In the MCU, what is a 'god'?

[Morrus]

Idle musings about questions that don't matter. But I'll muse anway!

Thor is a god, as is Loki. Zeus is a god.

Are 'gods' merely advanced aliens? In which case what makes one advanced alien a god and not another? Why is Thor a god, and not Thanos?

We're told that not all Asgardians are gods, I believe.

Is it merely because somebody worships them? Or believes in them?

Do you have to be an alien, or merely powerful? Does Captain Marvel qualify, or is she disqualified because she's human?

The latest movie has a sword that can kill gods. But we've seen these 'gods' killed without it. They're tough, but they can be killed. Loki got his neck snapped, for example. Heimdall was stabbed, IIRC. So is the sword really necessary?

Anyway, yeah. What is a god in the MCU?

 

[Cadence]

If the MCU is anything like the comics it will never be entirely clear and will change quite a bit from writer to writer. (As opposed to DC comics where one of the characters is the archangel to whom has been entrusted the vengeance of the Lord and Lucifer had his own series iirc).

In the Marvel comics they always seem to come back from the dead, as if fulfilling some need - Thor has died a lot! - but then again what superhero in the comics besides the original Mar-vell hasn't. So maybe all popular super-heroes are gods.

But there is an older Thor issue about him hearing the prayers of his last viking worshipper. And the issues the latest Thor movie is based on have a lot of musing about it (and the first 80% or so of Aaron's run on Thor is great - with both the Gor and the Jane as Thor stories).

Anyway, here's Thor in a convent/church from Avengers 171:

 

[Hriston]

I’m not too familiar with the MCU, but my impression is it’s any character based on a real-world god. I.e. their identification as gods pre-exists their execution in the comics.

 

[Tonguez]

I’m not too familiar with the MCU, but my impression is it’s any character based on a real-world god. I.e. their identification as gods pre-exists their execution in the comics.

Thor: Love and Thunder also features alien gods and Bao, the god of dumplings who was made up for the movie.

Odin outright says that the Asgardians are not truely gods, they arent immortal but they have achieved a level of science that is so advnced to be magical and I suspect that the Odinforce is god-tier power (as is the Thorforce).

It would appear though that gods in the MCU arent a single type but rather refers to any being with an ability to transcend the Multiverse and not just pass between dimensions without aid of artifacts.

This would include the Celestials and Abstracts Entities (Eternity, the Watcher, maybe Dormammu) and the classic gods (Asgardians with Odinforce power), the Egyptian Ennead in the Overvoid and the Greek pantheon in Omnipotence city. But not Thanos (who needed the Infinity Gauntlet) or Doctor Strange (who needs a sling ring). It does mean that Kang should be considered a god, since he too found a way to transcend the multiverse via time travel. Uncertain re Scarlet Witch or America Chavez though

 

[beancounter]

In the comics, the Asgardians are gods, but in the film version, apparently, they are just aliens.

OT: I'm not a fan of how the movies have "castrated" Thor so much.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

The latest movie has a sword that can kill gods. But we've seen these 'gods' killed without it. They're tough, but they can be killed. Loki got his neck snapped, for example. Heimdall was stabbed, IIRC. So is the sword really necessary?

Beings with god-level powers can be killed by other beings with god-level powers. That sword is for average mortal-types to get around that and kill a god-level being.

 

[aco175]

I suspect that the MCU is like much of the modern world and God is dead, but they do not come out and say it. Technology has the power to make beings have the power once thought of as god-like. It is likely hard to have all these beings from history and jive them in any church doctrine, so they should just leave it out.

 

[Morrus]

Beings with god-level powers can be killed by other beings with god-level powers. That sword is for average mortal-types to get around that and kill a god-level being.

That’s definitely a good guess. I dunno how well the movies support that though (or is Thor never in any danger unless fighting Thanos? What about Hulk?)

 

[Ryujin]

I'd say that the difference between gods and beings that are simply powerful, in the MCU, is that gods either are or once were worshipped as such. Thanos, for example, is a leader. There's no indication that he's ever worshipped by anyone, except maybe some hero worship by his followers. So, in my estimation, the followers define the gods. Whether gods get any tangible benefit from that worship is up for grabs.

 

[MarkB]

Thor Love and Thunder does appear to present them as something unique and different. Aside from the fact that they have their own clubhouse, the Godkiller weapon seems to be very specifically designed for and intent upon killing them, so it must have some working definition - and there does appear to be some aspect of worship.

I'd say that the difference between gods and beings that are simply powerful, in the MCU, is that gods either are or once were worshipped as such. Thanos, for example, is a leader. There's no indication that he's ever worshipped by anyone, except maybe some hero worship by his followers. So, in my estimation, the followers define the gods. Whether gods get any tangible benefit from that worship is up for grabs.

In Infinity War, the Children of Thanos - especially this guy - did seem to present his crusade as some form of divine judgement. I think it tips over from hero worship into actual worship.