"Prince of Asgard, why have you come here? Why have you lost your power? When will you leave?"
Coulson Alexander was well aware that two top figures were watching this interrogation from behind the scenes, and the recording would likely be reviewed by senior officials of every major nation.
After all, this was humanity's first real contact with an extraterrestrial. The Raditz incident didn't count—he had been an invader.
Furthermore, Zod Hess's attitude was highly questionable. And more importantly, this was Thor, the God of Thunder from Norse mythology.
"If you return everything you took from Jane to her, I'll answer."
Thor glanced at Jane and spoke.
"We only did that for her own good. However, if you insist, it's not impossible to return them." If they couldn't just take everything outright, then simply making them their own people would work, wouldn't it?
"That's wonderful!" Jane Foster clenched her fist in excitement and made a victory sign.
Coulson looked at Thor in silence and decided he'd retrieve the check he'd issued earlier.
"…I am no longer the crown prince of Asgard. I have been banished from the realm." Thor's mood was deeply dejected, his face full of shame and pain, yet he didn't hide anything.
"Because of my wrong decision, I not only endangered my companions, but also started a war between Asgard and the Frost Giants. Because of my foolishness, my father deemed me unworthy to sit on Asgard's throne, and I was banished to Midgard."
"Midgard is what they call Earth—the realm of Midgard in Norse mythology," Zod explained to the bewildered group.
"And at the same time, your power was taken away, am I right?" Coulson pressed, holding a recording pen.
"Yes. I've lost the power to command thunder and storm, and I am no longer worthy to lift my warhammer," Thor said dejectedly, his voice even lower.
"Ahem. So you came to Earth purely as a punishment. Once the punishment ends, will you leave?" The more critical question was how long Thor would remain on Earth. Deputy Director Fury… Director Fury, that side had already reported the existence of an extraterrestrial like Thor. Those old men would inevitably want to obtain the power within the hammer. In other words, if Thor stayed on Earth too long, those old men might truly risk everything to dissect Thor for study.
As for the potential danger?
Weren't there the Divine Sword Bureau and the superheroes? And Zod Hess.
They might understand the principle of not courting death—but would that really stop them?
"I can't go back." Grief surfaced in Thor's eyes, his voice filled with sorrow.
"War erupted between Asgard and the Frost Giants. My old father fell in battle. As a condition of the armistice agreement, I was permanently banished…"
And Thor knew very well: without the power to fight the Frost Giants, returning would only make him a burden.
"Sounds quite mythological," Coulson nodded. Still, compared to the messy soap opera of Greek mythology, Norse mythology was fairly decent.
"No, we are not gods as you call them—merely a difference in power and lifespan."
"That's exactly why it's perfectly normal for highly advanced aliens to be regarded as gods by ancient people—great power and mysterious origins," Zod said, picking up his coffee from the table and taking a sip.
"In other words, through so-called faith, or perhaps through continuous retellings and constant version updates, even false events can become legends."
"A very scientific explanation. At least I believe so-called magic is also a form of science." Miss Foster gave Ember a thumbs-up.
"I think we'll have plenty to talk about."
Clearly, compared to the brooding, melancholy blond hunk, Miss Foster was far more interested in Zod Hess, the Director of the Divine Sword Bureau—a man of impeccable conduct, free of scandal, whose looks and physique made him America's male god, and whose popularity rivaled that of Captain America after the Cold War.
This man had been voted the world's most desirable one-night stand champion for five consecutive years. Countless rich heiresses would throw millions just to have dinner with him.
That was way quicker money than selling weapons of war. After all, the sheer number of these heiresses was in the thousands.
Nick Fury's face was dark, revealing no expression. He paid no attention to his own director's effortless flirtation, far more concerned about Thor and the significance he represented.
"Since you can't return, what are your plans now?" Coulson fixed his gaze on Thor and continued. "Live an ordinary life on Earth, simply get married and have children?"
"…I don't know." Learning of his father's death had indeed changed Thor's disposition, but so much had happened in quick succession that he hadn't yet had time to think about the future. However, as he spoke, Thor stole a glance at Foster.
The lifespan gap between Asgardians and Midgardians—a long-lived race and a short-lived one—filled his heart with anxiety.
"Well, if we invited you to join us, would you accept?" Coulson gestured toward Foster. "We would also extend the same invitation to them."
"I decline your kind offer on his behalf." Before Thor could speak, Foster raised her hand and cut in.
"He won't join you, and neither will we."
Thor had lost his power. Even if he joined the Divine Sword Bureau, he couldn't become a superhero. But he was still from a highly advanced alien civilization. As a human, Foster understood human greed. She had found Thor first; having him as a husband for the rest of her life wasn't a bad outcome—far better than letting him be dissected for research.
"Have you ever considered something?"
Zod suddenly appeared in the interrogation room, startling the other ordinary people.
As for the Divine Sword Bureau agents, they were accustomed to it—he was the director, after all; it wasn't strange for him to do anything.
"What question?"
Thor knew Zod Hess was no ordinary person. At the very least, he was the leader of these Midgardians.
"Could your permanent banishment be a conspiracy? After all, you've now lost your power. The Frost Giants might have planned to make Loki and the Queen agree to permanently banish you, and then…"
Zod didn't immediately reveal the truth, because that would seem like trying to drive a wedge. He was simply analyzing from a rational perspective.
"Then they could seize this chance to kill you, the God of Thunder, on Midgard, eliminating you once and for all. Afterward, they could launch an all-out invasion of Asgard, because by then, there would be no Thunder God to stop them."
As Zod finished, Thor abruptly stood up.
/-\
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