The God of Strength Rises

***The Mortal Thor #4***: Written by Al Ewing, Art by Juann Cabal, Colors by Mattia Iocono. Cover by Alex Ross. Published November 26th, 2025.

There is power in a story.

This has been the prevailing theme for the current Thor saga as penned by Al Ewing. And by the current Thor saga, I don’t just mean merely the ongoing “The Mortal Thor” series. No, this saga extends well past that and began with the previously aptly named “The Immortal Thor” and will, according to Ewing, include a future third and final act. In the fourth issue of The Mortal Thor, the story we focus on is that of Magni, the son of our titular character who hails from an alternate timeline where Thor lost his humanity and took over Midgard/Earth, who seeks to follow in this timeline’s Thor’s footsteps in the wake of his death. And like most of the Asgardians save for a certain trickster, Magni is unaware his father is not truly dead, but instead reborn as the amnesiac and altogether mortal Sigurd Jarlson.

Hmmm? What’s that, you say? Thor’s son from an alternate timeline? Thor himself being dead but not really? Sigurd Jarlson? Great questions, true believers. To borrow a quote used by Mr. Ewing…

Let’s begin again.

The Saga Thus Far

The Immortal Thor by Al Ewing, the first of three grand parts of the mightiest saga yet.

Al Ewing’s Immortal Thor run told one of the most gripping and majestic Thor runs to date, masterfully blending elements from the original Norse eddas and Thor’s storied history ranging from the classic Lee/Kirby Journey into Mystery days to the modern era, blending it in a captivating and thrilling story that tells the tale of the greatest god in the Marvel pantheon as he ultimately raced towards his death and while defending the Nine Realms and beyond. While Thor is certainly no stranger to death, Ewing approached the concept in a manner befitting the God of Thunder. The 25-issue run focused on Thor, embracing his role as All-Father and King of Asgard, confronting the Elder Gods of Utgard while navigating the machinations of Roxxon Corporation and those of his sometimes ally, sometimes enemy in the form of Loki and all the while dealing with his prophesied death.

Aside from the theme of stories carrying power, the run was also defined as a meta-commentary on how corporations can dilute the power of said stories via brand synergy, power scaling, over abundance of crossovers, and needless meddling (which is a pretty bold swing given how it can be argued Marvel has certainly been guilty of this in the general sense and when it comes to Thor specifically). Ewing’s run culminated with Thor facing arguably his greatest threat yet in the form of the Utgard Gods and triumphing…only for him to meet his end at the hands of Loki, who had long warned that the Gods of Asgard were in the season of autumn for too long and needed to enter winter, presumably a metaphor for needing to change and to evolve, something conceptual beings as static as deities are hesitant to do, if not entirely incapable of doing so on their own.

Thor’s death served a larger purpose, however, as it enabled Bifrost Bridge’s dark counterpart, the Black Bridge, to be severed and ultimately broken, preventing the forces of Utgard from invading neither Asgard nor Midgard. But the powerful magic Thor’s ritualistic sacrifice Loki evoked to save both realms did not come without cost. Not only was the link from Asgard to Midgard destroyed, but the very history and memory of Thor and Asgard vanished along with it. This would result in major Marvel history being retconned so that Beta Ray Bill was a founding member of the Avengers instead of Thor with wider repercussions I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface of.

Sigurd Jarlson, just a totally average normal mortal human man. Yep.

But as is the case with gods, especially Thor, death in of itself isn’t the end of the story. After one final sacrifice in the void realm of Vidblainn, we see Thor reborn, not as a god but as a man, a man named Sigurd Jarlson. Bereft of both his divine power and his memory, Sigurd awakens in New York City with nothing but the clothes on his back, a key to an apartment, and fittingly enough, a hammer.

Magni, Son of Thor and God of Strength

Thor’s son from a dark alternate timeline where the God of Thunder ruled the Earth.

One of the most interesting developments in Ewing’s Thor saga to date is the return of a character whom we haven’t seen in quite sometime in the pages of a Thor comic. During Dan Jurgens’ character defining run of Mighty Thor, our God of Thunder took a darker path and took control of Earth in an infamous event now known as “The Reigning”. After literally slaying his own humanity in the form of the soul of his once mortal host, Jake Olsen, Thor became unworthy of Mjolnir and darker deeds awaited him still. In this grim future, Thor ruled as a tyrant, convinced that humanity could not be trusted to govern themselves, going as far as to execute most of Earth’s heroes including the likes of the Avengers. Having married Amora, better known as the Enchantress, and appointing Loki as advisor to the throne, it seemed all hope was lost to Asgard and Midgard alike.

