Marvel : I am Thor Chapter 296 - 300

Chapter 296: Out of Control

Thor clenched the Soul Gem tightly in his hand, a confident sneer playing on his lips. “If you dare to appear in your soul state,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence like thunder, “even as the Dark Lord, you’ll kneel before me!”

The orange light of the gemstone flickered, then dimmed, as though it had feasted on an enormous meal. The gem, after all, had just devoured a being of immense power.

The Dark Dimension no longer had a ruler. Though many years from now another Dark Lord might rise, there would never be another Dormammu.

Thor turned his gaze toward Jean Grey, but his expression grew serious. There was another pressing issue to deal with.

“Don’t come any closer!” Jean’s voice trembled, filled with fear and desperation as she clutched her head.

Dormammu was gone, obliterated by the Phoenix Force. Yet, instead of retreating, the fiery power surged wildly within her. The glowing energy lines etched across her face remained, and her entire body seemed to be teetering on the edge of collapse.

“Stop!” Jean screamed as Thor took a step closer. Her voice cracked with anguish. “I can’t control it! You don’t understand this feeling—when this power surges, it’s beyond my control!”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she trembled violently. “Every time it erupts, someone gets hurt. I don’t want to hurt you. Please... just go!”

Thor didn’t stop. He couldn’t. He knew that if he turned away, Jean’s emotions would spiral, unleashing destruction far worse than what they’d already endured.

He smiled gently, his tone calm but resolute. “I’m the one who asked you to release the seal. I caused the cosmic flare. If I abandon you now, I’d be nothing but a coward.” He stepped closer, his voice steady. “I told you—I’ll take you home. I’m not giving up on you. Trust me, we’ll get through this together.”

He reached her, placing a firm yet reassuring hand on her trembling shoulder.

“Don’t—”

The words barely escaped her lips before the Phoenix Force erupted like a supernova. Flames engulfed them both, consuming everything in their immediate vicinity and freezing the surrounding air in an eerie stillness.

Jean’s face twisted with pain and desperation as she struggled to maintain control. “No! I can’t control it... Please, Thor, leave!” she begged, her voice breaking under the strain.

Thor met her gaze, his expression unwavering. “I told you—I’m taking you home!”

The flames surged higher. In her despair, Jean’s golden eyes reflected the primal fury of the Phoenix.

In that moment, as the Phoenix Force surged uncontrollably, Thor finally understood Dormammu’s terror.

The Phoenix Force was more than a cosmic power—it was the embodiment of universal passion, capable of both creation and destruction. It could ignite the spark of life in the universe or burn it to ash. This was the "Phoenix’s Judgment."

Thor felt his once-immovable, godly physique begin to dissolve under the immense power. Even his superhuman regenerative abilities were suppressed. And yet, Jean was trying. Her desperate effort to rein in the power was the only thing keeping him from being completely obliterated.

“Stop hesitating,” Jean cried, her voice raw with pain. “It’s too late. You have to kill me!”

“Kill me!”

Thor’s response was immediate. His weapon, Stormbreaker, fell to the ground with a resounding clang. He would not yield.

At that moment, the Phoenix Force coalesced into a blazing, golden form—a fiery phoenix so vivid it seemed almost solid.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the battle between Wanda Maximoff and Nightmare raged on.

The battlefield was a clash of titanic forces, with Wanda wielding Chaos Magic and Nightmare relying on the dark energy of fear. Both were among the most formidable entities in existence, but Wanda’s control was far from perfect.

Suddenly, Wanda froze. Her breath hitched as a sharp pang pierced her chest.

She felt it—a tremor that rippled across the cosmos. Her expression turned grim as her eyes glowed blood-red.

A scream echoed across the battlefield, faint yet piercing, carrying with it an unshakable sense of foreboding.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it reached everyone.

Wanda’s energy surged uncontrollably, a flood of chaos spilling into the air. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground as a red wave exploded outward.

