Strange Was Powerless

Peter quickly headed to the Sanctum Sanctorum. He had assumed that all-knowing Strange would already know about this, but when Peter told him, "Amora stole the Winter Box and gave it to the Atlantean rebels," Strange's expression became truly spectacular.

"The world has finally gone insane beyond anything I recognize."

Strange had no energy to complain about it at all. Instead, he asked Peter in confusion, "Why not leave this to the people of Olympus and Asgard to handle themselves?"

"I don't know either, but Thor said it wouldn't work. I don't know exactly why it wouldn't work." After that roundabout answer, Peter asked Strange, "Is there any way to deal with the Winter Box?"

"In theory, it's simple. As long as you're strong enough to withstand the Winter Box's extreme cold, you just have to close it."

"Could Thor or Hulk do it?"

"How would I know? Other than Frost Giants, nobody has ever been bored enough to open this thing." Strange rolled his eyes at Peter. "Frost Giants have a bloodline advantage that lets them resist the Winter Box's power, so they're the best candidates to close it. As for everyone else, no one but Odin has ever tried. But I seriously doubt whether the current Odin could close the Winter Box."

"Uh? Why?" Peter did not understand what Strange meant at first. "Shouldn't Odin be stronger now than he was in the past?"

"The Norse gods have a particular trait. As they age, they grow more powerful, but their bodies cannot bear their ever-increasing power. That's why Odin has to enter Odin's sleep every year, to maintain a balance between his body and his power. And as he grows older, the duration of his sleep increases as well."

At that, Strange, who had been flipping through a