Marvel Serves Up Its Coolest Dystopian Future Since Logan

The Marvel Universe's future looks dire as one founding Avenger sees himself lost and without powers in a dystopian society, with no memories of his past as a superhero. Even though countless versions of it are developed thoroughly by specific comic runs or events, the concept of the future in Marvel Comics is best understood as a constantly changing collection of possibilities rather than a destination that the main continuity is destined to reach. Futures that seem definitive can become alternate timelines once the present-day Marvel Universe takes a different direction.

Marvel's sliding timescale makes the process even more complicated. All Marvel characters' origins have gradually moved forward, which creates a moving target for future-set stories as well. For example, Marvel 2099 was originally an unimaginably distant 21st-century future, but the real world is now already deep into the period those stories imagined. The same problem applies to the characters who didn't exist when earlier future timelines were created. A future story written before Miles Morales existed could hardly account for Spider-Man's successor becoming one of Marvel's central heroes, just as earlier visions of the future couldn't incorporate Kamala Khan or many other characters introduced in the modern era.

However, the fact that dystopian futures are malleable doesn't remove the nightmarish nature many of them are known for, from King Thanos', Maestro's, and Ultron's post-apocalyptic reigns to Old Man Logan's dystopian society.

Sigurd Jarlsson Speedruns His Dystopian Future

Thor #800; Created By Al Ewing, Pasqual Ferry, Matt Milla, Kieron Gillen, Declan Shalvey, Chris Condon, And Jesse Lonergan

Marvel chooses to commemorate Thor's #800 issue with its new star, Sigurd Jarlson, at his lowest point. In a dark future where the Serpent has won, Sigurd struggles to adapt to society after completing a prison sentence. With the Serpent's forces now controlling the world, plus no contacts, home address, or recorded history, Sigurd has nowhere to live. What's worse, Odin only visits him to remind him that the All-Father has made bigger sacrifices, and that this is only the beginning of his own.

Sigurd has surpassed all expectations so far, having fought enemies as strong as Radioactive Man, Mr. Hyde, Dario Agger, and Donald Blake aka the Serpent himself, all without any knowledge of Asgard and with nothing but a hammer tied to a bungee cord. Yet, as if these feats weren't enough, Sigurd now has to survive without his signature weapon and without any external support. Though, while Odin's brief visit may seem like the All-Father adding insult to injury, it may actually be confirmation that Sigurd will come out of this experience with a huge boost of strength and wisdom, just like Odin did in the mythic Rúnatal.

Thor And Asgard Have Survived Numerous Dark Futures Before

Thor's Legacy Survives Every Dystopian Future

While Thor doesn't always survive, Asgard never truly dies in Marvel's infinite futures. In King Thor's timeline, Asgard becomes a broken realm after most of the gods are slaughtered by Gorr. Dargo Ktor's 26th-century future presents an Earth dominated by the oppressive Corp, where the old legend of the God of Thunder has become a source of hope for new heroes like Dargo. Likewise, the human Cecil uses advanced tech to act as a reincarnated Thor in 2099, and The Reigning's Earth-3515 sees Thor transform into a tyrant, losing his worthiness before seeing his own son, Magni, oppose his rule.

Only one issue before Sigurd Jarlsson's dark future is introduced in Thor #800, The Mortal Thor #13 adds another grim timeline, with Amora the Enchantress trapping Magni in the Asgardian throne room, where Thor's son is cursed to live forever and a day. While Sigurd Jarlson finds himself hopeless in a future where the Serpent has won, he at least has a chance to revert it. In the meantime, there's nothing he can do but endure the crushing weight of human society with no powers, no resources, and no help from anyone, including Odin himself.

Thor #800 is available August 19 from Marvel Comics