Thor knew exactly who Loki's true target was — himself.
To keep Sif and the others from being hurt, he stepped forward without hesitation, standing between them and the Destroyer. Deep down, he still hoped that Loki would remember their brotherhood and stop this madness.
Though Loki had gone too far, Thor didn't believe he was beyond redemption.
"We can still change this, Loki," Thor said, his voice low and heavy, every word filled with sincerity. "It's not too late."
At his plea, everyone around — Sif, the Warriors Three, and even Hawkeye — stopped moving. Their gazes fixed on the towering figure of the Destroyer, silently hoping that Thor's words might reach his brother.
But for Loki, stopping now would mean losing everything — the throne of Asgard, the power he'd already tasted.
On one side was the bond between brothers.
On the other, the crown of a god.
Far away in Asgard, Loki sat upon the throne, his expression unreadable.
That voice echoed in his mind again, soft and poisonous.
"Are you really going to watch the throne slip from your grasp, Loki? You are the one most suited to rule."
Loki clenched his jaw. The temptation of power burned in his chest like wildfire.
After a long, silent struggle, he made his choice.
Down on Earth, the Destroyer suddenly raised its massive arm, fingers spreading wide before it brought its palm down toward Thor with crushing force.
The speed was unbelievable — so fast that no one, not even Senju Haruto, had time to warn anyone.
Even Thor's eyes widened in disbelief. For a brief instant, his mind went completely blank, his heart hammering in his chest.
Never, not even in his darkest dreams, had he thought his brother would truly try to kill him.
A surge of blinding pain shot through his body. The impact hit him like a meteor, lifting him off the ground.
He flew backward like a broken kite, crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud.
Everyone froze — Sif, the Warriors Three, Coulson, Jane Foster, Erik Selvig, and even Hawkeye.
Jane's face went pale. She'd fallen for Thor completely, and now, seeing him thrown through the air like a lifeless doll, she clasped her hands over her head in disbelief. Her mind refused to accept what she had just witnessed.
THUD!
The sound of Thor's body hitting the ground echoed across the site.
For several seconds, no one moved. Then Sif and Jane ran to him, dropping to their knees beside his motionless body.
No heartbeat. No breath.
He was dead.
"No!"
Sif's furious scream tore through the silence. Her eyes burned with rage as she turned toward the Destroyer, gripping her sword so tightly her knuckles went white.
The weapon may have struck the blow, but everyone knew who was truly responsible.
Loki.
She swore to herself right then — she would kill him with her own hands, no matter the cost.
But Loki had no intention of letting anyone leave alive.
If even one of them returned to Asgard, his schemes would unravel.
Killing Thor or even Odin himself — both were unforgivable crimes. The only way to keep his secret was to eliminate them all.
The Destroyer began to move again, its heavy steps shaking the ground. Its next target was clear — Sif.
Feeling the crushing pressure descend upon her, Sif raised her broken sword once more and walked forward, step by step, to meet her death head-on.
The Warriors Three moved beside her, forming a defensive stance.
Coulson, however, stood in a daze, his thoughts racing.
At this point, he was almost certain — Thor really was the God of Thunder from Norse mythology.
But now he was dead… right in front of him.
And Haruto — why hadn't he done anything?
What did he mean earlier when he said, "This is your last chance"?
Could it be that Haruto wanted Thor to die?
Countless thoughts tangled in Coulson's head. He couldn't make sense of what Haruto was planning.
But he didn't have long to wonder.
Just as the Destroyer was about to strike Sif down —
Thor's right hand twitched.
Jane gasped when she noticed, disbelief flashing across her tear-streaked face.
Then, from Thor's fingertips, arcs of blue lightning crackled to life — faint at first, then growing stronger, brighter, sharper.
He wasn't just moving. He was summoning.
Coulson followed the direction of Thor's outstretched hand — straight toward the distant crater where Mjölnir had fallen.
In an instant, it all clicked.
For Thor to regain his divine power — to reclaim his godhood — he first had to prove himself worthy. He had to show the courage to sacrifice himself for others.
"It was all part of your plan, wasn't it?" Coulson whispered hoarsely, glancing at Senju Haruto.
Haruto's expression remained calm, his tone light. "You could say that."
The truth, of course, was simpler. Haruto had just seen Thor: The Movie before.
Still, it was satisfying to watch the scene unfold in real life.
Jane's tears turned into laughter of relief. Erik Selvig sank to the ground, overwhelmed — joyful that Thor was alive, yet stunned that the man they knew had truly been a god all along.
Even though they'd believed his words before, seeing it happen with their own eyes was something else entirely.
As for Sif and the Warriors Three — their joy and awe were beyond words.
Odin's son had returned.
Thor's strength now far surpassed their combined might. And more importantly — regaining his power meant he had passed Odin's trial.
He wasn't just a god again. He was once more the rightful heir to Asgard's throne.
Loki's reign was over.
WHOOOSH!
In that moment, Mjölnir shot across the sky like a comet, slamming into the Destroyer's shoulder with thunderous force.
The blast of divine energy made the metal giant stagger, nearly toppling over.
Before this, none of their attacks had even left a scratch.
Back in Asgard, Loki's eyes went wide in disbelief. He never expected Thor to regain his power now — not after everything he'd done to stop it.
If he didn't destroy Thor here and now, he'd lose everything.
"Kill him! Destroy him!" Loki roared, his fists clenched tight as he poured all his will into controlling the Destroyer.
But it was already too late.
Mjölnir returned to Thor's hand, fitting perfectly into his grasp.
Lightning roared around him. Power surged through his body, bursting outward in waves of blinding blue light.
His mortal clothes disintegrated, replaced by shining Asgardian armor — the true garb of the God of Thunder.
Everyone watched in stunned silence. Only Senju Haruto remained calm, his expression unreadable.
"It's over," Thor said quietly.
He didn't spare a glance for the shocked faces around him — not even Jane's. His eyes were fixed solely on the Destroyer.
Once he dealt with this, it would be time to confront Loki.
"Loki!"
Thor roared his brother's name and leapt into the air, Mjölnir raised high.
With thunder crackling all around him, he brought it down in a mighty swing — straight toward the Destroyer.