A kingdom for a hammer
Kenneth Branagh's take on Thor may not be slick as Jon Favreau's depiction of Iron Man, but the English thespian didn't veer away from how Stan Lee envisioned the god of thunder. The comic version of Thor would remind some readers of Edith Hamilton's "Mythology", where the gods must be on a 24/7 watch on the mortals. The lofty words, and Jack Kirby's illustrations revealed the might of the inhabitants of Asgard. They have their own affairs to deal with, even if it seemed puny to Thor. After all, he was destined to fight anyone who threatened Asgard and the nine worlds. He wasn't trained to follow the customs befitting the ruler of such realms.
After Rick Riordan's bemusing approach on the Norse mythology, not a few fans would wonder what made the comic version of Thor stood out from the other interpretations. Lee and Larry Lieber saw a coming-of-age tale of a blond-haired lad, the son of Odin. He ruled Asgard (and the nine worlds) with justness and compassion, not shirking from using an iron fist when there was imminent danger. But he wasn't too interested in the affairs of men. This would be where Odin and Thor found themselves in separate paths. And Thor would look at Zeus as his second father. Don't be surprised.
Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, might not consider another sequel to "Thor". "Thor: Ragnarok", scheduled for release on October 25, 2017, would complete the trilogy on the god of thunder. It would be a comprehensive look on Asgard, of what transpired between Odin and his sons. Loki would stand out, brilliantly portrayed by Tom Hiddleston. Lee imagined a jester in Asgard, whose eyes gleamed with mischief and malice. The horns may be part of his costume, but some readers wouldn't be fooled by it.
Those who would be curious about the comics won't be disappointed, as the succeeding writers thought about a compelling saga. It was along the good-versus-evil arc, and Thor managed to live long. Marvel Studios might have chosen Chris Hemsworth after looking at the recent issues. (Stuart Immonent, Tom Raney, and Joe Bennett penciled an older version of the Australian actor.) Dan Jurgens, who authored one of the not-so-recent editions, imagined the passing of Odin. (Keep in mind that the celluloid version could be another interpretation. And there would be many premises.) Thor became the rightful ruler of Asgard, but he would be bored to death.
What would happen next? Let's enumerate the possibilities:
Thor has a female counterpart. Tarene was untested in the state of affairs on Earth. The Avengers didn't mind, as this was part of a learning experience. But many were drawn to the Mjolnir. It was an Excalibur of a sort. Paul Duval, a whacked-out chemist, was one of those characters. A concoction turned him into a flexible stone, and anything he would touch hardened in seconds. No one was immune to it, not even the bubbly Tarene. Not that the real Thor wasn't watching him closely.
Amora could bring the downfall of Asgard. She was the enchantress who wanted to be the Queen of Asgard, and those who knew Thor too well were apprehensive about her presence. She might have selfish motives, but she would insist that her love for Thor was more than the powers she knew. And Lee might have thought of Jason's tragic affair with Circe.
Loki is the devil's advocate. He would appear during the most unexpected moments, testing the inhabitants of Asgard now and then. There was no doubt about his intentions.
Who is Desak? He would be the destroyer of gods, who might have found his match in Thor. The clash between the two would become the highlight of Jurgen's story, with the humans as spectators. They would be awed, even grateful. But they don't know if they should consider Thor as one of them. In Thor's case, he became attached to mankind. Some would see mythology turning into reality, but Lee could be thinking of ancient man's strong attachment to these deities.
Shakespeare would like the comic series. The language would be reminiscent of Middle Age English, but there won't be any need for a Google search. The illustrations would startle readers, as the inhabitants of Asgard seemed too human.
The final pages described a dawn of a new beginning, but Thor didn't fancy bliss. And he was unaware of another (immortal) foe.
