Marvel Just Killed Asgard’s King and You’ll Never Guess How They Did It

Thor is looking to have a massive year in 2026. Over in the MCU, the Avengers: Doomsday trailer focused a lot on the Odinson, showing him going head to head with Doctor Doom, leading some to believe that this may be the end of the God of Thunder, or at least the end of the Chris Hemsworth version. Over at Marvel Comics, Thor has been in the midst of one of his best stories ever. Writer Al Ewing gave readers Immortal Thor #1-25, a series that saw the God of Thunder dropped into a situation that would lead to his death. As King of Asgard, he did everything he could to make sure his upcoming demise wouldn’t break his kingdom. His death led into Mortal Thor, a book that starred a mortal version of the hero, his memory having been removed from Midgard and a man named Sigurd Jarlson learning what it takes to be a god.

However, over in Asgard, there was hope in the form of the return of the son of Thor, Magni. This son was born in another universe, one where Thor and Enchantress were a couple. In this universe, the God of Thunder was a monstrous tyrant and 616 Thor ended his reign, erasing this universe from existence. However, Enchantress was able to retrieve him, bringing him to Asgard and playing her games with her son. Mortal Thor #13 sees the Golden Realm finally bring a new monarch to the throne, but it goes worse than you ever imagined.

Magni Has Both the Longest and Shortest Reign in Asgard’s History

Right from the beginning, everyone knew that Enchantress bringing anyone to the realm of Asgard was going to be a problem. She had been trying to take the throne for ages, manipulating everyone and when that didn’t work, using her magic to attack Thor and his allies. She’s been exiled numerous times and Thor even allowing her back into the kingdom in Immortal Thor was played as a massively big deal. He warned her from the beginning that he wouldn’t tolerate her games and wouldn’t allow her to use Magni as a chess piece. She agreed to this, but this is Amora we’re talking about here. In fact, as far as it went, she didn’t say she was bringing back Magni; she was supposed to bring back her son with Bror Iric. There was always more than met the eye in this situation.

Magni did his best to learn everything he could from the friends of his father, before leaving the Golden Realm with his partner Blackjack O’Hare. However, Enchantress was able to cause the death of the rabbit, leading her son home, promising him he would rule forever and a day. At Blackjack’s funeral, he accepts the throne, making a somber occasion a joyous one. Everyone else files away for the feast, Magni confronts his mother and warns her what would happen if he found out she killed Blackjack, and then stays in the throne room as the door’s close, falling right into his mother’s trap.

From there the book starts to jump though time, from year one of his reign to year ten and on and on. He negotiates with the trolls and frost giants, something that feels vaguely reminiscent of his Asgardian adventures before leaving for space with O’Hare. He never leaves the room. It goes on and one, stretching into infinity; he’s the king that never leaves the throne room, never gets any true visitors. He molds the kingdom in one direction over centuries, than changes it again. He goes mad, beating on the door for millions of years at a time. Finally, he dies, having ruled Asgard forever and a day.

Over the decades, there have been numerous kings of Asgard in the Marvel Universe. Obviously, Thor and Odin have sat the throne, as have Baldur and Loki. Each of them had reigns that saw them battle the worst threats out there, protecting the Ten Realms. Magni was the god of strength and he was able to prevent a war between Asgard and Ulik and his trolls. He seemed like he would be an excellent, if pliable to his mother, monarch. However, the whole thing was a ruse, engineered to destroy him so his only blood relative can take the throne: Enchantress. Other leaders of Asgard had glorious reigns, but Mangi’s was never going to last. He was a puppet; he ruled Asgard forever and a day, but he also barely ruled it all before his death.

Magni’s Death Is the Most Tragic in Asgard’s History

Marvel’s Asgardians are supremely powerful, fighting wars against the greatest monsters of Norse myth. Asgard has grown strong under powerful kings like Odin and Thor; often times, the more powerful the king, the more powerful the Golden Realm. Magni was a shocking addition to the kingdom, but he proved that he deserved the throne. However, he was caught in the machinations of one of the most manipulative Asgardians of them all; Enchantress makes even Loki look like something of a fool at times. He should have been another great warrior king, at least until his father was restored existence, but instead it was all part of a scheme that was, unfortunately, all too predictable.

Magni’s death shows just how far Enchantress will go for power and how dangerous she’ll be in the days to come. There are numerous ways to kill gods in the Marvel Universe, but locking one in a room for forever and a day shows you what kind of power Enchantress is working with and what she’ll be able to do with the power that the king of Asgard gets – it’s usually called the Odin-Power or the Thor-Power, but it looks like it’s about to be the Amora-Power. Thor is going to return to Asgard at some point (possibly in next issue’s Thor #800) and you best believe that Enchantress is going to make sure he finds a kingdom set against him.

Mortal Thor #13 is on sale now.

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