At the end of 2022, a golden glove rested before Thor.
The Dwarf King, Eitri, examined the freshly forged Infinity Gauntlet with a nostalgic expression. "Many years ago, your father, King Odin, commissioned me to forge a glove capable of wielding all six Infinity Stones. But he abandoned the project when he realized that uniting the Stones could bring unimaginable disaster. The unfinished gauntlet was locked away in Asgard's treasury, forgotten... until now."
Eitri sighed heavily. "Now, Odin is gone, and the Infinity Stones belong to Asgard. Perhaps this is fate."
Thor shook his head. "It's not fate—it's my design."
He slipped the gauntlet onto his hand, the six Infinity Stones gleaming brightly as they mounted into place. Waves of gamma radiation coursed through his body, but rather than harm him, the energy recoiled as if touching something untouchable.
Eitri's face darkened with caution. "Thor, when the six Stones unite, one snap can destroy the entire universe. I hope you will wield this power wisely."
Thor nodded solemnly. "I will."
Back in the castle of New Asgard, the Red Queen's voice echoed through the halls.
"Welcome back!"
Thor glanced at the youthful hologram of the Red Queen and couldn't resist asking, "Do you want to become human?"
The Red Queen blinked, caught off guard. "What? No. A body, no matter how perfect, is inherently flawed. I'd rather not end up like Vision."
Thor chuckled. "Vision's not so bad. Why the hate?"
She hesitated before answering. "Let's just say I prefer being what I am. Vision is the strongest synthetic being in the world, yet... his connection to humanity has always been his greatest flaw."
Thor's smile widened. "You lack life and emotion, don't you?"
Her tone shifted, tinged with excitement. "You mean... you can fix that? But do you even understand this power, Thor? You've been using it mostly for destruction."
Thor raised the gauntlet, the Stones shimmering. "Maybe I didn't before, but I do now. From this moment on, I am destiny."
"Wait—Thor—!"
But before she could stop him, Thor snapped his fingers.
The glow of the Infinity Gauntlet subsided as a slender, solid figure materialized in front of him. The Red Queen—now fully human—stared at her hands in disbelief.
"You're... you're alive," Thor said, his voice soft. "And no longer just an AI."
Her eyes widened as realization hit her. "Wait... where are my clothes?"
Thor barely had time to react before he was blasted out of the hall by a furious punch.
Sitting on the ground outside, Thor rubbed his head as Natasha approached, a smirk tugging at her lips.
"You deserved that," she teased, sitting beside him.
Thor rolled his eyes. "Can you blame me? It's not like Tony prepared clothes when he made Vision!"
Natasha glared at him. "Vision was based on J.A.R.V.I.S., who was essentially a wise old man. The Red Queen... well, Alice now, was practically a child! How could you not see the difference?"
Thor cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. "Why are you here, anyway? Shouldn't you be training those recruits?"
Natasha shook her head. "They graduated ages ago. I'm here because they've started going on missions."
"Missions? Thanos is gone. Who's still causing trouble?"
Natasha shrugged. "As long as there's ambition, chaos will never end. Just recently, Stark Industries dealt with a guy named Quentin Beck—an actor who thought he could seize power. Tony dealt with him, of course, but it's proof that there's always another villain waiting in the wings."
Thor sighed. "Tony must've had a field day with that one."
As the sun began to set, Thor stood at the highest point of the castle. Jean Grey joined him, silently watching the horizon.
"I told you once," Thor said, breaking the silence, "that when I'm strong enough, I'll open the gates between dimensions and let you return to your world. You could see your family again."
Jean stiffened, her gaze lowering. After a long pause, she whispered, "Do I even have a family left? My father... he's better off without me. The Professor only took me in because I'm a mutant—and a dangerous one at that."
Thor studied her carefully, his expression softening. "So, what's your plan?"
Jean hesitated before answering, her voice trembling. "I want to go back, but... I want you to come with me."
Thor chuckled, reaching for her hand. "With the Infinity Stones, I can do anything. Anytime."
The light from the gauntlet flared brightly, and the world around them shifted.
A new journey had begun.