For a moment, the entire world seemed to shift. Colors faded, replaced by a blood-red hue that stained the sky. Everyone froze, their eyes drawn to Wanda in stunned silence.

Nightmare, the self-proclaimed master of fear, was the first to feel the effects. The green light of its dark energy flickered and dimmed as Wanda’s Chaos Magic overwhelmed it.

“Ahhhhhh!” Nightmare screamed as its form began to disintegrate, unraveling under the relentless assault.

“I will not die!” it shrieked desperately. “As long as there are nightmares in this world, I will always have a chance to be reborn!”

Wanda’s voice cut through the chaos, cold and emotionless. “You have no chance.”

Nightmare’s gaze widened in terror as it realized what was happening. The connection between itself and the Nightmare Dimension—the very source of its power—was severed, erased as if it had never existed.

Chapter 297: The Odinforce

“Is this what death feels like? Why does it seem... unchanged?”

As Thor opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Phoenix flames swirling around him and Jean Grey’s tear-streaked face hovering above, her expression filled with anguish.

A series of mechanical chimes echoed in his mind:

“Drip! The death of the host is detected. Passive skill—Death Resistance—has been triggered. Time rewinding is in progress…”

“Drip! The target strength of the host’s killer has surpassed the world's time regression capability. Switching to host-specific time regression…”

“Time rewinding is complete. Host state fully restored.”
“Drip! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Hatchet Ending. Reward granted: Character-exclusive plug-in.”

Thor’s memories snapped into focus as the system prompts continued. A faint chuckle escaped his lips. He had almost forgotten about that passive skill—a relic from a mission involving Hela, tucked away in the recesses of his mind for over two decades.

“Are you... are you okay?” Jean’s voice quivered with a mix of relief and disbelief.

“For now, it seems so,” Thor replied, his voice steady but tinged with exhaustion.

A strange sensation lingered in the air. The devastating power of the Phoenix Force, which should have annihilated him entirely, now seemed slightly subdued. Could my “death” have triggered something within Jean, perhaps unlocking more of her potential control?

Jean shook her head, as if reading his thoughts. “No,” she murmured. “The improvement is negligible. It could take years, maybe decades, to fully control this power...”

Thor frowned. Years? Decades? Time was a luxury they didn’t have. The chaos outside, whatever state the universe was in now, demanded immediate action. But before he could respond, the Phoenix Force surged again, consuming him in its fiery embrace.

When Thor’s consciousness returned, he found himself standing on a lush expanse of green grass.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore reached his ears, accompanied by the distant cries of seagulls. He scanned his surroundings, realization dawning. Northern Norway?

He turned his gaze toward the ocean, his voice cutting through the tranquil air. “Father, you’re slipping. Normally, I should be able to see my new island from here.”

From the shadows, Odin emerged, his expression sheepish. “You’re five years late,” the All-Father muttered. “I thought you’d be here during Ragnarök.”

Thor rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m just that good.”

Odin scowled but said nothing. Thor, however, felt a pang of awkwardness. Is this the legendary “dad” mode? Or just a glitch in my system?

“Enough banter,” Odin said, his voice deep and serious. “You’re in unsolvable trouble again, aren’t you? Asgard is in crisis?”

Thor nodded. “Surtur. That flaming bastard took advantage of my absence to stir up chaos. Once I deal with this, I’ll make sure he learns his place!”

Odin chuckled, a sound rich with both amusement and weariness. “You won’t be able to kill him. Even in my prime, the best I could do was take the Eternal Flame from him. But as long as his helmet touches the flame, he’ll be reborn.”

“How did you take the Eternal Flame, then?” Thor asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Beat him senseless,” Odin replied matter-of-factly.

Thor stared at him, dumbfounded. “Seriously?”

Odin’s laughter echoed across the grassy expanse. “If I could do it, so can you. Perhaps even better. Just as Ragnarök—the eternal prophecy—was something I thought unbreakable, yet here you are, proof that it can be undone.”

