How Thor Overcame Gorr the God-Butcher in the Marvel Comics Universe

A look back to 10 years ago, to see how Thor defeated Gorr the God-Butcher in the Marvel comics, as opposed to the movie version of the story

In each installment of Look Back, we delve into a significant comic book issue from 10, 25, 50, and 75 years ago. For this edition, we transport ourselves back to August 2013, revisiting the climactic conclusion of the original God-Butcher storyline that unfolded within the pages of Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic's awe-inspiring series, "Thor: God of Thunder."

Fast forward to 2022, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe presents us with "Thor: Love and Thunder," the latest installment in the Thor film series. This movie cleverly adapts the opening arc of Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic's revered "Thor: God of Thunder" comics. The saga's final installment, showcased in Thor: God of Thunder #11, meticulously crafted by Aaron, Ribic, the talented colorist Ive Svorcina, and letterer Joe Sabino, was released in August 2013.

Within the cinematic realm, Gorr the God-Butcher's sinister machinations involve wielding the potent Necrosword and both Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, and Stormbreaker. His nefarious goal is to infiltrate the elusive realm of Eternity, where he believes his fervent wish—to annihilate all deities across the universe—will be granted. Both Thor Odinson and the worthy Jane Foster take up arms to thwart Gorr's cataclysmic ambitions. However, as the narrative unfolds, Gorr ultimately accesses the mystical realm of Eternity, accompanied by both Thors. This perilous confrontation unfolds against the backdrop of Jane Foster's dire condition, her battle with cancer exacerbated by her selfless use of her Thor powers.

The climax resounds with emotional resonance as Thor confronts Gorr, urging him to reconsider the consequences of his wish. Rather than perpetuating a cycle of death, Thor proposes that Gorr use his wish to resurrect his deceased daughter, Love. As the weight of his actions dawns upon him, Gorr's connection to the corruptive Necrosword begins to wane. Thor departs, leaving Gorr to share poignant final moments with Jane. In a poignant turn, Gorr's resolve shifts, and he employs his wish to resurrect his beloved daughter, thus dissolving his own life force.

The movie's conclusion finds Thor embracing a newfound role as Love's guardian, their destinies now intertwined. United by their shared sense of purpose, they stand side by side, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

So that's the movie, but how did the classic comic book arc go down?

Who was Gorr the God-Butcher in the comics?

In the comic storyline, similar to the cinematic adaptation, Gorr's tragic tale began on a desolate planet where his family faced imminent death due to widespread famine. As his loved ones succumbed to starvation, Gorr's desperate prayers to the gods went unanswered. However, his life took a dark turn when he stumbled upon irrefutable evidence of the gods' existence – they simply chose to ignore his pleas. This revelation fueled Gorr's unwavering determination to eradicate every deity in the universe. Armed with the formidable All-Black the Necrosword, a malevolent weapon of immense power, Gorr embarked on his crusade.

An initial encounter with a youthful Thor, who had not yet proven himself worthy of wielding Mjolnir, marked Gorr's early attempts. Defeated by Thor's valor, Gorr suffered the loss of an arm. This setback led Gorr to realize the necessity of a more calculated approach. Over time, he devised an army of "shadow berserkers" to aid him in his genocidal mission. Across the cosmos, he methodically hunted down and exterminated gods, leaving a trail of divine corpses in his wake.

The opening chapter of "Thor: God of Thunder" introduced readers to Thor's awakening awareness of the cataclysmic events unfurling across the universe. The poignant tale unfolded through three distinct timelines – Thor's formative years, his present as Thor the Avenger, and a haunting glimpse into the past featuring King Thor, one of the few surviving deities after Gorr's onslaught.

Gorr's malevolent design revolved around constructing a fearsome "God-Bomb," a weapon capable of obliterating gods without exception. With the power of the All-Black Necrosword, he orchestrated a convergence that brought together three incarnations of Thor. However, an unexpected twist emerged when Gorr's resurrected son defied his father's malevolence, aiding the Thors in escaping captivity. United by their shared purpose, the Thors leveraged their Mjolnirs, including the one wielded by Thor the Avenger and King Thor, to harness the cataclysmic energy of the God-Bomb.

This multidimensional narrative, crafted by writer Jason Aaron, masterfully wove together the past, present, and future of Thor as he grappled with the enigmatic and merciless Gorr.

How was Gorr the God-Butcher defeated?

Thor the Avenger then absorbed the Necrosword himself, making him powerful enough to defeat Gorr. Check out this stunning visual by Ribic and Svorcina...

At that moment, our revelation came to light: Gorr's "offspring" was, in fact, an embodiment brought into existence by the enigmatic Necrosword. This weapon was fueled by a fragment of Gorr's own subconscious, a fragment that had gained awareness of his descent into madness driven by an insatiable lust for power. This self-aware fragment recognized that Gorr's supposed child would never condone his transformation into a relentless deity destroyer. In an astonishing twist, it collaborated with the Thors, amalgamations of various godly beings, to orchestrate Gorr's downfall.

In the past, a youthful Thor managed to defeat Gorr by beheading him, ultimately ending his life. As a consequence of wielding the Necrosword and absorbing its corrupting power, Thor the Avenger faced a perilous fate, leading to his demise. But fear not, for King Thor orchestrated his revival shortly thereafter. This critical juncture, involving Thor the Avenger's actions, stood as the linchpin of the extensive and highly praised Thor run authored by Jason Aaron. The central theme revolved around questioning the righteousness of their decisions.

In simpler terms, Gorr believed that the universe would be improved by the absence of gods. This perspective challenged Thor throughout the series. In a surprising crossover event, a later revelation about Gorr rendered Thor temporarily unworthy of wielding Mjolnir. Eventually, in the conclusion of the story, Thor resurrected certain gods and brought them to the planet of the young girl whose prayer initiated the entire sequence of events.

This initial storyline marked the start of a remarkable run by Aaron, encompassing multiple Thor titles, as Marvel frequently renumbers series with new #1 issues.