A substantial number of the events that have shaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far have stemmed from the Asgardians. One Asgardian in particular has constantly found himself at the center of those events: Thor. At 1,500 years old, it's safe to assume that he has been through a lot in his lifetime yet, evidently, the young prince has only really been able to grow in recent years.

We've seen him change dramatically throughout his seven appearances, and we're not just talking about his hairstyle. We've seen him transform from the spoiled and reckless prince of Asgard to a noble God of Thunder.

It hasn't been easy for him. With what is likely to be his last appearance fast approaching in Avengers: Endgame, now seems like the perfect time to look back on Thor's journey and see how the once impetuous prince has shaped the MCU.

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There was a time when Thor seemed to only place value in strength, honor and courage. These were the qualities he admired in his father, who had brought peace to the Nine Realms through conquest in ancient times.

Despite Odin's attempts to teach his son about the value of peace and diplomacy, Thor continued to seek out war with his faithful companions, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, eventually going so far as to disobey his father's orders in Thor (directed by Kenneth Branagh) and attack the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, bringing the threat of war to Asgard. For his reckless actions, Thor was banished from Asgard and sent to Midgard to live as a human until he could prove himself worthy of his powers.

During his time on Earth, he was unable to simply battle his way out of difficult situation, forcing him to build bonds with the people he met, like Jane Foster, Erik Selvig and Darcy. Through them, he learned how precious each one of the Nine Realms were and, for the first time, saw how great of a responsibility it was to protect them all.

He finally proved himself worthy in the end, not just by defeating the Destroyer sent by Loki, but by saving Frost Giants of Jotunheim who, as Loki stated, Thor would have readily slaughtered before.

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Thor had finally become a worthy prince of Asgard, but his journey had only just begun.

With his understanding of the world, coupled with his newfound humility, Thor was ready to rule in the eyes of Odin. However, unlike his brother Loki, Thor understood that the crown was not a privilege, but a burden... and not a burden he wanted to take on.

He revealed as much to Loki -- who was disguised as Odin at the time -- in Thor: The Dark World (directed by Alan Taylor). He believed it was his duty to protect the Nine Realms on the front lines, not from a throne in Asgard.

That's where we found him in Avengers: Age of Ultron (directed by Joss Whedon) -- back on Earth, protecting the realm from the Mind Stone and Tony Stark's egregious error in judgement. With Mjolnir in his hands and his Asgardian powers, there was no enemy he could not overcome.

Despite the chaos around the world, things were looking up for him, and that was apparent in his change in attitude. He became more lighthearted as time went on, seemingly happy with how things were. It wasn't until Thor: Ragnarok (directed by Taika Waititi) that Thor discovered he still had a way to go in reaching his full potential.

NEXT PAGE: Hela Arrives and Thor Learns the Source of His Power

Soon after returning from his search for answers regarding the Infinity Stones, Thor discovered that his father had disappeared and had been replaced by Loki. Soon after the brothers had found their father, Odin peacefully passed away, leaving them Asgard and a dire portent: Hela was coming.

The Goddess of Death appeared almost immediately after Odin's passing and completely shattered Mjolnir, which, to Thor, removed his control over lightning. As if that wasn't enough, she conquered Asgard and coldly murdered the Warriors Three. Thor was thrown far from a home that was being destroyed, removed from anyone he could trust and left to survive on his strength alone on Sakaar. In that loneliness, the last hints of that reckless young prince faded away.

Just when things were looking grim, he rediscovered an old friend, found a new ally and, in the end, seemed to rekindle his relationship with his brother. In the midst of battle with Hela, he even discovered the true source of his power and embraced his role as the God of Thunder.

It seemed that, in his willingness to sacrifice the mystical place he had once called home, he was able to come to terms with everything he had sacrificed and everything he had lost. He had everything he needed to lead the people of Asgard.

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As we've mentioned, Thor's story hasn't merely affected the story of the Asgardians, but everyone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well, ultimately contributing to the Decimation at the end of Avengers: Infinity War (directed by Joe and Anthony Russo).

When he prevented Loki from destroying Jotunheim, he inadvertently pushed his brother into invading Earth with a Chitauri army given to him by Thanos in The Avengers (directed by Joss Whedon). Just a few years after that, his decision to keep the Aether (also known as the Reality Stone) with Tivan the Collector allowed the Mad Titan to acquire it with greater ease than any of the other stones.

Even his absence seemed to have an adverse effect on the rest of the Avengers. Arguably, if he hadn't left on what was ultimately a futile quest to investigate the Infinity Stones, he might have been able to prevent the collapse of the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War (directed by Joe and Anthony Russo), thereby maintaining Earth's defense against Thanos.

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But it would be wrong to highlight the negative consequences of his story without bringing light to everything good Thor has brought to the MCU.

For example, if it weren't for the events of Thor, the Avengers may never have assembled in the first place, and Thor: Ragnarok showed us that it was Thor who helped Hulk and Bruce Banner out of their emotional prison so that they could return to Earth. He also released Loki, who, in turn, compelled Valkyrie to confront her demons and end her self-imposed exile on Sakaar.

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Thor has always been one of the strongest members of the Avengers. His story is about his ability to keep fighting and his refusal to run from the face of death. That was made abundantly clear in Avengers: Infinity War, not just in his conversation with Rocket. He took on the full force of a star without hesitation and kept pursuing Thanos, despite the fact that his first confrontation with the Mad Titan had ended so poorly.

In the end, he may have ultimately failed to prevent the Decimation, but he came incredibly close through sheer will, and he proved that Thanos should definitely be afraid of a third encounter with the Avenger in Avengers: Endgame.