He turned, his cloak billowing in the sea breeze.

“That’s it?” Thor called after him, his tone incredulous. “You’re just going to leave me with a pep talk?”

Odin paused, glancing back over his shoulder. “You’re better than I ever was, Thor.” His voice softened. “That’s all you need to know.”

He continued walking, his form fading into the horizon.

“Wait!” Thor called again.

“What now?” Odin asked without turning.

Thor hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Next time you decide to appear out of nowhere, can you, I don’t know, give me a heads-up? Sometimes I’m... busy.”

Odin froze for a moment, the implication dawning on him. His expression darkened as he turned. “You ungrateful brat—”

In the physical realm, mere seconds had passed.

Jean sobbed as the Phoenix Force continued its relentless assault on Thor. She watched in despair as his body, now reduced to ashes, showed no signs of returning.

But then, a spark—a subtle shift in the energy around him—caught her attention.

Thor’s body, which should have been utterly obliterated, began to heal. Flesh and bone reformed, wounds closed, and life returned where there should have been none.

Jean’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Thor’s recovery was swift, his divine power surging to unprecedented levels. Golden radiance enveloped him, creating an impenetrable shield against the Phoenix Force.

The air around them trembled.

“Boom!”

The explosion was cataclysmic, its shockwave disintegrating nearby celestial bodies into dust. Jean could only stare, her tear-filled eyes reflecting the brilliance of Thor’s divine aura.

Chapter 298: Phoenix Force

“Drip! The plug-in has been successfully activated. Congratulations to the host for obtaining the reward: The Odinforce!”

The system’s voice echoed in Thor’s mind.

“The Odinforce: A divine ability passed down through the bloodline of the Aesir royal family. It is named after Odin, the most powerful wielder of this power in recent history. However, before Odin, this power was known as ‘Borforce,’ named after his father, Bor. And before Bor, it was called ‘Buriforce’ in honor of Odin’s grandfather. This power evolves with its wielder, bearing the name of the one who defines its era.”

Feeling the incredible surge of divine power coursing through his veins, Thor whispered with conviction, “Then from now on, this will be called... Thorforce!”

His eyes glowed gold, and unparalleled divine energy erupted from his body, sweeping through the entire dark dimension. The force was so overwhelming that it pushed back the Phoenix Force by an astonishing degree.

The Phoenix Force, sensing this provocation, flared back with renewed intensity, reclaiming its dominance in an instant.

Jean Grey, standing nearby, reacted quickly. “What do we do now?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I still can’t fully control this power... If I return to our world like this, I’ll only end up hurting more people!”

Thor frowned. This was indeed a significant problem. The Phoenix Force might no longer harm him, but its destructive potential remained unchecked. Leaving Jean stranded in the dark dimension wasn’t an option either—not unless he planned to make daily visits to keep it contained.

With newfound divine power also came clarity and wisdom. Thor extended his hand, summoning Stormbreaker into his grasp.

Running his fingers over the battle axe, he murmured, “When thunder and flame unite, light and darkness will face their ultimate reckoning. This is true destiny.”

Thor’s divine energy surged into Stormbreaker, lifting it high into the air. It rose toward the heart of the battle between the Phoenix Force and Thor’s power, becoming a focal point of their confrontation.

“Jean, try channeling the Phoenix Force into the axe!” Thor instructed.

Jean hesitated but quickly complied, focusing her power toward the weapon.

In an instant, a massive vortex formed in the sky. The Phoenix Force, like a raging river, flowed toward Stormbreaker, as if being drawn to it.

Jean gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. “How... how is this possible? Stormbreaker is acting like a host for the Phoenix Force!”

Thor smiled knowingly. “It’s not Stormbreaker itself—it’s me. The axe is merely a conduit, my chosen weapon. If I were using Mjolnir, the Phoenix Force would have channeled through it instead. This power recognizes my divine essence and uses the weapon as a bridge. Flame and thunder will now forge a new bond. The Phoenix Stormbreaker will soon be complete!”

