Originally Posted by
JudicatorPrime
I understand.
As a child of Odin and Gaea (Jord), Thor should have a number of superhuman and magic-adept abilities... not that the pairing of Gaea and a Sky Father automatically produces extremely powerful offspring. After all, Gaea and Zeus hooked up to produce King Manes, who, though a king, was otherwise mortal and not especially super-powered at all. That notwithstanding, yes, Thor has a host of powers that make him one of the most resilient and formidable beings, even without Mjolnir.
Nevertheless, anyone who doubts Mjolnir's importance is simply not following the myth, either the Norse variety or Marvel's. They're possibly also suppressing their own common sense, given the emotions surrounding this debate. Although created with a defect, Mjolnir was granted abilities by Sindri and Brokkr (which Odin would later take credit for) that not only made it indispensable to Thor, but the clear cut difference maker in many battles that Thor had over the years. Thor should be diminished by the absence of Mjolnir, just as King Arthur would be diminished without Excalibur and Captain Mar-vell would be diminished without his Nega Bands. Still great, still with a host of powers, but diminished.
That said, has Thor really been devalued all that much? Is he still an Avenger? I’m told he fought and killed a Celestial – a Celestial!!! – without his hammer. That they even gave him an axe that powerful is a clear indication to me that Thor is still pretty high up on someone’s golden boy/favorite pet/untouchable-and-shall-ne’er-see-comic-book-limbo list.
Thor isn’t devalued, he’s just different. If Thor should wake up one day to find that he is 1970s - 2000s Sam Wilson, African American, de facto sidekick of a living legend as penned (and grossly mishandled in most cases) by Marvel writers of the time, then I might agree with you. Exit Mjolnir, enter Redwing. Goodbye "Forsooth!", hello "Sho' nuff!" Try that look on for about 40 years and then I might agree that they devalued Thor. And when Thor/Sam finally does get to make a name for himself, have him wear another man's costume and likeness, instead of improving on his own brand. Not once, but twice within a span of a year. (Guess who Sam gets to be in the upcoming Secret Wars? Yep, Sam Wilson is 2 for 2 when it comes to taking mantles from blonde hair, blue-eye legends.) Seriously, the next time Odin really wants to teach Thor humility, try that.
I don’t think Thor fans have anything to worry about. Thor as we know him, will be back. It’s just a question of when.