Marvel Comics is preparing fans for an era-defining moment,as the publisher teases the death ofThor– setting up the most monumental story arc in the character’s long history with the tagline: “Even an immortal can die.“While comic book readers might be rightlyskeptical of a “death of” story arc, Marvel and author Al Ewing are promising a “bold transformation” for the Asgardian hero.
As first announced by Marvel,Immortal Thor#23 – written by Al Ewing, with art by Jan Bazaldua – will kick off the “Godwar” story arc, tying together the story threads and themes that the series has been setting up over the past two years.
Though it remains to be determined how Thor will die, and whether he will make a triumphant return from beyond the grave or not, but Marvel did make a point of noting that this will not mark the end of the series, but rather the next epic stage of “Ewing’s continuing work on the title.”
Marvel Comics Just Set Up Its Next Big Hero Death – What Fans Know About Thor’s Upcoming Demise
Immortal Thor#23 – Written By Al Ewing; Art By Jan Bazaldua; Main Cover By Alex Ross; Variant Covers TBA
Death is, in a sense, meaningless in superhero stories, at least in the neverending, soap-operatic storytelling of Marvel Comics. Nevertheless, the publisher likes to have its cake and eat it too, using the “deaths” of big characters as major dramatic narrative beats. However, if there is one author atMarvel that can make death meaningful again– or at least, deliver a playful commentary on mortality, and immortality, in superhero comics – it is Al Ewing, whose current seriesImmortal Thorhas, in many ways, made this its central driving question.
Immortal Thor…has been a deconstruction of more than just how superhero stories work in general, but of howThorstories work in particular.
Readers who have followedImmortal Thor– as well as his earlier work, includingImmortal Thorand hisDefendersseries – know thatEwing’s work is preoccupied with ambitious questions;Immortal Thorespecially has been a deconstruction of more than just how superhero stories work in general, but of howThorstories work in particular. The “even an immortal can die” tagline suggests a further extension of that, indicatingthe story will explore what it means for superheroes to die, when they can and usually are readily resurrected, and specifically what that means for a god in the Marvel Universe.
What The Death Of Thor Means For “Immortal Thor” Moving Forward
Immortal Thor#23 – Available August 23, 2025 From Marvel Comics
The synopsis forImmortal Thor#23 released by Marvel makes it clear that the issue will be the start of an arc – which will run three issues, throughImmortal Thor#25 – that will serve as the culmination of the past two-dozen issues worth of stories. The inaugural arc of the series introduced the Utgard-Gods, ancient versions of the Asgardian deities, who are even more powerful, and even more dangerous. The Utgard-Thor, Toranos, was an early recurring adversary in the series, before finally being dispatched by Thor. Now, the God of Thunder must deal with the remaining Utgard-Gods.
Marvel is Teasing Thor’s Death, As The God of Thunder’s MCU Future Has Never Been Less Certain
Thor is going to die soon in Marvel Comics, but he knows it’s coming, and the bigger question is what comes next for the Asgardians who remain.
This will bring on what Marvel calls the “Godwar,” and will push Thor to his absolute limits, perhaps even past them. According to the synopsis:
The All-Father had battled to the middle of the endless city – and now he faced the beast at the center of the maze. Kemur, who was bull and hawk and serpent, who was fire and the sword, now faced Thor Odinson… and perhaps neither would survive. This is the story of the IMMORTAL THOR… and the God of Violence.
Much of Ewing’sImmortal Thorseries so far has pointed to a “death” for its protagonist, but whether it will be definitive remains to be determined. In any case,it will not be the end ofImmortal Thor, as Marvel promises the author’s “continuing work” on the title, suggesting either thatThor’sdeath will lead to a glorious rebirth, orsomeone else will take up the hero’s mantle.