Jean’s eyes sparkled with newfound hope.

Thor chuckled. “You’ve guessed it correctly. Just as you were chosen as the Phoenix’s perfect host, so too have I been recognized. Perhaps I wasn’t before, but after everything we’ve faced, I am now.”

He glanced at her with quiet sincerity. “There were countless worlds and countless lives. Perhaps the reason I brought you into this one was for this very moment.”

The Phoenix Force’s transfer slowed, leaving a portion of its power still residing within Jean.

Thor closed his eyes briefly, sensing the change within her. “Your strength is growing,” he observed. “The Phoenix Force is truly extraordinary. Even divided, it will eventually restore itself. But this time, your control will grow alongside it.”

Stormbreaker—no, the Phoenix Stormbreaker —descended gently into Thor’s hands. Flames of the Phoenix and the energy of cosmic thunder intertwined, blazing across his figure. For the first time, two vastly different forces coexisted within one being.

Thor raised the weapon high, his body emanating pure, unbridled power. He had become something new.

He was now the King of the Phoenix, a ruler born of fire and storm. He was Lord of Thunder, God of Fire, King of the Phoenix.

The sheer force of his transformation rippled across the dark dimension. Planets trembled, and distant volcanoes erupted in response to the elemental fury.

“It’s time to make those who conspired against us pay the price,” Thor declared.

Silence greeted his words.

Turning, he saw Jean leaning against his shoulder, fast asleep. The exhaustion of the day had finally overwhelmed her. Despite her strength, her body and mind weren’t yet capable of fully managing the Phoenix Force.

Thor softened his tone, speaking quietly. “Rest now, Jean. Leave the rest to me.”

[There is a relatively new issue of Thor comics, in which the old Thor becomes the new host of Phoenix force, and he is the perfect host, not made up by the author].

Chapter 299: The Villain Died of Too Much Talk

The battle in Asgard had reached its most perilous stage.

Surtur, the immortal harbinger of Ragnarök, pressed forward relentlessly. His massive form loomed ever closer to the ground, his fiery presence unstoppable despite the best efforts of those resisting him.

In desperation, Frigga prepared for the worst. The second plan was now in motion: evacuating everyone.

On Asgard’s grand square, Frigga turned to Heimdall with urgency. “How is the evacuation progressing? Have the people boarded?”

“There’s one last group,” Heimdall replied, his tone calm but hurried. “They should all be on the ship in a few more minutes.”

Loki, standing nearby, whispered, “Mother... are we really abandoning Asgard?”

Frigga sighed heavily, her expression weighed down by sorrow. “Son, Asgard was never just a place. Wherever our people are, that is where Asgard will be.”

Her words were resolute, but they couldn’t mask the grief etched into her features. Around them, Asgardians hurried to board the ships, their faces pale and heavy with despair. Despite her brave front, the sight of her people’s somber exodus left Frigga’s heart aching.

Above, the clash of titans reached its climax.

Surtur, wielding his enormous Twilight Sword, let out a roar that shook the skies. With a devastating swing, the blade collided with Hela, shattering her defense. The Night-Sky Sword she raised to block his attack splintered under the immense force.

“Boom!”

The ground quaked as Hela was sent hurtling downward, crashing into Asgard’s surface with enough force to leave a crater. She crawled out moments later, battered and panting.

High above, Jane Foster raised Mjolnir, hurling it toward Surtur with all her might. The hammer streaked through the air like a blazing meteor, its lightning cutting through the thick layers of fiery energy surrounding the colossal being.

Mjolnir struck with earth-shattering force.

But Surtur, unfazed, grabbed Carol Danvers mid-flight and used her as a shield.

“Boom!”

The impact was enough to briefly stun Carol, her dual-star defense barely holding up against the thunderous blow. She groaned through gritted teeth, “CNM...”

