Warning: SPOILERS for War of The Realms #6
The day has finally come when Thor becomes the true King of Asgard, All-Father and protector of the Ten Realms of Marvel's Universe. The god of thunder is more than ready for the throne, but how he gets it is a twist few will have seen coming.
The epic scale of the War of The Realms may have made Thor's personal journey seem like one of dozens of others. But for those keeping an eye on how Aaron would use this event to forge Thor into the King he one day becomes, the pieces came together perfectly. After being stranded on Jotunheim, Thor lost his famous arm in a bloody Berserker Rage. Naturally, he prepared for the coming battle by giving himself an Asgardian Destroyer upgrade. And after following in his father's footsteps and losing his eye to the World Tree for the wisdom to save the Ten Realms, he was transformed into the King Thor of his future.... with one final moment that even his fans never expected to see.
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Before the war broke out, the forces of evil had already succeeded in breaking Odin down to his worst, least effective, and drunkest self. With his realm lost, he even goaded his own son into a fight, all the whole thinking--but never saying--that his harsh words and poor parenting were rooted in his own issues, refusing to acknowledge what he knew in his heart. That beneath all his ego and bluster, he wasn't half the hero that Thor had become all on his own.
While Odin survived Malekith's initial assassination to officially begin the war, it was only the thought of his wife being murdered that sparked any fighting spirit in the old king. Becoming the Iron All-Father with help from Tony Stark, Odin fought to the death with his wife... until it was revealed both had survived, but were now held as bait to draw Thor into a fight against Malekith. Giving Odin a front row seat for the fight Thor writer Jason Aaron had spent years building to. And what a show he witnessed.
As Odin watched, helpless in the face of total destruction of the Ten Realms he was once tasked with protecting, Thor did more than just fight. He revealed his mastery of the Mother Storm--which Odin had once imprisoned inside Mjolnir--to not just spread its winds and fire across the Earth, but forge a new Mjolnir, more powerful than ever before. And with that weapon on his hand, and his true cosmic power finally understood, Thor won the War of The Realms with one blow.
So with the dust settling, the innocent rejoicing, and the heroes allowing themselves to hope, as the Ten Realms all showed signs that they were not vanquished by Malekith's darkness... Odin realizes the time has finally come. It may be far, far too late for him to make up for being a terrible father and mentor to his sons. Far too late to even hope for Freyja to fully accept him after they parted ways before the war. But not too late for him to show how much love and pride he feels for Thor.
Officially, it was the very first time that Thor met his future self (in the pages of Aaron's Thor: God of Thunder) that both he and the readers learned he would someday become King Thor, lord of Asgard. Sure, it might conflict with the Norse mythology surrounding the death and rebirth of Odin, Thor, and the rest of the gods. But as Jason Aaron's epic story continued to show glimpses of the Old King Thor at the end of Marvel's Universe, it was clear that it was Thor's fate. After all, Odin can only live for so long, before the throne of Asgard passes to Thor... right? It turns out that's NOT how Thor becomes the All-Father, after all.
The image will be a historic one for fans of Thor and Marvel Comics, no matter which version or story they may have first read. Declaring himself a loyal subject of the true King of Asgard, and savior of the Realms, Odin bows before Thor the All-Father. While fans of the Marvel movies may have seen Thor become king in Thor: Ragnarok, that was only following Odins death... and Thor abandoned the role almost immediately. But Odin setting aside the arrogance, the ego, and the pride he earned in his glorious, younger days, and declaring Thor the more heroic, the more noble, and the more worthy ruler of Asgard? That's a plot twist even Thor fans will have a hard time processing.
Ironically, Thor is named the new King of Asgard shortly after declaring himself "The God of The Unworthy," realizing that it was his journey towards greatness, not the achieving of it, that made him worthy. That would be the way a hero like Thor would see his own greatness, but Odin isn't half the hero Thor has always been, taking a knee in response. Readers will see how Thor responds to this unexpected, but completely deserving promotion when War of The Realms Omega releases in July, teasing that "for Thor himself, destiny has finally arrived. The God of Thunder strikes out for a whole new adventure!"
As the current Thor becomes King in the modern Marvel Universe, his older self will be returning to his own time, at the end of the universe, when only Loki remains. That final battle will take place in his own King Thor comic series, promising to end Aaron's time at the helm of Thor in grand fashion. The good news is that no matter how the old King Thor's battle turns out, Marvel fans will have a new King Thor to embrace in the present day. It's hard to say what the throne will mean for Thor's role among Earth's Avengers, but a new day is dawning... and we can't wait to see King Thor begins his reign.
War of The Realms Omega #1 will give fans their first glimpse of All-Father Thor, as well as the introductions to Jane Foster's Valkyrie, the Punisher's new mission, and Loki's new solo series when it arrives on July 10th at your local comic book shop, or direct from Marvel Comics. King Thor #1 will begin Aaron's (and Thor's) final chapter on September 18th, 2019.