That is, until the birth of Magni. Inheriting his father’s vast might and more importantly, his heroism prior to his fall, Magni would go on to find the legendary hammer that belonged to his father and ultimately challenge him, forcing him to come to terms with his fall from grace and ultimately playing a significant role in redeeming him. Horrified by his actions, King Thor used the Odin-force to go back in time, transferring all of his memories to his younger counterpart in the main Marvel timeline. This resulted in the Reigning timeline never coming to be thanks to Thor having the wisdom and shared experience not to tread down that path to begin with. And with the undoing of the timeline, so, too was Magni undone.

The Enchantress contemplates how far she is willing to go in the pursuit of power.

Until very recently. In the pages of The Immortal Thor #17, the Enchantress concocted a spell that would breach time and space, using Thor’s All-Power as the fuel to pull Magni from his doomed timeline to that of Earth-616. Despite the bleakness of the Reigning timeline, even Thor had to admit the one light of that time that-never-was was that of his son. Of course, the Enchantress never does anything without a reason and we discover that she’s quite interested in the fact that the All-Power passes down from father to son, surmising that it may pass down to Magni from Thor as it passed to Thor from Odin. This line of thinking grows even darker as Amora contemplates whether or not the All-Power could transfer back from Magni, should he meet his end, to his surviving parent…

Caught up to speed? Then let’s begin again.

An Asgard Without Thor

Magni feels guilty mourning Thor along with the rest of an Asgard that is not his own.

Issue #4 of The Mortal Thor takes us momentarily away from the tale of Sigurd Jarlson in Midgard and returns back to the Realm Eternal where the denizens of Asgard continue to mourn the loss of Thor, as a friend, a comrade, and benevolent ruler of Asgard. Joining in their grief is that of Magni, the star of this issue and a character of whom I’ve wanted to see more of following reading Dan Jurgens’ Thor run back in the day. Bringing him back in the pages of Immortal Thor and presumably getting to see much more of him here in Mortal Thor is a real treat. He’s every bit his father’s son, jovial and earnest and possessing a strength of arms that’s eclipsed only by the strength of his heart. Magni reflects on the loss of Thor, and while it is not the Thor he was sired by as he hails from an entirely different timeline, he can’t help but grieve the man who wears his father’s face.

But as the Warriors Four, Balder the Brave, and Blackjack O’Hare attempt to console the God of Strength, it doesn’t take too long before Amora arrives, deliberately pointing out that while the throne is currently absent, it need not remain so. For after all, is not Magni the son of Thor? By birthright, would he not inherit said throne? And with the throne, the All-Power itself? Magni plainly rejects his mother’s not very subtle pushing towards accepting his birthright, claiming he is technically not *this* Thor’s son, nor is he even from this version of Asgard. The others chime in, suggesting that Magni not be rushed towards the throne but otherwise agreeing he would be the best candidate, which ironically strengthens Amora’s point. The Enchantress brings up Odin’s multiple children outside of Thor and Balder, noting that none of them are close to being worthy of the throne or even wanting it. Magni ends the debate by pointing out that the All-Power has not passed down to him, a sure sign as any that he is not the heir apparent to Asgard. Amora quietly remarks that this is, indeed, a problem.

King of the Trolls

We shift gears to the lands deep underneath Asgard as a spy reports back to Ulik, King of the Trolls and one of Thor’s oldest enemies. Ulik is informed that the Asgardian throne is still empty in the wake of Thor’s death and perhaps more telling is that Magni does not want the throne and even if he did, does not possess the All-Power to claim it. This emboldens Ulik, who has long sought to rule Asgard on behalf of his troll kin. We then get a brief reminder of perhaps the peak of Ulik’s career: the time he was enchanted by the Norn Queen to appear to Asgard and the rest of the realms as Tanarus, replacing Thor in deed and title as Thunder God in the wake of his death following the events of Fear Itself. Ulik plots, convinced that if a skilled enough magician were to transform him into Tanarus again, he could seize the throne for himself. Amora just so happens to appear in Ulik’s midst, conveniently offering to do just that…

Amora makes good on her moniker, enchanting Ulik so that he is once more in his guise of Tanarus.