Surtur wasted no time, following up with a massive strike that sent Jane careening into the ground.

“Boom!”

Another crater appeared in Asgard Square.

“Boom...”

Surtur’s colossal frame descended onto Asgard’s surface, his landing sending shockwaves through the crumbling city. Chaos erupted as flames consumed the land, the weight of history bearing down on the realm.

Standing amidst the destruction, Surtur’s chaotic mind calmed for a moment. He gazed at the ruins of Asgard and let out a deep, guttural laugh.

“Ragnarök! The great prophecy has come to pass!” he declared triumphantly, lifting the Twilight Sword high above his head. The flames of eternity swirled around it, their heat palpable even from the evacuation ships.

“This is power!” Surtur bellowed. “And power is the only law!”

Centuries of waiting had led to this moment, and Surtur relished it with unbridled arrogance. “I am the end of Asgard!”

The Twilight Sword descended with all its might, its flames surging toward the ground to deliver the final blow.

On the ships, the Asgardians turned away, unable to bear witness. Frigga’s gaze dropped as Loki stood silently, his expression conflicted. Hela, too wounded to intervene, stared blankly ahead.

“Boom!”

The Twilight Sword halted mid-strike. The force meant to obliterate Asgard was stopped in its tracks, its power neutralized.

Standing in its path was Thor, cradling the unconscious Jean Grey in one arm while raising his newly forged Phoenix Stormbreaker in the other.

The cosmic energy radiating from Thor was unmatched. His presence alone seemed to rewrite the very laws of the battlefield.

A portal appeared behind him, leading to his quarters. Thor carefully placed Jean inside, ensuring her safety before stepping back into the fray.

His gaze turned toward Surtur, his eyes blazing with fire and thunder.

“You talk too much,” Thor said, his tone dripping with disdain. “Don’t you know the villain always dies because they talk too much?”

With a flick of his wrist, the Twilight Sword was wrenched from Surtur’s grasp. The massive blade rose into the air as Surtur’s fiery hands reached out in vain.

“No!” Surtur roared, leaping to reclaim his weapon.

Thor surged upward, flames and lightning entwining his body as he closed the distance. Surtur froze for a moment, a terrifying realization dawning upon him. The flames emanating from Thor’s form—they burned hotter than the Eternal Fire itself.

Before he could react, the Phoenix Stormbreaker cleaved through the air, colliding with Surtur’s desperate defense.

“Boom!”

The explosion was blinding, a cacophony of power that rippled through the universe. The combined force of Thor’s divine power and the Phoenix Force shattered all resistance.

In the distant reaches of the cosmos, ancient beings stirred from their slumber.

Eyes that had been closed for eons opened, their gazes piercing the void.

“Odin?” they murmured, disbelief flickering across their faces.

But then they paused, shaking their heads. “No... not Odin. This is something else...”

A hushed awe filled the space as they whispered, “Stronger than Odin...”

Chapter 300: I Am Destiny

Crack...

A faint sound echoed across the battlefield.

The legendary Twilight Sword, forged to destroy Asgard, now bore a growing crack that spread rapidly across its length.

Surtur stood frozen, momentarily stunned by what he was seeing. He didn’t even notice the sudden flash of purple light streaking through the darkened sky—a bolt of lightning, seemingly ordinary, that struck him squarely in the back.

“Ahhh!”

Surtur released an ear-splitting howl, his fiery form trembling. At the point of impact, the flames flickered and dimmed, never reigniting.

The Eternal Fire’s famed regenerative power, once thought infinite, faltered. Against a force so vastly superior, even its recovery was suppressed.

Carol Danvers, hovering nearby, muttered under her breath, “This guy’s got all the hacks. And he has the nerve to say I’m cheating?”

Thor’s voice boomed across the battlefield. “Leave this to me! Go to Earth. Their attack isn’t just focused on Asgard!”

Without waiting for a response, Thor surged forward, the Phoenix Stormbreaker blazing in his grip. He was determined to end Surtur once and for all.

