WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Thor #17!
The God of Thunder’s family tree has always been a little complicated, especially with Marvel Comics’ newest Phoenix revelation, but a recent issue of Thor hints that his godly parentage may be even stranger than fans thought. While Odin is clearly Thor’s father, the identity of his biological mother is still up in the air. Though the Phoenix may have claimed to be the mother of Thor, that has only made matters more complicated.
For years, fans have thought that Thor was the child of Odin and the earth goddess, Gaea, but the Phoenix reveal changes everything. What fans thought they knew about the God of Thunder’s background is clearly no longer the case, and Thor #17 by Donny Cates and Michele Bandini confirms that the titular Asgardian is just as lost as his readers.
After the events of the previous issue, Thor and his father Odin finds themselves in Vananeim along with Odin's wife Freyja and daughter Angela. Although the family reunion is far from peaceful, it gives the God of Thunder ample opportunity to get a few things off his chest. While Angela takes Odin to an intergalactic gladiator match, Thor stays behind to speak with the woman he believed to be his mother. When Freyja broached the topic of the Phoenix, the Odinson admits that he doesn’t know what to do with the information. Freyja comforts her son, reassuring him that no matter who aired him, she will always be his mother, but in so doing, she tells Thor, “I may not have carried you. I am not Gaea. I am not the Phoenix. But none of that matters. I am your mother. End of story."
While this heartwarming moment is indeed the end of the story when it comes to those whom Thor considers his family, the mention of Gaea does raise a few questions about his biology. For years, the Earth goddess’ connection to Thor has been stated as one of his greatest sources of strength. Thor has even specifically called upon this strength of his earthen matriarch on more than one occasion, including a recent instance during the events of Empyre by Dan Slott and Al Ewing.
Ancient pantheons have always been full of sordid love affairs, but this one could take the cake. While the Phoenix claims to be Thor’s mother, it’s possible that Gaea could have still carried his essence in her womb after his initial conception. This would explain how Thor maintains such a strong connection to the Earth, despite the fact that his mother is an alien entity of fire and life.
Thor is one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful characters, and that’s in no small part due to his parentage. While he’s undoubtedly the son of Odin, his status as the son of Gaea and the Phoenix is still questionable. Either way, the only thing that fans - and Thor - know for sure is that Freyja will always be his mother.
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October 04, 2021 at 02:23AM
