5 Other Thors

Get to know these hammer wielders of the past!

There’s been more than one character in the Marvel Universe worthy to lift the hammer and claim the title of Thor. In fact, there’s been a long line of substitutes. Here's a list of five characters to get you up to speed on Thors that came before.

Who says you have to be of Midgard to be worthy? As one of the last members of the alien race called the Korbinites, Beta Ray Bill underwent genetic engineering in order to become the survivors' primary protector. Bill came into conflict with Thor when the sentient Korbinite ship Skutlebutt passed through Earth's solar system. The vessel mistakenly presumed Thor to be a hostile alien and pulled Bill out of suspended animation to combat the Asgardian. Things took a surprising turn when Beta Ray Bill successfully lifted Mjolnir, thus proving his purity of heart and strength of character.

Human architect Eric Masterson originally served as a friend of Thor's alter ego Sigurd Jarlson. The two became more than friends when Odin placed Thor's essence in Masterson's mind in order to keep the architect alive. The two remained merged for a stretch of time until Thor became unworthy of his powers and had himself banished from Asgard. The God of Thunder's powers, and his hammer, then went to Masterson—the (then) all-new Thor!

Documentary filmmaker Roger "Red" Norvell traveled to Asgard along with his crew and left with a lot more than just great footage. While there, Norvell fell in love with Sif and had Thor's Iron Gauntlets and Belt of Strength bestowed upon him by Loki. Norvell then bested Thor in combat, thus becoming Asgard's new protector. Norvell remained unaware that Odin had set those events in motion to create a replacement Thor, one that he could sacrifice in the upcoming Ragnarok.

Following in Beta Ray Bill's footsteps, the cosmic entity called Tarene became an ally to the God of Thunder by transforming herself into an Asgardian goddess. Using the name Thor Girl, Tarene used her Thor-like powers to battle such heavy hitters as Gladiator and Surtur. Following the super hero civil war, she increased her profile following by signing up for the Initiative. Her current whereabouts, however, remain unknown.

This cyborg clone of Thor caused trouble for Captain America's resistance force during the super hero Civil War and went on to serve as one of Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers. But while the quasi-Asgardian may possess most of Thor's powers, he does not possess an enchanted hammer. Ragnarok's weapon of choice can be lifted by anyone, not just the worthy, although it's pretty heavy thanks to its vibranium/adamantium constitution.