The Son Becomes the Father

Blackjack O’Hare is being a good support animal/friend.

Magni continues to grapple with the idea of assuming the throne, telling Sif that he finds himself torn. He was raised by a tyrant Thor, growing up on an Earth long since conquered by the forces of Asgard. How many of his cold teachings inform his decisions, even now? Conversely, if Asgard as a whole has chosen him to lead them going forward, how can he refuse his duty? Sif answers his question with one of her own, asking Magni what he would choose. The Son of Thor reflects for a moment before answering that he would choose to right wrongs and bring kindness, not from a throne located in one realm but a journey through all the realms, an adventure he would undertake alongside his newfound friend, Blackjack. It’s here that Amora, courtesy of a magical distress call, informs Magni and the others that she has been kidnapped by Ulik and his trolls and that they’re forcing her to cast spells that could endanger Asgard and that he must surely fly to her rescue at once! Comically, both Magni and Blackjack muse on how thick Amora is laying it on for their benefit but choose to investigate nevertheless. Just in case.

It doesn’t take long for Magni and Blackjack to traverse the Under-Lands in the search for Amora, with Magni remarking the ancient animosity between the trolls and the Aesir. They’re ambushed by trolls not shortly after, with Magni making a point to not kill them and further strain relations between the two peoples. It’s here that the duo are beset by Ulik under the guise of Tanarus, who claims to be the one true God of Thunder and as such, the wielder of the All-Power. Even as Magni is overwhelmed by the magical assault from Tanarus, he tells Blackjack not to kill him, to which Blackjack frantically asks how Magni himself isn’t dead yet given the awesome and terrible power of the Thor-Force. Magni himself ponders why indeed given how the destructive energy of the All-Power could have and should have slain him.

Behold, The All-Power!

With the All-Power, Magni has just potentially become one of the most powerful deities in the Marvel Universe.

The Son of Thor contemplates that he is not dead because he simply does not believe he should be. More so than simple iron will and heroic resolve, Magni realizes that the pain he was feeling soon vanishes in the wake of his disbelief as he exclaims that Tanarus cannot have the All-Power because there is only *one* All-Power and the true All-Power is within him. Possessed of the magnificent and nigh omnipotent power that once belonged to Thor and Odin before him, Magni easily dispels the illusion surrounding Tanarus, revealing his true form as Ulik and ending the battle with but a gesture. Ulik is gripped by despair at yet another defeat, this time from Thor’s son rather than Thor himself. He bitterly explains that he and the trolls will once again be fated to toil underground as the gods lord over them with their extravagant feasts.

And yet, in a display of compassion and kindness that would make his father proud, Magni offers his hand to Ulik and more than that, offers him a seat at Asgard’s feast, seeking to foster understanding between the trolls and the Aesir. Amora then appears, more than pleased with how events unfolded, revealing herself to have orchestrated events to further push Magni one step closer to accepting his destiny. Having now shown without a shadow of a doubt that Magni has indeed inherited the All-Power, how much longer can he deny the throne? And yet, Magni again turns down the throne, content instead to have a feast with Ulik and the trolls as his esteemed guests. Our issue ends with the trolls being welcomed to the golden halls of Asgard, old feuds forgotten - at least for now - as Aesir and trolls alike enjoy merriment, food, and smiles.

For the love of Odin, please don’t kill your son, Amora.

But it’s Amora herself who has the slyest smile of them all as she undoubtedly plans murder, likely in the most literal sense.

A Worthy Tale of Asgard

The God of Strength has a heart to match the might of his arms.

This was a great standalone issue that evokes the vibes of old school Journey into Mystery tales in the best way: grand adventure with thrilling intrigue, and given its timely themes of forgiveness and welcoming your neighbor to the dinner table, a suitable comic for the holidays as well. As I said earlier, Magni is a joy to behold, and he’s a fine addition to the overall Immortal/Mortal Thor saga, to say nothing of being the star of the story. He’s young and more than a little naive, but it's his inner humanity and genuine goodness that make him endearing and a worthy heir to Thor. That also, unfortunately, seems to make him all the more vulnerable to whatever machinations the Enchantress has in store for him and the throne of Asgard. In the pages of Immortal Thor, Ewing has made it a point to show us that Amora was grappling with her nature.

