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| ragnarok [2025/08/17 12:54] – created xiaoer | ragnarok [2025/08/19 20:13] (current) – xiaoer |
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| ====== Ragnarok ====== | ====== Ragnarok ====== |
| ===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary ===== | ===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary ===== |
| * **Core Identity: In the Marvel Universe, Ragnarok is the prophesied, cyclical apocalypse of Asgard, a recurring event of catastrophic destruction and divine rebirth that defines the very existence of [[thor|Thor]] and the Norse gods.** | * **Core Identity: In the Marvel Universe, Ragnarok is a multifaceted concept, referring both to the apocalyptic, cyclical destruction and rebirth of the Asgardian gods, and to the dangerously unstable cyborg clone of [[Thor]] created during the first superhero Civil War.** |
| * **Key Takeaways:** | * **Key Takeaways:** |
| * **Role in the Universe:** Ragnarok serves as the ultimate "reset button" for the Asgardian corner of the Marvel Universe. It is both a cataclysmic prophecy to be feared and a fundamental cosmic mechanism ensuring that the gods of Asgard, and their stories, are never truly finite. [[asgard]]. | * **A Cycle, Not Just an End:** In the comics, Ragnarok is not a singular event but an endless, repeating loop of death and resurrection engineered by cosmic beings known as [[Those Who Sit Above in Shadow]] to feed on the Asgardians' spiritual energy. This cycle was a central mystery of [[Thor]]'s existence for decades until he finally broke it. |
| * **Primary Impact:** The event's most significant influence is on Thor's character development. His struggles against, and eventual understanding of, Ragnarok have forced him to transcend his role as a prince to become a true king, challenging the nature of fate, destiny, and the responsibilities of godhood itself. Its fulfillment has repeatedly altered the status quo, destroying Asgard, killing the entire pantheon, and paving the way for their eventual return in new forms. [[odin]]. | * **A Civil War Turning Point:** The introduction of the Ragnarok clone, codenamed "Project Lightning," was a pivotal and horrific moment in the [[Civil War (Event)|Civil War]] storyline. Its murder of the hero [[Goliath (Bill Foster)|Goliath]] exposed the moral bankruptcy of the pro-registration side and caused many heroes, including [[Spider-Man]], to switch their allegiance to [[Captain America]]'s resistance. |
| * **Key Incarnations:** The fundamental difference lies in its nature: in the **Earth-616 comics**, Ragnarok is an endless, repeating, metaphysical cycle engineered by god-like beings, which Thor ultimately breaks. In the **Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)**, Ragnarok is a singular, historical prophecy fulfilled to destroy the physical //place// of Asgard in order to defeat [[hela|Hela]] and save the Asgardian //people//. | * **Comic vs. MCU Divergence:** The primary difference between the two main continuities is the nature of the event. In Earth-616, it's a recurring, artificial cycle. In the MCU, Ragnarok is a singular, linear prophecy fulfilled by the fire giant [[Surtur]] to defeat [[Hela]], resulting in the permanent physical destruction of the realm of [[Asgard]] but the survival of its people. |
| ===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution ===== | ===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution ===== |
| ==== Publication History and Creation ==== | ==== Publication History and Creation ==== |
| The concept of Ragnarok has been woven into the fabric of Marvel's Asgard since its inception. Inspired directly by the //Ragnarök// of Norse mythology, creators [[stan_lee|Stan Lee]] and [[jack_kirby|Jack Kirby]] introduced the prophecy as a looming threat early in their foundational run on //Journey into Mystery//. The first significant, direct mention of Ragnarok as a coming doom appeared in //Journey into Mystery// #128 (May 1966), where the prophecy is recounted. | The concept of Ragnarok has been a cornerstone of Thor's mythology since his earliest days, drawing directly from the Norse myths that inspired his creation by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. The term was first explicitly referenced in the "Tales of Asgard" backup stories in //Journey into Mystery//, establishing the prophecy of the "Twilight of the Gods" as a looming threat. The definitive comic storyline that depicted the final cycle of Ragnarok was written by Michael Avon Oeming and Daniel Berman, with art by Andrea Di Vito, and ran through **//Thor// (Vol. 2) #80-85** (August 2004 - December 2004), serving as a major tie-in to the larger [[Avengers Disassembled]] event. |
| Throughout the Silver and Bronze Ages, Ragnarok was treated as a perpetual, distant threat—the ultimate end-of-days scenario that heroes like Thor would always manage to postpone. It was a source of dramatic tension, often manipulated by villains like [[loki|Loki]] and [[surtur|Surtur]]. | The character known as Ragnarok has a separate and later origin. This cyborg clone was created by writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven as a shocking plot device in their seminal crossover event, **//Civil War// #3** (September 2006). The visual design of the clone was heavily based on Jack Kirby's classic Thor, but its creation within the story by [[Tony Stark|Iron Man]] and [[Reed Richards|Mr. Fantastic]] was intended to be a perversion of that classic heroism, a weaponized god built without a soul. |
| However, the event's definitive portrayals came in two landmark eras. The first was **Walter Simonson's** legendary run on //The Mighty Thor// from 1983 to 1987. His "Surtur Saga" (//Thor// #337-353) is widely considered the first time the full, terrifying scale of Ragnarok was depicted. While not the "final" Ragnarok, it established all the key players and stakes, culminating in a war that engulfed all Nine Realms. | |
