Forget Steve Rogers, Thor Was the REAL First Avenger

Having fought the forces of evil since World War II, Captain America is often referred to as the First Avenger, with that moniker even serving as the subtitle of his first MCU film. And while he wasn’t a founding member of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the comics, his age, experience, and leadership skills have nonetheless led to people calling him the First Avenger. However, in recent years, it’s been revealed that the Avengers as a concept is far older than once believed. While the most iconic version of the Avengers assembled in 1963, its roots trace back thousands of years, including during the Viking Age. Naturally, only one hero was a member of both versions of the Avengers: Thor Odinson, making him the real First Avenger.

As revealed in Avengers #61 and Mighty Thor #7, a version of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had existed in 1047 AD, when Vikings roamed the seas and worshiped the Norse Gods. Although there was an incarnation of the Avengers as far back as 1,000,000 BC, the Viking Age Avengers were the first group to have someone who would remain a member into the modern day, that being Thor. While the Viking Avenger’s exploits may have been lost to time, Thor’s continual role as a core member of the Marvel Comics‘ best superhero team ensures his place as one of the team’s most important heroes and the true First Avenger.

The Viking Avengers Assembled Because of Thor

Marvel first hinted at the existence of the Viking Avengers in 2016 with Mighty Thor #7. Long ago, a young Thor was worshipped by the Vikings for victory in battle. One Viking, Bodolf the Black, prayed to Loki for revenge against Thor after Thor had helped Bodolf’s enemies win a conflict. Loki instructed Bodolf that to have his vengeance he needed to kill a dragon and drink its blood. The completion of this task turned Bodolf into a giant Hulk-like monster. The transformed Bodolf and Thor engaged in a battle that took them across the globe, with Thor emerging as the victor. Their fight was seen by a Ghost Rider and an Atlantean, who were amazed by these god-like beings. The comic ended showing an engraving of ancient superheroes.

Although there would be several teases of the Viking Avengers’ existence since that initial engraving, it wouldn’t be until 2022, with Avengers #61, that the group’s roster would receive their in-depth introduction. When the modern-day Avengers are lost in time and fighting the demon Mephisto, they run into heroes of various other time periods, including the Viking Age. To battle a gigantic dragon version of Mephisto, the greatest heroes of 1047 AD came together to save the Earth. The team consisted of Thor; Princess Gale the Atlantean Iron Fist; Murkfoot, the Sasquatch Sorcerer Supreme; Theodosia Szardos, the witch Phoenix Force host; the Native American Grizzly Rider; Iya Nehanda, the Black Panther; and even Bodolf, who had reformed. Thor is shown to be leading the charge of these ancient Avengers.

Thor’s initial battle with Bodolf was the common thread that connected all of these heroes, as they witnessed beings of incomprehensible power duke it out and shake the Earth. While their first meeting is never shown, what’s clear is that these Viking Avengers would have never assembled if it were not for Thor. This occurrence mirrors how Odin, Thor’s father, was a founding member of the Avengers of 1,000,000 BC. Thor and his family have always been tied to the unification of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

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Thor Is the Most Important Avenger

When it comes to who deserves the title of the First Avenger, it unquestionably belongs to Thor because of his experience and history with Marvel’s premier superhero team. Despite Captain America always being considered the First Avenger, he was ultimately late to the party in more ways than one. The original Avengers roster consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and Wasp. It wasn’t until a few issues later that the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes unfroze Captain America from the block of ice that he had been in since World War II. And as Mighty Thor #7 and Avengers #61 show, Captain America’s great-grandparents weren’t even born when the Viking Avengers emerged. The one constant these two Avengers teams do have, however, is Thor.

Captain America may have fought on the front lines during World War II before becoming an Avenger. Yet, none of that can compare to Thor’s combat experience. Thor has been the protector of Asgard for thousands of years, fighting all manner of monsters and gods to defend the innocent. And as Norse mythology shows, Thor also considered it to be his duty to defend humanity. While he was certainly brash and bloodthirsty and would, for a time, be unworthy of Mjolnir, Thor was a public and noble hero who fought the forces of evil for several millennia. In the world of Marvel Comics, Thor’s heroism and earth-shattering feats helped inspire an entire religion and eventually the development of two Avengers teams.

Not only did Thor inspire the creation of the Viking Avengers, but he was also intrinsic to the development of the modern-day Avengers. Loki’s evil schemes first brought the Avengers together. Loki framed the Hulk for destroying a train track in the hopes that Thor would try and fail to apprehend the Jolly Green Giant. While Thor did take the bait, Loki’s framing of the Hulk unintentionally also alerted Iron Man, Ant-Man, and Wasp. However, while the other heroes fought the Hulk, Thor deduced that the Hulk was innocent and that Loki was responsible. Thor apprehended Loki and convinced the other heroes to stop fighting. It was this moment when the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes set aside their differences and assembled as the Avengers.

Not only is Thor one of the strongest, oldest, and most experienced heroes in Marvel Comics, but his actions led to the formation of two different incarnations of the world’s greatest superhero team. While Captain America may be the better leader and more morally righteous, Thor’s impact has undeniably been greater on their effect on the trajectory of Earth and the rest of the Nine Realms. Whether it be during the age of Vikings or the modern day, Thor will always be the First Avenger.

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