The character has come a long way since being a mere femme fatale seductress type villainess, and yet, at her core, she’s someone who desires power and will do almost anything to get it. Her ritual that resulted in pulling Magni from his now defunct timeline could have brought her other son, Iric, back to life. Or it could have restored Ove, yet another son from an alternate timeline, to his full power. But instead, she chose Magni simply because he could inherit the coveted All-Power in the event of Thor’s death. Worse, we’ve seen Amora muse on whether or not the All-Power would depart a child in the time of death and seek out the nearest parent. We’ve seen Amora question whether or not this is who she really is in the past, and the end of this issue gave a depressing answer. Magni was certainly the star of the show in this issue, but make no mistake, Amora drove the entire story. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention how fun Blackjack O’Hare is as a supporting character, as he effortlessly bounces off of Magni’s innocence and naivete. Ewing, in this one issue, showcases not just a love of good, simple, and structured storytelling, but also Thor’s sweeping and at times convoluted lore. I feel that Thor, being both a superhero and a mythological deity, requires a writer who can juggle both those aspects of the character and his greater mythos to achieve maximum success, and Ewing continues to deliver that here in spades.

The Wonder of Asgard Brought to Life

Magni channels the All-Power, at times also referred to as the Thor (or Odin)-force.

The art , drawn by Juann Cabal and colored by Mattia Iocono, is perfect for the vibe of the story. It’s vibrant, expressive, and bold, all traits that I feel are specifically important for a Thor book. Those things are valued and certainly at home in superhero comics as a rule, but Thor specifically should be grand and larger than life. He’s a GOD. And the art team brings those qualities here, even if Thor himself isn’t in this book at all save for a brief flashback panel. The moment where Magni embraces his heritage and accepts the All-Power as his own is magnificent and powerful, befitting the literal God of Strength, further augmented by his father’s divine power flowing through to him. It’s a departure from series regulars, artist Pasqual Ferry, and colorer Matt Hollingsworth, and I think it works for this specific issue; Ferry and Hollingsworth are able to aptly create some truly visceral and brutal scenery with Sigurd back on Earth.

The action scenes are gritty, grounded, and *extremely* violent. I mean, you have Sigurd, a normal human, hurling a normal hammer, into the faces and heads of thugs with results you’d expect to happen in real life. But here, in this Tale of Asgard, we’re given an altogether happy ending you might expect to see in a children’s fantasy book, which I believe is deliberate, given how Magni is portrayed as an archetypal majestic hero, much like his father during his classic days. As such, I feel changing up the art team makes the realms of Asgard and Midgard more distinct and separate from one another, which again mirrors the storytelling given that both realms are sundered apart, with Midgard currently believing Asgard and its gods are just myths.

Final Thoughts and Review

Sigurd stares down Blake as the painting behind him speaks volumes of their true identities.

Looking ahead to issue #5, it seems an inevitable collision between Sigurd Jarlson and Donald Blake awaits us. Given that Blake was afforded the title of God of Lies and essentially inherited all of Loki’s villainy and evil they purged themselves of upon becoming the God of Stories, it will be interesting to see how Sigurd handles this confrontation, especially given that Blake apparently has a preternatural understanding of who - and what - Sigurd is. This confrontation is made all the more exciting to consider given that Sigurd Jarlson was originally an alias that Thor adopted as a “secret identity” back during Walt Simonson’s iconic run and Donald Blake, of course, is the original mortal alter ego of Thor, who had long since been separated from Thor upon the revelation that he never truly existed in the first place. Given that we’re only in the first arc of the second chapter of Al Ewing’s Thor epic (and I don’t use that word lightly), I cannot wait for the next thunderous issue. But as it stands for this issue of The Mortal Thor?

Review: 8/10

This issue manages to not only stand alone as a well timed holiday appropriate comic book but also sets the pieces for one of the most interesting plot threads in the Immortal/Mortal Thor journey to date. What will happen with Magni inheriting the All-Power, effectively making him the Lord of Asgard in all but title as he turns down the throne (for now)? And what developments await Sigurd as he confronts the Serpent known only as Blake? That’s one journey into mystery I can’t wait for.