# What is Thor and the other Asgardians? In Marvel comics and the movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281 "2012-05-08T15:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/1 "2012-05-08T15:26:39Z")
Honestly I may have missed some dialogue, are they extremely advanced aliens who just happen to look like humans ala Kryptonians or Time Lords or something else? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/2 "2012-05-08T16:57:05Z")
If I recall correctly, the Asgardians are essentially humanoid aliens - not in the sense of ‘from another planet’ as is usually the case, but ‘from another dimension’. They can be slain, they can die of old age, it just takes a very long time for it to happen. They aren’t really in any sense ‘gods’, except in the minds of their worshippers. (Though I won’t knock Odin’s power…) Thor, in the comics, is actually half-Asgardian, half-something else, as his mother was Gaia. The Olympians, in the comics, are closer to the traditional idea of Gods, as they are functionally immortal, never dying of old age. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/3 "2012-05-08T17:22:32Z")
Marvel has a lot of aliens who either look like humans or close enough. The Kree are either like normal white humans or blue skinned humans. The Shi’ar are humans with feathers on their head. The Inhumans (created by the Kree) and Eternals (created by the Celestials) are both races which I think are technically human, but mutated to be more powerful. But they are from other planets. I am sure someone who is more up to date than me can say more. I seem to recall that the many of the polytheistic earth gods are just interpretations of alien “gods,” although maybe I’m confusing it with _Stargate_. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/4 "2012-05-08T19:00:14Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I am sure someone who is more up to date than me can say more. I seem to recall that the many of the polytheistic earth gods are just interpretations of alien “gods,” although maybe I’m confusing it with _Stargate_. I didn’t see the “Thor” movie. How did he describe himself? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/5 "2012-05-08T19:45:01Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > I didn’t see the “Thor” movie. > > How did he describe himself? A god, but Asgard is a city on a planet and travel to earth is accomplished using the Bifrost which a scientist character calls a wormhole. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/6 "2012-05-08T19:52:32Z")
> [@grude](#): > > A god, but Asgard is a city on a planet and travel to earth is accomplished using the Bifrost which a scientist character calls a wormhole. Sooo… I assume the Asgardians define “god” a little differently than we do? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/7 "2012-05-08T19:55:58Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Sooo… I assume the Asgardians define “god” a little differently than we do? LOL or they let the opinions of humans go to their heads, which come to think of it happens in the movie even(required love story:rolleyes:) EDIT: All the objects in the movie are portrayed as not so much magic but advanced machines, including mjoliner which is apparently giving off a bunch of EM energy. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/8 "2012-05-08T21:14:00Z")
> [@grude](#): > > LOL or they let the opinions of humans go to their heads, which come to think of it happens in the movie even(required love story:rolleyes:) > > EDIT: All the objects in the movie are portrayed as not so much magic but advanced machines, including mjoliner which is apparently giving off a bunch of EM energy. Depends on how you define machine, or in the case of the Asgardians themselves, “aliens”. Are they human? Good enough for government work. Are they capable of feats matching the power of legendary Gods, titans, and other divinities of legend? Hell yes. Do they do it in ways we can barely even conceive of, let alone match, even with our advanced technology? You better believe it. Basically, whether you want to call them gods, advanced aliens, or My Little Ponies, it’s all the same. It’s the interpretation which changes, not the characters. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/9 "2012-05-08T21:16:01Z")
In the Marvel Universe (comics) the Asgrdians are gods. They consider themselves gods and haven’t been described as anything other than that (aside from non-canon books such as the Earh X series). In the movies they fudged it by say that magic and science in Thor’s dimension are basically the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/10 "2012-05-08T21:29:12Z")
I’m not actually convinced they’re in a separate dimension, or anything like that. The impression I got was that they were in the same space as us, just so far away that it was impossible to cover the distance with anything but magic-like tech. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/11 "2012-05-08T21:37:08Z")
I’m just going to leave this here: > [@Arthur C. Clarke](#): > > Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/12 "2012-05-08T21:45:06Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’m just going to leave this here: > > > [@Arthur C. Clarke](#): > > > > Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. “Sufficiently advanced”, as in “advanced enough that it looks like magic”? And “any”? There must be plenty of things that are effectively as advanced as they will ever be and yet are still clearly mechanical. Take a hole punch for example. Doesn’t seem that wise, really. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/13 "2012-05-08T22:03:57Z")
In Marvel at least they _are_ “gods”; gods are a specific class of creature with particular supernatural qualities. They have something called “godessence”, and have at least some connection to their worshipers. Therefore, Thor’s a god and the Silver Surfer isn’t, despite the Surfer having powers that equal or exceed many gods. Asgardians are a race of gods from a pocket universe connected to the main universe who are genetically distinct from humans, besides their supernatural aspects (their strength and durability for example being at least in large part matter of inborn physical superiority, not magic). Olympians on the other hand are _another_ race of gods from a different pocket dimension, who have different physical qualities (like genuine immortality). ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/14 "2012-05-08T22:22:34Z")
