thor, the reforged Mjolnir in his hand, the selection of Jane as the new Valkyrie, and a bold era fans had spent years waiting to see realized. A brief break to indulge in a limited tale of King Thor vs the All-Black, and then the current All-Father could get back on the job!

Unfortunately, the chance to deliver on the desire of fans, years in the making, was no match for the editorial demands of a new Thor #1 to sell on comic shelves.

Thor's Most Extreme Marvel Reboot Came Just Weeks Later

Instead of A New Era, Marvel Drastically Rebooted Thor's Entire Story

After only a handful of weeks spent reminiscing and reconnecting with his allies on Asgard and Earth, the new All-Father Thor was thrust into conflict with the mysterious cosmic force known as the Black Winter, and transformed in body and power set to become the new Herald of Galactus. His lost eye was restored, his severed arm returned, and his new kingly costume and helmet discarded for a new design that, while not offensive in itself, was unrecognizable.

The Black Winter would drop shocking reveals about Thor's true nature and destiny, the true scale of the forces at play, and bring Thor to face many of his greatest enemies (again) in spectral form. Battles ensued, Asgard was scarred, and yet the god of thunder survived. It's no critique of the story by Donny Cates and Nic Klein directly, as a creative team which, under other circumstances, would be a welcome change. But on the heels of Cates' introduction of Knull in the Venom series, the same energy being injected into Thor's mythology was always going to earn a mixed reception.

Ultimately, the shift from paying off years of build-up to the 'new, Marvel, now!' marketing of a shocking reboot was blatant, rendering years of anticipation massively reduced in meaning. The god of thunder would eventually return to his role as All-Father and ruler of Asgard in this very series, but no longer in the recognizable form he had risen to claim, and with all momentum from years of drama forgotten.

Thankfully, Thor survived nevertheless. And in the years since, Marvel has found even more new adventures for the god of thunder, including the most recent decision to remove Thor from Marvel continuity completely. But no war, strife, and character growth will ever prepare Thor like it did for his ascension in the 2010s, and no fan who was there to witness the journey will ever forget what Marvel did next.