You Won’t Believe Why Thor Was Named The God of Thunder!

As a Marvel fan, it’s common to believe that Thor’s title, “God of Thunder,” is rooted in his incredible powers and rich mythology. 

However, in the Marvel universe, the origin story of this name in Earth-616 is entirely unexpected. 

Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with his abilities and dates back to a time before he gained them.

In Thor (Vol. 5) #10, written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Michael Del Mundo, Odin tries to make amends with his son after being a neglectful parent for a long time. 

Unfortunately, Odin’s attempts fall flat when he reveals a painful secret about the origin of Thor’s “God of Thunder” title. 

Contrary to what fans may have thought, Odin gave him that nickname to mock and belittle him when he was just a scared baby god with an irrational fear of storms. 

This revelation sheds light on Thor’s complicated relationship with his father and adds a new layer of depth to his character.

For fans of Marvel’s Asgardian family, the fact that Thor was named after a fear rather than a power might come as a surprise. 

However, Odin’s cruelty towards his son is not unexpected, as their tumultuous relationship has been depicted in the comics since time immemorial. 

In many interpretations, Odin is portrayed as a misguided or even cruel father figure towards Thor. Jason Aaron’s Thor run delves deeply into this strained relationship, with Odin struggling to connect with his sons. 

In issue #10, which focuses on Thor’s relationship with his father, readers learn that even when Thor was a baby, Odin was cruel towards him by mockingly giving him a nickname based on his fear of storms. 

This adds a tragic layer to the dynamic between Odin and his sons, as he loves them both but often fails to show it healthily.

Needless to say, Thor’s journey as the God of Thunder has only gotten better. 

In the next issue of Aaron’s series, Thor’s mother, Freya, reminds him of how he overcame his childhood fear of thunder and gained control over storms without relying on any magical hammer or powers. 

Thor’s strength of will and determination helped him conquer his fears, and as Freya said,

no storm that ever raged was a match for the Uru will of Thor.

Freya

Despite Odin’s love for his son, he sometimes treats him harshly, which pushes Thor to prove him wrong and become stronger. Ironically, Odin’s misguided actions inadvertently lead to Thor discovering one of his greatest sources of power. 

Thor isn’t called the God of Thunder because he can control storms. Instead, it’s because he was given this title that he can control storms!

Fascinating, isn’t it?

Want to read more about Thor’s dynamic with Odin and how he was named? Get your own copy of the source material from the link below!

About Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and TV series, independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

The franchise includes comic books, short films, television series, and digital series. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.