In a wild change to official lore, Marvel has introduced a new foundingAvengershero - one with a storied past so extreme, he even broughtGalactusto his colossal knees. Few heroes have ever been able to take on Galactus, let alone do so solo, showing that this hero is worthy of their major new status in Avengers lore.
This victory over Galactus is so impressive because it was a result of tactical thinking that previously seemed impossible.
Yes, Marvel Has Really Replaced Thor as a Founding Avenger
And His Replacement Is Just As Much of a No-Holds-Barred Hero
Following the events ofThe Immortal Thor #25(from Al Ewing, Jan Bazaldua, Justin Greenwood, Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth, Romulo Fajardo Jr and Joe Sabino),Thor has been erased from Marvel lore. Due to Loki’s betrayal, the Rainbow Bridge has been destroyed and Thor has been reborn as a mortal with no memory of his former godly adventures. Breaking the Rainbow Bridge has changed Marvel’s timeline, making it so that Thor had no part in founding the Avengers.
He’s been replaced by his most loyal ally and longtime oath-brother Beta Ray Bill. Bill is a cybernetic hero from the planet Korbin, created to protect his homeworld from the fire demon Surtur.Beta Ray Bill is one of the few Marvel heroes to ever be worthy of lifting Mjolnir, leading to Odin giving him his own hammer and powers on the same level of Thor.
Thanks to his change to Marvel lore, Beta Ray Bill’s history has been rewritten, making him one of the Avengers' founders alongside Iron Man, Hulk, the Wasp, Ant-Man and (via special status) Captain America. While the loss of Thor is a dark twist, the Avengershavejust gained a founding member so badass,he broke the godlike Galactus.
Beta Ray Bill Devised the Perfect Plan to Kill Galactus
And It Totally Worked!
Galactus is amongMarvel’s most powerful villains of all time- a cosmic force of destruction that siphons the bio-energy from living planets, destroying them to keep himself alive. However, Galactus made a huge mistake whenhe consumed Beta Ray Bill’s home planet of Korbin. In 2009’sBeta Ray Bill: Godhunter(from Kieron Gillen and Kano), Beta Ray Bill sets out for revenge on Galactus after the Devourer of Worlds renders him the last of his kind.
Despite wielding the enchanted hammer Stormbreaker, which grants him to same incredible powers as Thor, Beta Ray Bill knows he can’t kill Galactus directly. Instead, he devises a plan to stay ahead of the World Devourer, evacuating and destroying every planet he targets as his next meal. Despite clashing withGalactus' incredibly powerful heraldsSilver Surfer and Stardust, Bill sticks to his plan,starving the cosmic god until Galactus gives up, admitting that either Beta Ray Bill calls off his assault or he will die.
Sadly for Galactus' victims, Beta Ray Billdoeseventually relent. Silver Surfer discovers thatwhen Galactus dies, he will release a blast of energy that will kill trillions. Unwilling to pay so high of a price, Beta Ray Bill not only calls off his attack on Galactus, but actually protects the Devourer of Worlds against an assault by the World Eater’s surviving victims until Galactus can regain the power he needs to stave off death.
Beta Ray Bill’s victory over Galactus is impressive because it was a result of tactics. No Marvel hero is powerful enough to beat Galactus outright (at least not at their normal power level), but Beta Ray Bill figured out how one man can bring down a god. Of course, as tends to be the case for the Korbinite hero, Thor ended up doing it bigger and better…
What Beta Ray Bill Couldn’t Finish, Thor Did
The God of Thunder Finally Killed Galactus
While Beta Ray Bill used his tactical planning to bring Galactus to his knees,Thor actually killed the cosmic god with sheer power. In 2020’sThor #6(by Donny Cates and Nic Klein), Thor aids Galactus againsthis evil master the Black Winter. However, when their alliance breaks down, Thor kills Galactus with an unbelievable blast of energy. At the time, Thor commanded his own godly powers, the gradually awakening All-Power left to him by Odin, and Galactus' own Power Cosmic, which the Devourer of Worlds had shared as part of their deal. Combined, these powers sources were enough to deal a killing blow.
Sadly, Thor found what all enemies of Galactus eventually discover -despite all the chaos and death he causes, Galactus is a necessary part of the cosmic order, both helping the galactic ecosystem and fending off far more devastating threats. Indeed, Galactus is so vital to the galaxy’s survival that he was revived inFantastic Four #41(Dan Slott and Rachael Stott), andcombined with the Asgardian Destroyer armorto help fend off the alien attackers known as the Reckoning.
While Thor and Beta Ray Bill were both forced to reverse their plans to permanently rid the universe of Galactus, their successes earned them galactic acclaim, turning them into heroes who are famous far, far beyond the boundaries of Earth…
Beta Ray Bill Earned the Galaxy’s Respect
Now the Avengers Are Part of His Legacy
While Beta Ray Bill isn’t the household name that Thor is, his actionshavewon him acclaim across the galaxy. Everyone from the Avengers to the Inhumans call on Bill during times of trouble, and he was even selected to become part of Marvel’s most powerful team - thegalactic guardians known as the Annihilators. With history changed to make Bill a founding Avenger, his reputation has grown even more impressive.
While Thor being erased from Marvel lore is likely to last around two years (25 issues of the newMortal Thorseries, which would - along withImmortal Thor- match Ewing’s companion seriesImmortal Hulk),Beta Ray Bill’s new status quocouldlast even longer. The Avengers have retroactively awarded ‘founding member’ status before - notably in the case of Captain America. That may happen again, especially because Beta Ray Bill’s founder status isn’t an illusion - in the new timeline, it really happened, meaning he technicallyhasearned the title.
Fans will see how Beta Ray Bill’s new founder status plays out in upcoming issues ofThe Mortal Thor, but given the heroes' past accomplishments - including bringingGalactusto his knees - it’s already clear he’s the best possible replacement for Thor theAvengerscould have hoped for.
