Thor is considered to be one of the Avengers Big Three, alongside Captain America and Iron Man. Thats why all three of them were given solo films in order to serve as a springboard to The Avengers movie. But despite the Norse God of Thunders prominence in Avengers lore, it might be something of a surprise to see that hes only number eight in terms of consistent appearances. Thor has appeared in 385 issues of the Avengers, and his tenure has been characterized by frequent absences from the team. His commitments to Asgard have Thor constantly coming and going as he pleases. Even during his absences, however, Thor has still managed to return to the team even if only to temporarily offer an assist with a great threat. One of Thors longest absences happened in the wake of Avengers Disassembled. As the Scarlet Witch was causing trouble for the team on Earth, Thor was busy trying to break the Ragnarok cycle in Asgard. After succeeding, he went into hibernation for a time, believed missing or dead by the rest of the Avengers. Although Thor eventually re-emerged and returned to the Avengers (including splitting his time between the main team and the Avengers Unity Squad), the events of the recent Original Sin event caused him to lose the ability to lift his mystic hammer, Mjolnir. A mysterious woman now commands Mjolnir and has become the new Thor, and is also slated to join the Avengers.
Percival Constantine is the author of several novels and short stories, including the Vanguard superhero series, and regularly writes and comments on movies, comics, and other pop culture. More information can be found at his website, PercivalConstantine.com
