WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The Avengers #3 by Jason Aaron, Paco Medina and Ed McGuinness, in stores now.
Celestials are falling from the sky, and giant insect monsters are rising from the Earth's core -- but that's just par for the course for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, right?
In Marvel's new Avengers comic, trouble is coming from above and below, with the world's superheroes the only line of defense caught in-between. But the Avengers have gone through some woes recently, both together and apart, and this new incarnation of the group isn't exactly on the best of terms. They are only starting to re-connect, to trust each other again. In the third issue of the series, the team is not even fully-established yet; in fact, some of them don't even think they can be a strong and stable team. But the dire circumstances are forcing them to work together.
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As the team battles the gigantic cosmic threat that is the Final Host, Captain America is taken out of the fight for a moment -- but a moment is all it takes for old wounds to open again. With Cap gone, Carol Danvers and Tony Stark are immediately at each other's throats again, on the cusp of reigniting the argument that led to the pair's catastrophic Civil War II feud. But before they take things further, Thor Odinson steps in and puts the fire out, indicating how big of a difference the God of Thunder might have made in Marvel's biggest hero vs. hero fights.
When Iron Man and Captain Marvel begin to bicker, Thor stops them by simply reminding them that this in-fighting is pointless and ridiculous. "Nay! Cease thy civil warring!" he yells. "This is most verily unproductive! This is not how Avengers behave!" And that's it; the anger subsides, and the mission continues. It only takes a single panel for Thor to put a stop to a silly dispute that could have easily been blown out of proportion. After all, the Odinson is a pillar of the Avengers, a trusted friend, ally and warrior who, more often than not, always sees the bigger picture.
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A single panel shows what a difference Thor could have had on the original Civil War event, as well as its follow-up, Civil War II. As readers might recall, the God of Thunder was absent for both events. At the time of the first Civil War, Thor was dead, following a devastating Ragnarok event. Then, by the time the second war rolled around, the Odinson was now unworthy of Mjolnir and nowhere to be seen. In his stead, Jane Foster served as the God of Thunder, and she didn't exactly have the same pull with the other Avengers that the Odinson has. But Avengers #3 makes it painstakingly clear -- no matter the dispute between fellow heroes, Thor could have put a stop to it simply by being present and making his warring friends realize how silly and ridiculous they are being.
The same can be said for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America: Civil War saw Tony Stark and Steve Rogers fall on opposing sides of the Sokovia Accords argument, something that led to an all-out brawl between Avengers in a German airport. Had Thor been there, the movie would have likely turned out very differently. Considering his power levels, not to mention the God of Thunder's legitimately commanding presence, it's likely Thor could have prevented the Avengers from becoming fractured down the middle, and thus, fighting each other.
Don't believe us? Look no further than Avengers: Age of Ultron. When Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Hawkeye attempt to create Vision, Captain America shows up, along with the Maximoff twins, to stop the possible creation of another Ultron. The two trios start fighting, Iron Man and Captain America briefly clashing with shield and armor, until Thor arrives with the thunder and lightning.
He instantly puts a stop to the fight, and Steve and Tony move past their brief battle. There are no hard feelings held. Thor completes the creation of the Vision, by explaining the android's purpose. By simply being there, Thor stopped the Avengers from fighting each other while preventing a tense situation from growing worse. He could have easily done the same had he been present in the third Captain America film. It's more than likely that the writers and the directors of the film were well aware of that fact, which is why they decided to exclude to character from the film.
Whether in the comic book or cinematic universe, Thor is a crucial member of the Avengers. He is one of their most powerful members, yes, but he is also someone they listen to. Thor has a wisdom about him that is not always properly recognized, a clarity that puts him above the petty squabbles of man -- and he isn't afraid to let his friends know it. He may speak in a funny Shakespearean dialect, but his words always ring true -- fighting each other, that is not how Avengers behave.
KEEP READING: Ant-Man Was Almost on Team Stark in Captain America: Civil War