It was always assumed that Thor was an ancient being in the films, as he is in the world of Marvel Comics. Finally in Avengers: Infinity War, the Asgardian mentions that he has lived for over 1500 years old. While there has been some debate over how this compares with Thor’s comic book age, the question of how he lives so long is actually explicitly answered.
Given the misnomer of ‘god’ — since Thor is closer to an alien than a god — some may even believe the God of Thunder is immortal. However, Asgardians actually owe their longevity less to their biology and more to a healthy diet. One fruit in particular, in fact.
Yes, much like in traditional Norse mythology, Thor and the other Asgardians gain their centuries of good health from one special dietary supplement: the Golden Apples of Idunn.
What Are The Apples of Idunn?
According to Norse mythology, Idunn (Old Norse for “The Rejuvenating One”) was a goddess who owned and dispensed a magical fruit that granted immortality to those who ate it. Many considered this fruit to be the apple, however since the Old Norse word for “apple” epli could refer to any fruit or nut, this may have not been the case. In Marvel mythology, the apples of Idunn were first referenced in Journey Into Mystery #100. In a backup story written by Stan Lee that details the adventures of a young Thor, Thor and his brother Loki battle two storm giants who stole the golden apples from Idunn (here, referred to as “Iduna”). The apples are depicted as giant-sized fruits although their magical properties are unrevealed.
Idunn (still referred to as “Iduna”) made her first Marvel Comics appearance in Journey Into Mystery #114. The story, also written by Stan Lee, is an Asgardian version of “Little Red Riding Hood” which follows Idunn (wearing a red cloak) delivering a basket of “The Golden Apples of Immortality” to Odin. Along the way, she’s threatened by Fenris the Wolf God (the same wolf who battled the Hulk in Thor: Ragnorok) until Haakun the Hunter intervenes and banishes Fenris to the shadow lands.
Later stories featuring Idunn establish that she is the only Asgardian who can pick the golden apples. This ability made her a frequent target of villains who sought her apples. Although this often put her in the role of a victim, Idunn later joins Odin’s wife Freyja and Thor’s birth mother Gaea to form the trinity known as the All-Mother of Asgardia that rules Asgard when Odin abdicates his throne.
The Golden Apples of Immortality possess many magical properties. Grown from a tree in a garden on the east side of the Hall of Valhalla, the apples can only be grown in Asgard. The fruit heals sickness, grants vigor, and helps even ancient beings retain a youthful appearance. However, they do not grant true immortality – they only slow down aging. As a result, Asgardians must regularly eat the apples to maintain the appearance of immortality. Should the apples ever be denied to Asgard, the gods will eventually weaken, age, and die. Idunn herself once denied the apples to Hoder, an Asgardian warrior who raped her. Because of this, Hoder eventually withered into an old blind man while the other Asgardians remained young.
Can ANYONE Eat The Apples & Be Immortal?
So… if Asgardians owe their long lives to a regular diet of golden apples, does that mean anyone – including ordinary humans – can become immortal by snacking on these apples? Actually, yes! In the Power Pack miniseriesThor and the Warriors Four, readers get the most in-depth Marvel tale of the Golden Apples of Idunn. In the story, the four Power children – Alex, Jack, Julie, and Katie – become distressed that their terminally ill grandmother will die soon. Manipulated by Loki, the four travel to Asgard hoping Idunn’s apples can cure their grandmother.
Disguising themselves as Asgardian warriors (with magic costumes supplied by Loki), the children take on the identity of the “Warriors Four” and become Asgard’s new heroes. After helping Thor take down a Frost Giant, they even get an audience with Asgard’s king Odin who hears their plea to receive a Golden Apple. However, Loki uses the jewels on the children’s disguises to regress all the Asgardians to babies and take over Asgard himself. Loki then tricks the kids into steal the apples for him.
To get to the apple tree, the kids must navigate their way past the Door of the Aesir (which has no lock or key – but a crack that Jack can slip through), the Path of the Vanir (which stretches as far as the eye can see – requiring the kids to close their eyes when they walk it), and Ratatosk, the giant Squirrel of Mischief (who can be defeated by Katie’s power blasts). Since the Golden Apples wither and die if anyone except Idunn picks them, the kids cleverly slice the branches and catch the apples in Idunn’s basket before they hit the ground.
One the children take all the apples and give them to Loki, however, their actions have grave consequences. All the Asgardians rapidly age and begin to die. Worse, as the Asgardians grow old, their aging triggers Ragnarok – the end of the world. Fortunately, Power Pack manage to regress Loki with the jewels he gave them and trick him into returning the apples, averting the disaster. In gratitude, Thor secretly gives a Golden Apple to the Pack’s grandmother. Disguised as “Dr. Donald Blake,” Thor gives her a dish of applesauce made from Idunn’s apples, temporarily restoring her health. Although she will die eventually without eating more apples (which Thor is unlikely to keep giving her) the Golden Apples of Idunn succeed in giving the Power children some extra time with their grandmother.
So, while getting the Apples of Idunn might be a difficult task, it’s not impossible for ordinary mortals to heal themselves or even acquire immortality with them. Actually, considering that Thor’s hammer Mjolnir also grants the power of Thor to anyone worthy, it’s possible that with enough character and determination, anyone could become an immortal God of Thunder.
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