That’s not how I remember it. I remember (back in the 80s era) one of the main distinctions between the Greek and Norse gods (Marvel version) is that the Greek gods DID have a connection to their worshipers, and that the Norse ones didn’t. They were basically a race of powerful, magical (real magic, not the Clarke kind) humanoids. Though they were worshiped as gods and did consider themselves such. They were also about three times denser than a human of the same size, to explain why they were so much stronger. Because the math for that TOTALLY works. They could have changed that, of course. They do that sometimes. – Funny thing, I don’t remember many if any giant Kirby devices in the old Thor comics, though I squee’ed like a Japanese schoolgirl when I saw them in the movie . . . ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/15 "2012-05-08T22:22:59Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > They can be slain, they can die of old age, it just takes a very long time for it to happen. They aren’t really in any sense ‘gods’, except in the minds of their worshippers. As I recall my Norse myths, this is pretty much describes Odin and his family anyway. They can be killed. Thor wrestled Old Age and was eventually thrown. Odin needs his ravens to find out what is going down. What is the minimum status to enter the ‘god’ club, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/16 "2012-05-08T22:29:12Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > That’s not how I remember it. I remember (back in the 80s era) one of the main distinctions between the Greek and Norse gods (Marvel version) is that the Greek gods DID have a connection to their worshipers, and that the Norse ones didn’t. There was a two comic sequence where Thor felt the prayers of “the Last Viking” for a warrior’s death and showed up. They ended up fighting the dragon Fafnir together, the Viking got his warrior’s death and Thor lay him on the dragon and burned them both with lightning for a proper Viking funeral. And he (and presumably earlier Vikings) got to go to Valhalla. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/17 "2012-05-08T22:35:36Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There was a two comic sequence where Thor felt the prayers of “the Last Viking” for a warrior’s death and showed up. They ended up fighting the dragon Fafnir together, the Viking got his warrior’s death and Thor lay him on the dragon and burned them both with lightning for a proper Viking funeral. And he (and presumably earlier Vikings) got to go to Valhalla. Did [Valkyrie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie_(Marvel_Comics)) show up? I recall in one issue of _The Defenders,_ a police officer saved some people from a fire, and Valkyrie, in her role as Chooser of the Slain, said, “He has breathed fire!” and took the hero to Valhalla. Much to the astonishment of the rest of the Defenders, who knew her backstory, but it had never occurred to them that she would actually do what mythic Valkyries do. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/18 "2012-05-08T23:29:32Z")
OK, I’m using this thread as an excuse to link to [Thor Meets Captain America](http://www.davidbrin.com/thor1.htm). An alt history novella by David Brin in which the AEsir are given another origin. No link to Marvel–but worth reading for those interested in that sort of thing… ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/19 "2012-05-08T23:46:28Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They ended up fighting the dragon Fafnir together, the Viking got his warrior’s death and Thor lay him on the dragon and burned them both with lightning for a proper Viking funeral. I seem to recall a side comment between two (US?) soldiers about the dragon… something about it being symbolically a dog? Some viking tradition regarding laying a dog at the warrior’s feet before their firey funeral. Part of the Walt Simonson run on Thor? I really need to read those again. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/20 "2012-05-08T23:50:10Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > That’s not how I remember it. I remember (back in the 80s era) one of the main distinctions between the Greek and Norse gods (Marvel version) is that the Greek gods DID have a connection to their worshipers, and that the Norse ones didn’t. They were basically a race of powerful, magical (real magic, not the Clarke kind) humanoids. Though they were worshiped as gods and did consider themselves such. > > They were also about three times denser than a human of the same size, to explain why they were so much stronger. Because the math for that TOTALLY works. > > They could have changed that, of course. They do that sometimes. > > – > Funny thing, I don’t remember many if any giant Kirby devices in the old Thor comics, though I squee’ed like a Japanese schoolgirl when I saw them in the movie . . . The Asgardians are connected to their worshippers in the sense that they are aware of their prayers and in Thor’s case at least actually care what happens to them. (Admittedly Thor cares about humanity in general and does not care whether people worship him or not.) But they are not connected in the sense of needing worship to maintain their powers. I think there are some beings in Marvel Comics such as Dormammu for instance who grow more powerful if they have worshippers. You could probably explain that away as there being people who have learned how to draw magic power from being worshipped and maybe grown dependent on it. Also while the other Asgardian gods need the magic apples to stay young I do not think Thor himself does. His youthfulness is part of his heritage from his mother as his greater power than average. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281.md?page=2)