Thor’s Idea of Death Is the MCU’s Greatest Villain

Immortal Thor is hot right now, and the latest issue sees a very interesting facet of Thor’s psychology revealed. Immortal Thor #21, by writer Al Ewing and artist Jan Bazaluda, continues the story of Thor’s death, as Thor has decided to make his way into Utgard, a dark shadow realm of Asgard, with its own savage and powerful gods. However, Thor finds a very unlikely gatekeeper — Skurge. Skurge has sacrificed himself to save Thor’s life before and he’s ready to do it again. However, there’s also someone else at the gate of Utgard, a character who has gone down as one of the most hated MCU villains of all-time — Thanos.

Thanos and Thor have a long history with each other. Thor is one of the few characters in the Marvel Universe who can actually fight Thanos somewhat successfully, although Thanos has wiped the floor with Thor multiple times, even taking him down when he had the Power Stone and was in a fit of warrior madness, which enhanced all of his powers. Thanos is the one threat to Thor that he actually fears and he is shocked to see Thanos at the gate of Utgard. However, the true reason that Thanos is there is much more complex.

Thor Sees Thanos as the Personification of Death

Thor’s battle against Skurge takes up most of his attention, but seeing Thanos at the gate to Utgard shakes him to his core. Thor and Thanos have had their share of battles, and there are few out there who own the kind of wins over Thor that Thanos does. Thor and Thanos speak throughout the battle, but Thor starts to notice something as fight goes on — Skurge has no idea that Thanos is there. In fact, Skurge wonders who Thor is talking to. Even when Skurge should be able to see Thanos, even when he’s looking right at the gate, he still doesn’t perceive the Mad Titan.

[RELATED: 5 Thor Characters Ruined by the Marvel Movies]

The reason for this is simple, and it’s one that Skurge knows more about than most, having saved Thor from death before. This isn’t actually Thanos behind the gate, as Thor learns. Instead, this is something much more extreme — it’s the personification of Thor’s death. Thor’s death awaits him in Utgard; going through the gate into the realm will seal his death. That is why Thanos is there; because if there’s one being in all the universe that Thor associates with his death, it’s Thanos. This is a huge look into Thor’s mind. Thor has faced down some of the biggest threats in the Marvel Universe. His personal rogues gallery is full of villains who have gotten close to killing him. However, there’s only one being that Thor believes will kill him and that’s Thanos. Thor bravely faces his death throughout his battle with Skurge, knowing that if he wins the fight, he has to enter the place that will kill him.

Thanos Is the Perfect Personification of Death

There is no character in the Marvel Universe more equated with death than Thanos. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is his relationship with Mistress Death. Thanos has killed countless beings in his rampages, and while many of them have been resurrected, just as many have entered Death’s realm and never returned. Thanos has also personally tested Thor like no other villain has before. Thor has been fighting evil for millennia, but Thanos’s sheer power and black heart have made him a special case in the life of Thor. Thor literally grew up with a personification of Death in his father’s court in the form of Hela, but when he sees his own death, he only sees Thanos.

Thor is one of the most powerful forces on Earth, and he’s only gotten more powerful and cunning as Immortal Thor has gone on. He has the power of the Odinforce, the greatest power of Asgard, with him, as well as a new magic ax and a belt created for him with the power of Zeus. There’s a question of whether right now that Thanos could actually kill Thor if they battled. However, in Thor’s mind, there’s no question of whether Thanos would win. Thor’s death is coming and while Thanos won’t be the one who does it, he could be the last thing that Thor sees.

Immortal Thor #21 is on sale no where ever comics are sold.