Meanwhile, on Earth, chaos reigned.

Hulk was in the fight of his life—or what remained of it.

“Bang, bang, bang...”

Thanos unleashed a barrage of precise, brutal punches, his movements fluid and relentless. His fists pummeled Hulk’s face like a pile driver, each strike more devastating than the last.

Though Hulk’s legendary endurance held out, his strength waned. Finally, a thunderous blow sent him crashing to the ground. As his colossal form collapsed, he reverted back to Bruce Banner, unconscious and vulnerable.

The Avengers rushed to Banner’s aid, pulling him from the battlefield. But Thanos was already focused on something else.

A distant explosion echoed across space, its shockwaves rattling even the Earth. Thanos paused mid-step, his gaze snapping toward the source.

“That power...” he murmured, his voice tinged with something akin to reverence.

The force was unmistakable. Even across the cosmos, he recognized it: Thor. The young king of Asgard. One of the strongest opponents he had ever faced, even in the countless universes he had ravaged.

But this Earth... this timeline... had proven unpredictable.

The Avengers here were far stronger than expected. The sorcerer who could bend time, the witch who had just eradicated Nightmare, and even the Hulk—though defeated—had fought harder than anticipated.

And then there were the others.

At the far edge of the battlefield, Captain Marvel glowed with radiant energy as she advanced, flanked by Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir. Both were far more powerful than ordinary Avengers.

And Thor...

Thanos frowned. The newly awakened King of Asgard now wielded not only the Odinforce but another, ancient force. Together, they made him something far greater.

Thanos calculated quickly. For now, he had the upper hand, but that was only because Earth’s strongest forces were divided. Once they regrouped, his chances of victory would vanish.

There was no time to waste. He had to act now.

As Wanda Maximoff obliterated Nightmare in a final, echoing scream, Thanos reached into his armor and pulled out a battered glove.

The Infinity Gauntlet.

Its six sockets were empty, their once-magnificent gems long gone.

Many saw this and dismissed it as a relic, a powerless artifact. But Thanos’ voice was quiet and resolute. “Many years ago, I collected all six Infinity Stones.”

He spoke softly, almost to himself. “I wielded their power and discovered something profound. I didn’t need the gems to destroy the universe—my armies were enough. So I used the stones’ power one final time... to destroy the stones themselves.”

His words puzzled those listening. If the stones were gone, then what was he planning now?

“But today,” Thanos continued, his voice darkening, “I find myself in need of their power once more.”

Reaching into the gauntlet, he produced a full-body emerald gemstone—the Time Stone of this universe. He slotted it into the gauntlet, its green glow illuminating his grim features.

“Fortunately,” he said with a smirk, “I have mastered time.”

As the Time Stone flared to life, faint outlines of the other five stones appeared in the gauntlet’s empty sockets, shimmering like ghosts.

The Avengers, seeing the danger, charged toward him in a desperate bid to stop whatever he was planning. But Thanos’ legions stood firm, forming an impenetrable wall of resistance.

“The power of one Time Stone isn’t enough to restore the others,” Thanos admitted, his voice carrying across the battlefield. “But I don’t need them restored—just... rewound.”

The spectral outlines of the missing stones solidified, trembling as if resisting the pull of time itself.

“For one moment, they’ll exist again,” Thanos said. “One moment is all I need.”

As the Avengers fought furiously to break through, a red figure—Tony Stark—managed to slip past the enemy lines.

Tony lunged toward the gauntlet, desperation etched into every movement.

“Not today,” Thanos sneered. With a swift kick, he sent Tony flying.

“Mr. Stark,” Thanos said mockingly, “I know you’re clever enough to build a device to harness the stones. But I won’t give you the chance.”

Thanos raised his arm, the glowing gauntlet held high. The scene was eerily familiar, a chilling echo of events from another timeline.

“I am...” Thanos began, his voice booming with finality, “destiny!”