A new era is dawning for in the new Immortal Thor series. Ewing has already revealed some exciting information about the new book–as well as subtly hinting that a popular fan theory about some future MCU villains may very well be true.
In an interview with Polygon, Ewing, who will be ed by artist Martin Coccolo and colorist Matt Wilson on Immortal Thor, spoke on what threats Odinson would face when the book launches. Ewing says, “Ancient gods — elder gods, if you will — are coming to bring trial and sorrow to Earth, Asgard and Thor personally.” Ewing does not reveal specifics on exactly who these gods are, but he does go on to say Thor must be his “absolute highest self” to defeat them. However, this may be a fight that is over before it even starts.
The Elder Gods Have A Long History At Marvel
Ewing’s choice of words to describe Thor’s new villains is probably deliberate. In the Marvel Universe, there exists a powerful race of beings called the Elder Gods. These Elder Gods ruled countless eons ago, and ranged from good and benevolent entities, such as Atum, to personifications of evil such as the demon Chthon, who created the Darkhold; other Elder Gods include Doctor Strange foe Shuma-Gorath. Furthermore, certain deities from other pantheons, such as Moon Knight’s patron god Khonshu, have been retconned into being Elder Gods. Although the Elder Gods are gone from the current plane of existence, their influence can still be felt, particularly through instruments such as the Darkhold. The heroes of the Marvel Universe have clashed with the Elder Gods on several occasions–and now it looks as if they are returning to menace Thor.
The Elder Gods Could Be Heading to the MCU
Just as the Elder Gods are returning to the comics, they may be on their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. The seeds for the rise of the Elder Gods have been planted across several MCU projects, such as WandaVision, Moon Knight and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Wandavision introduced the Darkhold and Chthon, Khonshu made his debut in Moon Knight and Doctor Strange fought Shuma-Gorath. Fans have speculated that the Elder Gods may become prominent MCU villains, and the pieces are certainly in place for them to do so, especially as the Multiverse Saga continues to unfold. While Kang and most likely Doctor Doom will be the primary villains of these MCU phases, the Elder Gods could also make their presence known. How they might play into the Multiverse Saga is anyone’s guess–could they be the primary architects of this, using agents such as Kang and Doom for their own ends?
Whatever the case may be in the MCU, the Elder Gods are clearly heading back to the comics–and this could be the best sign yet that they will be appearing in the movies. The comics often serve as testbeds for future movie storylines and characters, and utilizing the Elder Gods here could show their potential in the MCU as well. Thor’s new era is bringing these classic villains back to the forefront–and may be setting them up for the MCU as well.
Source: Polygon
Immortal Thor #1 is on sale August 23 from Marvel Comics!