| The second and most crucial depiction was in **Michael Avon Oeming** and **Andrea Di Vito's** "Ragnarok" storyline, published as part of the //Avengers Disassembled// crossover event in //Thor// (Vol. 2) #80-85 (2004). This arc served as the definitive, final Ragnarok of its era, radically dismantling the Asgardian mythos and setting the stage for its modern rebirth. This is the story that revealed the true, cyclical nature of the event in the comics and saw Thor make the ultimate sacrifice to break it. | |
| ==== In-Universe Origin Story ==== | ==== In-Universe Origin Story ==== |
| === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === | === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === |
| The origin of Ragnarok in the Prime Comic Universe is a deeply complex and tragic secret, far more than a simple prophecy. It is a manufactured, endlessly repeating cycle of death and rebirth, orchestrated by powerful cosmic beings known as **"Those Who Sit Above in Shadow."** These beings, who appear as silent, shadowy versions of the Asgardians, are celestial parasites who feed on the energy generated by the cycle. | //The Apocalyptic Cycle:// |
| Odin, in his youth, discovered this horrifying truth. He learned that Asgard had already lived and died countless times. Each time, the gods would fight valiantly, perish in a cataclysm brought on by Surtur and the forces of darkness, and then be reborn, with no memory of their previous lives, to repeat the cycle anew. This cycle of "story" was the food that sustained Those Who Sit Above. | The origin of Ragnarok in the prime comic universe is a profound and tragic cosmic conspiracy. For millennia, the Asgardians believed Ragnarok was a natural, albeit catastrophic, part of their existence. They would fight a final, glorious battle, die, and then be reborn with little to no memory of their past lives, destined to repeat the same grand dramas. [[Odin]], the All-Father, was one of the few who retained fragmented memories of these past cycles, driving his obsessive efforts to prevent the next "final" battle. |
| Driven to find a way to break this cosmic enslavement, Odin sought greater power. His ambition led to the death of his brothers, Vili and Ve, whose power merged with his to create the **Odinforce**. With this power, Odin believed he could defy fate. However, he was unable to break the cycle; he could only guide it. For millennia, he fought to postpone each Ragnarok, to save his people from their inevitable doom, all while keeping the terrible truth of their existence from them. He created the prophecy not as a warning, but as a script he hoped to one day rewrite. | The truth, however, was far more sinister. As revealed during the "final" Ragnarok event, the entire cycle was orchestrated by powerful, god-like celestial beings known as "Those Who Sit Above in Shadow." These beings, who claimed to be the "true" gods that the Asgardians were merely patterned after, fed on the potent energies released by the Asgardians' life-and-death cycle. They were cosmic parasites, and Ragnarok was their harvest. They ensured the cycle repeated endlessly, manipulating figures like [[Loki]] and [[Surtur]] to play their predestined roles time and again. Thor, upon inheriting the Odinforce and gaining cosmic awareness, finally perceived this truth. He realized that the only way to truly save his people was not to //prevent// Ragnarok, but to //end// it by letting it play out one last time and then refusing to be reborn, starving the celestial parasites and breaking the cycle forever. |
| The cycle's engine is the collective belief and energy of the Asgardians. Key events are pre-ordained: Loki will side with Asgard's enemies, the Midgard Serpent Jormungandr will rise to slay and be slain by Thor, and Surtur will set the Nine Realms ablaze with his Twilight Sword. Thor's eventual discovery of this truth during the final Ragnarok is what gives him the power to finally end it. He realized that the only way to win was to lose on his own terms, allowing Asgard to fall but severing the connection to Those Who Sit Above, thereby freeing his people from their predetermined fate. | //The Cyborg Clone:// |
| | Years later, after the Asgardians had vanished following the breaking of the cycle, Earth's superhero community was torn apart by the Superhuman Registration Act. During this [[Civil War (Event)|Civil War]], Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and [[Hank Pym|Yellowjacket]] (who was secretly a Skrull imposter at the time) decided they needed an overwhelming show of force. Using a strand of Thor's hair that Stark had collected after the first time the [[Avengers]] formed, they combined cloned Asgardian DNA with advanced Stark cybernetics. |
| | The result was a monstrous hybrid, codenamed Project Lightning, which was unleashed during the first major confrontation between the pro- and anti-registration forces. This being, later dubbed "Ragnarok" by the public, possessed a significant portion of Thor's power but none of his restraint, morality, or soul. It was a soulless weapon in the shape of a hero, a fact made horrifically clear when it murdered Bill Foster with a lightning blast through the chest. This act demonstrated the terrifying lengths to which the pro-registration side would go to win. |
| === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === | === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === |
| The origin of Ragnarok in the MCU is rooted not in cosmic parasites, but in the dark, revised history of Asgard and the sins of Odin. As depicted in the film //Thor: Ragnarok//, Ragnarok is a specific prophecy concerning the destruction of the physical planet Asgard at the hands of the fire demon Surtur. However, the prophecy's catalyst is revealed to be **Hela**, the Goddess of Death, Odin's firstborn and former executioner. | In the MCU, as detailed in the film **//Thor: Ragnarok//** (2017), the origin of Ragnarok is a historical prophecy tied directly to the sins of Odin's past. Ragnarok is not a repeating cycle but a singular, prophesied cataclysm destined to be brought about by the fire giant Surtur. |
