Summary
Marvel is continuing to rewrite its cosmic hierarchy as theImmortal Thorfaces a god who even Odin couldn’t match. Last issue,Thor assembled the children of Odininto a powerful team, only to realize that the Asgardian War God Tyr wasn’t in attendance. The team set out to find their lost sibling, traveling through a cosmic trap set by the In-Betweener and discovering an unfamiliar realm.
In a preview ofImmortal Thor #12,the team confront a being known as Tiwaz, also known as the Utgard-Odin. The embodiment of justice and sacrifice, Tiwaz is shockingly powerful, and Thor will need to beat him in battle to save Tyr.
The issue continues Thor’s efforts to fight back against the Utgard-Gods - primeval cosmic forces who are as far above the gods as gods are above humans. Fans recently learned that each of the Norse gods is effectively a pale imitation of an Utgard-God, with the same purpose and similar powers, but to a far lesser extent. The issue’s summary reads:
GODSDEATH! In Andlang, land of spirits, the Utgard-Odin challenged Thor to battle for the rune of his brother, the war god Tyr. For Tyr was changed by strange forces, within and without… and to restore him would come only at equal cost. This is the story of the IMMORTAL THOR… and the Odinson’s end.
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Tiwaz Is the Latest of the Utgard-Gods to Pose an Impossible Challenge to Thor
Lately, Thor has found himself under attack by the Utgard-Gods, who are seeking to reclaim their place in the cosmic order, coinciding with Gaea’s plans to eradicate humanity if Thor can’t stop them from destroying the environment. Thor’s first enemy was Toranos, aka the Utgard-Thor, who demonstrated a greater control over the weather and wielded a gigantic wheel - thetrue ‘complete’ version of Thor’s hammer.It will be fascinating to see the different ways that Tiwaz offers a more absolute version of Odin’s powers, weapons and purpose.
Tiwaz actually isn’t a new character to Marvel lore, and was named in 1963’sJourney Into Mystery #97as one of the very first beings to ever exist.Tiwaz commands a godly eagle named Whiteface (an echo of Odin’s ravens Huginn and Muninn) and wields a spear similar to Odin’s Gungnir, which pursues its target until they’re hit, no matter how far they run. Tiwaz isn’t necessarily in league with the other Utgard-Gods, having chosen exile in his own realm when they went to war at the beginning of the cosmos. However, it’s clear that no matter what his allegiance, he poses a major threat to Thor.
The Utgard-Gods are an unfathomably powerful force in Marvel lore, testing Thor’s mind as much as his raw might. When Thor fought Toranos, he only won by surrendering his powers,tricking Toranos into becoming ‘Worthy’and thus being bound by new standards of restraint and honor. That fact begs the question: ifThorwas forced to surrender his powers to defeat hisownmore powerful reflection, what chance does he have against the Utgard-Odin?
