Marvel's What If...? Preview Teases The Danger Of Loki Wielding Thor's Hammer
Contains spoilers for "What If...? Dark: Loki" #1 by Marvel Comics
In a preview of "What If...? Dark: Loki" debuting at ComicBook.com, Marvel teases how Loki could actually kill his brother Thor and steal his hammer Mjolnir despite not being worthy.
Marvel Comics brings back longtime "Thor" scribe Walter Simonson for the new "What If...?" tale alongside Scott Eaton ("Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man"), Cam Smith ("2000 AD"), Scott Hanna ("The Amazing Spider-Man"), Andrew Dalhouse ("Wakanda"), and VC's Travis Lanham ("Spider-Punk: Battle of the Banned"). While Simonson, who wove one of the greatest and most influential "Thor" runs of all time in the 1980s, returns to Asgard for the upcoming one-shot, this story shines a spotlight on the God of Thunder's half-brother Loki. The alternate universe-based story takes readers into the past to reveal "one of Asgard's worst days" — and one of the trickster god's best. The preview pages hint at how Loki uses his cunning nature to best his brother while taking down another fan-favorite character from the "Thor" mythos.
How does Loki become worthy?
In the five-page "What If...?" Dark: Loki" preview, Loki's plan to take down his brother is in full effect. It's revealed Loki stole enchantments from Karnilla, the Norn Queen, which, when combined with his own powers, successfully breaks Odin's curse, allowing him to wield Thor's stolen hammer, Mjolnir. Loki then locates Donald Blake (Thor's human form) and Lady Sif, who warns the transformed God of Thunder that he's more vulnerable than ever before since he can't transform back into Thor with his enchanted hammer gone. Loki seizes the chance to kill Thor, impaling his human identity before using dark magic to strike Sif with a powerful blast, seemingly leaving her dead alongside Blake's lifeless body.
On top of killing Thor, Loki tells his dead brother that he won't be able to reach Valhalla since he didn't die in battle. He then heads to Asgard to deal with Karnilla, who has discovered Loki stole her enchantment to take down Thor and wield Mjolnir. However, instead of trying to form an alliance with Karnilla or explaining his actions, Loki decides to use Mjolnir to shatter his "old allegiances," destroying Karnilla's fortress while thanking her for giving him the power to do so. When the dust is settled, the hammer-wielding Loki has seemingly killed three major Marvel characters: Thor's alter ego Donald Blake, Lady Sif, and Karnilla. Loki appears to be making a play for the rule of Asgard and is ensuring there's no one standing in his way to the throne.
Loki's journey is one of a handful of dark new What If...? stories
Loki wielding Mjolnir and killing Thor in "What If...? Dark: Loki" is just one of several upcoming dark "What If...?" stories exploring questions fans have asked for some time in the spirit of the original "What If...?" series. Marvel Comics has already announced "What If...? Dark: Spider-Gwen," which trades Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy's fate in the classic "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" from Gerry Conway, Jody Houser, and Ramon Bachs. Erica Schultz and Edgar Salazar tackle "What If...? Dark: Moon Knight," which imagines what happened if Moon Knight didn't survive his fight with Bushman and a new champion was named in his place. Additionally, "What If...? Dark: Venom" by Stephanie Phillips and Jethro Morales imagines a Marvel Universe where the Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm became the symbiote's host during "Secret Wars," exploring what happens to the hero as a result.
Readers can see Loki embrace his evil nature in "What If...? Dark: Loki" #1 by Marvel Comics, arriving in comic book stores and online retailers Wednesday, July 12th.