WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Thor #7, by Donny Cates, Aaron Kuder, Matt Wilson, and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
As the saying goes, heavy is the head that wears the crown, and Thor has learned that first-hand since taking the throne of Asgard. Over the past few months, the God of Thunder had made some cataclysmic decisions shortly after succeeding Odin, from agreeing to become Galactus' new herald to take out a mutual threat in the Black Winter to battling against his longtime friends. This desperate alliance ended with Thor killing Galactus, resulting in him receiving a terrifying vision of his own prophesied death. And, all the while, Thor's mythical hammer Mjolnir became heavier and heavier to its usual wielder's touch, which troubled Thor.
And in Thor #7, Thor's concerns about his shifting connection to Mjolnir appear to be well-founded as the weapon has found a new wielder.
An elderly mechanic named Adam Aziz living in Broxton, Oklahoma, discovers Mjolnir laying in a field on the outskirts of town. The nondescript town previously had been a resting place for Mjolnir in the lead-up to the 2006 crossover event Civil War, after Asgard and its divine residents had been rocked by the Norse legend of Ragnarok.
While Thor recuperated in the Odin Sleep and the other Asgardians were scattered in dormant host bodies around Earth, the hammer crashed in Oklahoma, with the American military establishing a camp to monitor the hammer when none of the locals could lift it. After Thor reclaimed the hammer in his mortal persona as Donald Blake, the reawakened Asgardians rebuilt their kingdom hovering beside the Oklahoma town before it was eventually destroyed by Sentry during the 2010 crossover event Siege.
Mjolnir's return in Broxton is revealed not to be an accidental coincidence but a mysterious test by Thor, who sent his hammer to Oklahoma while he confers with Beta Ray Bill over the threat of Thanos. Just as with its previous arrival, none of the gathered locals are seemingly able to claim Mjolnir for themselves as Adam watches on. After being notified of the development, Iron Man arrives on the scene, frustrated by Thor's antics. As Tony Stark watches in stunned surprise, however, Adam is able to claim the hammer and transform into as an Asgardian upgrade of himself, evidently holding the powers of the God of Thunder through the weapon.
Of course, Adam isn't the only one to lay claim to Mjolnir outside of the son of Odin. Beta Ray Bill, Captain America and Jane Foster are among the more notable wielders of Mjolnir over the years. In the pages of Avengers, Moon Knight has shown himself able to control the mythical hammer and turn it against Thor after revealing that the weapon was made primarily from moon rock. What exactly Thor was looking to test out by sending Mjolnir back to Broxton is unknown, but the Marvel Universe has just gained a new God of Thunder.
What Adam Aziz's upgrade means for Thor and his own power levels is currently unknown, but the Son of Odin doesn't appear to be worried that he has surrendered his hammer and mantle as God of Thunder. While Asgard hasn't been located in Broxton for some time, the Asgardians don't appear to be done with the sleepy Midwestern town just yet. And with Adam having just inherited a divine destiny, the old mechanic's greatest adventures may only just be starting as Thor continues to play a longer game.