I am Thor

"Is it…really dead?" Skye murmured.

The powerful foe that S.H.I.E.L.D had feared for so long now seemed like nothing more than a joke in front of Thor, making it all feel surreal to her.

Thor patted her cheek lightly. "What do you think? This world is far bigger than you realize. Hive is just a small player. He calls himself HYDRA's god, but he's nothing of the sort. In a couple of years, a true cosmic overlord will arrive on Earth. That will be the real battle of gods."

"If you can fully control your abilities, you'll have a place in that fight," he added.

Skye nodded, thoughtful. "You already know about my origins, don't you? You hinted early on that I would become a superhero. Aunt Peggy told me you can see the future. Is that true?"

Thor neither confirmed nor denied it. "I can only see broad strokes, not specifics. With you, I knew you would awaken your ability, but I can't see every detail of your life."

Since World War II, Thor knew that the flow of events had shifted. Much was no longer as he remembered. In the original timeline, Skye had been left in an orphanage, growing up to become a hacker for the Rising Tide organization, eventually joining S.H.I.E.L.D. as an undercover agent, and then redeeming herself to become one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most dedicated agents.

But now, thanks to Peggy Carter's influence, Skye's path had changed dramatically. She had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. through Peggy, not through hacking, though the outcome was similar. Her life trajectory, however, was vastly different.

Thor couldn't help but smirk. Originally, Skye had a "curse" on her relationships—she seemed to leave a trail of broken hearts, a "lone star" of sorts. But Peggy had kept a close eye on her, scaring off any potential suitors with ill intentions. Now, it seemed Thor was the one benefiting from Peggy's protectiveness.

As Skye stood beside him, her hands at her sides, Thor wondered, What would Peggy think if she knew?

On the TV, a news report was playing about the Sokovia incident. Edited interview clips highlighted both praise and criticism for the Avengers' actions.

"We're grateful the Avengers saved us. But do they ever consider the innocent lives affected by the destruction they leave behind? Look, another city has been destroyed!"

"After causing so much damage, they just walk away? How are they any different from the alien invaders?"

"Yesterday it was New York; today it's Sokovia. What about tomorrow? It takes years to build a city, but just hours for the Avengers to destroy it!"

"Is that so-called god from an alien planet really a god?"

"Tony is a hypocrite. Why doesn't he stop making weapons if he's so concerned? The damage he's done is far worse than any arms dealer."

Thor switched off the TV with a sigh.

Such voices were common. In every crisis, there were those who needed the Avengers, but when peace returned, they turned against their heroes. Recently, these voices had grown louder, stirring public sentiment worldwide. Thor couldn't help but suspect a hidden hand was manipulating things.

The Sokovia incident, at its core, was Tony's mistake, and he'd been doing his best to make amends since. Sokovia was a small city with a struggling economy, and Stark Industries could cover the costs to help its citizens. But New York was different. No matter how wealthy Tony was, he couldn't fix everything. And the battle in New York hadn't even been the Avengers' fault.

But many didn't see it that way.

New York real estate was among the most expensive in the world. In the Battle of New York, countless buildings—especially in Manhattan—were destroyed, costing hundreds of millions. And to make matters worse, insurance didn't cover war-related damages. Many who had just taken out mortgages lost their homes, yet they still owed the bank.

The government didn't have the funds to bail everyone out. Even when Washington stepped in, they could only delay repayments and waive interest temporarily.

The Avengers had saved countless lives, but now, as the backlash grew, the challenges seemed endless. Thor knew this was only the beginning of the storm.

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