Thor Odinson is an Asgardian warrior-prince, the God of Thunder and a self-proclaimed protector of Earth. Thor subsequently became well known for his actions on Earth, which included acting as a founding member of the Avengers. As the Norse God of thunder and lightning, Thor wields one of the greatest weapons ever made, the enchanted hammer Mjolnir. While others have described Thor as an over-muscled, oafish imbecile, he's quite smart and compassionate. He's self-assured, and he would never, ever stop fighting for a worthwhile cause.

Thor is one of several powerful ancient beings who dwell in a magical realm called Asgard. Through history, these beings have been revered and worshiped as gods. Ages ago, Odin, lord of the Asgardian gods, desired a child who would one day exceed him in power. Odin wooed Gaea, the earth goddess, and from their union Thor was born in a small cave in Norway on Earth. Odin took him to be raised in Asgard by his wife, Frigga.

The young Thor grew up alongside his adopted brother Loki, the trickster, who was always jealous of his more favored sibling. Thor grew in power and popularity and on his eighth birthday, Odin had the hammer Mjolnir created for him, enchanting it with powerful magic. Odin decreed that Mjolnir would be presented to Thor when his son had been proven a worthy warrior. After spending the next eight years training and performing heroic deeds, Thor was given the hammer and declared the greatest warrior in Asgard.

As the son of Odin and Gaea, Thor's strength, endurance and resistance to injury are greater than the vast majority of his superhuman race. He is extremely long-lived (though not completely immune to aging), immune to conventional disease and highly resistant to injury. His flesh and bones are several times denser than a human's.As Lord of Asgard, Thor possessed the Odinforce, which enabled him to tap into the near-infinite resources of cosmic and mystical energies, enhancing all of his abilities. With the vast magical power of the Odinforce, Thor was even able to dent Captain America's virtually indestructible shield with Mjolnir.