Thor demonstrates the fundamental difference between superhero powers and GOD powers

Contains spoilers for Immortal Thor #4!As Thor embarks on his new saga, his powers have received a perfect redefinition that clearly shows what makes the gods so special in the Marvel Universe and shows that the gods can do things that even other superheroes can’t do. By showcasing the mythological aspect of deity, characters like Thor can really be explored in new ways. As Thor’s latest story continues, these powers are sure to be expanded even further.

One of the many interesting things about the recent series Immortal Thor (written by Al Ewing, drawn and inked by MartÍn Cóccolo, colored by Matthew Wilson, and written by VC’s Joe Sabino) is his fascination with Thor’s divinity and what his divinity means both practically and philosophically.

The book continues the naming convention of Ewing’s previous series, Immortal Hulk, but uses the adjective in a completely different way. The series delves into the metaphysics of godhood as Thor and the reader learn more about what makes a god a god in the Marvel multiverse and what lies beyond a god.

Thor Commands Thunder (Literally)

One of the most fascinating complications of Thor’s power set that Immortal Thor brings is that, as God of Thunder, Thor can literally speak to thunder, lightning and storms as if they were sensitive. This distinction puts a perfect mythological spin on Thor’s power set, giving a clear distinction between superhero powers and what a literal god can do. From a practical standpoint, the most useful thing this redefinition of Thor’s powers does is that it provides differences between him and characters with similar powers. Immortal Thor #4 illustrates this perfectly, comparing and contrasting Thor and Storm, who illustrate their differences in power by also changing air pressure and summoning lightning.

This new power begs the question: are thunder, lightning, and storms actually sentient in the Marvel Universe? The answer is… maybe. In Marvel cosmology, abstract concepts like Death and Infinity have personifications, so why not thunder and lightning? It doesn’t even have to be that literal. Thor’s powers work according to the logic of mythology. In certain mythologies, thunder is already a voice, lightning East a message from the gods. Divinity is its own logic. It is the inexplicable nature of divinity that makes it so. If the gods made perfect sense to mortals, then they wouldn’t be worth worshiping, would they?

The Power of Thor Emphasizes That Gods Are Creatures of History

Part of the reason this works so well is that it also ties into the continued importance of stories to Asgardians. Ewing himself redefined Loki as the god of stories In Loki: Agent of Asgard #13 (written by Ewing, penciled and inked by Lee Garbett, colored by Antonio Fabela and written by Clayton Cowles). The very first words of Immortal Thor #1 reiterates this idea, with the series’ as-yet-unnamed narrator – himself imitating the poetry of real-life Norse mythology – noting: “The gods are creatures of history.» Thor conversing with thunder and lightning is only part of Ewing’s holistic approach to the intrinsic connections between divinity and history.