Chapter 181: Kidnapping Thor

“I’m not angry, I’m not angry. I already have Gungnir, and I’m the King of Asgard. There’s no need to care about a broken hammer!”

Loki took a deep breath, calming himself as he ended his scrying spell.

He had intended to mock Thor’s misfortune but ended up becoming the joke himself.

In Asgard, Mjölnir had always been the exclusive weapon of the crown prince, wielded by Thor. Loki had tried countless times to lift it but never succeeded. Now, Thor, stripped of his godly powers, could no longer lift it—only for a mere mortal to do so effortlessly.

Was Loki truly inferior to a mortal?

“Forget it. Focus on the bigger picture.”

Initially, he had planned to further deceive his dimwitted brother and deepen his despair, ensuring Thor would never think of returning to Asgard. But seeing the troublesome mortals gathered around Thor, Loki abandoned the idea.

He decided it was more pressing to travel to Jotunheim and meet the Frost Giant King, Laufey, to proceed with his plan.

If he could assassinate Laufey before Odin awoke from the Odin Sleep and then use the Bifröst to destroy Jotunheim completely, he would be hailed as Asgard’s greatest hero, earning the approval of all its citizens and Odin and Frigga’s recognition.

On Earth, George noticed Thor sitting on the ground, hugging his knees, looking utterly defeated. He instructed Steve to pick up Mjölnir and suggested they head to the nearby town, where they could wait for the arrival of the Warriors Three and Lady Sif.

At that moment, a camper van approached and stopped nearby.

Three people stepped out, led by a beautiful woman who saw Thor sulking on the ground and asked, “Thor, are you okay?”

It was Jane Foster. After parting ways with Thor, her mind was filled with his image. Curious about the hammer he had mentioned, she decided to come and see for herself. Concerned for her safety, Dr. Erik Selvig and Jane’s student, Darcy, had accompanied her.

“I’m fine, Jane. Just a bit...” Thor stood up, looking utterly broken.

He had once thought of regaining his powers and expressing his gratitude to Jane, for whom he had developed feelings. But now, that seemed impossible.

“Dr. Selvig!”

“Dr. Banner! Dr. Betty Ross!”

Dr. Selvig recognized Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. They had once been close colleagues and conducted research together, though their relationship had waned after Banner became the Hulk and was hunted by General Ross and S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Ah! You’re Tony Stark, Iron Man! And you—you're the Angel! I know you!”

Darcy, following Jane for extra credit, pointed at Tony and George, exclaiming excitedly.

Just the previous night, she had watched a viral video on Facebook of Iron Man and the Angel fighting robot soldiers in Queens. Now, seeing them in person, she was awestruck.

“Angel? What Angel?”

George was momentarily confused before realizing the public must have given him that nickname.

“And you—you look like Captain America! And that shield! Could you really be Captain America? But wasn’t he supposed to be dead?”

Seeing Steve, Darcy screamed again.

“What about me?” Wolverine approached, and Darcy blinked.

“Don’t know you!”

Poor Logan. Darcy likely knew of him from X-Men comics but didn’t connect him with the real person. If he unsheathed his adamantium claws, she might recognize him immediately.

“Since everyone’s acquainted, let’s head back to town and chat there.”

George gestured, and the group made their way to Old Bridge Town.

That evening, in Jane’s rented house, the group helped Thor analyze why he could no longer wield Mjölnir. After eliminating several possibilities, they reached a consensus.

George, speaking for everyone, explained to Thor: “From what we’ve deduced, your father Odin didn’t exile you to Earth to punish you but to test you. He believes that as a ruler of Asgard, one must possess compassion and cannot solve every problem with war.”

“So, if you understand this, perhaps you’ll be able to lift Mjölnir again.”

“Then why can he lift it?” Thor pointed at Steve.

George explained: “Because he possesses noble and pure qualities, a heart filled with justice and kindness.”

“Then why can’t they lift it?” Thor gestured toward Tony and the others, who all turned away awkwardly.

George smiled. “Everyone has their flaws. They’re just not as pure. Even I have my shortcomings.”

“I disagree with that conclusion,” Tony shrugged. “I’ve always considered myself noble and pure.”

Darcy quipped, “Truly noble people wouldn’t say that about themselves. No offense.”

Realizing she had just teased Iron Man, Darcy quickly covered her mouth, and everyone burst into laughter.

Thor glanced at Mjölnir, which Steve had placed on the table, feeling dejected. “Over the past two days, I’ve realized my past approach was too aggressive, that not everything should be solved with war. But I still don’t fully understand my father’s words.”

“That’s okay,” George suggested. “Steve is a teacher at our school. You can stay with us for a while and learn from him. We also have a professor named Charles who might help you understand your father’s teachings.”

Taking the opportunity, George tried to recruit Thor. If Thor couldn’t awaken as quickly as in the original story, keeping him at their school for a while could be beneficial. It might make future visits to Asgard—or acquiring Asgardian artifacts—easier.

“Thunder God, I recommend a book called War and Peace. Maybe it’ll enlighten you,” Tony teased.

Thor immediately turned to Jane. “Do you have that book?”

“I don’t, but Darcy’s tablet can download an eBook version,” Jane replied.

Darcy protested, “No way! I’m watching 2 Broke Girls tonight. There’s a bookstore in town; you can buy it tomorrow.”

While George watched everyone joke and laugh, waiting for the Destroyer to appear the next day, an unexpected twist unfolded in Asgard.

Worried about delays, Loki had moved up his plan.

“Heimdall, Asgard no longer needs you!"