| In Asgard's ancient past, Odin and Hela led brutal campaigns of conquest across the Nine Realms, building their empire on blood and subjugation. The glorious murals in the throne room were later painted over to hide this violent history. When Hela's ambition and bloodlust grew beyond even Odin's control, he defeated and magically imprisoned her. He then rebuilt Asgard's image into one of peace and benevolence, erasing Hela from history. | The prophecy's roots lie in Odin's early conquest of the Nine Realms alongside his firstborn child, [[Hela]], the Goddess of Death. Together, they were an unstoppable, bloodthirsty force. However, Odin eventually developed a conscience and sought to rule as a benevolent king. Hela's ambition remained violent and insatiable, forcing Odin to defeat and imprison her in the dimension of Hel. He then rewrote Asgard's history, painting himself as a peaceful protector and erasing Hela from all records. |
| Odin's life force was the key to Hela's prison. His death in //Thor: Ragnarok// shatters her bonds and allows her to return. The prophecy of Ragnarok, therefore, is not just about Surtur; it is inextricably linked to Hela's return and her claim to the throne. She represents the violent, colonial past that Odin tried to bury. | The Ragnarok prophecy was, in essence, a cosmic failsafe. Odin knew that Hela's power was tied directly to the physical realm of Asgard itself, and as long as it existed, she could draw power from it and would eventually return. The only way to truly defeat her was to destroy her power source: Asgard itself. Therefore, the prophecy of Surtur razing Asgard was not just a threat to be avoided but an inevitable and necessary solution to the Hela problem. |
| The "origin" of this Ragnarok is Odin's past actions catching up with his family and his kingdom. Thor's ultimate realization is that Hela's power is tied to the physical realm of Asgard. To defeat her, he cannot save the planet. He understands the prophecy's true meaning—"Asgard is not a place, it's a people"—and makes the conscious choice to initiate Ragnarok himself. By having Loki place Surtur's crown in the Eternal Flame, he unleashes the one being powerful enough to destroy Hela along with the planet, allowing the Asgardian people to escape and survive. It is a one-time, linear event born from history, not a repeating cosmic cycle. | When Odin died, Hela's prison was broken. She returned to Asgard, effortlessly destroyed [[Mjolnir]], and conquered the realm. Trapped on [[Sakaar]], Thor came to understand that "Asgard is not a place, it's a people." He realized he could not defeat Hela by fighting her on Asgard, where she was at her strongest. In a radical departure from his comic counterpart's goal, MCU Thor's ultimate objective became to //initiate// Ragnarok. He had Loki resurrect Surtur using the Eternal Flame in Odin's vault. The newly empowered Surtur fulfilled his destiny, destroying Hela and the entire planet of Asgard along with her, while Thor led the surviving Asgardians to safety aboard a starship, seeking a new home on Earth. |
| ===== Part 3: Timeline, Key Turning Points & Aftermath ===== | ===== Part 3: In-Depth Analysis: The Apocalyptic Cycle & The Cyborg Thor ===== |
| This section details the progression and consequences of the most significant Ragnarok events in both major continuities. | |
| === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === | === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === |
| Ragnarok in the comics is not a single event but a series of interconnected sagas, culminating in a final, cycle-breaking cataclysm. | //The Nature of the Ragnarok Cycle:// |
| ==== The Surtur Saga (A Precursor Ragnarok) ==== | The comic book version of the Ragnarok event is defined by its cyclical and artificial nature. It is a tightly scripted cosmic play with unwilling actors. |
| * **Timeline:** Occurring in Walter Simonson's run on //The Mighty Thor// #337-353, this was the most significant threat of Ragnarok faced by Asgard up to that point. | * **Predestined Roles:** Every Asgardian had a part to play. Loki would always ally with the enemies of Asgard, the [[Fenris Wolf]] would always devour Odin, the [[Midgard Serpent]] would always slay Thor (and be slain in turn), and Surtur would always burn what remained. |
| * **Key Turning Points:** | * **The Loom of Fate:** The Norns were depicted as weaving the threads of these lives, but they too were servants of the cycle, merely enforcing the script written by Those Who Sit Above in Shadow. |
| * **Surtur's Forging:** Surtur, the fire giant of Muspelheim, forges his massive, reality-cleaving blade, Twilight. The clanging of his hammer is heard across the Nine Realms. | * **The Odinforce:** Odin's unique power, the Odinforce, allowed him to perceive the echoes of past cycles. This drove his paranoia and his many attempts to find a loophole, such as trapping Thor in the mortal guise of Donald Blake, hoping to hide him from the cycle's architects. |
| * **Malekith's Actions:** The Dark Elf Malekith steals the Casket of Ancient Winters, plunging Earth into a magical ice age to distract its heroes. | * **Breaking the Wheel:** Thor's ultimate victory was one of philosophy, not just might. By gaining the Odinforce and the wisdom of the Runes, he saw the full picture. He allowed the final battle to occur, but then went beyond the script. He destroyed the Loom of the Norns and allowed the Asgardian life force to go dormant rather than be reborn, effectively cutting off the food supply for Those Who Sit Above. This act of self-sacrifice ended the cycle for good. |
| * **The March on Asgard:** Surtur amasses an army of fire demons and marches towards Asgard, destroying all in his path. His goal is to set the Bifrost bridge ablaze with the Eternal Flame, which would incinerate the entire known universe. | //Powers and Abilities of the Ragnarok Clone:// |
