Of all the alternate takes on classic Marvel characters introduced in the Ultimate Universe, Ultimate Thor has had the biggest impact beyond the destruction of his dimension in Secret Wars. Much like his mainstream counterpart, this God of Thunder is heavily inspired by Norse mythology and controls the weather while wielding an immensely powerful hammer.
While the character and his world may have been reset by the reality-altering events of 2015's Secret Wars, his legacy has lived on in the main Marvel Universe. Now, here's Here's a history of this alternate universe Norse superhero and his mythical hammer.
WHO IS ULTIMATE THOR?
Based on the classic Marvel character of the same name created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Ultimate Thor was created by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Debuting in 2002's The Ultimates #4, the character claims to be the actual Norse God of Thunder, although this is dismissed by his peers as the delusions of a madman with his awesome abilities explained as the results of the European Super Soldier Program and a hammer with echnological abilities instead of mystical ones,
Eventually, it's revealed later that Thor is actually telling the truth as the son of Odin born on Asgard millennia ago and raised with his brothers Loki and Balder. After Loki murders Balder, he arrives on Earth during World War II under the guise of Baron Zemo and recruits an army of Frost Giants and Nazi soldiers to destroy Asgard, leaving Thor stranded on Earth with his hammer Mjolnir gifted to him by his father before his death. Enrolling in the European Super Soldier Program in the early 2000s, Thor upgrades Mjolnir with cutting edge modern technology while receiving a super-suit that augments his natural abilities.
THOR AND THE ULTIMATES
While fighting Loki-induced amnesia and forged public records that identify Thor as the nurse Thorlief Golmen, Thor is institutionalized for a time before regaining enough to lucidity to remember his true identity. Thor joins the Ultimates and helps his world's Avengers stop a rampaging Hulk and subsequent alien invasion with his incredible power, ability to command the weather, and teleport people and objects through the use of Mjolnir. Framed by Loki as a dangerous mental patient, Thor is taken down by the joint efforts of the Ulimates only to resurface and help his teammates against an invasion of the United States while exposing Loki as his evil brother and the God of Mischief.
Following the liberation of America, Mjolnir is stolen by Magneto through his ability to control all forms metal and used to strike New York City with a massive tsunami. After Valkyrie and Captain America are killed by Magneto and his minions, Thor sacrifices his life to Hela to resurrect the two heroes, though Valkyrie would later trade her own life to bring Thor back to Earth. As the Ultimate Earth is being consumed by an empowered version of the mainstream universe's Galactus, Thor once again sacrifices himself to trap the devourer of worlds in the Negative Zone and save the planet.
Ultimate Mjolnir
When the Ultimate and mainstream universes collide and are destroyed at the start of Secret Wars, Doctor Doom saves Thor and has him serve with Battleworld's police force consisting of versions of Thor from across the former Marvel Multiverse. While trying to locate a serial killer targeting alternate universe versions of Donald Blake and Jane Foster, Thor realizes the murders are the work of Rune Thor under orders from Doom to prevent the Thors from remembering the existence of a multiverse before the formation of Battleworld. Leading his fellow Thors against Doom, Ultimate Thor is killed by the omnipotent villain, but not before flinging his version of Mjolnir into what would become the reborn Marvel Universe.
After being from Asgard by the Collector, the main Marvel version of Odinson is able to tap into Ultimate Mjolnir's power whenever nearby but opts not to claim the hammer for himself and instead prove his own worth without it. Instead, Ultimate Mjolnir is discovered by an enraged Volstagg after he witnesses the deaths of several innocent children. Claiming the hammer, the once-jolly member of the Warriors Three transforms into the powerful War Thor and comes to blows with the new Thor Jane Foster. Following a battle with the Mangog, Ultimate Mjolnir is destroyed by the villain reducing the War Thor back to Volstagg.
One of the most popular characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Ultimate Thor and his trusty hammer present a version of the superhero in a slightly more realistic way if he were to appear on Earth in the 21st century. Proving himself a true Norse god, the character has nobly sacrificed himself on multiple occasions and is one of the few Ultimate characters to have an impact on the main Marvel Universe after Secret Wars.