Sorcerer in the Marvel Universe

"I was exiled."

Thor answered without hesitation.

There was no point hiding the truth. That wasn’t his way. Even if the answer was humiliating, he would rather endure the embarrassment than tell a lie.

"My arrogance and my foolishness led me to make terrible choices. I endangered my brother, my friends, and nearly dragged all of Asgard into war."

"I still refused to admit I was wrong."

"I defied my father."

"He judged me unworthy to inherit his kingdom."

"So he stripped me of my power... and banished me."

"Exile?" Evenson echoed, feigning surprise despite already knowing the story. "So that’s why you came here?"

"Here?" Thor asked, puzzled. "Where is ’here’?"

Evenson blinked.

"Earth."

Thor looked around the room.

"You mean Midgard."

"Right." Evenson smiled faintly. "Different civilizations, different names."

He let the distinction pass without comment.

"So your arrival had nothing to do with diplomacy? Or... missionary work?"

Thor frowned.

"Missionary work?"

"You know." Evenson rested an elbow on the table. "Your people visited this world thousands of years ago. Those encounters eventually became Norse mythology."

"Even today, there are still people who worship the Aesir."

"Haven’t the Asgardians ever considered... taking advantage of that?"

Thor looked genuinely baffled.

"We are not gods."

He said it so naturally that everyone else in the room fell silent.

"We are born."

"We live."

"And one day we die."

"My father repeated those words throughout my childhood."

He smiled bitterly.

"I used to think he was wrong."

"After all, we can live for five thousand years."

"But now..."

His hand unconsciously drifted toward Jane.

"...now that I’ve lost my power..."

"I think Father was right."

"What would be the point of asking humanity to worship us?"

"What good comes from kneeling before someone?"

Evenson caught the sound of two quiet sighs behind him.

Without turning around, he knew exactly who they belonged to.

Coulson.

Melinda.

Those questions hadn’t been his idea.

They’d come from S.H.I.E.L.D.

The organization wasn’t worried about Thor invading Earth.

It was worried about something subtler.

History had already proven that desperate people could build dangerous cults around ordinary frauds. Entire tragedies had unfolded because charismatic fanatics convinced others to surrender their lives for empty promises.

If a fake prophet could cause that much damage...

What would happen when a genuine being from ancient mythology appeared in public?

It was a question S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn’t afford to ignore.

Evenson continued.

"And when does your exile end?"

Thor lowered his eyes.

"...I don’t think it ever will."

Coulson and Melinda exchanged a glance.

Neither liked that answer.

A permanently exiled Asgardian prince living on Earth was not an outcome anyone had planned for.

Coulson spoke carefully.

"Why?"

Thor’s shoulders sagged.

"My father was already old."

"My actions disappointed him."

"I caused him great sorrow."

"Not long afterward..."

His voice caught.

"...he died."

"My mother blames me."

"She has forbidden me from ever returning to Asgard."

The last words came out almost as a whisper.

"That’s..." Evenson said quietly. "I’m sorry to hear that."

He stood.

"Excuse us for a moment."

The three S.H.I.E.L.D. agents gathered in the corner of the room, well out of earshot.

Evenson lowered his voice.

"What do you think?"

Coulson and Melinda exchanged another look.

Then, in perfect unspoken agreement, both looked back at him.

You’re the special envoy.

Your call.

Evenson sighed.

"We bring them back."

"Them?"

"Thor."

He paused.

"And everyone staying with him."

The strange looks on their faces made him snort.

"Don’t tell me neither of you considered the same thing."

Coulson tilted his head.

"I just thought..."

"...that you might argue we should leave him alone and let him live as an ordinary civilian," Melinda finished.

"After all, you’re technically a unique individual yourself."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t lock you in a cell."

"True."

Evenson glanced back toward Thor.

"But that’s because I’ve always cooperated."

"And because I’m just one warlock."

"The only warlock on Earth."

"I’m important."

"But my influence begins and ends with me."

He looked directly at Thor.

"He’s different."

"Whether he’s heir to the throne or not, he’s still an Asgardian prince."

"His existence carries political consequences on an interstellar scale."

"My situation isn’t remotely comparable."

"And..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I don’t believe this story is as simple as it sounds."

Jane had been watching the whispered conversation from across the room.

The sight made her increasingly uneasy.

The last time S.H.I.E.L.D. showed up, they’d emptied her laboratory.

Now they’d confirmed Thor’s identity.

What were they planning this time?

Surely they weren’t about to drag him away.

"What are you discussing?" she demanded.

Evenson immediately turned and flashed an easy smile.

"Nothing sinister."

"We’d simply like to invite our distinguished guest from Asgard, Lord Thor, to visit our facility."

"And..."

He looked toward Jane, Selvig, and Darcy.

"So none of you have to worry about him..."

"We’d like all of you to come as well."

Darcy’s face turned white.

"...So you can dissect us?"

Images from every alien invasion movie she’d ever watched flashed through her mind.

Secret government lab.

Friendly alien.

Operating table.

Scalpels.

"No!" Evenson waved both hands.

"Considering who he is, why would we do something that monumentally stupid?"

Thor rose to his feet.

His expression hardened.

"I may have lost my power..."

"But I will not be ordered about."

"And I will never allow harm to come to my friends."

With one sweep of his arm, he flipped the dining table aside.

Plates and silverware crashed across the floor.

He clenched his fists, standing between the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the others with all the confidence of a warrior who had forgotten he was no longer superhuman.

Coulson and Melinda instinctively reached for their stun weapons.

Evenson raised a hand, stopping them.

"Asgardians..."

He shook his head with a faint smile.

"We have no intention of hurting you."

"Then leave," Thor replied firmly.

"My friends don’t want you here."

Evenson’s smile slowly disappeared.

"Thor."

"You still don’t understand."

Thor frowned.

"What?"

Evenson met his eyes.

"Your father isn’t dead."

"You’ve been deceived."

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