Marvel Just Made a Major Change to Thor's Mother

Gaea may be the mastermind behind Thor's recent troubles.

By Jamie Lovett

Marvel has made a big reveal about Thor's mother in the pages of Immortal Thor. SPOILERS follow for Immortal Thor #5 by Al Ewing, Martin Coccolo, Matt Wilson, and Joe Sabino. Fans who know Thor through the MCU may believe Frigga to be the thunder god's mother. Indeed, that was how it stood in the Marvel Comics universe for many years. However, while Frigga is Thor's mother, having raised Thor as her son, Gaea gave birth to him. This revelation had been cast into doubt by recent assertions by the Phoenix, claiming that she was Thor's mother, having conceived him while possessing the prehistoric human called Firehair. However, the truth came out: Phoenix acted as a midwife during Thor's birth and later resurrected young Thor, imbuing him forever with a piece of her power, but Gaea is Thor's birth mother.

However, there's more to Gaea than fans knew. Gaea's origin is tied to that of the Elder Gods, a story told years ago in Marvel Comics. The Demiurge entity created the Elder Gods, who began warring and consuming one another. Gaea, seeing the destructiveness of this pattern, summoned the Demiurge. She bore their offspring, the Demogorge, who would become the son god called Atum, to consume the Elder Gods and end the threat to life. Some Elder Gods escaped to other planes, but the plan was successful, and Gaea became one with the Earth, guiding its evolution.

In doing so, Gaea set about a new cycle by which Earth would grow and change. However, it seems she also has other plans.

Immortal Thor sees Thor, with the help of a transformed Loki and the new Thor Corps, battling the Utgard-Thor, Toranos, one of the Utgard gods, a subsect of the Elder Gods. Immortal Thor #5 sees Toranos defeated, but not before he mocks Thor by letting him know that Gaea, who first sealed him away, set him loose to wreak havoc upon the Earth. Toranos has continually spoken of a turning wheel. This may be an allusion to one of Gaea's cycles, and that cycle may be reaching a destructive point in its progression, forcing a new change upon the Earth.

What is Immortal Thor?

Immortal Thor is the latest volume of Marvel's Thor comics. The title positions Immortal Thor as the spiritual successor to Ewing's critically acclaimed run on Immortal Hulk for Marvel. I awarded Immortal Thor #1 a perfect 5-star score in my review. I wrote:

"Marvel fans have come to expect great things of Al Ewing, and perhaps he'll under-deliver one day. Today is not that day. Increasingly, the 'Immortal' adjective seems not to describe the title character but the staying power of the work at hand. Ewing called his shot by allowing this series to be titled Immortal Thor, and the first issue gives readers every reason to believe he's got the story to support that bold statement of intent. Immortal Thor seems all but destined to become Marvel's next big thing."

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"It did me a power of good to see how many people dug Immortal Thor #1 and were pumped for the next issue," Ewings said in a statement responding to the Immortal Thor #1's positive reception. "Loki fans in particular seem excited, and while I can't promise an easy or gentle rollercoaster ride for them, I can guarantee that that particular car will always be moving forward. We've got plans afoot for the Skald of Realms -- dangerous, unknowable and extremely glamorous plans."

With Toranos gone, Thor's next challenge may be the villain who bought Marvel Comics. Immortal Thor #5 is on sale now.

  • Immortal Thor #5
  • OCT230710
  • (W) Al Ewing (A) Martin Coccolo (CA) Alex Ross
  • THE ALL-NEW THOR CORPS!
  • Toranos has returned – and to face him, the King of Asgard has gathered his army. But if even an army of storm gods could not stop the Elder God of Thunder...what then? This is the story of THE IMMORTAL THOR...and the battle that will define him.
  • Rated T+
  • In Shops: Dec 13, 2023
  • SRP: $4.99

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