WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thor #5 by Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
After surviving some of his greatest hardships, Thor has only faced more challenges as the King of Asgard. With a warning from Galactus, Thor has played a role in the destruction of planets and lost allies in his preparation for the arrival of the Black Winter, a cosmic force that was responsible for the destruction of the previous universe. In Thor #5, from Donny Cates and Nic Klein, not only does Thor learn more about the true motivations of this threat, and he is also forced to confront his greatest fears.
For those that confront the Black Winter, this cosmic force appears in the form of their death. For a warrior like Thor, his death appears, not as one individual but, in the form of some of his greatest foes, each one representing his own fears of the future and his greatest weaknesses. Now, we're taking a closer look at the deadly team that's designed to be the end of the Odinson.
GORR THE GOD-BUTCHER
Although Gorr is a relatively recent addition to Thor's rogues' gallery, the God-Butcher is already one of the Thunder God's most iconic foes. Created by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic in 2013's Thor: God of Thunder #2, Gorr was a father who lost his family to the horrid conditions of their environment. Blaming their gods that never answered their prayers, Gorr found the Necrosword, a plot point that would tie into Venom's future, and used it to hunt every god in the universe.
Destined to fight Thor at the end of the universe, Gorr represents Thor's fear of unworthiness for himself and his fellow gods. His original words led Thor to lose the ability to carry his hammer. Even gone and defeated, Gorr will haunt Thor for eternity, even when his threat seems to have abated.
LOKI
Although he's currently not really an enemy of his brother, Loki has always been tied into Thor's future. After plenty of reincarnations and resurrections, Loki serves as the King of Jotunheim and of the Frost Giants. Still carrying on with his own machinations, Loki has found himself on the side of good, more often than not lately.
Still, Loki's inclusion on this anti-Thor squad may speak to reservations that Thor still holds about his brother. Appearing in his classic outfit with his horned helmet, Thor may still feel that his brother poses a threat and could betray him, eventually.
MANGOG
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Thor #154, Mangog is the literal embodiment of hatred for Asgard and the many dubious actions of its former ruler, Odin. Fueled by this rage, Mangog is nearly unstoppable when he is allowed to unleash his power. As he was often seen to be unkillable, Mangog was often imprisoned so that he could be contained.
In his last appearance, Mangog battled with the Mighty Thor, Jane Foster, over the fate of Asgard. That battle ended with the death of the Mighty Thor and the destruction of the original Mjolnir, one of many changes for the hammer. As this creature has already killed one Thor, his return could always mean the death of another.
ENCHANTRESS AND MALEKITH THE ACCURSED
Malekith and Enchantress have long been staples of Thor's rogues gallery. Each imbued with their own source of magic, these two foes have targeted Thor and Asgard on many occasions. While Malekith has often relied on weapons like the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Enchantress has used her magic to control those around her.
Both villains were pivotal to the recent event, War of the Realms. As Malekith led this reign of chaos throughout the Ten Realms, the Enchantress served on his council and manipulated many events. Although both have been defeated, their return is all-but-guaranteed and promises only more war in Thor's future.
SURTUR
Surutur is destined to destroy Asgard during the final days of Ragnarok, so it's not surprise that Thor is afraid of this Fire Giant. Surtur was once the ruler of Muspelheim and has always held a connection to Ragnorak, the Asgardian apocalypse.
With his insurmountable strength, Surtur was seen to be more powerful than Thor. Of all the foes that appear, Surtur has been dead the longest, since Matt Fraction and Alan Davis's Mighty Thor run in 2012, with his daughter, Sindr, serving in his stead.
APOCALYPSE
En Sabah Nur has often been known as an enemy, or even ally, of the X-Men. However, a story in Uncanny Avengers from Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña revealed that the first mutant also shares a history with the God of Thunder. Through the actions of Kang, these two battled each other in the Viking Age.
This battle stands as one of the first occasions for the young Thor where he encountered someone stronger than himself. Forced to enchant his axe, Thor was able to snag a victory, but not without setting Earth as a target for future Celestial attacks. Since this event still haunts him, this makes Apocalypse's inclusion well-earned, even if he is spending most of his time with the X-Men these days.
THE MIDGARD SERPENT
As Norse mythology puts it, the Midgard Serpent will be the death of Thor. This enormous creature, who is also a child of Loki, is destined to have a final battle with Thor during Ragnarok. In that battle, Thor will kill the Serpent, but not before he gives the Thunder God a lethal dose of his venom.
The Midgard Serpent is a planetary-scale threat that always gives Thor a challenge. When it last threatened the world, Freyja, the All-Mother, gave her life to stop it. Even though the Midgard Serpent isn't an active threat at the moment, its doubtlessly a lingering presence in Thor's mind.
ANNIHILUS, DOCTOR DOOM, MEPHISTO AND JUGGERNAUT
As a longtime hero and Avenger, Thor has come into contact with many foes who cause trouble for many heroes of the Marvel Universe, and some of these more general enemies also make an appearance in the Thor kill squad, given the danger that they pose. Hailing from the Negative Zone, Annihilus has long been a threat of the entire cosmos with his hordes. At the same time, Thor has encountered Mephisto within his hellish dimension, who has also been currently targeting the Avengers.
The Juggernaut has always been a powerful enemy, and when blessed with the power of Cytorrak, he's strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Thor or the Hulk. While Thor has faced Doctor Doom before, his greatest battle with the Latverian dictator is still to be had, set at the end of the universe with an all-powerful Doom. These enemies may lack a deep, personal connection to Thor, but they are a reminder that plenty would love to see the God of Thunder fall.