Lore & Loadout: Thor in Marvel Rivals
Dive into the rich comic book history of Thor, The God of Thunder, in between your games of Marvel Rivals.
Thor in Marvel Rivals combines the bruiser survivability of a Vanguard with the explosive burst of a Duelist. Playing him well means juggling his Thorforce charges to choose between mobility, crowd-control, and raw deletion damage—then slamming his ultimate to finish the job.
Whether you want to hard-dive supports with Awakening Rune or peel tanks off a choke with Storm Surge, this guide breaks down everything you need to turn the God of Thunder into the lobby’s biggest storm cloud.
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Who Is Thor?
Thor first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962), created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. Based on Norse mythology, Thor is the Asgardian God of Thunder, protector of the realms, and one of the most formidable beings in the Marvel Universe.
Born to Odin, the All-Father, and Gaea, the Elder Goddess, Thor was raised as the prince of Asgard, destined to inherit the throne. However, his reckless arrogance led Odin to strip him of his godly power and send him to Earth in the form of a mortal, Dr. Donald Blake. Through his experiences on Earth, Thor learned humility, wisdom, and the true meaning of heroism, regaining his power and embracing his role as both a protector of Earth and a warrior of Asgard.
Throughout his history, Thor has fought gods, cosmic entities, and reality-threatening forces, proving himself to be one of the most powerful Avengers and warriors in existence.
Thor Strengths & Weaknesses in Marvel Rivals
Strengths
- Burst assassin Vanguard – Awakening Rune two-taps 275 HP heroes.
- On-demand bonus HP – every Thorforce point gives 100–200 overshield.
- Displacement CC – fully-charged Storm Surge drags enemies 13 m into your team.
Weaknesses
- Resource-gated – all abilities share Thorforce; mis-spend and you’re dry.
- No team mitigation – brings zero shielding or healing for allies.
- CC magnet – single wind-up dash makes him vulnerable to stuns and roots.
Thor’s Powers and Abilities in Marvel Rivals
| Ability | Input (PC) | CD / Energy | Key Effects & Pro Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mjolnir Bash | LMB | — | 45-dmg melee, 0.6 s swing; restores 1 Thorforce on hit—always weave swings. |
| Hammer Throw | RMB | 1 Thorforce | 70 dmg out / 30 dmg return at 24 m; only spend to finish fleeing low-HP targets. |
| Storm Surge | Shift (hold) | 1 Thorforce | Wind-up dash (10–20 m) that knocks back or carries one target; spam to farm overshield or punt tanks off high ground. |
| Lightning Realm | E | 12 s | 5 m AoE lasts 4 s; 40 dmg + 30 % slow on boundary; restores 1 Thorforce per enemy inside—drop on clumped foes before Rune. |
| Awakening Rune | F (3 Thorforce) | — | 5 s Awakened state: four 70-dmg lightning bursts, 15 dmg DoT in 3 m; grants 200 bonus HP. Walk past tanks, delete back-line. |
| God of Thunder | Q | 3 100 energy | Leap, 0.5 s lightning field (40 dmg) → 220 dmg slam in 8 m; Thor is CC-immune mid-cast. Pair with slows or Magneto Grip. |
| Thorforce | — | — | Holds 0–3 charges; each ability spends 1–3; every point spent grants 100–200 bonus HP. Refill via Bash hits, Realm procs. |
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Thor's Combos & Tech
| Combo | Sequence (narrative) | PC | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rune Delete | Storm Surge (carry) → Lightning Realm → Awakening Rune → 4-shot burst | Shift (hold) → E → F → LMB×4 | LB (hold) → RB → B → RT×4 | L1 (hold) → R1 → Circle → R2×4 |
| Peel Cyclone | Storm Surge interrupt ×2 → Hammer Throw finisher | Shift → Shift → RMB | LB → LB → LT | L1 → L1 → L2 |
| Skyrend | Lightning Realm (slow) → God of Thunder | E → Q | RB → LS+RS | R1 → L3+R3 |
Rebind as needed; timing assumes default sensitivities.
Thor's Match-Ups & Counters
Strong Against
- Luna Snow, Rocket – can’t escape Rune burst.
- Shield tanks (Doctor Strange, Magneto) – Surge can knock them out of position, disrupting their team play.
Synergizes With
- Magneto – Iron/Metal Bulwark bubble turns Rune dives into unkillable nukes.
- Mantis – Damage boost gives Thor the extra punch he needs to become even more lethal.
Weak Against
- Peni Parker – drone root stops every dash.
- Wolverine – his percentage-based damage can melt Thor's health
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Map Strategy Thor in Marvel Rivals
Positioning & Routes
Mirror Magneto and push one lane ahead of your true tank. Anchor Lightning Realm on choke entrances to recharge Thorforce mid-brawl.
Team Strategy
Call targets before popping Rune so allies stack damage. If Thorforce is at 0, kite with Surges until Realm recharges you.
Objective Play
Surge-carry defenders off payload or point. Rune inside Lightning Realm when overtime hits: AoE slow plus burst deletes contesters while shielding you for final ticks.
Thor’s Story in Marvel Rivals
After the Timestream Entanglement, Thor is imprisoned in the Tower of Solitude by Loki, who has usurped the throne of Asgard while Odin remains in the Odinsleep. Deprived of his voice by enchantments, Thor secretly calls Mjölnir, which shatters his prison and restores his voice. He immediately sets out to confront Loki, who has been extracting Chronovium from Yggdrasil, enhancing his magic.
Upon reaching Loki, Thor is enraged to discover that his brother has formed an alliance with Hela, the goddess of death. Loki reveals that he anticipated Thor’s escape and that Hela has her own plans for Asgard. As Hela’s undead legions invade, Thor fights them off with lightning and brute strength, but he begins to falter against the relentless Nastrond Crows and the sheer number of foes.
Just when Thor prepares for a final stand, Hela abruptly stops the battle. She declares that Asgard now belongs to Loki and that Thor’s time is over. Before Thor can retaliate, Hela and Loki banish him through a Chronovium-fueled portal, flinging him into an unknown dystopian Earth. Thor crash-lands in a desolate wasteland under a red sky, unsure of where or when he is. Spotting a distant city with a towering structure, he heads toward it—only to be ambushed by a massive, gamma-empowered Hulk crackling with energy. The two battle fiercely, but Thor ultimately destroys Hulk’s power belt, causing Bruce Banner to revert back to his human form.
Recognizing Thor, Banner is shocked, revealing that they have been searching for him for a long time. But Thor, undeterred by his own confusion, simply tells Banner: "I need your help."
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Essential Thor Comics
- Thor: God of Thunder #1-11 (2013) – “Gorr the God Butcher” saga; showcases divine stakes.
- The Mighty Thor (2015) #1-5 – Jane Foster era, perfect for hammer-toss inspiration.
- Thor (2020) #1-6 – Donny Cates’ “Devourer King” arc; cosmic power-ups.
- War of the Realms (2019) – Thor leads all realms against Malekith’s invasion.
- Thor: Blood & Thunder (1993) – classic rage-fueled Odin-power storyline.
Thor in Marvel Rivals TL;DR
- Juggle Thorforce: Surge for mobility, Rune for burst, Realm to refill.
- Dive back-lines with Awakening Rune—200 shield + 4×70-dmg burst = instant KOs.
- CC is Kryptonite; track enemy stuns or pair with Invisible Woman bubbles before committing.