# 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:** 2
**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 9, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/21 "2012-05-09T13:20:05Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > 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). This is not correct, according to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. ---
**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 9, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/22 "2012-05-09T13:24:27Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > 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? True immortality, one of the three ‘omnis’, some kind of divine link to their worshippers - any of the above, really. Now, of course, Thor and the Asgardians have had a couple of ‘Ragna-reboots’ in the past ten years - so their current status may fit this definition, but when the Asgardians were first quantified, and up to the 90’s, they were emphatically not gods. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/23 "2012-05-09T13:30:19Z")
[QUOTE=thelurkinghorror;15043973 although maybe I’m confusing it with _Stargate_.[/QUOTE] LOL, I think I prefer the Marvel Thor 😉 > [@mlees](#): > > I didn’t see the “Thor” movie. > > How did he describe himself? Don’t think he did describe himself. The Asgardians were seen as gods by the humans on Earth and he has “superpowers” when he’s on earth, or in any of the other realms - unless he’s stripped of them by Odin > [@Bozuit](#): > > “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. I read somewhere that the line between science and magic is time. If you were able to go back in time and use a digital camera to take photos you could well be burned at the stake as a witch for your ‘magic’. Yet another reason not to time travel!! My take is that the Asgardians are from another dimension and are sufficiently advanced (or were, when they first came to earth) to be seen as gods by the natives. to us more sophisticated types, he’s a cute guy with a big hammer 😉 ---
**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 9, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/24 "2012-05-09T13:30:34Z")
Here you go : [Marvel.com](http://Marvel.com)’s official entry for the races of Asgard. Thor’s people are referred to as ‘the Gods’ as opposed to ‘the Giants’ or ‘the Dwarves’. It notes that they are not immortal, have no active worshipers, and do not seek worshipers. So they are, at best, Gods in name only - no more divine than the Giants, Elves, or Dwarves. [http://marvel.com/universe/Asgardians](http://marvel.com/universe/Asgardians) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/25 "2012-05-09T13:45:21Z")
Way I see it, if Marvel’s Thor, Odin, Loki, Syf etc are the same beings who were worshipped by the Norse (rather than other beings using the same names) that makes them the Norse Gods. That they are also super-powered extra-dimensional beings isn’t really pertinent to that issue. ---
**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 9, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/26 "2012-05-09T14:10:25Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Way I see it, if Marvel’s Thor, Odin, Loki, Syf etc are the same beings who were worshipped by the Norse (rather than other beings using the same names) that makes them the Norse Gods. That they are also super-powered extra-dimensional beings isn’t really pertinent to that issue. This doesn’t really address the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/27 "2012-05-09T14:14:17Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > 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). But the explanation in **CandidGamera** ’s post is correct, in that they are from another dimension (each of the Nine Worlds is a different dimension) and, thus, aliens. And they consider themselves Asgardians, it’s humans who (used to) worship them as gods; the Asgardians themselves don’t care whether we call them gods or hey dude so long as we do what they want. ---
**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 9, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/28 "2012-05-09T14:35:01Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > But the explanation in **CandidGamera** ’s post is correct, in that they are from another dimension (each of the Nine Worlds is a different dimension) and, thus, aliens. And they consider themselves Asgardians, it’s humans who (used to) worship them as gods; the Asgardians themselves don’t care whether we call them gods or hey dude so long as we do what they want. Except for Thor and Loki, the Asgardians don’t care if humans do what they want. And Thor only wants humanity not to get itself destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/29 "2012-05-09T14:58:27Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > 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. The Asgardian gods in the Marvel universe are too entertwined with the human race’s mythology and related mythological races on a base level to really be considered (IMO) “aliens” in the classic sense. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/30 "2012-05-09T15:15:26Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > This doesn’t really address the OP’s question. No, it addresses the subsequent discussion. The OP’s question has been thoroughly answered already. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/31 "2012-05-09T16:28:49Z")
> [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](#): > > Except for Thor and Loki, the Asgardians don’t care if humans do what they want. And Thor only wants humanity not to get itself destroyed. Don’t tell that to all the Asgardians who came to Midgaard during the Ancient Winters cycle… specially to Volstagg, who might sit on you in a fit of despondency. They don’t care what _humanity_ does, but when Volstagg wants a hundred burgers, Volstagg wants a hundred burgers damnit and those servers aren’t from Niffleheim. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/32 "2012-05-09T16:33:51Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Way I see it, if Marvel’s Thor, Odin, Loki, Syf etc are the same beings who were worshipped by the Norse (rather than other beings using the same names) that makes them the Norse Gods. That they are also super-powered extra-dimensional beings isn’t really pertinent to that issue. I believe it is also important to speak King James English. Forsooth! ---
**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 9, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/33 "2012-05-09T18:14:29Z")
> [@astro](#): > > The Asgardian gods in the Marvel universe are too entertwined with the human race’s mythology and related mythological races on a base level to really be considered (IMO) “aliens” in the classic sense. Your opinion notwithstanding, they fit the paradigm of aliens more than that of divine beings. They’re not even particularly godlike aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/34 "2012-05-09T18:39:14Z")
I agree with the forthright flying space turtle. There are quite a number of beings in the Marvel Universe who have much greater powers than do the Asgardians (or Æsir). Galactus is the first I can think of off hand, but there are quite a number of noncorporeal beings like Eternity that are even more powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/35 "2012-05-09T19:34:15Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Depends on how you define machine, or in the case of the Asgardians themselves, “aliens”. Are they human? Good enough for government work… Could Thor impregnate a human woman? If so, would her child be at all “godlike”? If the answer would be different for the comics and the movies, do tell. ---
**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 9, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/36 "2012-05-09T20:04:35Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Could Thor impregnate a human woman? If so, would her child be at all “godlike”? If the answer would be different for the comics and the movies, do tell. It’s a comic book. Trees can impregnate human women. ---
**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 10, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/37 "2012-05-10T00:42:08Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Could Thor impregnate a human woman? If so, would her child be at all “godlike”? If the answer would be different for the comics and the movies, do tell. The answers are “Yes,” and “Probably”. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/38 "2012-05-10T00:45:58Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > 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… You beat me to it, but I second the recommendation (the story was also expanded into a graphic novel called “The Life Eaters”) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/39 "2012-05-10T18:35:30Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > 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. My Little Thor [![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-59f75qCJEHo/Tw-TVNx6tqI/AAAAAAAADrM/ks9ZLaGY8h4/s1600/my_little_pony_thor.jpg) ](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-59f75qCJEHo/Tw-TVNx6tqI/AAAAAAAADrM/ks9ZLaGY8h4/s1600/my_little_pony_thor.jpg) ---
**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 10, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-thor-and-the-other-asgardians-in-marvel-comics-and-the-movie/621281/40 "2012-05-10T20:42:55Z")
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