Thor Finally Discovers the Limits of His New Powers and Whether He Can Actually Die

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Immortal Thor #17!Thor ranks among the most powerful Marvel heroes, but despite being granted the amazing powers of longevity, the God of Thunder just discovered there is a limit to his immortality. There are many heroes who technically qualify as immortal, and Thor is among them, however, in his latest battle, Thor redefines the limitations of his All-Power by revealing how exactly he can be killed.

In The Immortal Thor #17 – written by Al Ewing, with art by Jan Bazaldua – after his battle with Gray Gargoyle and other B-tier villains, Thor is turned to stone and smashed to pieces, causing Thor’s soul to go to Vidblaīnn, the Void Land, and because of his state, his soul can’t return to his body.

Thor is brought to the brink of death only thanks to Enchantress fixing him and reversing the stone spell, recontextualizing how his immortality actually works, and suggesting the character could one day truly be killed off.

The Immortal Thor #17 – Written By Al Ewing; Art By Jan Bazaldua; Color By Matt Hollingsworth; Lettering By Joe Sabino

Thor’s powers go beyond the average hero, given the ability to command lightning in every way, but his immortality has always been a point of debate. Though Asgardians aren’t immortal, major deities from Marvel’s Norse Pantheon such as Odin and Thor are considered an exception, with Odin living millions of years. Despite this fact, Odin sacrificed himself to become the Odinforce, and help Thor defeat the elder god, Tempest. Instances such as Odin being turned into the Odinforce, and now Thor’s latest brush with death, prove that even the most powerful Asgardians are not completely untouched by death.

With this instance of the hero being turned to stone and scattered, Immortal Thor has changed what immortality means and how villains can kill heroes who were once thought to be invulnerable, giving Thor, in particular, an entirely new weakness. Other immortal heroes like the Hulk and Wolverine have had similar instances of being chopped into pieces, but most times they are able to regenerate with their healing factors. Unlike Wolverine and Hulk, Thor’s powers come from the All-Force, but he admits from his near-death experience that there is a limit to his once believed unbounded powers.

Thor’s Latest Near-Death Experiences Redefines The Meaning of Immortality In The Marvel Universe

A Shocking Vulnerability For A Literal God

Thor’s near death comes as a surprise because it’s a stark contradiction to Thor’s namesake, “The Immortal Thor.” More pressingly, it presents the issue of whether Thor will overcome this weakness and become a true immortal. This calculated attack of being turned to stone and shattered poses an interesting predicament for both the All-Power and immortal beings. If Enchantress hadn’t rescued Thor, he would have died, meaning if Thor is truly destined to be immortal, he has to overcome this glaring weakness that even B-tear villains can exploit.

The Immortal Thor #17 is available now from Marvel Comics!