Chapter 196: Five Years
Back on Earth, Thor visited Scott Lang, also known as Ant-Man, who had just been discharged from the hospital.
Scott had been transformed into a giant for an extended period during battles, which took a toll on his body. Additionally, he had been controlled by the Mind Stone and later forced by Mantis to gain hypnotic abilities. His mind remained under control, though it was not fully lifted.
Originally, Thanos had been somewhere else, and any magician could have cleansed him and removed the control. However, at the time, Hawkeye, who was relatively weaker in the Avengers, had been responsible for Scott. After being controlled by Loki, Hawkeye was "purified" by Thor on the space carrier.
Thor believed this to be the most effective method to remove Mind Control (which it was), so he extended the same treatment to Ant-Man...
Scott Lang, uninjured, spent half a month in the hospital and rushed to find Dr. Pim as soon as he was discharged. He promised to help Dr. Pim find his wife, Janet Van Dyne, who had been trapped in the quantum realm many years ago.
The plan was going started in a week , but the invasion of Thanos took precedence, delaying the mission. Once things settled, Scott hurried back to pursue it.
Thor had no intention of intervening in the events of "Ant-Man and the Wasp." Though the bug-themed heroes were quite useful in battle, gods like Thor had little interest in mortal affairs, similar to his lack of involvement with Spider-Man's fight against Vulture.
Besides, the current Ant-Man was not restricted by the "Sokovia Accords," so he could seek help from other Avengers without complications.
The main concern was ensuring he didn't get lost in the quantum realm and fail to return...
Back at the manor, Thor reflected: "The Red Queen."
A young girl with a cute appearance appeared before him, speaking in a peculiar voice, "Boss, at your command!"
Thor looked at her and said, "I should call you Alice, right? After all, you were named after her as a child."
The Red Queen glanced at him with suspicion, puzzled how Thor knew her origins, and nodded, "Yes, Boss. Please enter the first program criterion!"
The Red Queen, summoned by the system, had not yet joined any programs.
Thor considered it and decided to join a rather unconventional program—protecting all women who had a close friendship with Thor.
Red Queen: "..."
Time flew by, and five years passed in the blink of an eye.
For some Asgardians with long lifespans, five years felt like a mere moment, but for Earth, it was neither short nor long.
In the past five years, the world had undergone unprecedented changes.
From the great battle in New York to the real-life Star Wars, the arrival of a new era was clear. Following the Ultron crisis, the superhero civil war, the world war initiated by Wakanda, and Thanos's invasion, the world had seen a multitude of upheavals.
Superheroes had shifted from being viewed with suspicion and distrust to becoming integral to daily life. For instance, Spider-Man, known as a friendly neighborhood hero in New York, had become highly popular and almost rivaled Thor in fame...
The only difference was that Spider-Man's fans consisted mostly of children and middle-aged women, partly because his identity was concealed!
Indeed, many of Spider-Man's adversaries were members of Kingpin's organization...
This minor loss to Kingpin was insignificant. Normally, Kingpin would have retaliated, but after Thor's intervention, Kingpin let it go. After all, the individuals caught in Spider-Man's web were considered worthless and insignificant.
Thanos's death marked a turning point.
In the five years following Infinity War, Earth seemed to have returned to a state of calm. The frequent global crises appeared to have vanished.
The primary reason was Thanos's defeat; most adversaries were deterred from attacking Earth. Additionally, Earth had joined the Nova Corps, strengthening its defenses.
Local issues, though present, were manageable after the previous major crises, with S.H.I.E.L.D. under Phil Coulson effectively handling them.
Moreover, Stark had not been idle in recent years.