Thor

Thor, the Marvel Comics character based on the Norse god of thunder, first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 in August 1962. He was created by writer Stan Lee, his brother Larry Lieber, and artist Jack Kirby. In his earliest Marvel stories, Thor is introduced as Dr. Donald Blake, an American physician who finds a wooden walking stick in Norway. When Blake strikes it against the ground, it becomes the enchanted hammer Mjolnir and transforms him into Thor, son of Odin. Marvel established Thor as an Asgardian prince whose strength, longevity, and command of lightning come from his divine heritage. Mjolnir is central to his stories: it can be summoned to Thor's hand, fly at extraordinary speed, and channel storms. An inscription on the hammer states that whoever holds it, “if he be worthy,” possesses the power of Thor. That condition repeatedly drives plots about identity, humility, and leadership. Odin initially sends Thor to Earth in the guise of Donald Blake to teach him humility, a lesson that distinguishes the Marvel version from a simple invincible warrior. Thor soon became a founding member of the Avengers in The Avengers #1, published in 1963. In that issue, Loki manipulates the Hulk, leading Iron Man, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Thor to unite against him. Loki remains Thor's adoptive brother and one of his most persistent adversaries. Their conflict is complicated by Loki's shifting loyalties, his skill with illusion and magic, and their shared connection to Odin and Asgard. Thor's comics also introduced characters and places drawn from Norse mythology but reshaped for superhero continuity. These include Jane Foster, Sif, the Warriors Three, Heimdall, Balder, and the Rainbow Bridge, Bifrost. Major enemies include the fire demon Surtur, the Dark Elf Malekith, the Midgard Serpent, and the Enchantress. Ragnarök, the mythic destruction and renewal of the gods, has been adapted several times as a major Marvel storyline. Chris Hemsworth played Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Thor in 2011, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Hemsworth returned in The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder. In Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi shifted the films toward broader comedy while depicting Asgard's destruction during Surtur's return. In Endgame, Thor joins the surviving Avengers in reversing Thanos's universal catastrophe, then leaves Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy.