Thor

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Background

Powers and Abilities

Thor was born as a mortal, but has access to his godly powers through his Belt of Strength and his hammer, Mjolnir.

The Belt imbues him with great strength and durability, allows him to fly, and gives him some minor psychic abilities, allowing him to read a targets mind, with some concentration.

His hammer, Mjolnir, apart from its use as an intimidatingly large weapon, allows him to control the weather, call down lightning, even allowing him to cover a large area in a lightning storm, travel to other dimension, and teleport himself and around 40 to 50 troops over international distances.

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History

Thorlief Golmen was a psychiatric nurse. He eventually suffered a mental breakdown, and was himself institutionalized for 18 months. The breakdown was a result of him realising that he was the god Thor, sent into the world by his father, Odin, to save it from apathy and self-destruction.

He devoted himself to environmentalist causes and opposing American imperial ambitions. In so doing he developed quite a following through his speeches and self-help books. It has not been revealed how he obtained his belt and hammer, but he used these to help people, increasing his popularity and exposure.

When initially contacted about joining the Ultimates, he refused, citing his unwillingness to work for the military industrial complex . When the Hulk began his rampage through Manhattan, they again requested he join them, but he refused to do so unless the President agreed to double the foreign aid budget.

When his demand was agreed to, he interceded in the battle between the Ultimates and the Hulk, and was instrumental in the Hulk’s defeat.

Ultimates

Being a part of the Ultimates allowed him a greater global profile, and allowed him to spread his message further. As a consequence Thor decided to continue working with them on missions that he felt did not conflict with his ideology, usually where lives were at stake. However, he did not actually join the team.

During his time with the team he also developed a strong friendship with Tony Stark.

The Ultimates received a briefing on the Chitauri, an alien race that had a small contingent on Earth. They were eight foot tall reptilians who can assume the form of anyone they eat. The Chitauri see themselves as the universe’s immune system, trying to bring order to the universe by eradicating free will.

They had tried to use their technology to pacify the planet before. That was when they supported the Nazis during WWII, and thus when Captain America had first come into conflict with them. Intelligence reports indicated they were active again.

Alien assault

Thor was the advance guard of a unit of Ultimates and SHIELD personnel that moved against a Chitauri base in Micronesia. They found the base abandoned, and further scouting set off a nuclear bomb that the Chitauri had left. Iron Man managed to get a force field up protecting the Ultimates, Nick Fury, and some of the SHIELD troops.

While the Ultimates were lured away from the Triskelion, the Chitauri carried out their actual plan of taking secret control of SHIELD. Taking the convalescing Wasp captive, they adjourned to an air base in Arizona.

The surviving Ultimates and SHIELD troops tracked them to the base, and attacked by surprise. Unfortunately the Chitauri fleet, having been driven out of other areas of the universe, arrived as the battle was going on.

Alien invasion

Thor and Iron Man led the assault against their fleet, with Thor calling up lightning storms which disabled over half a dozen large craft at a time. The Chitauri, seeing their plans on Earth lost decided to set off a bomb. It would destroy the entire solar system.

Defusing the bomb being unfeasible, it was up to Thor to dispose of it. He teleported it to the lifeless wastes of Nastrond, so the only effects felt on Earth were a minor ripple in three-dimensional Earth-space.

After he had been working with the Ultimates for a while, their members began being used abroad, supposedly only for special cases. Thor saw this as the beginning of what he feared the organization would become, a weapon of the “American imperial war machine”. He quit the organization.

Shortly thereafter documents were leaked revealing that the Hulk was actually Bruce Banner, a scientist working for SHIELD, who was currently held prisoner within the Triskelion. Suspicion immediately fell on Thor, despite his denials.

God of dirty tricks

Thor soon received a messenger from his father. The courier told him that his brother Loki had escaped from the Room Without Doors, and sworn vengeance for their last encounter. The messenger, Volstagg, seemed to disappear as soon as a bystander pointed out to Thor that he appeared to be talking to thin air.

When police got violent with Italian protestors against the European Defence Initiative’s super-soldier program, Thor intervened to protect the protestors.

The other Ultimates were called to the EDI’s headquarters, where they met EDI’s head scientist, Thorleif’s brother, Gunnar Golmen. He told them that his program had developed the belt and hammer which gave Thor his powers, but his brother had stolen them and assumed the identity of Thor.

The Ultimates and their European counterparts travelled to Norway, where Thor and a large number of his followers were camped. He told them that Gunnar was actually Loki, who had shifted reality to make them believe that he, Thor, was just a madman. They refused to believe him, and attacked.

Thor vs. the Ultimates

He endured their attacks until Quicksilver managed to remove his belt. At this point he fell to earth, and was subdued due to the demoralisation he felt at being attacked by his comrades. He was then imprisoned in the Triskelion, where Gunnar/Loki appeared and taunted him, allowing only Thor to see him.

Loki aided the alliance of the superhuman army formed by the enemies of America, who launched a sneak attack which captured most of the Ultimates. As they claimed the Triskelion, Thor’s prayers to his father were answered, as he was spirited away.

The Ultimates gained the upper hand against their opponents, at which point Loki unleashed his powers, and a horde of trolls, dragons and giants. His actions alerted Odin to his location, and he dispatched Thor at the head of an army of Asgardians to oppose Loki. Thor battled and overcame his brother.

With the real traitor to the team having been revealed, Thor rejoined the team as they decided to become independent of the American government.

Personality

Thor has a loud, but happy and calm, personality. He is not hesitant about expressing his views, but never does it in an aggressive manner. He is aware of how imposing he can be, but usually tries to soften it unless it’s needed. He is deeply committed to his mission on Earth, and in trying to get people to see beyond their own personal concerns.

He prefers finding non-violent solutions to problems, but, if left with no other alternative, will solve them with brute force.

He is even-tempered, and accepting of people’s disbelief of his claims to godhood. He rarely gets upset, and it is usually only when groups take violent actions based on short-sighted self-interest.

Quotes

“Oh, it matters not whether you are wearing capes or combat boots, little man. You are all just thugs in uniform who will smash any threat to a corrupt status quo. Go back to your paymasters and tell them that the Son of Odin is not interested in working for a military industrial complex who engineer wars and murders innocents. Your talk might be of super-villains now, but it is only a matter of time before you are sent to kill for oil or free trade.”

Nick Fury: “What about that interview you gave 60 minutes, Thor ? I thought you were here to save the world.”
Thor: “Oh, I am here to save the world, General Fury. Save it from people like you.”

“Take a look around you, Captain. your world is being bled dry while your people grow dull-eyed and hypnotized by reality TV and Playstation 2. I’m here to wake you all up again before mankind sleepwalks their way into oblivion.”

Thor: “Sorry I’m late, Fury, but I only just got Tony’s message. I was busy fighting Jormungand The Midgard Serpent and my evil half-brother Loki all morning.”
Nick Fury: “Don’t worry about it, Thor. Just take a seat and-Wait a minute.”
Thor: “I was fighting The Midgard Serpent. Seriously.”

“I understand that this no-nonsense tone is all part of a well-crated persona to inspire the troops, but I’m not one of your little foot soldiers, Fury. I’m only here because I’m friendly with Tony and I don’t mind helping out, but I would appreciate a little courtesy next time you ask for a favour.”

Nick Fury: “Sweet mother of god ! I thought this guy was supposed to be a pacifist, man.”
Thor: “A pacifist with a big, scary hammer, General.”

“You’re being tricked. Deceived by my evil half-brother. This is all Loki’s masquerade. Don’t you see ? He can shuffle time and space. He just made all this up.”

DC Universe History

Ultimate Thor we can look at from 2 perspectives: The Delusional and the mistrusted God.

Delusional, part 1

Thor the Delusional was captured and imprisoned by the Ultimates who returned his gear to the scientists who made it. Thorlief Golmen was eventually sent to Arkham Asylum. There he made some friends. There were whispered conversations between the cells at night. Thorlief, a registered Nurse, convinced the Mad Hatter the switch around the medications when the attendant was in his cell.

As a result Killer Croc didn’t get his tranquilizers. He got Mr. Zsasz’s anti-psychotics. It took less than a week for the Croc to have a nightmare followed by a violent outburst. Thor and the Hatter escaped in the ensuing chaos.

Thor and the Hatter (now sporting a grunge look but still a top hat) escaped into the network of counter-culturals that surrounded him before his fall. Between Thor’s personal charisma and connections, and the Hatter’s hypnotism the two quickly rose to prominence in the east coast environmental movement.

The two seemed contented for a time doing ’the god work‘. Their success attracted the attention several unwanted factions. The police came seeking escaped inmates. Robin and the Titans suspected The Mad Hatter (now calling himself Hat-man) of some new insanity.

Delusional, part 2

The worst of all was when Steve Rogers came to Thor. He offered to help Thor get his belt and hammer back if he’s help if Thor would stand with him, Hawkman, and Batman against the rising tide of fascism coming out of SHIELD. Thor declined to interfere in the politics of no-win.

Thorlief lost his temper when the Captain suggested that Thor’s current activities against the destruction of the natural habitats of animals was a ‘cover’. Without his Belt and Hammer he was no match for Steve. The Hat-man managed to blindside Captain America and the two eco-activists escaped.

The scuffle drew the attentions of the Titans. Again Thor and Hat-man managed a narrowly escape. Thorlief was disgusted and angry. He knew that the caped lackeys of the imperialist establishment would not leave him alone as long as he was weak.

He and the Hat-man quickly relocated to Europe. They courted new allies. After a spectacular tussle with the Titans, Thor and Hat-man, assisted by Swamp Thing and Black Orchid, recovered his Hammer and Belt.

A restored Thor beat back the Titans and lectured them on the wrongs of eco-colonialism. He quickly withdrew as he knew he would attract the attention of SHIELD as well as the big blue Boy Scout. Thor and the mad but effective Hat-man remain at large. Anti-American and anti-globalism forces around the world rejoiced.

Mistrusted god, part 1

After Thor’s entrapment by his half brother and betrayal by the Ultimates it was not long before he was needed elsewhere. Wonder Woman was contacted in a dream-like vision where faceless voices asked her to restore the Thunderer to his mighty status. The world of men desperately needed him. When she approached SHIELD they (politely) told her that she was as crazy as he was.

If she thought SHIELD would ever give a mental patient weapons of such power she was mistaken. Convinced of the reality of the need to free him, but not wanting to fight SHIELD, she turned to Batman for advice. She was surprised to find there was already a cabal forming against SHIELD.

Wonder Woman flew to Norway and used her tremendous powers of persuasiveness to ask to examine Thor’s artifacts. She was captured by means of subterfuge and magic by Loki.

Mistrusted god, part 2

During her imprisonment Captain America and Batman moved against SHIELD but were captured as they did not anticipate that Fury and Steel had them under surveillance for months. Wonder Woman freed herself from the imprisonment of Loki by donning the belt and hammer of Thor. The destruction was awesome. Hundreds were killed.

The newly enhanced Wonder Woman teleported to the Triskalion and dictated terms to SHIELD. She demanded they would release the captured heroes including Thor. The JLA and Titans refused to act against her. The X-men, after a brief encounter between Xavier and Wonder Woman backed her action against Fury and Steel.

The Amazon princess was glad to relinquish the belt and hammer to Thor on his release. He knew that she had enjoyed the unbridled fury of the lightning storm. Too much. Thor and Wonder Woman became close friends in the following months. Fury and Steel plotted new strategies.

By Gareth Lewis.

Source of Character: Marvel Comics, Ultimate Universe (up to Ultimates II #13).

Helper(s): Mike Winkler, Phil Dixon.