| * **A Realm United:** Thor, Odin, and Loki are forced to fight side-by-side. The armies of Asgard, the heroes of Earth (including the [[avengers|Avengers]] and [[fantastic_four|Fantastic Four]]), and even the Einherjar (the honored dead) rise to defend the realms. | The cyborg clone was a formidable but flawed weapon, designed to mimic the God of Thunder's power set through a combination of genetics and technology. |
| * **Odin's Sacrifice:** In a climactic battle at the border of Asgard, Odin confronts Surtur directly. Knowing he cannot destroy the demon permanently, Odin tackles Surtur into a dimensional rift, seemingly sacrificing himself to trap them both for eternity. | * **Superhuman Asgardian/Clone Physiology:** Possessed immense strength, durability, and stamina on par with the true Thor. He was capable of going toe-to-toe with heroes like Hercules and Wonder Man. |
| * **Aftermath:** Odin's apparent death left Asgard without its king, leading to a period of instability and Loki's machinations to seize the throne. While Ragnarok was averted, the cost was immense and it firmly established Surtur as the primary instrument of Asgard's destruction. | * **Cybernetic Integration:** His body was interwoven with Stark-tech systems that regulated and likely augmented his biological powers. These systems were also a point of failure, as they could be hacked or disabled. |
| ==== The Final Ragnarok (Avengers Disassembled) ==== | * **Weather Manipulation:** He could generate powerful electrical storms, summon lightning, and create tornadoes. However, this control was less refined than the real Thor's, often manifesting as raw, uncontrolled power. |
| * **Timeline:** The cataclysmic end of the cycle, detailed in //Thor// (Vol. 2) #80-85. | * **Weaponry:** |
| * **Key Turning Points:** | * **Fake Mjolnir:** He wielded a technological hammer that mimicked many of the functions of the true Mjolnir. It allowed him to fly, channel his lightning, and was a powerful blunt-force weapon. It lacked the Uru metal's magical properties and, most importantly, had no worthiness enchantment. Anyone with sufficient strength could lift it. |
| * **Loki's Alliance:** Loki travels to Muspelheim and, using a mold created from the same forges that made Mjolnir, creates an arsenal of powerful new hammers for Surtur's army. This time, Loki's betrayal is absolute. | * **Internal Systems:** It was implied he had targeting scanners and other internal systems, making him a more calculated, machine-like fighter. |
| * **The Fall of the Gods:** The forces of evil, led by Surtur, Fenris Wolf, and the Midgard Serpent, lay siege to Asgard. The destruction is swift and brutal. Sif loses an arm, the Warriors Three fall in battle, and Captain America arrives with other Avengers to help, witnessing the end of a pantheon. | * **Weaknesses:** |
| * **Thor's Revelation:** Thor, seeking wisdom, repeats Odin's ordeal: he hangs himself from the World Tree Yggdrasil, plucks out both of his eyes, and dies a symbolic death to gain cosmic insight. In this state, he sees the truth—the endless cycle, the previous lives of the gods, and the existence of Those Who Sit Above in Shadow. | * **Psychological Instability:** Without Thor's mind and soul, the clone was brutish, violent, and lacked any sense of morality or tactical restraint. It was a berserker, easily provoked and manipulated. |
| * **Breaking the Cycle:** Armed with the Odinforce and this new knowledge, Thor understands he cannot win by fighting. He confronts the Norns (the Fates) and destroys their Loom of Destiny, severing their control. He then allows Surtur to seemingly destroy Asgard and allows himself to be consumed by the void, but in doing so, he starves Those Who Sit Above of their energy source. His final act is to enter a deep slumber, taking the essence of Asgard with him. | * **Technological Vulnerability:** Its cybernetic components could be targeted. During one confrontation, Hercules smashed its head in, revealing the circuitry beneath the flesh. The real Thor later defeated it by absorbing the clone's own energy blast with Mjolnir and blasting it back, overloading its systems. |
| * **Aftermath:** The Asgardians were gone. The Nine Realms were left a ruin. For years, Thor was absent from the Marvel Universe. This led directly into J. Michael Straczynski's run, where Thor is reborn on Earth. He finds the "sleeping" souls of the other Asgardians now living mortal lives and must awaken them. He physically raises the city of Asgard from the ground, placing it in the plains of Broxton, Oklahoma, forever changing the relationship between Asgard and Midgard (Earth). The cycle was broken, and the Asgardians were finally free to forge a new destiny. | * **Lack of True Godhood:** It was a powerful biological machine, but it lacked the deeper, magical essence of a true Asgardian god. It had no access to the Odinforce, nor could it perform the more esoteric feats of the real Thor. |
| === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === | === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === |
| The MCU's Ragnarok is a contained, linear story told primarily within one film, but its consequences have permanently reshaped the franchise. | //The Nature of the Ragnarok Prophecy:// |
| * **Timeline:** The events of the film //Thor: Ragnarok//, with an immediate fallout seen at the beginning of //Avengers: Infinity War//. | The MCU's Ragnarok is a linear, one-time prophecy that serves as a powerful narrative tool for character development, particularly for Thor. |
| * **Key Turning Points:** | * **A Moral Reckoning:** The event is not a random cosmic occurrence but a direct consequence of Asgard's bloody history. It represents the sins of the father (Odin) being visited upon the children (Thor, Loki, and Hela). The beautiful, golden Asgard seen in the films was built on a foundation of genocide and conquest, and Ragnarok is its overdue demolition. |
| * **Odin's Death:** Odin passes away peacefully in Norway, which breaks the spell containing his firstborn, Hela. | * **Surtur as a Plot Device:** Unlike his comic counterpart who is a recurring major villain, MCU Surtur is primarily a narrative tool—a "demonic Chekhov's Gun." His purpose is singular: to destroy Asgard. He appears at the beginning of the film to establish the threat, and at the end to fulfill it. |
| * **Mjolnir's Destruction:** Hela appears and effortlessly shatters Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, demonstrating her immense power and shattering Thor's primary source of confidence. | * **Redefining "Asgard":** The core thematic purpose of Ragnarok in the MCU is to force Thor and his people to evolve. The destruction of the physical realm forces them to internalize Odin's final lesson: "Asgard is not a place, it's a people." This frees Thor from the burdens of the throne and the physical kingdom, allowing him to become a truer version of himself—a hero defined by his will to protect his people, not by his crown or his hammer. |
| * **Hela's Conquest:** Hela arrives in Asgard and single-handedly slaughters its army, including the Warriors Three. She resurrects her ancient Fenris Wolf and her army of the dead, installing herself as queen. | * **The Catalyst for Infinity War:** The aftermath of Ragnarok leads directly into [[Avengers: Infinity War]]. The ship carrying the Asgardian survivors is immediately intercepted by [[Thanos]], who decimates the population, kills Loki, and brutalizes Thor to acquire the Tesseract. The destruction of Asgard leaves its people vulnerable and sets Thor on his path of revenge. |
| * **The Revengers:** Thor and Loki are stranded on the garbage planet Sakaar. There, Thor reunites with the Hulk, meets the last Valkyrie (whose entire squadron was killed by Hela), and forges them into a team to escape and challenge Hela. | ===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network ===== |
| * **"Asgard is a People":** During his final battle with Hela, Thor loses his right eye and has a vision of Odin, who tells him that Asgard is its people, not the physical place, and that his true power comes from within, not from his hammer. | ((This section primarily focuses on the Ragnarok clone from Earth-616, as the "event" of Ragnarok is a process rather than a character with relationships.)) |
| * **The Prophecy Fulfilled:** Realizing Hela is too powerful to be beaten on Asgard, Thor sends Loki to the vaults to place Surtur's crown in the Eternal Flame. Surtur is reborn in his colossal, prophesied form and destroys the planet Asgard, taking Hela down with him. | ==== Core Allies ==== |
| * **Aftermath:** | The Ragnarok clone had no true allies, only masters and temporary handlers. Its relationships were defined by utility and control. |
| * **The Refugees:** The surviving Asgardians (a few hundred at most) escape on a large vessel called the Statesman, led by their new king, Thor. Their future is uncertain as they search for a new home. | * **[[Tony Stark|Iron Man]] & [[Reed Richards|Mr. Fantastic]]:** His creators. They viewed him not as a person but as a tool—a "nuclear deterrent" to end the Civil War quickly. Their decision to clone their dead friend was a monumental ethical breach that haunted them both. Stark deployed the clone, but even he was horrified by its lack of control when it killed Goliath. Their relationship was one of creator and monstrous, failed creation. |
| * **Thanos's Attack:** In the opening scene of //Avengers: Infinity War//, Thanos and the Black Order intercept the Statesman, slaughtering half of the remaining Asgardians, including Heimdall and Loki, in their quest for the Space Stone (the Tesseract). | * **[[Norman Osborn]]:** During the //Dark Reign//, Norman Osborn salvaged the clone and had it repaired. He used Ragnarok as the "Thor" of his state-sponsored [[Dark Avengers]]. Osborn's relationship with the clone was purely exploitative. He saw a powerful, controllable weapon he could point at his enemies, but its inherent instability made it a constant liability for his carefully constructed public image. |
| * **New Asgard:** The few survivors, led by Valkyrie, eventually settle in Tønsberg, Norway, establishing a fishing village called "New Asgard." As seen in //Avengers: Endgame//, it becomes a somewhat ramshackle but safe haven. By the events of //Thor: Love and Thunder//, under the leadership of King Valkyrie, it has become a thriving tourist destination, integrating Asgardian culture with Earth. The physical destruction of their homeworld was permanent and irreversible. | ==== Arch-Enemies ==== |
| ===== Part 4: Key Figures and Factions ===== | * **[[Thor]]:** The true God of Thunder was the clone's ultimate nemesis. When Thor returned to life and learned that his friends had desecrated his image to create a soulless killing machine, he was enraged. He confronted the clone in a brutal battle, denouncing it as an abomination that shamed his name. Thor utterly destroyed the clone, making it clear that there was no substitute for the real thing. Their conflict was one of authenticity versus imitation, honor versus utility. |
| Ragnarok is defined by the players who either seek to bring it about or fight desperately to prevent it. | * **[[Hercules]]:** The Olympian Prince of Power was one of the first heroes to face the clone after its creation. During the Civil War, the clone's murder of Goliath drove a deep wedge between former friends, with Hercules siding with Captain America. He later battled the clone as a member of the Mighty Avengers and held a deep-seated contempt for the machine that wore his friend's face. |
| ==== The Prophesied Destroyers ==== | * **[[Goliath (Bill Foster)|Goliath]]:** While their interaction was brief, Bill Foster is arguably the clone's most significant victim. His shocking and public murder was the defining act of the clone's existence. It was a point of no return for the Civil War, demonstrating that the conflict had escalated beyond ideology into a fight for survival. Goliath represents the innocence lost and the moral cost of the pro-registration side's extremism. |
| * **[[surtur|Surtur]]:** The immense fire giant and ruler of Muspelheim is the most direct and iconic agent of Ragnarok. In both comics and film, his destiny is to set the universe ablaze with his Sword of Doom, Twilight. In the Earth-616 comics, he is an ancient, implacable cosmic force, a fundamental part of the destructive cycle. In the MCU, he is a more straightforward villain whom Thor defeats at the beginning of the film, only to be intentionally resurrected at the end as a "necessary evil" to destroy Hela. | ==== Affiliations ==== |
| * **[[loki|Loki]]:** The God of Mischief is the great catalyst. In the comics, his jealousy and ambition lead him to side with Asgard's enemies time and again, and his actions directly trigger the final Ragnarok. He is prophesied to lead the armies of the dead against Asgard. In the MCU, his role is more complex; while his actions in the first //Thor// movie set events in motion, during //Thor: Ragnarok// he ultimately sides with his brother, fights alongside the Revengers, and personally resurrects Surtur at Thor's command to save their people. | * **The Initiative:** The clone was first deployed as part of Iron Man's pro-registration forces under the guise of being the returned Thor. This was a short-lived deception that fell apart after it murdered Goliath. |
| * **Jormungandr, the Midgard Serpent:** A key figure in the comic book prophecy, this colossal serpent is destined to be Thor's final opponent. The prophecy states they will kill each other during the final battle. This epic confrontation is a cornerstone of the comic Ragnarok but is entirely absent from the MCU version, which streamlined the mythology. | * **[[Dark Avengers]]:** Its most notable affiliation was with Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers. It served as the team's heavy hitter, a twisted reflection of Thor's role on the original Avengers. It fought alongside other villains posing as heroes, such as Bullseye (as Hawkeye) and Daken (as Wolverine), further cementing its status as a perversion of true heroism. |
| * **[[hela|Hela]]:** Hela's role differs dramatically. In Earth-616, she is the ruler of the realms of Hel and Niflheim, a frequent antagonist but not the primary driver of Ragnarok. She often seeks to expand her dominion over the souls of the dead. In the MCU, she is the central figure and primary antagonist of the Ragnarok story. Her return //is// the crisis. She is reimagined as Thor's elder sister and the embodiment of Asgard's dark past, making the conflict deeply personal and thematic. | * **[[The Cabal]]:** While not a member, the clone was a tool utilized by Osborn, who was a central figure in The Cabal. Its actions often served the broader, villainous goals of this secret organization. |
| ==== The Defenders of Asgard ==== | ===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines ===== |
| * **[[thor|Thor]]:** He is the central hero of the saga. In the comics, his arc is about evolving from a warrior who fights fate to a king who comprehends and shatters it. His journey is one of immense sacrifice and cosmic enlightenment. In the MCU, his arc is about loss and leadership. He loses his father, his hammer, his home, his eye, and his brother, but in doing so, he unlocks his true power and accepts the responsibility of being a king to his displaced people. | === Thor: Ragnarok (The Final Cycle, Earth-616) === |
| * **[[odin|Odin]]:** The All-Father is the architect of the entire conflict. In the comics, he is a tragic, Sisyphean figure, fighting a losing battle against a cosmic cycle he cannot break, all while bearing the burden of this terrible secret. His sacrifices are monumental but ultimately futile until Thor finds another way. In the MCU, he is a reformed conqueror whose past sins directly cause the Ragnarok crisis. His death is the trigger, and his wisdom guides Thor to the solution. | This storyline, part of the wider //Avengers Disassembled// arc, depicts the conclusion of the millennia-long Ragnarok cycle. Having witnessed Beta Ray Bill's homeworld destroyed, Thor realizes that Ragnarok is coming for Asgard. He gains the full power of the Odinforce after his father's apparent death at the hands of Surtur. With this newfound cosmic insight, amplified by sacrificing both eyes to the Well of Mimir, Thor uncovers the truth of the cycle and the celestial parasites, Those Who Sit Above in Shadow. Understanding that fighting and winning would only perpetuate the cycle, Thor embarks on a mission to ensure Ragnarok happens //correctly// and //finally//. He systematically dismantles the key elements of the prophecy: he defeats and beheads Ulik, shatters the reality-warping powers of Durok the Demolisher, and even enlists Loki's help. The climax sees Thor confront the Norns and destroy their Loom of Fate, then he allows Asgard to be razed, severing the connection to Those Who Sit Above and plunging himself and all Asgardians into a state of slumbering "un-life," waiting to be reawakened in a new world free of their cosmic puppeteers. |
| * **[[beta_ray_bill|Beta Ray Bill]]:** A crucial ally in the Earth-616 comics. During the Surtur Saga, the Korbinite hero stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Asgardians. Having lost his own home, he fights with fierce determination to prevent Asgard from suffering the same fate, proving himself a true brother-in-arms to Thor. His presence highlights the intergalactic scale of the comic book event. | === Civil War (Event) === |
| * **The Warriors Three and Sif:** These characters represent the heart of Asgard's warrior class and Thor's closest companions. Their fate underscores the grimness of Ragnarok. In the comic's final cycle, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun die valiantly in the face of impossible odds. In the MCU film, their deaths are shocking and swift, used to immediately establish Hela's ruthlessness and the utter hopelessness of a conventional fight against her. | The Ragnarok clone's debut is one of the most infamous moments in modern Marvel history. In //Civil War// #3, Captain America's Secret Avengers are lured into a trap at the Geffen-Meyer Chemical Plant. As the battle escalates, Iron Man unveils his trump card: the shocking return of Thor. The heroes are momentarily stunned, but it quickly becomes apparent that this is not the noble friend they knew. The clone is silent, brutal, and fights with terrifying ferocity. The turning point comes when Bill Foster, aka Goliath, engages the clone. In a shocking full-page panel, the clone fires a bolt of lightning directly through Goliath's chest, killing him instantly. This single act shatters the illusion that the Civil War is a simple ideological dispute. It becomes a real war with real casualties, driving a permanent wedge through the hero community and causing characters like Sue Storm and Spider-Man to abandon Iron Man's cause in horror. |
| ===== Part 5: Core Story Arcs Defining Ragnarok ===== | === Dark Reign === |
| ==== The Surtur Saga (//Thor// Vol. 1 #337-353) ==== | Following the //Secret Invasion//, Norman Osborn takes control of America's national security. He forms his own team of Avengers, comprised of villains in disguise. To fill the role of Thor, Osborn retrieves the damaged Ragnarok clone and has it repaired by A.I.M. and the Wizard. Now serving the Dark Avengers, the clone participates in several missions, including repelling an Atlantean attack on the United States. However, its instability is a constant problem. During a confrontation with the heroic Mighty Avengers, the clone is soundly beaten by Hercules. Its defining moment in this era comes when it goes haywire in Broxton, Oklahoma (the site of the newly-rebuilt Asgard) and attacks the town and Volstagg. This draws the attention of the real Thor, who returns and, after a brief but decisive battle, completely obliterates the abomination, stating that it is an insult to the noble name of Thor. |
| Walt Simonson's masterpiece is arguably the most epic Asgardian story ever told and the benchmark for all Ragnarok tales. The story is a masterclass in long-form storytelling, building tension over nearly two years. The premise is simple: Surtur is coming. Simonson portrays the fire giant not just as a monster, but as a force of nature. Thor's arc within the story forces him to lead the combined armies of Asgard and Earth in Odin's absence, cementing his transition from prince to field commander. The critical decision to have Odin, Thor, and Loki fight together against a common enemy was a landmark moment, showcasing the sheer scale of the threat. The event permanently altered Asgard by showing its vulnerability and resulting in the long-term absence of Odin, which destabilized the Nine Realms for years to come. | |
| ==== Avengers Disassembled: Ragnarok (//Thor// Vol. 2 #80-85) ==== | |
| This storyline is the thematic and literal end of classic Asgard. It is less a grand war and more a grim, inevitable tragedy. The premise is that Ragnarok has finally arrived, and this time, it cannot be stopped. Thor's journey is one of discovery. As his friends and family fall around him, he is forced to seek answers beyond battle, leading to his self-sacrifice on Yggdrasil. The critical decision was Thor's choice to //embrace// destruction. By realizing the entire conflict was a "story" for cosmic parasites, he chose to end the book, so to speak. This event permanently altered the Asgardian mythos by breaking the cycle of rebirth. When the Asgardians returned, it was not as part of a cosmic loop, but as beings with free will, their destinies finally their own. This storyline effectively closed the door on decades of continuity to allow for a radical new beginning. | |
| ==== Thor: Ragnarok (Film, 2017) ==== | |
| Directed by Taika Waititi, this film revitalized the //Thor// franchise by blending cosmic action with irreverent comedy. The premise sees Thor stripped of his hammer, his hair, and his home, forced to become a gladiator on a strange world before he can hope to save his people from his long-lost sister, Hela. Thor's arc is about deconstruction and rebirth. He learns that his strength was never in his hammer and that true leadership means prioritizing his people over his heritage and home. The film's most critical decision was the choice to actually //destroy// Asgard. It was a bold, permanent move that raised the stakes for the entire MCU and fulfilled the film's title in the most literal way possible. This event permanently changed Thor's status quo, transforming him from a prince of a golden kingdom into the king of a refugee people, setting the stage for his tragic arc in //Avengers: Infinity War// and //Endgame//. | |
| ===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions ===== | ===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions ===== |
| The concept of Ragnarok has been reinterpreted across various Marvel timelines and adaptations. | * **Norse Mythology:** The ultimate "variant" is the original source material. Marvel's Ragnarok borrows key elements from the Poetic Edda: the death of Baldur as a trigger, Loki's alliance with the giants, Fenris Wolf swallowing Odin, and Thor's mutual death with the World Serpent Jörmungandr. However, Marvel's version adds a unique sci-fi twist with the concepts of a repeating cycle and the "gods behind the gods." |
| * **Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610):** In this darker, more grounded reality, "Ragnarok" was not a mystical prophecy but a military invasion. As revealed in //The Ultimates 2//, the "Asgardians" were believed to be god-like members of a European super-soldier program, and Thor was thought to be a mentally unstable man with advanced technology. Loki, as the leader of the "Liberators," launched a massive attack on Earth. The true Ragnarok, explored in the //Ultimate Comics: Thor// prequel, was the historical destruction of Asgard by an alliance of Frost Giants and Nazi Germany, orchestrated by Loki. This version stripped away the ancient mythology in favor of a modern, geopolitical interpretation. | * **//The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes//:** This acclaimed animated series featured its own version of the Ragnarok storyline. In the episode "The Fall of Asgard," the prophecy is triggered by Loki's machinations, leading to an all-out assault on Asgard by Surtur and his fire demons. The story hews closely to the classic mythological and comic beats, culminating in a heroic sacrifice by Odin to defeat Surtur. |
