In Marvel with the Force?

Theon lounged back on his couch, a faint smirk playing on his lips as the credits of the latest Marvel show rolled on his screen. "Finally, some decent writing," he said to no one in particular. "They actually did Loki justice. Well, mostly. I could've done better with the ending, but hey, baby steps for Disney, right?"

He reached for the remote, pausing mid-motion as his apartment dimmed unnaturally. The familiar hum of his fan sputtered out. Shadows and light drained from the room, replaced by an all-consuming whiteness that swallowed everything, even sound.

"What now?" Theon muttered, annoyance flickering across his face. He wasn't afraid—just irritated, as if fate had interrupted something he wasn't finished with.

A chair materialized in the void, followed by a man he recognized instantly. Theon raised an eyebrow.

"Morgan Freeman? Oh, this is rich," he said, sitting up straighter. "Let me guess: you're going to drop some wisdom bombs, or am I in one of those feel-good redemption arcs?"

The figure's expression remained calm, his hands clasped together. "I am the One Above All," he said, his voice steady and layered with unfathomable authority.

Theon burst out laughing. "The One Above All? Oh, come on. If you're God, why the Morgan Freeman shtick? Feeling nostalgic for 'Bruce Almighty'?"

TOAA tilted his head, unruffled. "Morgan Freeman is a form you associate with wisdom and authority. I chose it to ease this transition."

"Well, you've officially missed the mark. This? This is just awkward." Theon gestured around at the void. "And the whole 'all-white, minimalist backdrop' thing? Try harder."

TOAA's gaze didn't waver. "Theon, I am here because you have reached a rare understanding of existence, one that few humans ever approach. That awareness has brought you here."

Theon snorted. "Awareness? Pal, I'm just a guy who watches too much TV and knows how to point out plot holes. Enlightened? Hardly."

TOAA's expression darkened—barely perceptible, but enough to suggest that he wasn't accustomed to being interrupted, much less mocked. "You are not here by chance. You see connections others do not. That potential has drawn my attention."

"Great," Theon said, reclining theatrically in his invisible chair. "So what now? You hand me the keys to the multiverse, and I become your cosmic errand boy? Or is this where you test me to see if I'm 'worthy'?"

TOAA's patience held, though the air seemed heavier now. "I offer you the chance to ascend. To wield power and purpose beyond mortal comprehension."

Theon's eyes gleamed. "Power and purpose? Hah. Finally, someone speaking my language. But let me guess—there's a catch, right? Some noble quest, some ultimate sacrifice? Don't bother. I've seen this trope a thousand times."

"Your cynicism blinds you," TOAA said evenly.

"No, my intelligence sees through the bullshit. Look, I get it. I'm special, you're all-powerful, yadda yadda. But let's not kid ourselves. If you're really God, you don't need me. This is just you playing another game, isn't it?"

Silence stretched. TOAA's composure remained intact, but something had shifted. "You mistake clarity for arrogance, Theon."

"And you mistake my confidence for naivety," Theon shot back, leaning forward now. "If I'm so 'unique,' why not just give me the power? Or are you afraid I'll outshine you?"

For the first time, TOAA's demeanor turned cold, like a storm gathering strength. "You fail to grasp the gravity of this moment. I offered you a path to transcendence, yet you reduce it to petty taunts and self-serving ambition."

"Because that's all it is, isn't it?" Theon said, his tone sharper now. "Some cosmic flex to remind me that even the 'One Above All' gets bored."

TOAA rose, his towering form radiating an authority that made Theon's earlier bravado falter. "Your hubris blinds you to truth. You mock what you cannot fathom, yet I came to you with purpose."

Theon hesitated. For the first time, uncertainty flickered in his eyes. "Look, if I'm wrong, prove it. Show me you're not just another egomaniac calling the shots."

"No," TOAA said, his voice final. "I do not indulge insolence. You are unworthy."

"What—wait!" Theon's composure cracked, panic creeping into his voice. "Come on, don't be like that. I was just testing you! You're supposed to be above this kind of thing!"

TOAA's gaze burned with infinite light. "Your second chance will belong to another."

"What does that even—" Theon began, but his words dissolved along with his form, leaving only the white void.

---

2006

The wind rattled the loose panes of a dilapidated orphanage. Tyr huddled under a thin blanket, staring at the cracked ceiling of his shared room. Sleep rarely came easily, and when it did, it brought dreams of emptiness.

But tonight felt different.

A sudden warmth bloomed in his chest, chasing away the cold of the room. He bolted upright, clutching his heart as the heat surged through his veins. His vision blurred with flashes of someone—somewhere.

A white room.

A voice that spoke of power.

A name.

Theon.

Tyr gasped as the warmth faded, leaving him trembling in its wake. "What the hell was that?" he whispered, staring at his hands.

Far away, in the expanse of eternity, TOAA observed in silence. His choice had been made. A new story had begun.