Skip to main content

marvel - When was Thor first portrayed as an advanced alien, not a god?


As so many fans are so fond of pointing out, the Asgardians in the MCU are not actually gods, but rather a super-advanced alien race. Their "magic" is merely technology, their lives are limited. Any worship of them as divine beings is either a mistake (e.g. Odin) or a deception (e.g. Loki). I have discussed how I feel about this, but sadly, the matter has been settled.



And yet, that's not always how it is. The comic book Thor seems to be a genuine god, at least he was during the God Butcher arc, which revolves entirely around gods and their godly nature. No mention is made of technology or advanced aliens, and numerous mentions are made of "godly" factors such as reliance on worship, etc, not to mention godly feats, like being tossed straight through a moon and coming out the other side. There are also numerous physical distinctions, such as "godblood" being a material discernible from mortal blood.


enter image description here


And anyone who has read that arc knows that if the gods were merely highly advanced mortals, Gorr would have brought that up.


enter image description here


So I'm wondering, when did this van-Daniken-esque take on Thor begin? Was it an invention of the MCU, or is there precedent in the comics? Is this an Ultimate/616 split, or do different writers interpret it differently within the same universe?



Answer



It was hinted as far back as Thor #300 (October 1980) that the Asgardians might not be gods but god-like aliens who resided in nearby dimensions, attempting to protect the Earth from extra-terrestrial threats such as the cosmic space-gods, the unknowable Celestials.


enter image description here



  • The first gathering of the Council of Godheads, to combat the imminent threat of the alien Celestials, in Thor #300, October, 1980.



enter image description here




  • This image denotes Marvel's official position on the Asgardians as aliens. From Thor #493 (December, 1995, written by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato)




  • The writers of Thor have managed to figure out how to have their cake and eat it too. The Asgardians and all of the other deities of the Marvel Universe while being depicted as gods, could also be defined as "Clarkian" with their technology being so advanced it is indistinguishable from magic.





  • The benefit of this idea is we get to see Asgard having the benefits of advanced technology, cities, flying machines and the like, without losing the mystique since many members of their species can use "magic" to do work.




  • Depending on the artist/writer team, they can be shown as an advanced spacefaring civilization known and respected throughout the galaxy. When the All-Mother told alien civilizations to leave Earth alone, most alien species complied.




enter image description here


See Also: What was the ultimate origin of Asgardians?


See Also: How long do Asgardians live for?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more