| * **Earth X (Earth-9997):** In this dystopian future, the Asgardians were revealed to be shapeshifting aliens who were manipulated by the Celestials into believing they were the Norse gods of human legend. Their "Ragnarok" was the moment they realized their entire existence and culture were a lie, leading to a collective identity crisis and eventual transformation into their true alien forms. | * **Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610):** In the Ultimate Marvel universe, "Ragnarok" is the name of the final plan by "The Liberators," a multi-national super-team assembled to invade and dismantle the United States. Their forces included a villainous version of Thor's opposite number, Perun. More directly, this universe's version of Thor was initially believed to be a mentally unstable man named Thorlief Golmen who had stolen advanced European super-soldier technology that mimicked god-like powers. The Asgardian-seeming army that invades during //Ultimatum// is also tied to this universe's version of the Ragnarok myth. This version plays heavily with the theme of "is it magic or science?" that defined the early Ultimates. |
| * **//What If... Thor Were a Herald of Galactus?// (//What If?// Vol. 2 #41):** In this reality, to save Asgard from Ragnarok, Odin makes a deal with Galactus, offering Thor as his new herald. While Thor succeeds in leading Galactus to a world to consume, thus sparing Asgard, he returns to find that his people, without the struggle of Ragnarok to define them, have grown soft and decadent. Odin reveals he must now allow Ragnarok to happen to restore their strength, making Thor's sacrifice meaningless. | |
| * **//Marvel's Avengers Assemble// (Animated Series):** The show features a storyline where Loki successfully brings about Ragnarok by unleashing the Midgard Serpent. The Avengers team up with Thor to combat the end of the world, presenting a version where Earth's heroes are more centrally involved in preventing Asgard's final day. | |
| ===== See Also ===== | ===== See Also ===== |
| * [[thor]] | * [[Thor]] |
| * [[loki]] | * [[Asgard]] |
| * [[odin]] | * [[Odin]] |
| * [[asgard]] | * [[Loki]] |
| * [[surtur]] | * [[Hela]] |
| * [[hela]] | * [[Surtur]] |
| * [[beta_ray_bill]] | * [[Civil War (Event)]] |
| * [[mjolnir]] | * [[Dark Avengers]] |
| * [[avengers_disassembled]] | * [[Those Who Sit Above in Shadow]] |
| ===== Notes and Trivia ===== | ===== Notes and Trivia ===== |
| ((The word Ragnarök in Old Norse is often translated as "Fate of the Gods" or "Twilight of the Gods." Marvel's interpretation emphasizes the cyclical nature, which is a modern reading of the myths.)) | ((Ragnarok is the Old Norse term for "Fate of the Gods," sometimes translated as "Twilight of the Gods.")) |
| ((The "Surtur Saga" in //The Mighty Thor// #353 featured a famous splash page of heroes from across the Marvel Universe, including Spider-Man and the X-Men, watching the battle for Asgard from Earth, emphasizing the universal stakes.)) | ((The creation of the Ragnarok clone by Reed Richards became a major point of shame for him, straining his relationships with the Future Foundation, the Fantastic Four, and the wider hero community for years.)) |
| ((In the Earth-616 comics, Thor's breaking of the Ragnarok cycle was so profound that it took several real-world years for his character to return to regular publication, from late 2004 to mid-2007.)) | ((In the comics, Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, was not destroyed during the final Ragnarok cycle. It fell to Earth and was later discovered by Donald Blake, which led to Thor's eventual resurrection. This is a significant departure from the MCU, where its destruction by Hela was a key plot point.)) |
| ((The design of Hela's costume and powers in the MCU film //Thor: Ragnarok// draws more inspiration from the character Gorr the God Butcher from Jason Aaron's comic run than from her classic comic book counterpart.)) | ((The first appearance of the Ragnarok clone in //Civil War// #3 (Sept. 2006) is a direct visual and thematic homage to Thor's own first appearance in //Journey into Mystery// #83. The shocking reveal panel mirrors Thor's classic heroic poses, creating a deliberate and unsettling contrast.)) |
| ((The plot point in the MCU of Asgard being a "people, not a place" is a direct thematic parallel to the comic storyline where Thor relocates Asgard to Oklahoma, severing the connection between the Asgardian people and their original celestial home.)) | ((Writer Michael Avon Oeming confirmed that the "final" Ragnarok story in //Thor// (Vol. 2) was intended to be a definitive end to that chapter of Asgard's history, allowing J. Michael Straczynski to begin his subsequent run with a completely fresh slate, relocating Asgard to Broxton, Oklahoma.)) |
| ((A fun Easter egg in the Sakaaran palace in //Thor: Ragnarok// is a giant sculpture featuring the heads of past champions of the Contest, including Beta Ray Bill, Ares, and the Bi-Beast, confirming their existence in the MCU.)) | ((The question of "Who is the real Thor?" was a major plot point for a time after the clone's introduction. When the real Thor returned, some characters, and even the public, were initially unsure if he was the genuine article or another clone.)) |
| ((The concept of a "Ragnarok" is so popular that it has been used as a title for a major expansion in the video game //Assassin's Creed: Valhalla// and as the subtitle for the critically acclaimed game //God of War Ragnarök//, both of which feature their own interpretations of the Norse apocalypse. This has likely contributed to search traffic for the term in relation to comic book properties.)) | |