In the messy laboratory, Yon-Rogg and the others looked ashen.
They had thought that coming to this backward planet would be simple. The soldiers he brought were only meant as a precaution in case Carol truly lost control. But unexpectedly, they had run into a ruthless opponent, one who fought like a savage barbarian.
The once-confident Starforce troopers were now in complete disarray, their Kree soldiers all dead. If Yon-Rogg hadn't seized the chance to strike with all his strength and knock Mjolnir out of the laboratory, it would have been nearly impossible to bring Thor down.
With a dark expression, Yon-Rogg ordered, "Take Vers away. The Supreme Intelligence will restore her to normal." Then his gaze shifted to Thor, who was restrained. "Minn-Erva, take this one to another chamber. A fine warrior. The Supreme Intelligence will break him, and he will serve us."
…
The Supreme Intelligence was the collective consciousness of the Kree, without a true or fixed form. It appeared as the most important figure in the mind of whomever it addressed.
And at this moment, the figure standing before Thor was—
"Uh… Chris Hemsworth? No—wait, that's me?"
The Supreme Intelligence, appearing in Thor's own image, sneered. "I didn't expect you to be so full of yourself. So vain. You're only the second such person I've seen." The first, of course, had been Yon-Rogg.
"Really?" Thor showed no nervousness, as though he had already expected this. "But let me ask—if a dog came to see you, what would you look like then? A giant mutt? Haha!"
The Supreme Intelligence's face didn't change, but its voice grew low. "You should know, provoking me is unwise."
"It doesn't matter. You will soon be ours." Blue energy surged from its hand, wrapping around Thor in a crushing force.
Thor's body felt as though a mountain pressed down on him. His chest tightened, his head spun, and his breath came short. He knew the Supreme Intelligence was attempting to dominate his mind, so he gritted his teeth, straining to stay conscious.
"Give up! Without your weapon, you are nothing but a mortal. You cannot resist me!" The Supreme Intelligence's voice boomed inside his head.
Thor felt as though a massive millstone pressed upon him, threatening to suffocate him. Yet slowly, he calmed himself. The sounds around him faded. Time seemed to freeze.
In the real world, Minn-Erva observed Thor's initial struggle… and then his sudden calm. A flicker of unease struck her. She shook her head to dispel it, not noticing the faint arcs of lightning beginning to circle Thor's hand.
The Supreme Intelligence pushed harder, surprised at how strong Thor's will proved to be. But this resistance, it thought, was meaningless.
Then came a cold, mocking voice:
"I am Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard, the God of Thunder. With a single thought, the Bifrost will answer my call. No one can hold me."
"No matter the distance, Mjolnir will always return to my hand. Nothing can stop it—not your soldiers, not even you."
"If I choose to leave, I can do so at any moment. And yet here I am, toying with you. Did you truly believe you could win?"
Thor's body trembled as something deep within him awakened. A terrifying power surged—success!
…
Elsewhere, Yon-Rogg and the others stood facing Carol Danvers with grim expressions.
"She's breaking free." The station's power wavered, lights flickering erratically.
Outside in the void, black storm clouds formed from nowhere, wrapping the space station in a shroud of darkness.
Within her illusion, Carol's fierce expression softened. "All this time, I've been fighting with restraints. I could only use half of my power. But… have you ever wondered what happens if I stop holding back?"
The control chip shattered at her feet, and the illusion dissolved. Golden light engulfed her body, and she opened her eyes—blazing with radiant power.
Captain Marvel was born.
At the same moment, in the storm outside, a thunderbolt nearly a kilometer wide condensed into a spear of lightning as thick as a tree trunk. With a deafening roar, it struck Thor directly. The explosion rocked the entire station, but within the storm of purple lightning, Thor rose slowly.
His eyes burned with a dazzling violet glow.
Thor, Incarnate.