After S.H.I.E.L.D. agents cleared the crowd, they quickly set up a research camp around the mysterious hammer.
No one knew what it was—or what kind of power it held. Was it dangerous? Did it possess some kind of unknown energy? They couldn't take any chances.
Once the camp was established, specialists began running a series of tests and taking readings around the object.
That night, someone broke into the camp.
The intruder was none other than Thor, the God of Thunder himself.
His goal was simple—to reclaim Mjölnir, his sacred hammer.
But without Mjölnir, Thor was just an ordinary man.
Of course, his years of battle experience remained.
He was discovered by security during the infiltration, and a fight broke out.
Though he took a few punches, Thor easily defeated the guards and made his way to where the hammer rested.
Meanwhile, Agent Phil Coulson, who was overseeing the investigation, had already arrived at the scene with his men.
He watched silently as Thor approached the hammer.
One of the snipers reported in through the comms:
『Sniper』: "Sir, do we take him down or sedate him?"
『Coulson』: "Hold your fire. I want to see what he does."
For all their research, S.H.I.E.L.D. still knew next to nothing about the hammer.
Their instruments had proven useless—its electromagnetic interference was simply too strong.
Even after studying it from dawn till dusk, they had no results.
That was why Coulson chose to observe. He wanted to see what this intruder—who had come straight for the hammer—was capable of.
Perhaps, he thought, this man might show us something we can't detect ourselves.
Thor finally stood before Mjölnir.
A soft smile of relief touched his lips as he reached out his right hand to grasp the handle.
But then—
The hammer felt strangely distant, unfamiliar.
To his disbelief, he couldn't lift it.
!!
Thor's smile faded. He gritted his teeth, now using both hands.
Still, the hammer wouldn't budge an inch.
No matter how much force he used, it remained embedded in the earth.
He knew then—this was his father's punishment.
Thor released the hammer, tilted his head to the sky, and roared in anguish before sinking to his knees.
He remained there, staring silently at his once-loyal companion.
『Coulson』: "…"
Coulson watched the scene wordlessly.
After a moment, he raised his communicator.
『Coulson』: "Alright, show's over."
『Coulson』: "Ground team, move in."
He ordered the operation to proceed.
Armed agents advanced cautiously, guns trained on Thor.
But the thunder god didn't resist. His spirit was broken; his pride shattered.
Even when they captured him, he offered no fight.
During the interrogation, Coulson studied him with interest.
『Coulson』: "You made my men—some of the best-trained professionals in the world—look like a bunch of mall cops. That hurts, you know?"
『Coulson』: "From my experience, only someone trained at the same level could do that."
『Coulson』: "Where did you receive your training? Mercenary work?"
Coulson's tone was calm but probing.
『Coulson』: "There are many organizations willing to pay a high price for people like you."
『Coulson』: "Who are you?"
『Coulson』: "We'll find out one way or another. We're very good at investigating things like this."
Thor said nothing. His silence was heavy—filled with guilt, frustration, and loss.
Then Coulson's communicator buzzed.
He glanced at it, then spoke flatly:
『Coulson』: "Stay put. Don't go anywhere."
He stepped out of the room.
The moment he left, a shadow shimmered into existence—Loki.
『Thor』: "Loki? What are you doing here?"
『Loki』: "I had to see you, brother."
『Thor』: "What's happened? Is it Jotunheim?"
Thor's expression tightened. His exile had begun with his assault on the Frost Giants' realm—an event secretly orchestrated by Loki himself.
『Loki』: "Let me explain… Father is dead."
『Thor』: "What?"
Thor froze. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.
『Loki』: "Your banishment and the threat of war… It was too much for him. He couldn't bear it any longer."
Loki's words were laced with false grief. He told Thor that Odin had perished, that he himself had inherited the throne—and that because of the tensions with Jotunheim, Thor could never return to Asgard.
『Loki』: "I came only to say goodbye."
Every word was a lie.
But Thor believed him completely.
Remorse and sorrow filled his heart.
『Thor』: "I'm sorry, brother… Thank you for coming."
After an emotional farewell, Loki vanished.
Later that night, Dr. Selvig appeared and used a fabricated identity to secure Thor's release.
He claimed Thor was his colleague and that S.H.I.E.L.D. had seized their research, driving him mad.
Coulson—ever the professional—was suspicious but not unkind.
He allowed them to leave.
Thor and Selvig went to a bar, where they shared drinks and spoke openly. The weight in Thor's heart lightened.
He began to accept his situation.
The next day, Thor returned Jane Foster's notes, which he had taken from S.H.I.E.L.D. earlier, and told her stories of the Nine Realms.
The air between them grew warm and easy.
…
The following morning—
Just as Thor had started to come to terms with his new life, his four companions from Asgard arrived on Earth.
Through them, he finally learned the truth: Odin was alive—and Loki had deceived him.
But before they could discuss it further, a violent tornado appeared in the distance.
They rushed outside.
From within the storm emerged a massive, gleaming figure clad in armor—
The Destroyer.
S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on-site assumed it was one of Tony Stark's new weapons.
Until it opened fire.
A brilliant beam of light shot straight at Coulson.
He narrowly dodged, the blast obliterating a nearby car.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Multiple energy blasts followed, tearing through the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.
One agent barely avoided the first few strikes, only for another barrage to follow.
『Agent』: "I'm… I'm done for!"
He shut his eyes, bracing for death.
Then—
A calm voice echoed before him.
『???』: "This thing… looks pretty good."
The agent opened his eyes—and froze.
Standing in front of him was a tall, dark-haired man with sharp eyes and a relaxed smile.
Carl.