In the comics, the gods featured in the Marvel universe include the Chinese pantheon, but in the film and television adaptations, the depiction is far less clear.
Among the onscreen portrayals, the Norse pantheon stands out most clearly—represented by Asgard, with Thor as its flagship character. Then there are the Greek gods, which come into play later when Thor visits the Pantheon. That includes Zeus, the King of the Gods and another lightning-wielding powerhouse, as well as the immensely powerful Hercules, who is said to emerge in future stories.
The Egyptian gods also appear in more subtle ways, notably through the avatar of Moon Knight.
Broadly speaking, these three pantheons are the most prominent. But Thor's recent words hinted that many more divine forces might be operating from the shadows—waiting for their time to emerge.
Just because these gods weren't shown in the original cinematic timeline doesn't mean they don't exist. In fact, many of them appear to reside in a place known as the Almighty City—a convergence point for numerous gods from various races and galaxies. This city functions like a divine council chamber, established long ago after the universe's greatest gods waged devastating wars with heavy casualties. To maintain order, a Pantheon was formed and Almighty City was established as a mediator among deities.
Thor's remarks confirmed what Rowan already suspected—there are indeed Chinese gods, and likely others, hidden deep within this layered universe. Whether or not they've been revealed yet, they are there.
Even among gods, the comic book versions and their cinematic counterparts differ wildly. The movie version of Thor is strong, but the comic version? Practically divine beyond comprehension. As he grows older and wiser in the comics, his power becomes apocalyptic—capable of destroying Earth with a single punch.
"You don't have to wait to thank me later," Rowan said, pausing briefly. "I just have one request."
"Speak," Thor replied immediately.
"I want to read some of Asgard's books on magic. Nothing secretive—just the general ones, the kind you'd find in a public archive," Rowan said calmly.
He had wanted to read Asgardian magical literature for a long time but had never had the opportunity. Dealing with the Ancient One felt unwise, and Odin was even more untouchable. He didn't dare ask for anything too sensitive—just access to the general knowledge would suffice.
"All right then," Thor said. "Come back to Asgard with me. When we arrive, I'll talk to my father and request access to our library for you."
To Thor, this was no big deal. Asgard had warred through the Nine Realms and even across galaxies for centuries. In that time, they'd collected countless magical texts and artifacts. His father, mother, and brother were all skilled in magic, but Thor himself was never much of a mage.
He'd rather spend that time training physically.
Of course, there was another reason—one he hadn't shared with anyone.
In truth, Thor wanted Rowan to come to Asgard so he might observe the world firsthand. He was hoping it would inspire Rowan to write in his diary again. Thor had read parts of Rowan's journal, where he was called a "lone star of misfortune," at odds with his father, his mother, his brother—and even destined to lose a partner.
That judgment weighed heavily on him.
If someone else had written it, he wouldn't have cared. But it came from Rowan—someone whose words carried undeniable weight.
Thor suspected that his father's death was likely due to natural causes, but his mother's fate remained unclear. Rowan's diary merely said she was killed due to Loki's schemes—specifically, an attempt on Thor's life that resulted in Queen Frigga's death.
But the exact circumstances were vague.
Nick Fury had already demonstrated that they could extract insight from Rowan's writings through indirect means. So Thor hoped that bringing him to Asgard might lead to another diary entry—one that might shed light on the future and possibly help him prevent the tragedy.
If there was a way to save his family, he'd gladly offer up the entire Asgardian library. Knowledge was dead—his family was alive.
That was the mindset of a man done logging wars. He was now a family man.
Still, Thor kept that idea to himself. Although he had cooperated with Nick Fury and others, he didn't fully trust them. Just as Fury and Stark remained wary of Thor possibly turning rogue and attacking Earth, Thor harbored a similar belief: If you're not one of us, you're a potential threat.
He didn't normally act on this suspicion, but when it involved the survival of his family, he couldn't afford to be careless.
"Yes!" Rowan nodded, surprised at how easily Thor had agreed. Then he turned to Tony Stark. "Mr. Stark, please transfer the payment to my account later—you know the one."
"Sure. It'll be done," Tony replied.
To someone like Stark, a hundred million dollars was loose change—insignificant in the grand scheme.
Rowan had no desire to engage with Nick Fury and his crew. Their political games and layered agendas didn't align with Rowan's own goal—to live a carefree, low-pressure life.
"Let's go," Thor said.
The two stepped outside. Thor raised his head and shouted into the sky, "Heimdall! Open the Bifrost! Take us back to Asgard!"
Moments later, a brilliant beam of light—Bifrost—pierced through the sky and descended upon them, brimming with terrifying spatial energy.
"Just follow the light," Thor said.
With that, he swung Mjolnir and soared upward into the beam. Rowan followed by flying up on his own.
"Heimdall... the legendary god guarding the Bifrost," Nick Fury muttered.
He had overheard Thor's words, and now he watched Bifrost vanish into the sky, his face dark with concern.
According to Norse mythology, Heimdall was the son of Odin and nine goddesses—a child of divine convergence. The myth claimed the nine sisters gave birth to him simultaneously.
If one follows the myth literally, Heimdall would be Thor's half-brother. But that didn't seem to be the case in reality. In the real Asgard, there were only two princes: Thor and Loki—the god of mischief. No others.
At least, none that anyone had seen.
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