Summary

• Evil Thor "Chad Hammer" is a corporate scheme by Roxxon to make the public distrust the real Thor while hawking their products.
• The villain isn't just an actor, but a powerful entity called The Keep created by Enchantress to discredit Thor.
• The Keep's strength matches Thor's, ensuring a fair fight, but he's really just a media-created propaganda tool.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Immortal Thor #10! Marvel Comics recently added a new, evil version of Thor to the franchise, one who was introduced as Chad Hammer and is effectively the corporate mascot of the Roxxon Corporation. Roxxon’s Thor is a deliberate parody of the actual God of Thunder, though that doesn’t mean ‘Chad Hammer’ is just some actor playing dress-up, as Marvel revealed the real identity of Roxxon’s evil Thor - and it’s someone the Avenger has tangled with in the past.

In a preview for The Immortal Thor #10 by Al Ewing and Carlos Magno, Thor is reading a comic book called Roxxon Presents: Thor #1 (which is actually available for real-world fans to read right now). He is shocked to see how he’s being portrayed in the public eye, but more than that, he is startled by the fact that the comic actually seems to contain real magic. Then, moments after dropping the issue, Chad Hammer himself - along with Enchantress, Executioner, and Minotaur - pay Thor a visit.

Thor’s mind is spinning from his exposure to Enchantress’ sorcery, but his intuition fights through the magical fog, helping him to realize who he was really speaking with as Chad Hammer talked to him. Chad wasn’t ‘Chad’, nor was he a clone or multiversal variant of Thor. After some time concentrating, Thor was finally able to divine this imposter’s true identity: the Keep.

The Keep Finds New Purpose as Roxxon’s Immortal Thor

The Keep made his first appearance in The Mighty Thor Vol. 2 #15 by Matt Fraction and Pepe Larraz

The Keep was created by Enchantress to replace the Executioner after he died and remained absent from Marvel continuity for a time. Since the Executioner and Enchantress were partners stretching all the way back to their early days as members of the Masters of Evil, she needed a replacement. So, rather than recruiting someone new, Enchantress used her god-tier magic to create the perfect partner: the Keep.

The Keep was strong enough to tangle with Thor, durable enough to not be brought down by attacks that would be fatal for practically anyone else, and was unquestioningly loyal to Enchantress. Therefore, when Enchantress joined forces with the villainous Roxxon Corporation to bring Thor down (and since the Executioner was back), the Keep found a new role to play. His strength made him the perfect Thor-alike, his appearance could be altered at Enchantress’ will, and his loyalty made him the ideal puppet for Roxxon’s schemes.

How The Keep’s Power Matches That of Thor (& Why It Doesn’t Matter)

The Keep was created strong enough to make Thor bleed (as shown during his debut) which means the inevitable fight between these two in the full issue of The Immortal Thor #10 should be a pretty fair match - just as it was originally. However, even if ‘Chad Hammer’ was a human in a costume, it wouldn’t matter, as his purpose is to discredit Thor, not fight him. Chad Hammer is supposed to be Thor, the worst version of him that could be portrayed in the media, for the sole purpose of making the public distrust - and dislike - the Allfather.

Roxxon’s Thor is serving his purpose just by starring in the company’s slanderous comic book, and by acting like a selfish jerk, all while hawking Roxxon products in the most cringey, disdainful way possible. Chad Hammer was made to make Thor look like a disingenuous sellout, and he’s doing a great job of it. However, when the chips are down, he’d also be able to hold his own against the God of Thunder, as Marvel Comics’ new ‘Thor’ is actually the Keep.

The Immortal Thor #10 by Marvel Comics is available May 1, 2024.