Origin
When his father Buri abdicated the throne, Bor was left as the ruler of Asgard. A warrior born, he led his people in a time of power and prosperity and won their loyalty both through his leadership and also through his triumphs on the field. He was of the Gods who had created the Universe, and along with his other accomplishments was an unquestioned and powerful ruler.
Major Story Arcs
The Past
Bor took the Goddess Bestla as his wife, and wed her. They had 3 sons, Vili, Ve and Odin who would be Bor’s heirs. When Odin was born, Bor paid him special attention, grooming him to one day take his place as King, much as Odin would one day groom Thor. He taught Odin how to fight, how to rule, how to serve, and also how to defend his dreams. Yet he didn’t encourage his son to dream on his own, and when Odin went against him he was driven to rage. When Odin created man, not being able to undo his son’s actions, in his anger Bor cast every possible horror imaginable upon them.
When the enemies of Asgard, once more threatened them, Bor led his forces against them with his son Odin at his side. Together with his son, they proved to much for the Frost Giants to handle and routed them easily. When one attempted to escape Bor, true to form, pursued his foe and fell headlong into their trap. A powerful sorcerer was waiting for him (who was actually the present day incarnation of Loki in disguise), and knowing he could not match him power for power, caught him unawares turning him into snow. His son came around just in time to watch the last of him blown away, and he begged him to find a magician to free him.
Years passed, and Odin did not attempt to save his father, instead leading Asgard on his own and following his own dreams. At first Bor attempted to convince his son to free him, yet as the years passed and a son was born to Odin, Bor realized that his son would never free him. Seeking revenge, Bor promised Odin that he would bother him no more if he took in the son a fallen king and raised it as his own. Not a week later, Odin killed the father of Loki who was a king. Odin took Loki into his house to appease his father, and set the events of his own doom into motion. What Odin never realized was that the Bor who had been torturing him from beyond the grave was actually just an illusion created by the present-day Loki.
Return and Battle with Thor
In the present day, Loki used “her” powers to undo the spell she had used to kill Bor and resurrected him. However, she also distorted his sense of reality thus making it seem as if Bor was in a nightmarish version of Earth overrun by demonic beings. He almost immediately went on a rampage and was eventually confronted by Thor (who did not know Bor’s identity at the time). However like everyone else Bor saw Thor as a demonic being and taking into consideration that the Odinforce was emanating from Thor believed that he had killed Odin. Bor lashed out at Thor and a battle of cataclysmic proportions broke out in the streets of New York City.
As the fight raged on Bor was beginning to gain the upper hand as Thor was trying not to kill Bor. Thor knew that he couldn’t stop Bor without killing him unless he had help. Thor cried “AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!” into the Heavens, but those who answered the call were not exactly the people Thor had in mind. Instead Bor and Thor found themselves confronted by The Dark Avengers (sans Ares and The Sentry) who upon making their grand entrance went after both of them. However Bor proved to be too powerful a foe for The Dark Avengers and easily defeated those who were left behind after The Iron Patriot was tossed out of the fight by Thor. With The Dark Avengers out of the way Bor and Thor resumed their fight.
Blow after blow neither Asgardian would give in and things only got worse when Bor began unleashing his true power, power that could destroy the entire world, and with Mjolnir having been separated from him during battle Thor was forced to push his way forth against the wave after wave of energy bolts as well as the beyond Hurricane-force winds in order to reach his Hammer. Once Thor had gained Mjolnir back he halted the storm unleashed by Bor’s power and at that moment both Bor and Thor came at one another, each prepared to deliver the killing blow. But in the end Thor was the one who came out the victor and then both Loki and Balder arrived telling Thor exactly who it was he had just killed. When Thor learned of this he was overcome with horror and grief, but it was too late and Bor died.
Exiled
Bor is brought back from Hel to preside over the marriage of Sigurd and the Disir. It is revealed that Bor cursed the Disir, not for eating the flesh of man like previous thought but for lusting after men instead of preforming their duties. The only way to break the curse was for them to kill or wed Sigurd the man Bor blames for their betrayal. Loki and Moonstar go to Hel to bring him to San Francisco to preside, but Moonstar objects to the fact that the Disir are being “bounded” to Sigurd, not seeing what they had done wrong. She attacks Bor, and cuts him. The Disir smell his blood and frenzy. Bor is barely able to escape to Hel but Loki has locked the gates. He tricks Bor into lifting the curse on the Disir to sate their blood lust. Hela then has the Disir, who now work for her, escort Bor back to her castle for her to deal with him personally.
Powers and Abilities
Bor can wield tremendous amounts of magical power rivaling if not surpassing the Odinforce, the power of Odin. This power enhances all of his natural abilities to a much higher degree. He has control over all the elements. He is able to produce an energy based attack through his eyes that is strong enough to injure Thor. By thinking he can cause large environmental disasters if need be to fight enemies (For example battling the Dark Avengers). In the fight between Thor and him, he summoned forces powerful enough to destroy the Earth. He also has the ability to levitate in a vision that Thor once had when looking into the Well of Mimir before Mjolnir was created. He is worthy of holding Mjolnir.
He is a master at fighting with an ax.
Strength and Durability
Due to being a sky father he is and is able to lift 100+ Tons. He was able to match an Odin force Thor. Thor commented that a single hit from Bor would have killed him if not for the Odinforce showcasing Bor’s strength.
He has a very high durability. The blow that killed him shattered Mjolnir indicating how hard Bor was to injured.
Bor does not have an actual weakness that has been shown in the comics (due to hardly any feats) He did have a personality flaw however. He is very prideful and arrogant. This could be down to being a sky father, he did not think anybody was strong enough to match his strength and was boastful about it and did not care for his safety, as he thought nobody could touch him. He was safe in the knowledge that the Frost giants could only use weak magic, but when Bor had his defenses down he fell prey to strong magic. – This arrogance is proven when he catches Thor’s hammer and does not use it as he thinks the hammer is not worthy enough to be HIS weapon, He would rather use his axe.
Media
Film
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Tony Curran plays the original king of Asgard in Marvel Studios sequel to Thor. One of Bor’s many traits as the King of Asgard was lead the Asgardian army to rid the Universe and the Nine realms of Malekith and the Dark Elves.
Merchandise
- Bor was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line as part of the “Battle for Asgard” box set, a San Diego Comic-Con 2017 exclusive timed to coincide with the release of Thor: Ragnarok.