Warning: Spoilers for The Immortal Thor #25!The Marvel Universe shifts forever asThordies at the hands of Loki. The two have always had a complicated relationship, but no one saw it coming when Loki quite literally stabbed his brother in the back in the prior issue. PerhapsMarvel fansshould’veseen this coming, as the series has teased this culmination from the start.
The Immortal Thor#25 picks up exactly where the last issue left off, with Loki piercing a blade through his brother’s torso. Ahead of the issue’s July 2 release date, readers can find a preview of the issue below, along with its cover art from the iconic artist Alex Ross.
The preview showcases a furious Jane Foster, a.k.a. Valkyrie, shouting threats and vulgarities at Loki whilst Skurge meets his downfall so soon after having gaineda moral victory over Thor.Loki’s apology to his brother after killing Thor suggests that his murder was more so out of a desperate sacrifice.
The Immortal Thor #25 by Al Ewing and Jan Bazaldua
The Immortal Thorhas foreshadowed Thor’s inevitable death since the very beginning. The first issue opens with the opening lines from the Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson that allude to death:“He is sated with the last breath of dying men.“Meanwhile, Thor’s eventual killer even makes an appearance in the first issue, with Loki’s first lines of the series being utterly ironic:“I’ve been here the whole time! Ta-da!“Dating back to the first arc, Marvel has made it clear thatThor is really dying, even more so with its recent"Even an Immortal Can Die"promotional campaign.
Ewing’s creative team has taken full advantage of the fact that readers were aware of Thor’s upcoming death. At every turn, there are constant bait-and-switches in which Thor is pitted against adversaries who are framed as the ones that would meet his downfall,including a new Thanos. One after another, Thor has managed to defeat them all - except his eventual murderer, someone who he’s trusted as a friend. Loki still needs to explain his actions, but his betrayal of Thor, too, has been long foreshadowed.
Thor Was Always Going to Be Murdered By Loki
Loki Needed to Be Thor’s Killer
The foreshadowing of Loki killing Thor dates back to The Immortal Thor #3, where Loki tests his brother to face an enemy unlike he’s ever faced before. In the context of the arc, the enemy was Utgard-Thor, but knowing what readers know now,Loki may have been preparing Thor for Loki this whole time. After all, the issue makes is clear thatThor needs Loki as an enemyto prepare him for the future. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that readers couldn’t see Loki coming asThor’skiller, and neither could the mighty one.
The Immortal Thor#5 goes on sale from Marvel on July 2.
